Creation Story in Greek Mythology: From a Dark Void to the Heavens and Earth
Background
The Greek creation myth comes from Theogony , written by Hesiod around 700 B.C. Literally, this title translates to "the birth of the gods."
The Creation of Earth
In Greek mythology, the world begins ages ago, before the time of the gods. In this world, only Chaos exists. Out of Chaos, Night -- Nyx in Greek -- and Darkness -- Erebus -- were born.
From the void of Chaos thus came Night and Darkness, and out of this came Light -- Aether -- and Day -- Hermera. With the creation of Light and Day came a new era of orderliness.
This orderliness thus created Earth, and with it, the Heavens. The scholar Edith Hamilton, author of Mythology, notes that, at this point, Earth and the Heavens are not just places, but actors, complete with personalities. Yet these actors sit in their own category, alive and encompassing a personality, but distinctly different than humans.