Creation of Titan Gods

Arianna Isaac

Period 2 Mythology

10.15.17

Creation of Titan Gods

Titans were deities in Greek mythology. They consist of 12 and are children of Uranus (heaven) and Gaea (earth).  The earliest of Greek myths started in the Bronze Age as a part of oral tradition (history.com,2009). Gradually the plots unfolded and were put into written literature. However, the first works were just stories that included characters that we (modern civilization) do not know. Interestingly, it was never introduced who the gods and goddesses were because the people listening and reading were ancient Greek and already familiar with them. The first written Greek mythological origin story was by the poet Hesiod titled Theogony around 700 BC. It explains the family tree of all the gods and goddesses and the universe’s journey. Greek mythology does not only include gods and goddesses but also tales of heroes and monsters/ hybrids.

Greek mythology has extensive influence on the arts and literature of Western civilization (Britannica.com, 2017). Most countries and civilizations have their own myths of creation or explanations of natural phenomena, but the Greeks remain the most appealing and imaginative source of ideas.  Philosophers and more critical Greeks such as Plato recognized the fictional elements the myths contained. However, in popular religious beliefs the myths are viewed as nonfictional accounts.

        Greek mythology begins with a story called The Creation. It states that in the beginning there was only Chaos, a void in which everything originated from. Then appeared Erebus, a place where death dwells and Night lives, and everything else remained dark and empty. Love eventually appeared and this brought a new beginning. Light emerged from Love and second was Gaea, the earth. Erebus and Night slept together,created Ether, the heavenly light, and Day, the earthly light. Night created Doom, Fate, Death, Sleep, Dreams, Nemesis and all the other things that live in the darkness haunting mankind all by himself. While Night was hard at work so was Gaea, she alone gave birth to Uranus, the sky, which became her husband. They together made three Hecatoncheires, three Cyclopes, and twelve Titans.

Unfortunately, Uranus was a terrible father and husband. He imprisoned the Hecatoncheires and this made Gaea furious. She asked children to attack him using a flint sickle; all except Cronus, the youngest Titan, were too afraid. At night Cronus castrated him and threw his genitals in the ocean. Uranus then left and promised that the Titans would be punished.  From his blood spilled emerged the Giants, the Ash Tree Nymphs, and the Erinnyes. From the sea foam where his genitals fell came Aphrodite.

Cronus became leader, married his sister Rhea, and had many children. However, Cronus swallowed all his sons as they were born to prevent getting overthrown by one of them. Due to the treatment of her children, Rhea plotted against Cronus. She had a sixth child, Zeus, and gave it to the Nymphs to be raised in secret on the island of Crete. When Zeus grew older, Rhea convinced Cronus to accept his son. Meanwhile, Zeus had Metis, one of the Titans, prepare a drink designed to make Cronus vomit the other children. The plan worked perfectly. They were unharmed and made Zeus their leader.