Before philosophy began, people turned to myths to understand the world. This post explains how Greek mythology—through Hesiod’s Theogony and Homer’s Iliad—laid the foundation for early philosophical thought.

Table of Contents

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What Came Before Philosophy? Understanding the Role of Mythology

• Philosophy didn’t begin suddenly—it evolved over time from mythology.
• Before philosophy, people explained the world through stories passed from one generation to another.
• These stories were filled with gods, demigods, dragons, and magical beings—we now call this mythology.
• People believed these stories to be true, and entire cultures, traditions, and civilizations were built around them.
• Philosophy began when some people started questioning these stories.
• They asked: Why should we believe them? Are they true? Is there any proof?
• This led to a conflict between mythology and philosophy.
• Most people supported mythology, while only a few followed philosophy.
• Socrates, for example, was punished for questioning traditional beliefs and values in Athens.
• Even though philosophers opposed mythology, many of their ideas were still influenced by it.
• Mythology included hidden messages about good and bad behavior, moral values, and how to live life.
• To understand early philosophy, we must understand mythology first.
• Two major Greek poets, Homer and Hesiod, shaped Greek mythology.

Summary:

Before philosophy, people used myths to explain life and the universe. These myths were powerful stories full of imagination. Over time, some people began to question these stories, asking for reason and evidence. This questioning gave birth to philosophy. Although philosophy and mythology seemed opposite, they often influenced each other. Understanding mythology helps us understand how philosophy began.

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Who Was Hesiod and What Is Theogony in Greek Mythology?

• Hesiod was a Greek poet active around the 8th century BC.
• He wrote a famous poem called “Theogony”, which means “the birth of gods”.
• “Theogony” is one of the most important texts in Greek mythology and influenced Greek culture, literature, and philosophy.
• Hesiod begins his poem with the Muses, goddesses who inspire poets. He says they gave him the sacred voice to tell the truth.
• Instead of giving reasons or logic, Hesiod relies on divine authority to prove his words are true.
• The poem describes how the universe and gods came into existence:
  • Chaos came first (a mysterious being, not explained clearly).
  • Then came Earth, Tartaros (underworld being or place), and Eros (god of love).
  • From Chaos came Darkness and Night.
  • From Earth came Sky, Mountains, and Sea.
  • Earth and Sky produced the Titans – 6 male and 6 female gods. The youngest was Kronos.
• Earth and Sky later gave birth to:
  • 3 Cyclopes (gods with one eye in the forehead).
  • 3 Hundred-Handers (each had 100 hands and 50 heads).
• Sky disliked these children and hid them inside Earth.
• Angry, Earth told Kronos to attack his father Sky. Kronos did, and became the most powerful Titan.
• Sky warned Kronos that his own son would defeat him.
• To prevent this, Kronos swallowed each of his children at birth.
• Kronos’s wife Rhea saved their youngest son Zeus by hiding him in a cave and tricking Kronos with a stone wrapped in cloth.
• Zeus survived, grew up, and later fought a 10-year war against Kronos and the Titans—and won.

Summary:

Hesiod’s Theogony tells the story of how gods came into being and how power passed from one generation to another. It shows how early Greek mythology explained the origin of the world through powerful stories rather than logic or evidence. These stories were deeply influential in shaping Greek beliefs and laid the foundation for later philosophical ideas.

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Key Concepts from Hesiod’s Theogony for Philosophy Students

• You don’t need to memorize all the gods or the full family tree. Just focus on the main ideas that connect mythology to philosophy.
• Hesiod claims truth by divine authority, not logic. He says the Muses (goddesses) gave him the knowledge to write, so his words are “sacred.”
• The gods in Theogony are like humans:
  • They are born like humans.
  • They have different powers and statuses.
  • They show human emotions like anger, fear, jealousy, and ego.
• Hesiod says the first thing to exist was Chaos.
  • Chaos is formless and has no clear shape.
  • Hesiod does not explain how or why Chaos came first.
  • Chaos can be seen as a first principle, or starting point of everything.
• Important themes in the poem:
  • Violence (sons attacking fathers),
  • Justice (gods punishing wrong),
  • Vengeance (revenge between gods and generations).

Summary:

Hesiod’s Theogony isn’t just a story—it shows how early humans explained the universe. Gods act like people, showing emotions and facing problems. Hesiod doesn’t use logic or evidence; he uses divine authority. The idea of Chaos as a formless starting point is an early hint at a philosophical “first cause.” The poem also explores deep themes like violence, justice, and revenge, which later became important in philosophical thinking.

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Homer’s Iliad: Key Lessons from Greek Mythology and Philosophy

• Homer was a famous Greek poet and a contemporary of Hesiod.
• His two most important works are the Iliad and the Odyssey, both written as long poems.
• These poems had a huge influence on Greek culture, literature, and values.
• Ancient Greeks saw Homer as a spiritual teacher. They looked to his stories for answers about morality, life, and human nature.
• Western philosophy begins with the world-image shaped by Homer’s stories.

Key Points from the Iliad:

• The Iliad is set during the Trojan War, which likely took place between 1300–1100 BCE.
• Troy was ruled by King Priam, and his sons Paris and Hector were key figures.
• Paris abducted Helen, the wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta.
• Menelaus’s brother Agamemnon (king of Argos) led a huge Greek army to attack Troy.
• The strongest Greek warrior was Achilles, known for his unmatched fighting skills.
• Agamemnon took a priest’s daughter as a prize and refused to return her, even after the priest begged.
• The priest prayed to Apollo (god of the sun and disease), who sent a plague to punish the Greek army.
• Agamemnon agreed to return the girl but demanded Achilles’ prize in return. This caused a fight between them.
• Achilles refused to fight, which weakened Greek morale.
• His close friend Patroclus wore Achilles’ armor and entered the battle but was killed by Hector.
• Filled with rage and grief, Achilles returned to the war, killed Hector, and dragged his body behind his chariot.
• At the end, King Priam visited Achilles and begged for Hector’s body.
• Both men cried—Priam for his son, and Achilles for his friend.
• Achilles returned Hector’s body, and the poem ends on this emotional note.

Summary:

Homer’s Iliad is not just a war story—it explores deep human emotions like anger, friendship, loss, pride, and forgiveness. It shows how early Greeks understood values like honor, justice, revenge, and compassion. These ideas shaped how Western philosophy began. Homer’s world was the starting point for asking deeper questions about human life.

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What the Iliad Teaches About Human Nature, Heroism, and the Gods

• The Iliad shows that anything in excess becomes harmful—even good traits like pride and anger can lead to destruction if not balanced.
• Achilles had strength and courage, but no moderation (self-control or balance). His uncontrolled anger caused great problems.
• The poem teaches heroic virtues—a true hero should have:
  • Strength and bravery,
  • A smart and strategic mind, and
  • A sense of moderation or balance.
• Greek education aimed to teach these balanced qualities to children.
• Gods actively interfere in human affairs:
  • Apollo sends a plague to punish Agamemnon.
  • Achilles prays to his mother, a goddess, who then asks Zeus to support the Trojans.
• Greek gods in Homer’s story are very human-like:
  • They have emotions, take sides, and make biased decisions.
  • The only difference is that gods are more powerful and immortal (they don’t die).
• Homer’s story also includes a moral order:
  • Paris was wrong to run away with Helen.
  • This immoral act angered Zeus, leading to Troy’s defeat.
• Honor is the most important value in the Iliad.
  • Justice, in Homer’s view, means giving every person the honor they deserve.

Summary:

The Iliad teaches that a hero must have not just power, but also balance and wisdom. Achilles’ lack of self-control leads to personal and collective loss. Gods act like humans, with feelings and favoritism, but hold more power and live forever. Homer’s message is clear: justice means giving people the respect they deserve, and excess leads to downfall. These ideas deeply influenced Greek ethics and early philosophy.

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Greek Mythology Before Philosophy: Hesiod, Homer, and the Birth of Thought

• Before philosophy, people explained life through mythology—stories about gods and the universe.
• Philosophy began when people started questioning these stories and asked for reason and evidence instead of blind belief.
• Two major writers of Greek mythology:
  • Hesiod – author of Theogony
    • Explained how the world and gods were created.
    • Introduced important themes like violence, justice, and vengeance.
  • Homer – author of The Iliad
    • Showed how gods behave like humans, with emotions and biases.
    • Described heroic virtues: strength, courage, and moderation (balance/self-control).
    • Taught that without moderation, even good qualities become destructive.
    • Emphasized honor and justice as core values.

Summary:

This lesson gave a basic overview of Greek mythology, especially through the works of Hesiod and Homer. We saw how myths helped early Greeks explain life, values, and the universe before philosophy existed. The shift from myth to reason—from belief to questioning—marked the beginning of philosophy. In the next lesson, we’ll explore the first Greek philosopher, Thales.