Chaos (cosmogony)
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| '''Chaos''' ([[Ancient Greek|Greek]] ''khaos'') refers to the formless or void state of '''[[Prima materia|primordial matter]]''' preceding the creation of the universe or [[cosmos]] in [[creation myth]]s, particularly [[Greek mythology|Greek]] but also in related [[religions of the Ancient Near East]]. | '''Chaos''' ([[Ancient Greek|Greek]] ''khaos'') refers to the formless or void state of '''[[Prima materia|primordial matter]]''' preceding the creation of the universe or [[cosmos]] in [[creation myth]]s, particularly [[Greek mythology|Greek]] but also in related [[religions of the Ancient Near East]]. | ||
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| The motif of '''''chaoskampf''''' is ubiquitous in these myths, depicting a battle of a [[culture hero]] deity with a chaos monster, often in the shape of a serpent or [[dragon]]. | The motif of '''''chaoskampf''''' is ubiquitous in these myths, depicting a battle of a [[culture hero]] deity with a chaos monster, often in the shape of a serpent or [[dragon]]. | ||
| + | ==Greco-Roman tradition== | ||
| + | In Greek [[cosmology]], Khaos was a primordial state of matter from which the [[cosmos]] and the other gods emerged. | ||
| + | For [[Hesiod]] and the early Greek Olympian myth (8th century BC), Chaos was the "vast and dark" void from which [[Nyx (mythology)|Nyx]] emerged. | ||
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| + | Chaos was also personified as a primal deity in [[Greek mythology]], as the first of the [[Protogenoi]] and the god of the air. | ||
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| + | Primal Chaos was sometimes said to be the true foundation of reality, particularly by philosophers such as [[Heraclitus]]. It was also probably what [[Aristotle]] had in mind when he developed the concept of [[Prima Materia]] in his attempt to combine Platonism with [[Pre-Socratic|Presocraticism]] and [[Naturalism (philosophy)|Naturalism]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}} | ||
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| + | [[Ovid]] (1st century BC), in his ''[[Metamorphoses (poem)|Metamorphoses]]'', described Chaos as "a rude and undeveloped mass, that nothing made except a ponderous weight; and all discordant elements confused, were there congested in a shapeless heap." | ||
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| + | [[Ovid]]. ''[[Metamorphoses (poem)|Metamorphoses]]'' 1.5-9 | ||
| + | : Ante mare et terras et quod tegit omnia caelum | ||
| + | : unus erat toto naturae vultus in orbe, | ||
| + | : quem dixere chaos: rudis indigestaque moles | ||
| + | : nec quicquam nisi pondus iners congestaque eodem | ||
| + | : non bene iunctarum discordia semina rerum. | ||
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| + | :"Before the ocean and the earth appeared— | ||
| + | :before the skies had overspread them all— | ||
| + | :the face of Nature in a vast expanse | ||
| + | :was naught but Chaos uniformly waste. | ||
| + | :It was a rude and undeveloped mass, | ||
| + | :that nothing made except a ponderous weight; | ||
| + | :and all discordant elements confused, | ||
| + | :were there congested in a shapeless heap." (trans. B. Moore) | ||
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| + | Fifth-century [[Orphism|Orphic]] cosmogony had a "Womb of Darkness" in which the Wind lay a ''[[World egg|Cosmic Egg]]'' whence [[Eros]] was hatched, who set the universe [[primum movens|in motion]]. | ||
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Revision as of 12:31, 1 January 2011
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Chaos (Greek khaos) refers to the formless or void state of primordial matter preceding the creation of the universe or cosmos in creation myths, particularly Greek but also in related religions of the Ancient Near East.
The motif of chaoskampf is ubiquitous in these myths, depicting a battle of a culture hero deity with a chaos monster, often in the shape of a serpent or dragon.
Greco-Roman tradition
In Greek cosmology, Khaos was a primordial state of matter from which the cosmos and the other gods emerged. For Hesiod and the early Greek Olympian myth (8th century BC), Chaos was the "vast and dark" void from which Nyx emerged.
Chaos was also personified as a primal deity in Greek mythology, as the first of the Protogenoi and the god of the air.
Primal Chaos was sometimes said to be the true foundation of reality, particularly by philosophers such as Heraclitus. It was also probably what Aristotle had in mind when he developed the concept of Prima Materia in his attempt to combine Platonism with Presocraticism and Naturalism.Template:Citation needed
Ovid (1st century BC), in his Metamorphoses, described Chaos as "a rude and undeveloped mass, that nothing made except a ponderous weight; and all discordant elements confused, were there congested in a shapeless heap."
Ovid. Metamorphoses 1.5-9
- Ante mare et terras et quod tegit omnia caelum
- unus erat toto naturae vultus in orbe,
- quem dixere chaos: rudis indigestaque moles
- nec quicquam nisi pondus iners congestaque eodem
- non bene iunctarum discordia semina rerum.
- "Before the ocean and the earth appeared—
- before the skies had overspread them all—
- the face of Nature in a vast expanse
- was naught but Chaos uniformly waste.
- It was a rude and undeveloped mass,
- that nothing made except a ponderous weight;
- and all discordant elements confused,
- were there congested in a shapeless heap." (trans. B. Moore)
Fifth-century Orphic cosmogony had a "Womb of Darkness" in which the Wind lay a Cosmic Egg whence Eros was hatched, who set the universe in motion.
