Hesiod, an ancient Greek poet, wrote several books concerning Greek mythology and ancient Greek culture; the Theogony, and Works and Days. His view of mankind’s past and future is dark, an existence without mercy from the gods which they could do a myriad of things to insult.
These gods withheld the source of infinite plenty from men, as also gave them Pandora, in revenge for Prometheus giving man fire. The message? If a god gives you a gift, you’d better beware lest anther take vengeance on you for taking it.
He also refers to the modern race of mankind as being the fifth race; the race of iron. He describes the other races. First, the Race of Gold, which was followed by that of silver, then by warriors of bronze, then by a race of demigods, and then lastly, by us, the race of iron. We have short lifespans and are plagued by Zeus’s curses (Pandora, etc). Thus, his overview is truly dark and scary, a world that has been cursed but not given an escape from that curse.