i.2.4 Greek Mythology
However, modern philosophy and science were mostly influenced by the ideas that arose from Greek philosophy. Many of the initial frameworks in current cosmology, and other fields of science, were based on Greek myths and legends, although the Greeks themselves acquired these ideas mostly from earlier Egyptian and Babylonian traditions and mythologies.
In one Greek mythology, Chaos is the formless matter from which the Cosmos, or harmonious order, was created. In the beginning there was only chaos, then Erebus, the unknowable place, appeared out of the void, that is described as empty and endless darkness. Then Love brought order to the stars, and from Love came Light and Day. When Erebus mated with Night, they gave birth to Ether. Then Gaea, the Earth, appeared, and she gave birth to Uranus, the heavens, who also became her mate that covered her from all sides, and they produced the three Cyclopes, the three Hecatoncheires, and twelve Titans. The myth then goes on to describe how Cronus ruled for many ages, and he swallowed each of his children as they were born in order to avoid being overthrown by them. This plan was then ruined by his wife Rhea when she hid their youngest child Zeus, and gave Cronus a rock wrapped in clothes, which he swallowed, thinking it was his son. When he reached manhood, Zeus and his mother trick Cronus to vomit his brothers and sisters, unharmed, and they all fought a mighty war against their father. After winning these wars, they began to furnish the Earth with life and the Sky with stars.