greek mythology stuff

Chapter 11 The Vision of the Latter Knower
The two came to the creek where Prometheus had molded a large number of clay embryos, covering almost all the creatures on the earth.

Hephaestus watched patiently, and found that not all the creatures of later generations were created at this time, for example, the common snakes in later generations disappeared.

Seeing Hephaestus coming with Epimetheus, Prometheus couldn't wait to give orders. He seemed to have unusual enthusiasm and passion for creating creatures.

"Brother, after a while I will give life to the clay figurines, and you will give them talents."

Then he said to Athena in a negotiating tone: "Goddess, you are responsible for the most critical step, giving wisdom to the human beings we created."

Athena nodded: "No problem, let's start!"

Neither of them cared about Epimetheus' opinion, as if the man was of little importance.

Hephaestus looked at the three of them amusedly, he wrote in the history book.

[The silver age is over.There are three gods who create creatures in the new era. They are Athena, the goddess of wisdom, Prometheus the prophet, and Epimetheus the latter. 】

[The prophet Prometheus created the body of living beings, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, gave wisdom to the lucky ones among the living beings, and Epimetheus, the late seer, served as a bridge between the two, endowing newborn living beings with talents, It saves the tedious steps in the middle. 】

[Among the three, the prophet Prometheus is like a leader, making plans and assigning tasks. 】

[Athena, the goddess of wisdom, is his partner. 】

[Surprisingly, Epimetheus, the strongest of the three, with a powerful first-level divine power, took the initiative to conceal his strength and let two gods with medium divine power command him. 】

[This matter seems to have been going on for a long time, and Prometheus has been kept in the dark. 】

[It seems that he is not really prophetic. 】

……

The arrival of Epimetheus saves the cumbersome steps in the middle, so that Prometheus is no longer restrained, and can show off his authority to create creatures.

He picked up a dead branch that fell on the ground, stained it with the river water and threw it out. The water droplets splashed and landed on the molded soil embryo.

A miracle happened, and the life of these clay sculptures came alive and became flesh and blood.

The newborn creatures are still ignorant, they don't know why they exist, they have never been hungry, they don't even have the concept of survival, they just look blankly at their creator, Prometheus.

Epimetheus followed Prometheus, endowing these newborn creatures with gifts.He gave courage to the lion, the ability to run fast to the rabbit, and sharp eyesight to the eagle.

For every unique population Prometheus created, Epimetheus endowed them with a unique talent.

Hephaestus noticed, and Prometheus deliberately avoided humans, saving them for last.

It seems that he really likes human beings as a creation and wants to reserve the best talents for them.

Finally, animals have their own unique talents, and it's time for humans.

Prometheus threw out the dead branches with the river water, bringing them back to life with flesh and blood, and then looked expectantly at his brother Epimetheus.

Epimetheus smiled awkwardly at him: "No more, it's over."

Prometheus was stunned when he heard this, but he immediately became angry.

"Why didn't you discuss it with me in advance, what do you think?!"

"Human beings are the most important creation!"

Epimetheus didn't respond, but just looked at Prometheus sadly, his eyes seemed to be filled with all the emotions in the world, the most of which were the elder brother's doting on the younger brother and the irreparable pity for things.

This doting and compassion dazzled Prometheus the seer and appeased his anger.

After the three brothers were born, their father, Iapetus, and mother, the goddess of fame, Clymene, did not take care of them. To put it bluntly, it was Epimetheus, the eldest brother, who stood up and took Atla Si and Prometheus grew up together.

Prometheus' special affection for humans has nothing to do with Epimetheus' preference for living in villages where humans gather.

As if thinking of the past days of being dependent on each other, Prometheus softened his tone:

"Don't you have any other talents?"

"Or share some of the talents of animals with humans."

Epimetheus explained: "No, my talents are not infinite, and once bestowed they cannot be taken back."

"Alas!" Prometheus sighed, as if he knew the result long ago.

But he didn't want the newborn humans to be useless, so he discussed with Athena, hoping to bestow more wisdom on humans.

……

Ignoring Prometheus who was trying to remedy the situation, Epimetheus turned his back to everyone and looked at a thriving fennel tree in a daze.

Hephaestus came behind him: "You're lying, you did it on purpose."

Without looking back, Epimetheus replied calmly: "Hephaestus, even if you are the Vulcan of Olympus, you can't slander me at will."

"I did nothing wrong."

"My brother Prometheus the seer and Athena the goddess of wisdom can testify to me that I was unintentional."

"If I make any small moves, they who are in charge of wisdom-related authority will definitely be able to see it."

As if finding a confidant, Hephaestus also spoke presumptuously: "The gods who are in charge of wisdom and authority may not necessarily be very wise themselves."

"Gods are gods, and authority is authority."

"There is no authority to specify which god it must be. There has never been such a statement."

Epimetheus: "This is not what you should say, Hephaestus, you were born Vulcan, and the power of fire chose you."

"Maybe, but the powers of forging and masonry didn't choose me, I chose them." Hephaestus shrugged indifferently.

"So you are a master craftsman, the only god among the gods who can forge artifacts freely."

"Shouldn't it be the only four?" Hephaestus caught the loophole in Epimetheus' words.

Epimetheus broke off a branch of the fennel tree in front of him, and kneaded it in his hands until it was powdered.

"In my eyes, the children of the god Uranus, the three Cyclops brothers can only be regarded as one person."

"If they separate, it doesn't even count as half."

Hephaestus nodded: "It can be understood that way."

He skipped the subject and continued, "You don't seem to like fennel trees very much. Do you want me to help you burn down all the fennel trees in the world?"

Epimetheus: "I also don't like humans, can you help me destroy humans?"

Hephaestus said: "I'm afraid this is not possible, you have to do it yourself, you have the power."

"Also, you lied again. If you didn't like humans, you wouldn't live in a human village."

Epimetheus: "If a thing can happen, it must happen, and time will give its cause and effect."

"It can only be delayed, it cannot be stopped."

"This is the same as the birth of human beings. The reason why they must be born is because of the common appeal of most gods."

"I also tried to persuade my brother Atlas, but he insisted on going his own way, and I failed."

"I don't care. After all, I am the god who is in charge of the power of ignorance. I should have made stupid and useless efforts."

"Now I don't stop it anymore, let him flood the sky, it has nothing to do with me."

"It's just that when you are unhappy, you still lose your temper over some small things, just like what you saw just now."

Hephaestus asked seriously: "Do you believe in fate? Do you think fate is unstoppable?"

"I don't believe it, I just saw the result, just like you saw the future." Epimetheus replied.

Hephaestus: "I disagree with you."

"Even if the outcome is doomed, our intervention is not in vain."

"The process and the result are equally important, and different processes give different meanings to the results."

Epimetheus: "It seems that gods and mortals are alike, unable to listen to advice, and neither are you."

"Perhaps!" Hephaestus responded to him.

Prometheus' hearty laughter came from a distance, and he was sending his creatures to all parts of the earth with divine power.

Epimetheus turned and stood with Hephaestus under the fennel tree, looking at Prometheus and his creation...

(End of this chapter)