DEUCALION

DEUCALION: The Greek NOAH, and creator of the Human Race Mk II.

This was a bad time for humankind. Wicked behavior was on the increase, the newly-invented Fire was being used in evil ways, and the plague of misfortunes let loose by PANDORA were causing untold misery. So ZEUS, who was utterly sick of wicked mortals throwing stones at Heaven, decided to flood the world and kill them off.

Now PROMETHEUS, who kept his ear close to the ground, got wind of this. He advised his son DEUCALION to get into the ship-building industry as a matter of urgency. So DEUCALION, who had recently married PANDORA's daughter PYRRHA, knocked up a cosy little boat for two, and waited for the tide to turn.

It wasn't long before ZEUS set to work, calling down a great deluge which utterly flooded the Earth. All human inhabitants were drowned (there seems to have been an Olympian get-out clause for all the animals). Only DEUCALION and PYRRHA survived, drifting alone in their makeshift craft for many days and nights. It was lonely time, with not even a shipping forecast to break the monotony.

Finally the waters subsided. They stepped onto dry land and wondered what to do. Consulting the Oracle of THEMIS for suggestions, they were told to throw their mother's bones over their shoulders. This was not the kind of advice they were anticipating, but that's Oracles for you.

Twigging that 'mother' in this case meant Mother Earth (GAIA), they picked up as many stones as they could manage and tossed them. As soon as they hit the ground, DEUCALION's stones turned into men, while PYRRHA's became women. The human race was back in business.

Page last modified on 28 August 2006

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