The Five Ages of Man

Hesiod was a Boeotian farmer until the day he met the muses (nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne [Memory] who inspired poets, speakers, and artists) while tending sheep. They inspired him to write the "Works and Days," wherein Hesiod tells a creation story, tracing the lineage of mankind through five successive "ages" or "races" from the "Golden Age" to the present "Iron Age."

Golden Age
The Golden Age was a mythical first period of man when everything was happy and easy, and mortals lived like gods, although they died, but only as if falling asleep. No one worked or grew unhappy. Spring never ended. It is even described as a period in which people aged backwards. When they died, they became daimones and roamed the earth. The people of the Golden Age were formed by or for the titan Cronus who is known by the Romans as Saturn. When Zeus overcame the titans the Golden Age ended.

(ll. 109-120) First of all the deathless gods who dwell on Olympus made a golden race of mortal men who lived in the time of Cronos when he was reigning in heaven. And they lived like gods without sorrow of heart, remote and free from toil and grief: miserable age rested not on them; but with legs and arms never failing they made merry with feasting beyond the reach of all evils. When they died, it was as though they were overcome with sleep, and they had all good things; for the fruitful earth unforced bare them fruit abundantly and without stint. They dwelt in ease and peace upon their lands with many good things, rich in flocks and loved by the blessed gods.
(ll. 121-139) But after earth had covered this generation -- they are called pure spirits dwelling on the earth, and are kindly, delivering from harm, and guardians of mortal men; for they roam everywhere over the earth, clothed in mist and keep watch on judgements and cruel deeds, givers of wealth; for this royal right also they received....
Hesiod Works and Days

Print Source: Early Greek Myth, by Timothy Ganz.

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