Part 2 Greek Myths of Cosmogony

The generally accepted notion in ancient Greece was that before this world，there was Chaos，that is，a mass of shapeless elements that later split into two substances and respectively formed the firmament and the solid mass beneath.Thus came into being the first two great primeval deities of the Greeks，Uranus[25] and Gaia.

As a more refined deity，Uranus represented the light and air of heaven，possessing the distinguishing qualities of light，heat，purity，and omnipresence.While Gaia，the firm，flat，life-sustaining earth，was worshipped as the great all-nourishing mother，which has been reflected more or less in her many titles.She appeared to be universally revered among the Greeks，because there was scarcely a city in Greece which did not contain a temple erected in her honor.Indeed，Gaia was held in such veneration[26] that her name was always invoked whenever the gods took a solemn oath，made an emphatic declaration，or implored assistance.

Uranus，the heaven，was believed to have united himself in marriage with Gaia，the earth；and a moment’s reflection will show what a truly poetical，and also what a logical idea this was；for，taken in a figurative sense，this union actually did exist.The smiles of heaven produced the flowers of earth，whereas his long-continued frowns exercised so depressing an influence upon his loving partner，that she no longer decked herself in bright and festive robes，but responded with ready sympathy to his melancholy mood.

The first-born child of Uranus and Gaia was Oceanus[27]，the ocean stream，that vast expanse of ever-flowing water which encircled the earth.Here we meet with another logical though fanciful conclusion，which a very slight knowledge of the workings of nature proves to have been just and true.The ocean was formed from the rain which descended from heaven and the streams which flowed from earth.By making Oceanus therefore the offspring of Uranus and Gaia，the ancients，if we take this notion in its literal sense，merely asserts that the ocean was produced by the combined influence of heaven and earth，meanwhile it was their fervid and poetical imagination that led them to see in this，as in all manifestations of the powers of nature，an actual，tangible divinity.

But Uranus，the heaven，the embodiment of light，heat，and the breath of life，produced offspring who were of a much less material nature than his son Oceanus.It is believed that these children were supposed to occupy the intermediate space which divided Uranus from Gaia.Nearest to Uranus，and just beneath him，came Aether（Ether），a bright creation representing a highly rarified atmosphere which immortals alone could breathe.Then followed Aër[28]（Air），which was in close proximity to Gaia，and represented，as its name implies，the grosser atmosphere surrounding the earth which mortals could freely breathe，and without which they would perish.Aether and Aër were separated from each other by divinities called Nephelae[29]，their restless and wandering sisters who existed in the form of clouds，ever floating between them.Gaia also produced the mountains and Pontus[30]（the sea）and then united herself with the latter.Their offspring were the sea-deities Nereus[31]，Thaumas[32]，Phorcys[33]，Keto[34]，and Eurybia[35].

At that time，the co-existent with Uranus and Gaia were two mighty powers who were also the offspring of Chaos—Erebus（Darkness）and Nyx（Night），who formed a striking contrast to the cheerful light of heaven and the bright smiles of earth.Erebus reigned in that mysterious world below where no ray of sunshine，no gleam of daylight，nor vestige of health-giving terrestrial life ever appeared.Nyx，the sister of Erebus，represented Night，and was worshipped by the ancients with the greatest solemnity.

Uranus was supposed to be united to Nyx as well，but only in his capacity as god of light，he was considered as the source and fountain of all light，and their children were Eos[36]（Aurora），the Dawn，and Hemera，the Daylight.Nyx again，on her side was also doubly united，having been married at some indefinite period to Erebus.

In addition to those children of heaven and earth already enumerated，Uranus and Gaia produced two distinctly different races of beings called Giants and Titans.The Giants personified brute strength alone，but the Titans combined their great physical power with intellectual qualifications variously developed.Briareus[37]，Cottus[38]，and Gyges[39] were three Giants who each possessed a hundred hands and fifty heads，and were known collectively by the name of the Hecatoncheires[40]，which signified hundred-handed.These mighty Giants could shake the universe and produce earthquakes；it is therefore evident that they represented those active subterranean forces.The Titans were twelve in number；their names were：Oceanus，Coeus[41]，Crios[42]，Hyperion[43]，Iapetus[44]，Cronus[45]，Theia[46]，Rhea[47]，Themis[48]，Mnemosyne[49]，Phoebe[50]，and Tethys[51].

Now Uranus，the chaste light of heaven，the essence of all that is bright and pleasing，held in abhorrence[52] his crude，rough，and turbulent offspring，the Giants，and moreover feared that their great power might eventually prove hurtful to himself.He therefore hurled them into Tartarus，that portion of the lower world which served as the subterranean dungeon of the gods.In order to avenge the oppression of her children，the Giants，Gaia instigated a conspiracy on the part of the Titans against Uranus，which was carried to a successful issue by her son Cronus.He wounded his father，and from the blood of the wound which fell upon the earth sprang a race of monstrous beings also called Giants.Assisted by his brother-Titans，Cronus succeeded in dethroning[53] his father，who，enraged at his defeat，cursed his rebellious son，and foretold to him a similar fate.Cronus now became invested with supreme power，and assigned to his brothers offices of distinction，subordinate only to himself.Subsequently，however，once secure of his position，he no longer needed their assistance.In return，he basely repaid their former services with treachery，making war upon his brothers and faithful allies.With assistance of the Giants，Cronus completely defeated his brothers，sending those who resisted his all-conquering arm down into the lowest depths of Tartarus.

Cronus was the god of time in its sense of eternal duration.He married Rhea，daughter of Uranus and Gaia，an all-important divinity.Their children were three sons，Hades[54]，Poseidon[55]，Zeus[56]，and three daughters，Hestia[57]，Demeter[58]，and Hera[59].With an uneasy conscience，Cronus was afraid that his children might one day rise up against his authority，and thus verify the prediction of his father Uranus.Therefore，in order to render the prophecy impossible of fulfilment，Cronus swallowed each child the moment it was born，greatly to the sorrow and indignation of his wife Rhea.When it came to Zeus，the sixth and last，Rhea resolved to save this one child at least，to love and cherish，and appealed to her parents，Uranus and Gaia，for counsel and assistance.By their advice she wrapped a stone in baby-clothes，and Cronus，in eager haste，swallowed it without noticing the deception.

Anxious to preserve the secret of his existence from Cronus，Rhea sent the infant Zeus to Crete[60] on the sly，where he was nourished，protected，and educated.A sacred goat，called Amalthea[61]，supplied the place of his mother，by providing him with milk；nymphs，called Melissae，fed him with honey；eagles and doves brought him nectar[62] and ambrosia[63].He was kept concealed in a cave in the heart of Mount Ida，and the Curetes，or priests of Rhea，by beating their shields together，kept up a constant noise at the entrance，which drowned the cries of the child and frightened away all intruders.Under the watchful care of the Nymphs，the infant Zeus throve rapidly，developing great physical powers，combined with extraordinary wisdom and intelligence.Grown to manhood，he determined to compel his father to restore his brothers and sisters to the light of day.It is said that Zeus was assisted in this difficult task by the goddess Metis[64]，who artfully persuaded Cronus to drink a potion，which caused him to give back the children he had swallowed.The stone which had counterfeited Zeus was placed at Delphi，where it was long exhibited as a sacred relic.

Cronus was so enraged at being circumvented[65] that the war between the father and son became inevitable.The rival forces ranged separate high mountains in Thessaly；Zeus，with his brothers and sisters，took his stand on Mount Olympus，where he was joined by Oceanus，and others of the Titans，who had forsaken Cronus on account of his oppressions.Cronus along with his brother-Titans took possession of Mount Othrys to prepare for battle.The struggle was long and fierce，and at length Zeus，finding that he was no nearer victory than before，bethought himself of the existence of the imprisoned Giants.Knowing that they would be able to render him most powerful assistance，he hastened to liberate them.Additionally，Zeus also called to his aid the Cyclops[66]（sons of Poseidon and Amphitrite），who had only one eye each in the middle of their foreheads and were called Brontes[67]（Thunder），Steropes[68]（Lightning），and Pyracmon[69]（Fire-anvil）.They promptly responded to his summons for help，and brought with them tremendous thunderbolts which the Hecatoncheires，with their hundred hands，hurled down upon the enemy.Concurrently，mighty earthquakes were raised to swallow up and destroy all who opposed them.Aided by these new and powerful allies，Zeus now made a furious onslaught on his enemies，which was so tremendous that all nature is said to throb in accord with this mighty effort of the celestial deities：the sea rose mountains high，and its angry billows hissed and foamed；the earth shook to its foundations，the heavens sent forth rolling thunder，and flash after flash of death-bringing lightning，whilst a blinding mist enveloped Cronus and his allies.

Now the fortunes of war began to turn，and victory smiled on Zeus.Cronus and his armies were completely overthrown，his brothers dispatched[70] to the gloomy depths of the lower world，and Cronus himself was banished from his kingdom and deprived forever of the supreme power，which now became vested in his son Zeus.This war was called the Titanomachia[71]，and is most graphically described by the old classic poets.

With the defeat of Cronus and his banishment from his dominions，his career as a ruling Greek divinity entirely ceased.But being，like all the gods，immortal，he was supposed to be still in existence，though possessing no longer either influence or authority，and his place was filled to a certain extent by his descendant and successor，Zeus.[72]

Questions for Discussion：

1.Familiarize yourself with gods and goddesses by filling in the following table.

2.Where did Erebus reign？

3.Which two different races of beings were produced by Uranus and Gaia？

4.How was Uranus overthrown？

5.What did Cronus do to his children？

6.How did Rhea preserve the secret of Zeus’s existence from Cronus？

7.How did Zeus win the war against Cronus？

8.How is the birth of gods related to the emergence of the universe in Greek mythology？