There had been four ages since the human world first cameinto being .They are the Golden Age,the Silver Age,the Age of Bronze and the Age of Iron.The Golden Agewas the best of all.It was an age when Kronus sat on thethrone.Generous nature met all the needs of men 。There wereno extremes of cold and heat.And the evils of the human worldwere still kept in the cask.Epimetheus guarded the cask and Pandora was not yet made to open.Men lived a happy life.They were forever young.They were always eating richly and knew neither hard labour nor sorrow.When death came it came like apeaceful sleep.And they became good spirits in heaven 。
The Silver Age was one in which the human race was somewhat less valuable in body and mind.The period was of helpless be ginning.It lasted a hundred years.And it was the time of manhood,short and troubled.Men spent in ignorance and evil.They no longer admired the gods and offered no sacrifices.However,as the race of the Silver Age was not entirely lack of goodness,they had some honour and lived on as spirits under the earth。
During the age of Bronze men became further degenerated .Dressed in bronze and armed with weapons of bronze,they live din the houses of bronze.Cruel and heartless,they delighted inwar and died in endless struggle.When they passed away,they came into the darkness of the lower world。
The last age,that of Iron,was one of continual care and grief.There was no family love,no sense of respectful duty,no friend ship and hospitality.Nor was there any faith,truth and justice.Evil was widespread,might was right,and the flames of war burnt the surface of the earth.It was a race of men given up by gods 。
人類產(chǎn)生以來(lái)經(jīng)歷了四個(gè)時(shí)代:黃金時(shí)代、白銀時(shí)代、青銅時(shí)代、鐵器時(shí)代。黃金時(shí)代最為美好?唆斈人棺谟?犊拇笞匀粷M足了人類的一切要求。沒(méi)有嚴(yán)寒酷暑。人間的不幸被拘禁在桶中。這只桶由厄庇墨透斯保管,而潘多拉還沒(méi)有出世來(lái)打開(kāi)桶蓋。人們生活美滿,青春永存。他們常常舉行盛宴,大吃大喝,而對(duì)艱辛與悲哀一概不知。死亡的來(lái)臨猶如酣睡,死后他們變成精靈升入天堂。
在白銀時(shí)代,人類在體力與智力方面感覺(jué)欠佳。這種孤弱的開(kāi)端延續(xù)百年。人類在愚昧與不幸中度過(guò)了這一短暫而焦慮的成年期。他們不再崇拜天神,也不再獻(xiàn)祭。好在白銀時(shí)代的人類并非一點(diǎn)美德也不具備。他們有廉恥之心,他們死后作為神靈繼續(xù)在陰間生活。
銅時(shí)代,人類更加墮落。身著青銅盔甲,手握青銅兵器,住在青銅鑄造的房中。他們殘忍無(wú)情,尚武好戰(zhàn),最終在無(wú)止盡的戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)中消亡。死時(shí),他們降臨陰間。
最后一個(gè)時(shí)代——鐵器時(shí)代,這是一個(gè)持續(xù)煩惱與悲傷的時(shí)代。沒(méi)有親人的愛(ài),沒(méi)有孝順長(zhǎng)輩的責(zé)任感,沒(méi)有友誼,沒(méi)有禮儀,更沒(méi)有信仰、真理與正義。罪惡四處蔓延,強(qiáng)權(quán)即公理。戰(zhàn)火燒焦了地球的表面。天神摒棄了人類。