The Story of Zeus and Danae

The story of Zeus and Danae is one of the best known love stories from Greek mythology. In itself it is not a major tale, but is used to show the character of Zeus and the outcome of the story impacts on the life of one of the major Greek heroes.

Zeus was the supreme ruler of the Olympian gods, the son of Cronus and Gaea; he had replaced his father following the Titanomachy. Three times married, a large proportion of the stories told about Zeus are not about heroic acts but more about his love life. Though married to the goddess Hera, his third wife, Zeus had any number of affairs with other goddesses and mortal women. The story of Zeus and Danae is the story of one of Zeus’ affairs, although luckily for Danae it was not one that Hera interrupted.

Danae captive in the tower - Joseph Swain (1820–1909) - PD-art-100

Danae was a princess of Argos, the only daughter of king Acrisius and Eurydice. With no direct male heir, Acrisius wanted to know whether his daughter would ever bear him a grandson to rule Argos. To find out what the future held, Acrisius went to an oracle. Instead of good news, though, the oracle foretold the kings own death at the hands of his grandson.

Acrisius was more worried about his own death than not having a male heir. His daughter was without a suitor and so Acrisius decided to keep it that way. Danae was shut in a tall inaccessible bronze tower. The tower could not be scaled and the only door was guarded day and night.

The story of Danae’s confinement reached the gods on Olympus. Zeus, who was always on the look-out for beautiful female mortals, decided to visit Argos to see the confined princess. On arrival in Argos Zeus found that the tower had been inaccessible even to gods. Zeus though was not put off, and so transformed into a shower of gold, so that he could cascade through the roof.

Zeus was struck by the beauty of Danae and promptly impregnated her. The result of this union was that Danae gave birth to a son, called Perseus. Acrisius of course discovers that his daughter has given birth to his grandson. Fearful of his life, he is equally fearful of the wrath of the gods if he directly kills one of their offspring.

Acrisius arrives at a plan to set Danae and Perseus adrift on the sea in a wooden chest. There are two possible results, they may drown, or they may drift far away where they could do no harm to Acrisius.

Danae and Perseus Captured - John William Waterhouse (1849–1917) - PD-art-100

Zeus has not totally abandoned Danae, though. With the assistance of his brother Poseidon, Zeus ensures that the wooded chest is washed ashore on the island of Seriphos. There they were taken care of by the fisherman Dictys, who was the brother of the king of Seriphus, Polydectes.

The story of Danae then drifts into the background, as her son takes prominence. It was Polydectes who set Perseus that impossible task of obtaining the head of Medusa. Polydectes wished to seduce Danae, but realised that Perseus was too protective of his mother to allow this to happen. Thus the king came up with the plan to get rid of Perseus.

Perseus of course was successful in his task. Returning to Seriphus, Perseus found that his mother had been abused by the king and reduced to the role of palace slave. In a rage Perseus then produces the head of Medusa turning Poldectes and all his court into stone.

Whilst the story of Perseus continues, Danae is then ignored in Greek mythology, although she is often credited with founding the city of Ardea in Latium.

The story of Zeus and Danae, is a love or lust story. It shows the ingenuity of the god to enable him to get his wicked way with a mortal. It also displays that Zeus would protect his offspring and mates when he could.

Copyright - First Published 12th March 2008

Poseidon in Greek Mythology

Poseidon, brother to Zeus, and one of the major Olympian gods of Ancient Greece, could be considered simply as an ancient god from a long dead religion, and yet his image, as god of the sea, is still a potent one.

The majority of stories about his birth tell of Poseidon being the son of the Titan’s Cronus and Rhea. This parentage makes him the brother to Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades and Zeus. Upon his birth Poseidon was swallowed by his father. This act was undertaken by Cronus to prevent the completion of a prophecy with stated that one of his offspring would one take dethrone him.

Zeus would have followed Poseidon into the stomach of Cronus, but his mother, Rhea, substituted a stone wrapped in baby clothes. Zeus grew up safely on Crete. When he came of age Zeus returned to the land of Cronus, tricking him into taking a potion that forced the regurgitation of Zeus’ siblings, Poseidon included.

Poseidon's Chariot - Antiquariat Dr. Haack Leipzig - PD-life-100

Less common stories are also told of Poseidon’s birth. In these Poseidon was not swallowed, instead Rhea gave Cronus a horse to swallow, swearing that she had given birth to a colt. Poseidon was sent to Rhodes to be raised by the Telchines.

In either case, Zeus returned and with the help of his siblings waged a ten year war against the Titans, the Titanomachy. Zeus released the Cyclopes and Hecatonchires from Tarterus to aid him in his rebellion. As an act of gratitude the Cyclopes made weapons for the three brothers. Zeus received the thunderbolt, Hades got the Helmet of Darkness and Poseidon was given his Trident.

Zeus and the younger gods were victorious over the Titans, and Zeus banished the majority of the Titans to Tartarus in the deepest reaches of the Underworld. The three brothers then drew lots to see which section of the cosmos they would rule. Zeus took the sky, Poseidon received the sea and Hades was left with the Underworld as his domain. The earth was to be divided amongst all of the gods.
Like his brother, Hades, whilst Poseidon was a god of Mount Olympus he spent much of his time in his domain. Beneath the waves Poseidon resided in a palace made of gems and coral. The palace was said to be in the sea near Aegae, from which he would travel, onboard his chariot.

In the early days of his reign Zeus was faced with issues of remaining in power. One of these rebellions was against the Gigante. One hundred giants formed from the blood of Uranus, they revolted under the influence of Gaea. Gaea was annoyed with Zeus for placing her other offspring, the Titans, in Tarterus. The gods of Olympus eventually defeated the Gigante, with the assistance of Heracles. Poseidon himself defeated Polybotes, one of the Gigante, pursuing the giant across the sea. Once he was caught, Polybotes was buried beneath the rock of Nisyros, forming the tip of the island of Kos.

Poseidon and Amphitrite - Paris Bordone (1500–1571) - PD-art-100

Poseidon himself was involved in an attempted rebellion against Zeus. Poseidon, Hera and Athena planned to incarcerate Zeus. The plan though was halted before it even began. The plotters were scared off when Thetis, Zeus’ first wife, persuaded Briareus to guard her husband. Briareus was one of the three Hecatonchires, and his gigantic stature dissuaded the other gods from attacking their brother.

Poseidon retreated to his watery palace, and like his brother, Hades, tales of his undertakings are fairly rare. Rare at least in comparison with a number of the other Olympian gods. The initial tales of Poseidon relate to disputes with other gods. As the gods had decided that the earth should be jointly ruled, there was arguments as to which cities would belong to which gods.

The first of these disputes was with Helius. The land of Corinth ultimately had to be divided between Poseidon and Helius, the decision being left with Briareus. Poseidon was given the Isthmus of Corinth, whilst Helius received the heights over the city.

The next dispute was with his one time co-conspirator, Hera. This time the patronage of Argos was in question. In this instance though Poseidon received nothing, as three river gods, Asterion, Cephisus and Inachus, decided in favour of Hera. Poseidon, as god of all water, had his revenge, drying up the rivers associated with the river gods.

The most well known dispute occurred between Athena and Poseidon, with the new city in the Attica region. Poseidon was the first to arrive in Attica, but Athena followed shortly afterwards with designs on the city’s patronage. A competition was arranged between the two gods, both provided a gift to the city, the provider of the best would be the city’s god. Poseidon went first and with a blow of his trident on the Acropolis a spring was produced, the water though was salty. Next came Athena who planted an olive tree.

King Cecrops chose the olive tree as the more useful gift for the city, thus deciding the city of Attica became Athena’s. The city became Athens in honour of their patron god, with its inhabitants building the Parthenon as a temple to Athena. Initially Poseidon was enraged, flooding the Attic Plain in revenge, though he refrained from flooding Athens itself. Eventually though Athena and Poseidon put aside their differences, and worked together. Whilst Poseidon was the god of horses, Athena built the first chariot to be coupled to the animals. It was also Athena who built the first ships to sail over Poseidon’s domain. Poseidon quickly became the second god of Athens and duly worshipped.

Poseidon had much in common with his brother, Zeus, in terms of his love life. Poseidon was married to the Oceanid Amphitrite, who in herself was the daughter of Nerues, the Old Man of the Sea. Together they had a son, Triton, a half-man half-fish creature.

Poseidon though had a number of mistresses in addition to his wife. The Gorgon Medusa was turned into the monster by Athena, after Poseidon raped her in Athena’s temple. The result of this intimacy was the birth of Chrysaor and the winged horse Pegasus after Medusa had been decapitated by Perseus.

The mystical horse Arion was also one of Poseidon’s offspring. Demeter, Poseidon’s sister, had changed into a mare to avoid her brother’s attentions. Poseidon though changed himself into a stallion to mate with her.

Not all of Poseidon’s offspring were mythical creatures, as Poseidon was said to be the father heroes, including Theseus. Poseidon played a role in the adventures of his son. The Minotaur of Crete was born as an act of retaliation by Poseidon against King Minos for not sacrificing the Cretan Bull as required.

As previously said tales of adventure concerning Poseidon are few and far between. Troy though does play a central role in a couple. Apollo and Poseidon went to Troy when Laomedon was king of the city. They either went of their own volition or because Zeus ordered them to, depending on the version of the story. A test was made of the king, to see what kind of man he was. The two gods disguised themselves and set to work building fortifications for the city, for which they were promised a reward. Laomedon refused to honour his promises though on the gods’ completion of the walls. As a result Apollo sent a deadly disease into Troy, whilst Poseidon sent a sea monster to attack the city and its inhabitants.

Partially as a result of Laomedon’s actions, Poseidon assisted the Greeks during the Trojan War, fighting on their side on a number of occasions. The Greek Odysseus though quickly made an enemy of the god when he blinded the Cyclops Polyphemus escaping from his cave. Poseidon ensured that the hero’s journey home was as difficult as possible.

Poseidon was slighted by Queen Cassiopeia, when she claimed that she and her daughter, Andromeda, were more beautiful than Poseidon’s Nereids. Vengeance for Poseidon was in the form of another monster, Cetus, sent to ravage the kingdom of Ethiopia. A prophecy was made that Ethiopia could be saved if Andromeda was sacrificed to the monster. Andromeda though was rescued by Perseus before this could happen. Poseidon though decided Cassiopeia could not escape punishment and so set her as a star in the night sky.

Poseidon is often depicted as a mature man holding his trident. Horses were also important to the god, Poseidon is often said to have created horses and taught mankind how to care for them. Whilst he could be beneficial, Poseidon was also known as the Earthshaker, and would cause earthquakes when he was angered.

Poseidon was both feared and worshipped in equal measure. Whilst especially revered in Corinth and the Peloponnesus, temples to Poseidon could be found all over Greece. Perhaps not surprising for a seafaring nation the majority of the temples are found on the coast. Sacrifices normal took the form of black and white bulls, or boars and rams. There is evidence though that horses were thrown into wells in Argolis as a sacrifice. Chariot races would also be held in his honour at Poseidon’s bi-annual Istmian Games.

Poseidon was one of the major Olympian gods, alongside his brothers Zeus and Hades. He is though much better known for his offspring and his affairs than anything else. To a seafaring nation though there was no more important god.

Copyright - First Published 8th March 2008

The Legend of the Minotaur

Despite the passing of thousands of years, the stories of Ancient Greece still manage to captivate readers today. Greek mythology abounds with tales of gods, heroes and mythical creatures, and these stories manage to excite and entertain.

Today many of the characters of Greek mythology are still recognisable today, and whilst the names of gods and heroes are often widely known, it is the appearance of mythical creatures that are arguably most widely recognisable. People can describe the centaur, the half man half horse, but even more famous might be the Minotaur.

The story of the Minotaur begins and ends in Crete

Before becoming king, Minos was in an argument with his brothers about who was to be the next ruler. To aid his case, Minos claimed the backing of the gods; and praying to Poseidon, Minos was rewarded, as the god of the sea sent a sign of his approval.

Theseus and the Minotaur - H.A.Guerber - PD-life-70

This sign took the form of the Cretan Bull, a snow-white animal, which Minos was to sacrifice to Poseidon as a sign of Minos’ fealty. Minos though so admired the Bull, that he sacrificed another animal in its place, either in the belief that Poseidon wouldn’t notice or wouldn’t mind.

This belief was of course badly mistaken. In revenge, Poseidon transposed Minos’ love of the Cretan Bull onto his wife. Minos’ wife, Pasiphae, was cursed to fall in physical love with the bull. Pasiphae had no option other than to give into her unnatural urges, and so Pasiphae asked Daedalus, the legendary inventor and artisan, to assist her.

Daedalus designed and constructed a hollow, wooden cow on wheels. Pasiphae entered it, and the wooden cow was wheeled out onto the meadow where the Cretan Bull grazed. Suffice to say copulation occurred.

After the given time, Pasiphae gave birth to a son who was called Asterion. Asterion means ruler of the stars, a name attributed to the newborn’s grandfather. The child though was no ordinary boy; born as he was with a male body but the head and tail of a bull.

In his early years Asterion was treated as any normal boy, even being nursed by his mother. As time passed Asterion grew and became more ferocious, terrorising the Cretans. It was at this time that Asterion became known as the Minotaur, Minotaur meaning “Bull of Minos”.

Minos, following the advice of the Oracle of Delphi, instructed Daedalus to design a gigantic labyrinth to imprison his son in. The Labyrinth at Knossos was the most complex ever built, an infinite number of passages would cross over each other, whilst there seemed to be no start or end to the maze. It was said that it was so complicated that even Daedalus had trouble getting out of it after he had constructed it.

Thus it was that Asterion spent his delinquent years alone within the giant maze, beneath his father’s palace.

At the same time Minos was in dispute with Athens. Androgeus, another son of Minos, had been killed when a guest of the Athenian court. A war was waged between the two states, a war that the forces of Crete were victorious in.

The Oracle at Delphi proclaimed that a tribute was to be paid to Minos by Athens. The tribute was to be made in the form of human sacrifices. Every nine years, or every year in some variations, seven young men and seven maidens were to be sent to Crete. These youths were locked in the Labyrinth for the Minotaur to devour.

Eighteen years passed, until the third set of sacrifices was to be made. Theseus, a prince of Athens, took the place of one of the youths destined for Crete. Sailing in a ship with a black sail, Theseus promised his distraught father that he would return showing a white sail.

On arrival in Crete, Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos, caught sight of the handsome prince, and promptly fell in love with Theseus. Ariadne realising that Theseus would have to enter the maze, sought to aid him in his quest, and supplied him with a thread and the advice of Daedalus.

On entering the Minotaur’s Labyrinth, Theseus unwound the thread, allowing him to map his route from the maze’s entrance. Eventually, Theseus came upon the sleeping Minotaur, and making use of a sword supplied by the king’s daughter, Theseus slew the sleeping monster. It was then easy to retrace his route out of the maze, rescuing the other intended sacrifices on the way. With the monster dead, Theseus promptly leaves Crete taking Ariadne with him.

King Minos tries to take out some form of revenge on Daedalus for assisting Theseus, and so is locked away in a tower with his son. The tower proves to be no prison for the inventor though, and although his son is killed whilst escaping, Daedalus flies away to safety. Minos, in trying to recapture Daedalus, is murdered in the court of King Cocalus in Camicus, in Sicily.

The story of the Minotaur of course sounds totally made up, but there may be elements of truth in the tale. Some circumstantial evidence suggests that at the time when the island of Crete was the dominant force in the Mediterranean, it could demand tributes from the city states of Greece and other countries. These tributes could well have taken human form. Ceremonies for sacrifice would then be performed by a priest, possibly the son of King Minos, who would be disguised behind the mask of a bull.

The slaying of the Minotaur could also link into the same period, and be a representation of the growing strength of Athens. Once strong enough, Athens would no longer need to pay tribute to Crete.

Much of this is supposition, and not born out with any direct archaeological evidence. In fact, there is no evidence for even the existence of the Labyrinth. The palace of Minos at Knossos has been extensively excavated, with no obvious signs of a maze have been uncovered. This has led some archaeologists to describe the palace itself as a maze, and thus the source of the Labyrinth tales.
The lack of physical evidence for the maze or the monster does not make the story of the Minotaur any less entertaining though, and as a result the story of Theseus and the Minotaur remains popular even today.

Copyright - First Published 7th March 2008

The Cyclopes in Greek Mythology

Despite the passing of thousands of years, the stories of Greek mythology still resonate in the modern consciousness. Ask someone today what a Cyclops is, and most people will describe a giant with a single eye. In its simplest terms, this is exactly right.

The name Cyclops can be roughly translated as “round”, “ring” or “wheel-eyed”, and is an apt description. Greek writers would describe them as strong and stubborn giants, bearing a single round eye in the middle of the forehead. In Greek mythology there are two distinct generations of the Cyclopes, (plural of Cyclops). The oldest of these two generations predates Zeus’ generation of Olympian gods.

Cyclops - Erasmus Francisci zu Nürnberg (Nuremberg), 1627-1680 - PD-life-70

It is the first generation that plays a bigger role in Greek mythology, although it is the second generation that is perhaps better known to the casual reader.

The first Cyclopes were a trio of brothers, Arges, Brontes and Steropes. Sons of Uranus and Gaia, they were siblings to the other giants, the Hecatonchires, “the hundred-handed ones”, and the Titans.
Uranus fearful of the power and strength of his offspring kept them locked up. The Cyclopes and Hecatonchires were imprisoned in Tartarus, the deepest stretches of the Underworld. The Cyclopes, within Tartarus, slowly developed great blacksmithing skills.

When Cronus and the other Titans revolted against their father, the Cyclopes and Hecatonchires were initially released from their imprisonment.

Cronus though was as equally unsure of his position, as Uranus, his father, had been. Cronus, having taken over the position of supreme ruler of the cosmos, was fearful of his siblings’ immense strength, and so after only a short period of freedom, the Cyclopes found themselves once again back in Tartarus.

This time they were not alone, to ensure their confinement, Cronus had them guarded by Campe, a female dragon.

As supreme leader, Cronus was still faced with problems, not least of which was a prophecy that predicted his own downfall. To avoid this fate, Cronus was swallowing his own offspring as soon as they were born. With Rhea Cronus had six children, Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Hades, Poseidon and Zeus. Zeus would have followed the others into the stomach of Cronus but Rhea, with the assistance of Gaea, substituted a stone wrapped in baby clothes for him.

Zeus grew up on Crete before returning to land of Cronus. There with the help of Metis, the offspring of Oceanus, he tricked Cronus into taking a potion that regurgitated Zeus’ siblings. With his siblings by his side, Zeus then led a revolt against Cronus and the other Titans. To aid in his revolt Zeus, released the Cyclopes and the Hecatonchires from Tartarus.

The Cyclopes put their blacksmithing skills to use, providing the weapons needed by Zeus, and his brothers and sisters, to overthrow the Titans.

Zeus was provided with thunderbolts, which were to become a symbol of his power. The thunderbolts were given various properties; Arges provided brightness; Brontes added thunder; whilst lightning was supplied by Steropes. The three Cyclopes also forged Hades’ helmet of darkness, which allowed the wearer the gift of invisibility. Other gods also benefited; Poseidon received his trident; and later Artemis received her bow and arrow of moonlight; and Apollo his bow and arrow of sunrays.
It was Hades wearing his helmet of darkness that eventually ended the Titanomachy, the ten-year rebellion against the Titans. By putting on his helmet, Hades became invisible and managed to slip into the camp of the Titans and destroy their armaments.

The weapons provided by the cyclopes, would have a great impact in later events for the Olympian gods. Hades’ helmet was used by Perseus when he decapitated Medusa, whilst Zeus’ thunderbolts would later be the cause of the Cyclopes’ deaths.

After the Titanomachy had finished, Zeus was in the position of supreme ruler. Grateful for the assistance of the Cyclopes he allowed them to live with the gods on Mount Olympus. There they fashioned further weapons for the gods, also acting as assistants to Hephaestus, the god of smiths. During this time the Cyclopes were also credited with the construction of massive building projects, including the fortifications of Tiryns and Mycenae.

The happy existence of the Cyclopes on Olympus was relatively short-lived though. In a fit of rage, Zeus struck Asclepius down with one of his thunderbolts. This rage was caused due to Asclepius having raised a man from the dead, against the rules of the gods. Asclepius though was the son of Apollo. Apollo, in an act of vengeance struck, the Cyclopes down, blaming them for forging the weapon that killed his son.

Greek mythology then suggests that the ghosts of the giants went to reside in the heart of Mount Etna, an active volcano. Their presence was used to explain the noise and smoke that frequented from the volcano, as the ghosts continued to work their forges.

Polyphemus - Guido Reni (1575–1642)- PD-art-100

The first generation was therefore destroyed without any known offspring. The question is then generated as to their relation the Cyclopes of the second generation. The second generation are said to have the same physical attributes, without the associated blacksmithing skills.

The new Cyclopes were a group of lawless shepherds, raising sheep and goats. They lived in the remote sections of Sicily, although the area is often called Cyclops as well. These Cyclopes are said to be descendents of Poseidon, and would be of absolutely no note if Odysseus, and then later Aeneas, had not encountered one of their number.

The story of this encounter is found in the Homer’s Odyssey. The encounter involves Polyphemus, the son of Poseidon and Thoosa, a nereid (sea-nymph).

Odyesseus and twelve of his shipmates are trapped in Polyphemus’ cave, having feasted on the food found in it. The Cyclops has a taste for human flesh, and eats several of the ships crew. Odysseus realises that he could kill Polyphemus, but they would be unable to move the boulder blocking the cave entrance.

Odysseus therefore gets the Cyclops drunk before taking a spit from the cave’s fire and driving it through Polyphemus’ only eye.

Polyphemus has been tricked into believing that Odysseus’ name is “Nobody” and so he cries for help saying “Nobody is attacking him”. His cries are obviously ignored by his fellow Cyclopes.
The blinded Polyphemus, rolled the boulder away the next morning to allow his flock out to graze. Feeling the backs of his sheep as they pass, he misses Odysseus and the remaining members of his crew, as they were tied to the sheep’s undersides.

Odysseus cannot go without an act of bravado, and so as he sets sail, having taken a part of the Cyclops’ flock, he yells out his own name. As Polyphemus throws rocks at the departing ship, he calls upon Poseidon his father to prevent Odysseus’ return to Ithaca.

The only other mention of the Cyclopes in the Greek myths comes from two poems by Theocritus. Both poems are about Polyphemus as well, showing how indistinct the Cyclopes had become. These poems related the love life of Polyphemus prior to the arrival of Odysseus, and tell of his love for the sea nymph Galatea.

There has been much recent supposition about the origins of the Cyclopes myth. There are two current trains of thought. Smiths were well regarded in ancient times, and would often wear an eye patch over one eye, to prevent the possibility of being blinded by sparks in both eyes. Thus smiths would often be viewed as being one-eyed.

The second train of thought is based on the ancient Greeks uncovering the skulls of prehistoric elephants in Greece. An unknown species, the skull of the elephant would have a single round hole, where the trunk would have been attached. The Greeks could have mistaken it for the skull of a one-eyed giant.

Through Homer’s Odyssey, the tale of Polyphemus has become much more well-known than the tale of Arges, Brontes and Steropes. Yet it can easily be argued that they played a much more pivotal role in Greek mythology.

As yet no reason can be given as to why the Cyclopes suffered a demotion from being the armourers to Zeus, to lawless shepherds. Though the goodness’ of the trio of brothers should outweigh the actions of one.

Copyright - First Published 7th March 2008

The role of the Titans in Greek mythology

In popular Greek mythology the Titans are relegated to the roles of villains, and yet they still play an important role in many of the traditional tales of Ancient Greece.

The Titans were in fact the rulers of the earth and heavens, in a time before the supremacy of the Olympian gods, yet most of them ended up incarcerated in Tartarus.

The story of the Titans begins with the Earth goddess, Gaia. Without a mate Gaia had a son, Uranus (Ouranos).

Uranus took dominion over the sky, and made himself the first ruler of the universe. Uranus and Gaia then became lovers, producing a series of children.

The first offspring were the Hecatonchires, the “hundred-handed ones”, a trio of massive giants. The second set were the Cyclopes, another trio of giants, though not as large as the Hecatonchires, they were easily distinguishable by their single eye set in their foreheads.

Uranus claimed to be aghast at the ugliness of the Hecatonchires and Cyclopes, and hid them away in the deepest reaches of the underworld, imprisoning them in Tartarus. In reality though, Uranus was scared of their great strength, and feared for his own position as supreme ruler. Fear of his offspring though did not stop him having further children, and a third set were born, the Titans.

Kronos and Rhea - Numérisation Google - PD-life-70

Gaia bore Uranus six males Titanes and six female Titanides.

Gaia found it too painful to keep the Cyclopes and Hecatonchires imprisoned deep within her, and so hatched a plan to release them, a plan that would also stop Uranus producing any more children. Only Cronus, her youngest Titan son, was willing to attempt Gaia’s plan.

Cronus waited with an adamantine sickle in hand until Uranus next tried to mate with Gaia. When the sky descended to earth, the male Titans, other than Cronus, held their father down, at which point Cronus castrated Uranus.

There are variations as to whether Uranus died at this point or just withdrew from earth. From the blood spilt though were born the Furies, the Gigantes and the Meliae. The goddess Aphrodite was also born from the sea, as Uranus’ phallic member was disposed of.

Each Titanes then married one of his sisters. The pairings were Cronus and Rhea, Iapetus and Themis, Oceanus and Tethys, Hyperion and Theia, Crius and Mnemosyne, and Coeus and Phoebe. Despite being the youngest, but because of his patricide, Cronus and Rhea became the supreme rulers of the other Elder Gods.

Each of the Elder Gods had their own area of dominion;

Oceanus and Tethys produced the rivers and oceans, and also all of the ocean nymphs. Hyperion was in charge of light, and with Theia, their offspring were Helios, the sun, Selene, the moon, and Eos, the dawn. Coeus was the Titan of Intelligence; Mnemosyne was memory and the mother of the Muses; whilst Themis was in charge of justice, as well as mother to the Fates and Seasons.

The period of time that followed was known as the “Golden Age”, and was a period of harmony and prosperity for man and gods.

Cronus though, was not so different from his father. Like Uranus, he was desperate to keep hold of his power, so he also locked his siblings, the Hecatonchires, Cyclopes and Gigantes in Tatarus.
Cronus was told a prophecy by his mother, that one of his children would take his throne. With Rhea, Cronus had six children, Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Hades, Poseidon and Zeus. As each child was born they were swallowed whole by their, in orderto prevent the prophecy coming true.

Zeus would have followed the others into the stomach of Cronus but Rhea, with the assistance of Gaia, substituted a stone wrapped in baby clothes for him.

Titanomachy - Joachim Wtewael (1566–1638) - PD-art-100

Whilst Cronus’ children were not classed as Titans, the offspring of some of the other Titans became a second generation of Titans. Hyperion’s offspring, Helios, Eos and Selene; Coeus’ daughters, Leto and Asteria; and the sons of Iapetus, Prometheus, Epimetheus, Atlas and Menoetius, were all classed as Titans.

Zeus grew up on Crete before returning to land of Cronus. There with the help of Metis, the offspring of Oceanus, he tricked Cronus into taking a potion that regurgitated Zeus’ siblings. With his siblings by his side, Zeus then led a revolt against Cronus and the other Titans.

A ten year war, known as the Titanomachy, ensued between the Titans and the siblings of Zeus. The Titans were led by Cronus, who was aided by Coeus, Crius, Hyperion, Iapetus, Atlas, Menoetius, the Gigantes, and Campe. Atlas would actually lead on the battlefield, as Cronus lead from afar.
Zeus was supported by the Hecatonchires and Cyclopes, who he released from Tartarus at the request of Gaia. The three Hecatonchires were said to help by hurling mountains, one hundred at a time during the battles.

The three brothers, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, received weapons from the three Cyclopes to aid in the war. Zeus received the thunderbolt, Hades got the Helmet of Darkness and Poseidon got his Trident. By putting on his helmet, Hades became invisible and managed to slip into the camp of the Titan’s and destroy their armaments.

With the war won, Zeus had to deal with the Titans. The female Titans were not punished as they had remained neutral throughout the war; likewise Oceanus was left alone for the same reason.

Prometheus Chained - Carl Rahl (1812–1865) - PD-art-100

Prometheus and Epimetheus were also allowed to roam free for the aid they had provided to Zeus throughout the war. Zeus was therefore left with those Titans who had fought on Cronus’ side.
Coeus, Crius, Hyperion, Iapetus, Menoetius, and the Gigantes were all sent to the deepest depths of the underworld. Imprisoned in Tartarus, the Hecatonchires though free, stayed as guards over their siblings. In some accounts, Cronus was also imprisoned, though in others he fled after the war; Zeus tracked him down and then killed him with a thunderbolt.

Atlas was singled out for special punishment, due to his role as the leader of the Titans on the battlefield.

The ten year war had taken a toll on the sky, Uranus, and Atlas was charged with holding the heavens aloft for all eternity. Atlas stood alone until his meeting with Heracles.

As one of Heracles’ Twelve Labours, Heracles needed to get the Golden Apples that grew in the garden of Hera. Heracles was advised by Prometheus to send Atlas to retrieve the apples, as the garden was tended by Atlas’ daughter the Hesperides.

To allow this to occur, Heracles offered to hold the heavens. Atlas, though he collected the apples, then saw Heracles as a ready made substitute for himself for eternity, and therefore offered to deliver the apples himself. Heracles saw through the lie, and tricked Atlas into take the heavens again, whilst Heracles adjusted his cloak as padding. Even with this popular story there are different versions, and Heracles is often credited with releasing Atlas; building the Pillars of Heracles to hold the heavens in Atlas’ place.

The majority of the Titans who roamed free, had little influence on the later tales of the Olympian gods. Three though crossed the path of Zeus and suffered.

Prometheus was the wisest of the Titans, and made himself the benefactor and protector of man. Prometheus tricked Zeus into allowing man to keep the best parts of any sacrificed animals. In retribution, Zeus took the gift of fire from mankind; subsequently Prometheus steals fire from Mount Olympus and gives it back to man.

Angered once too often, Zeus punishes Prometheus by chaining him to a rock. Every day an eagle, or vulture, would tear out the Titan’s regnerating liver. There he was to stay until he foretold who would succeed Zeus. Prometheus never had to tell Zeus the answer, though as he was rescued by Heracles.
Prometheus’ brother, Epimetheus, was punished by Zeus for failing to give a positive trait to every animal. His punishment was not so severe as his brother, as his transgression was not so great. He accepted Pandora as his wife, as a gift from Zeus. Ultimately leading to the opening of Pandora’s Box, and the release of evil into the world.

The female Titan, Metis, had helped Zeus in the rescue of his siblings. Metis ended up being the first wife of Zeus, and gave birth to her first child, Athena. A prophecy was made though that Metis’ second child would replace Zeus. To avoid any chance of this happening, Zeus ate her. Though ingested it would be said that Metis would remain the source of Zeus’ wisdom and knowledge in the future.

The Titans were in many ways the original gods, which were relegated by a younger generation of Olympians. The relegation was due in part to growth in power of the Hellenes Greeks, and the subsequent prioritising of their deities. In the same way many female deities, such as Hera, Rhea and Persephone, had been much more powerful before the inception of the Olympic gods.

Copyright - First Published 5th March 2008

Hades in Greek Mythology

Today many people enjoy the stories related to Greek mythology, and indeed film adaptations continue to be made on those same tales. Thousands of years have of course gone by since the gods of Mount Olympus were first worshipped, and yet the names of many of the hods of the Greek pantheon remain famous today. Zeus is of course the most famous of the Olympian gods, but the name of one of Zeus’ brothers, Hades, is almost as famous.

Hades was not an Olympian god, as his domain was in the underworld, a domain he was awarded after the Titanomachy, but as well as being one of the most feared Greek gods, he was also one of the most revered.

Hades was the son of the Titan’s Cronus and Rhea, and as such is the brother of Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Poseidon and Zeus. Upon his birth Hades was swallowed by Cronus, in order to prevent the completion of a prophecy. Cronus was the ruler of the older Greek gods but was in fear that one of his children would take over the throne. Zeus would have followed Hades into the stomach of Cronus but Rhea substituted a stone wrapped in baby clothes for him. With Zeus safely hidden on the island of Crete, Rhea tricked Cronus into taking an invincibility’ herb, that in fact made him regurgitate the other children; Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades and Poseidon.

Hades - Agostino Carracci (1557–1602) - PD-art-100

A ten year war, known as the Titanomachy, ensued between the Titans and the siblings of Zeus. The three brothers, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, received weapons from the three Cyclopes to aid in the war. Zeus received the thunderbolt, Hades got the Helmet of Darkness and Poseidon got his Trident. By putting on his helmet, Hades became invisible and managed to slip in the camp of the Titan’s and destroy their armaments.

Zeus and the younger gods were victorious over the Titans, and Zeus banished the majority of the Titans to Tartarus in the deepest reaches of the Underworld. The three brothers then drew lots to see which section of the cosmos they would rule. Zeus took the sky and upper world, Poseidon received the sea and Hades was left with the Underworld as his domain.

The Underworld was not hell as in the Christian connotation of the word. Hades’ domain was initially shown as a land in the far west beyond the ocean; though over time it became a land under Greece itself. Whilst it was perceived as a misty and gloomy place, it was made up of several sections. The Elysian Fields, the Christian equivalent of Paradise or Heaven, were where the heroes resided after death. Tartarus, Christian Hell, was the deepest crevices of the Underworld, and was where those punished resided.

In the Underworld there were five rivers, although the Styx is the best known as it forms the boundary between upper and lower worlds. The five rivers are Acheron (the river of sorrow), Cocytus (lamentation), Phlegethon (fire), Lethe (forgetfulness) and Styx (hate).

All deceased mortals would enter the Underworld by crossing the Acheron with the aid of Charon. On the far side of the river was Cerberus, who prevented any soul from making a return journey. In the forecourt of Hades’ palace, sat three judges. Hecate’s sacred trivium of Aeacus, Minos and Rhadamanthys sat in judgement of the departed. In the Underworld there was no special punishment, all mortals were judged on their actions and either cursed or rewarded.

Hades and Persephone - Eduard Trewendt - PD-life-70

Hades was a passive figure in the process of death. Whilst he presided over funeral rites and defended the right of the dead to a decent burial, much of the work was left to his minions, Thanatos, Hypnos, Charon and Cerberus. Hades was not Death, as that role was taken by Thanatos, whilst Charon was the ferryman.

With his domain assured, Hades sought a wife to become queen of the Underworld. Hades asked Zeus for one of his daughters to become his consort. Zeus offered Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Persephone would not go willingly and so was abducted by Hades. Demeter though was distraught, and without her daughter by her side, cast a famine over the earth. Zeus ordered Hades to return Persephone to her mother.

Hades tricked Persephone to eat some pomegranate seeds before she returned to Demeter. The seeds bound Persephone to the Underworld for a part of each year. Persephone was said to live with Hades during autumn and winter, at which point Demeter would grieve causing a famine on the lands. Each spring and summer though Hades would return his wife to the land of the living, causing crops to grow, as Demeter was full of joy.

The story of Persephone is another example of Hellene Olympians replacing existing gods. Persephone was in older tales the sole queen of the Underworld, but just as with Hera and Medusa, the male dominated religion of the Hellenes downgraded the female gods.

Hades was feared by god and man, and people avoided speaking his name in case they were singled out by the god. As a result names were created to use in daily life. In particular he was called Clymenus (notorious), Eubuleus (good guessing) and Polydegmon (receiver of many). Hades was also known as Aides, Aidoneus, Haides or Plouton. This is the same as in Christianity, where Satan is Lucifer, Devil or Old Nick.

Feared as he was, Hades was the least worshipped of all gods. There was nothing thought to sway him so there was point in worshipping him, though it should be noted the Secular Games, one hundred year cycle festivals, were held in his honour. Sometimes sacrifices were made for special occasions, and on these occasions black animals, especially sheep were offered.

The modern image of Hades is linked to Satan, and is therefore often perceived as evil’. Often seen as a grim figure, his role in death was a passive one where he kept the balance of the afterlife. In art Hades is depicted in much the same way as his brothers, dark-bearded and regal.

In the Underworld, Hades would sit on an ebony throne with a sceptre in one hand. Hades weapon of choice was his two-pronged fork, which he would use when travelling on his black chariot. His chariot was drawn by four coal-black horses. His other symbols were the Keys to the Underworld, the Cornucopia and the narcissus and cypress plants. His most famous attribute though was his three-headed watchdog, Cerberus.

Unlike the other Olympian gods, Hades spent most of his time in his domain. He forbade any of his subjects to leave, and his anger would be aroused by any attempts to leave. His anger was equally harsh when anyone tried to cheat death or to trick him. The only living people who travelled into the Underworld were all heroes, either attempting rescues or seeking information. Even then there was only a handful who ventured in; Heracles, Odysseus, Aeneas, Orpheus, Theseus, Pirithous and Psyche.

Theseus and Pirithous travelled into Hades’ domain in order to abduct Persephone and make her Pirithous’ wife. Hades though realised their true aim, and as he was offering them a feast, he ensnared the pair. The stone they sat on entombed them as snakes coiled around their feet. Theseus was eventually released by Heracles, although Pirithous was left for all eternity.

Heracles entered the Underworld in order to complete his final labour. Heracles was required to capture Cerberus. Finding the entrance at Tanaerum, Heracles received help from the Athena and Hermes to make his way though the Underworld. Heracles asked Hades for permission to take his watchdog. Hades agreed as long as no harm came to Cerberus.

Hades was known to have shown mercy only once. The music of Orpheus was so good that Hades agreed to return Orpheus’ wife, Eurydice, back to the surface world. There was but one condition, Orpheus had to walk ahead of his wife and not look back until they had reached the surface. Orpheus though feared that Hades had given him the wrong soul, he therefore looked back and lost Eurydice until his own death.

Hades thus ruled his domain, and the underworld became known after its ruler. A feared god, but a fair one. Hades provided a balance to the afterlife, but in life he was also known to provide the hidden wealth of the earth.

Copyright - First Published 4th March 2008