Comparing Hesiod's Theogony And The Popol Vuh

The parallels between Hesiod's Theogony and the Popol Vuh run much deeper than the obvious similarities of the shared incidents of dismemberment; the parties responsible for the dismemberment and what the dismemberment itself represents, the latter being the topic of this essay. There are many resemblances that can be drawn between these two epics, and indeed between a great number of the global creationary epics. It is the greater context of the creationary epic that gives a clear meaning to of each of the passages, and the episodes of dismemberment contained within. Ouranos and Seven Macaw, although seemingly somewhat dissimilar in character and cosmic ancestry share a common theme of being an unwanted roadblock to the willed creationary process, by way of self-magnification. Self-magnification itself seems to be an attempt to convey urgency, of a building pressure within the

Ouranos' severed genitals are cast into the sea by Kronos, frothing, which later birthed a child, who turned out to be another god, being Aphrodite, of the Olympian distinction. On the other hand, Seven Macaw's dismembered body parts are kept by the Great White Peccary and the Great White Coati, returning the false dignity Seven Macaw had held for himself to the creators. This then brings order to the creationary process. While outwardly different, these respective roles of our fallen gods’ dismembered body parts, carry a similar meaning. They both represent obstacles to the progression of creation, barriers to the qualitative leap from the twilight world, unto the next phase of creation. Once separated from the “source” of their power, the roadblocks become stepping-stones, both Ouranos and Seven Macaw eventually being supplanted by the agent of their