The Pelasgian Creation Myth

Adapted from Robert Graves’ The Greek Myths by Dr. James Luchte

In the beginning, Eurynome,

The Goddess of All Things,

Rose naked from Chaos.

She found nothing upon

Which to rest her feet, and thus,

She divided the sea from the sky.

She danced lonely upon

The waves of the sea.

She danced towards the South, and

The Wind set in motion behind her

Seemed something new and strange

With which to begin a work of creation.

Wheeling about, she caught hold of

This North wind, rubbed it between

Her hands, and behold!

The great serpent Ophion.

Eurynome danced to warm herself, wildly

And more wildly, until Ophion, enchanted,

Coiled about her divine limbs

Becoming one with her.

As she lay with the Ophion,

Eurynome was got with child.

Eurynome assumed the form of a dove,

Brooding upon the waves and with time,

She laid the Universal Egg.

At her bidding, Ophion coiled seven times

About this egg, until it hatched and split into two.

Out tumbled all things that exist, her children:

Sun, moon, planets, stars, Earth with her mountains

Rivers, trees, herbs, and all living creatures.

Eurynome and Ophion made their home upon

Mount Olympus where he vexed her by

Claiming to be the author of the Universe.

Forthwith, she bruised his head with her heel,

Kicked out his teeth, and banished him to the

Dark caves below the Earth.

Eurynome opened her gaze and her arms to her

Children, giving each its name which she read

Off its own singular power and being.

She named the sun, moon, planets, stars and

The Earth with her mountains and rivers, trees,

Herbs and living creatures.

She took joy in her creation, but soon found

Herself alone desiring the face, voice,

ear and warmth of another of her own.

Eurynome stood up and once again

Began to dance alone upon the waves.