The Golden Verses of Pythagoras · 79 of 122 · tr. Florence M. Firth
Section 13 (part 46)
Ἥ δέ οἱ Ἄτλαντα κρατερόφρονα γείνατο παῖδα· τίκτε δ᾽ ὑπερκύδαντα Μενοίτιον ἠδὲ Προμηθέα, 510 ποικίλον αἰολόμητιν, ἁμαρτίνοόν τ᾽ Ἐπιμηθέα, ὃς κακὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς γένετ᾽ ἀνδράσιν ἀλφηστῇσιν· πρῶτος γάρ ῥα Διὸς πλαστὴν ὑπέδεκτο γυναῖκα παρθένον.
Ὑβριστὴν δὲ Μενοίτιον εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς εἰς Ἔρεβος κατέπεμψε βαλὼν ψολόεντι κεραυνῷ 515 εἵνεκ᾽ ἀτασθαλίης τε καὶ ἠνορέης ὑπερόπλου.
Ἄτλας δ᾽ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχει κρατερῆς ὑπ᾽ ἀνάγκης πείρασιν ἐν γαίης, πρόπαρ Ἑσπερίδων λιγυφώνων, ἑστηὼς κεφαλῇ τε καὶ ἀκαμάτῃσι χέρεσσιν· ταύτην γάρ οἱ μοῖραν ἐδάσσατο μητίετα Ζεύς.
Themes
◆Emanation Hierarchycosmology
A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.
The text outlines a genealogical structure of divine beings subordinate to Zeus, implying a hierarchical order of divinity.
All passages →◇Anthropomorphismtheology
Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.
[auto] The passage depicts gods engaging in human-like activities such as procreation, dwelling, and sitting together.
All passages →◇Living Godtheology
The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.
[auto] Zeus is described as active and thundering, with divine beings constantly present near him in a dynamic relationship.
All passages →