The industrial revolution has brought a lot of changes and most of them have greatly improved the quality of life of the people, but this did not come without a cost. The increase in production levels created a lot of unsavory byproducts such as the rampant pollution especially in the air and the water. The gods of these realms did not take kindly to the destruction of their domains.
“Damn Prometheus for giving mankind the means to do this. I knew they could not be trusted with such power. They should have been left helpless!” Zeus said during a meeting between him and his brother. They had arranged to meet after seeing the affects of the excessive pollution.
“There is no use lamenting the past, you have already punished Prometheus for his indiscretions as well as the humans so there is nothing more to be done on that front. Instead, we must focus on the issue at hand as the creatures of my realm are suffocating and I know you are facing the same problems. This cannot be left unchecked. I have been fielding complaints from the sea gods and the river gods alike. They are ready to take matters into their own hands.” Poseidon replied.
“They have brought the wrath of the gods upon themselves and now they must suffer the consequences for their thoughtless actions. I will send Hermes to fetch Boreas and Notos as we will need their help.”
With the help of the two winds Poseidon and Zeus whipped up hurricanes and snowstorms. They created devastating heat and disastrous cold. Poseidon raised the sea levels that threatened the coastal cities while Zeus sent endless rainstorms. Zeus continually raised the temperature of the earth incrementally every year. This will continue until the gods are appeased and their realms or earth becomes inhospitable.
Analysis:
While the industrial revolution has made life easier for everyone around it has come with a cost. The start of global warming can clearly be linked to that event in human history since humans are completely responsible for climate change. The increased production that was made possible by the industrialization of the creation of goods created a lot of pollution. The gases released by the burning of coal and fossil fuels, which is necessary to run factories, cause a greenhouse effect which traps heat in the atmosphere.
There was also a sharp increase in the amount meat that could be farmed due to the changes in the ranching process. The change was so dramatic that meat went from primarily being the food of the rich to something that could be consumed by everyone cost effectively. This resulted in a lot more methane gas being released into the atmosphere which is one of the most harmful greenhouse gases. The same is true for the farming of fish which has exponentially increased the waste in our oceans. Fishing waste is the biggest polluter of the ocean. A lot of waste also ends up in the ocean which is destroying the wildlife.
Zeus’s first comment is a reference to Prometheus giving humans fire for which both he and mankind were punished. This is comparable to the industrial revolution in the sense that both of these events were very important in the progression of mankind. The industrial revolution would not have been possible without fire and both humans and Prometheus were punished for that advancement. Prometheus stole fire from Olympus and gave it to humans (Hesiod 42). As punishment Zeus had him chained to a rock and commanded an eagle eat out his liver every day which would regenerate every night (Hesiod 42). This cycle is destined to repeat itself for the rest of eternity. Mankind’s punishment was Pandora; a mortal constructed by Hephaestus at the behest of Zeus who was taught skills by the gods like Athena teaching her needlework and Hermes teaching her deceit (Hesiod 54). She was also given gold necklaces and a crown of flowers to make her irresistible to mankind so that they would take her in (Hesiod 54). Along with this she was given a jar and commanded to never open it, but she succumbed to her curiosity and opened the jar which held all the evil in the world but also hope (Hesiod 54). This was the cost of humans having fire.
The second half of Poseidon’s reply is a reference to how major rivers have their own gods such as Achelous the river god of Aetolia who attempted to kidnap Deianeira but was bested by Herakles (Apollodorus 1. 64). The many river gods were the children of Oceanus and they gave birth naiads who were the spirits of smaller bodies of fresh water such as streams and wells (Philostratus the Elder 2. 27). The spirits of nature would not be too pleased by the destruction and pollution. There were many sea gods as well whom Poseidon, the sea king, presided over. There are some well know ones such a Triton, the son of Poseidon, Nereus, the old man of the sea who was referenced in Hesiod’s Theogony and Scylla and Charybdis from Homer’s Odyssey (Hesiod 930).
Notos and Boreas are the south and north directional winds, respectively. Notos is the summer and heat wind where are Boreas is the winter and cold wind (Hesiod 869). There is also Eurus and Zephyrus the east and west winds, respectively and together they are known as the Anemoi (Hesiod 869). I chose the Anemoi for the this as opposed the Anemoi Thuellai who are the storm winds for two reasons. One, the Anemoi are more well known and written about thus more identifiable. Two, the storm winds had a temporary effect and were usually kept locked up by Aeolus (Homer 10.1). They are referenced in Homer’s Odyssey when Aeolus gives Odysseus a bag of winds to help him on his journey. The lasting effect of the Anemoi seemed more appropriate in this case as opposed to the quick devastating destruction of the Anemoi Thuellai. The presence of the wind was to show the increased effects of winter and summer as global warming means we will have colder winters and hotter summers. They would also aid in the creation of hurricanes which are now more devastating because of global warming.
Works Cited:
Apollodorus. The Library. Translated by Sir James George Frazer. Loeb Classical Library Volumes 121 & 122. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921.
Elder Philostratus, Younger Philostratus, Callistratus. Translated by Fairbanks, Arthur. Loeb Classical Library Volume 256. London: William Heinemann, 1931.
Hesiod, Theogony, Homeric Hymns, Epic Cycle, Homerica. Translated by Evelyn-White, H G. Loeb Classical Library Volume 57. London: William Heinemann, 1914
Hesiod, Works and Days, Homeric Hymns, Epic Cycle, Homerica. Translated by Evelyn-White, H G. Loeb Classical Library Volume 57. London: William Heinemann, 1914.
Homer. The Odyssey. Translated by Murray, A T. Loeb Classical Library Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1919.