So I recently picked up a copy of Ovid's Metamorphoses, something I've been wanting to read for a while now (don't ask why). It's basically a compilation of Ovid's stories and basic Greek mythology with change and transformation as a central theme. Well, the book starts off with "The Creation", and it describes the creation of the world. First, everything was one, and then the gods separated the elements into the Earth, stars, sun, and moon. After that, the oceans, land, animals, and plants were created, and finally man. Sounds familiar, eh? Well the story goes on to describe how man was innately good and pure but then became evil, which angered the gods. So how did they purge the world of this evil and start fresh? How about a flood? Yeah, you get the idea...
I'm only about 15 pages in and the above summary is pretty general, but it already sounds like the Creation story from Genesis. Ovid completed the Metamorphoses in 8 A.D., making it possible that he had knowledge of the Jewish teachings. Ovid's book, however, is mostly retelling of Roman mythology, therefore representative of the basic beliefs of the Romans, which happen to parallel those of the Hebrews.
What do you think? Any thoughts? Let me know!
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Similar yes, but not the same...I'd say there's a difference between creation by God the Father willfully, and the emergence of the Divine Aeons. I'm not sure that's what Ovid says, but I do know that much about Platonism/Gnosticism from Ireneaus...check out the First Apology.
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