Towards the end of the Age of Bronze, the human world became cruel. Men grew greedy, impolite, and ungodly. Neither right nor law was respected, and the rule of hospitality was forgotten. Disguised as a mortal, Zeus visited Arcadia and Thessaly and was appalled by their wickedness. He decided to wipe humanity from the earth. Without hesitation, he released the rainy south wind and summoned the heartless Poseidon to help. Soon, the world sank into a vast ocean, and the entire human race perished in an unprecedented flood—all but two humble Thessalians.
This was an old, childless couple, kind, faithful, and content with life. The man was Deucalion, son of Prometheus, and his wife was Pyrrha. Warned by his father of the coming deluge, Deucalion built a great chest. When the roaring flood arrived, the couple hid inside. They floated for nine days until the chest came to rest on Mount Parnassus.
The once vibrant world was now a scene of death and ruin. Feeling lonely and afraid, the old couple prayed to the gods for help. A sage instructed them to "cast the bones of your mother" behind them. Deucalion, son of the wise Titan, guessed the command's true meaning: "mother" meant Mother Earth, and her "bones" were stones. They began throwing stones over their shoulders.
A miracle occurred. The stones Deucalion threw became men; those Pyrrha threw became women. Thus, humanity was reborn on the land, and the Heroic Age began.