The Origin Of Sexuality

Dear friends,

I have found in The Greek Myths, by Robert Graves, an ancient creation story, which has some interesting implications, and I have copied it out here.

In the beginning, Eurynome, the Goddess of All Things, rose naked from Chaos, but found nothing substantial for her feet to rest upon, and therefore divided the sea from the sky, dancing lonely upon its waves. She danced towards the south, and the wind set in motion behind her seemed something new and apart with which to begin the 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, grown lustful, coiled about those divine limbs and was moved to couple with her. Now, the North Wind, who is called Boreas, ferilizes; which is why mares often turn their hind-quarters and breed foals without the aid of a stallion. So Eurynome was likewise got with child.

Next, she assumed the form of a dove, brooding on the waves and, in due process of time, laid the Universal Egg. At her bidding, Ophion coiled seven times about this egg, until it hatched and split in two. Out tumbled all things that exist, her children: sun, moon, planets, stars, the earth with its mountains and rivers, its trees, herbs, and 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.

Eur means wide and nome means pasture or distribution, which is not really an appropriate name for the Creatrix, so it is not an original myth. The Greek word Chaos, according to the Liddel And Scott Lexicon, is: "infinite space, the expanse, the nether abyss, infinite darkness."

This myth indicates a superior Goddess and an inferior God. This is what Robert Graves believed, and, since this account is a reconstruction of the myth, it allows scope for interpretation, so there could be some bias in Robert Graves' version, but it indicates a time when patriarchal ideas made their first entry into matriarchy, and resulted in a faction which wanted the exaltation of the male principle, resulting in violence. I appears to indicate the complete defeat of the male principle.

The myth goes on to describe the creation of the planets, which were governed by a Titan and a Titaness. This requires an equal balance male/female duality, so, despite the apparent defeat of patriarchy indicated in the myth, patriarchal influences grew stronger. It ends by saying that Pelasgus was the first man. There's no mention of a woman in this origin of the human race.

What comes out of this description of the coupling of Ophion with Eurynome is that a sexuality religion requires both male an female principles. A complete matriarchy could not be a sexuality religion. The sexuality was therefore introduced by the intrusion of patriarchal influence into matriarchy. It is patriarchy, and not, as is much written about, matriarchy, which is the sexuality influence.

When patriarchy became established and matriarchy forgotten, the patriarchal rulers would have wanted to govern their countries, and become more responsible. Ordinary people would give up the aggressive indiscipline of revolutionaries and want to live more ordered lives. This is why sexuality religion ended.

May She be with you,

David.