The Titans were the children of Gaia (Earth) and Uranus (Sky): Cronus Cronus was the leader and the youngest of the Titans. He was the god of time and the ages, and is said to have ruled over Earth during its Golden Age, together with his wife, Rhea. He is usually shown carrying an adamant sickle, which he used both to harvest crops and to castrate and overthrow his father. Cronus feared a prophecy that he would be overthrown by one of his children, so he swallowed them whole when they were born. Cronus was generally considered by the Greeks to be cruel and tempestuous. Rhea Rhea was a goddess of female fertility, motherhood, generation, comfort and ease. She was the wife and sister of Cronus, and the mother of three sons: Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, and three daughters: Hera, Demeter and Hestia. Zeus would later overthrow his father and rule from Mount Olympus. Rhea conspired with her mother Gaia to hide Zeus from Cronus when he was born. When she returned to Cronus, she gave him a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes, which he promptly swallowed, thinking that it was his newborn son. Zeus later did overthrow his father and forced him to disgorge his siblings. Oceanus Oceanus was the god of the Earth-encircling river Okeanos, which was the source of all fresh water, including rivers, springs, wells and rain clouds. He also controlled the rising and setting of all heavenly bodies, which were believed to descend into his watery realm at the ends of the Earth. His wife was Tethys. Tethys Tethys was a goddess of the sources of fresh water that nourish the Earth. Her husband was Oceanus. Their children were the Potamoi (river gods) and Okeanides (nymphs of springs and fountains) and the Nephelai (clouds). She fed her childrens streams by drawing water from her husband through underground caverns or aquifers. Her name is derived from nurse or grandmother. She and her husband brought up Hera. Hyperion Hyperion was the god of light, and the father of the lights of the sky. His name means watcher from above or he who goes above. His wife was his sister Theia. Theia Theia was goddess of sight and the aether, the shining blue of the sky. She was mother to Helios (Sun), Selene (Moon) and Eos (dawn). The Greeks believed that the eyes emitted a ray of light, which allowed one to see. The Sun and the Moon, whose rays light up the Earth, are therefore associated with the gift of sight. Mnemosyne Mnemosyne was the goddess of memory and remembrance and the inventor of language and words. She was also a goddess of time, and represented the rote memorization that was required before the invention of writing, to preserve the stories of history and the sagas of myth. She was represented as the mother of the muses. She also presided over the underground oracle of Trophonios in Boiotia. Themis Themis was the goddess of divine law and order. She was also prophetic, and presided over the oracle at Delphi. She was the divine voice who first instructed mankind in the primal laws of justice and morality, including the precepts of piety, the rules of hospitality, good governance, conduct of assembly, and pious offerings to the gods. She was an early wife of Zeus, and his first counsellor. She had six children. Coeus Coeus was the god of intelligence, wisdom and deep searching questions. He was known for probing the limits of knowledge. He was husband to his sister Phoebe, and father to Leto and Asteria. Leto and Zeus were the parents of Artemis and Apollo. Phoebe Phoebe was the goddess of wise counsel and thoughtful replies. She was the wife of Coeus, and was associated with the Moon. She was the third goddess to hold the oracle of Delphi, which she eventually gave to her grandson, Apollo. Crius Crius was the god of the heavenly constellations and the measure of the year. He is associated with the constellation Aries, the ram, whose springtime rising in the south marked the beginning of a new Greek year. His son Astraios was god of the stars. His other sons were Perses (the Destroyer) and Pallas. His wife was Eurybia, a daughter of the sea. Iapetus Iapetus was the god of morality and the allotment of the mortal lifespan. Like several of his siblings, he was a god of time. As the piercer, he was the god of violent death. He married Asia, daughter of his brother Oceanus. His sons Prometheus and Epimetheus were the creators of men and animals. He was also father to Atlas and Menoetius. Iapetus and his family are regarded as the ancestors of mankind, a race that inherited the worst qualities of his four sons: crafty scheming (Prometheus), foolish stupidity (Epimetheus), excessive daring (Atlas) and rash violence (Menoetius).
Posted on: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 10:02:26 +0000
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