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How did the ancient Greeks explain the origin of the universe in Hesiod’s Theogony?

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Painting by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo showing crowds pulling the large wooden Trojan Horse into the city of Troy, with excited figures and ancient buildings in the background. — Greek mythology Oil on canvas by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, c. 1760; in the National Gallery, London.

In Hesiod’s Theogony, the origin of the universe is explained through a systematic genealogy of divine beings rather than a single act of creation. Hesiod posits that the universe began with four primary entities: Chaos (the "Yawning Gap"), Gaea (Earth), Tartarus (the Abyss), and Eros (Desire).123

Chaos served as the progenitor of primordial forces such as Erebus (Darkness) and Nyx (Night), which in turn gave rise to elements like Day and the bright upper air, as well as darker aspects of existence like Death and Famine. The creative process continued through the generations of gods, marked by dramatic conflicts—most notably the violent separation of Gaea from her consort Uranus by their son Cronus.32

Ultimately, Hesiod uses these divine relationships to account for the structure of the world and the eventual rise of Zeus, whose supremacy is attributed to his wisdom and political skill in maintaining the balance of power among the gods.12