The Greek theogony, also known as the "birth of the gods," is an ancient Greek mythological text that tells the story of the origins of the gods and the cosmos. It was written by the poet Hesiod in the 8th century BC and is one of the foundational texts of Western literature.
According to the theogony, the universe began as a formless void known as Chaos, from which arose the primal deities Gaea (the earth) and Uranus (the sky). Gaea and Uranus gave birth to numerous children, including the Titans, who were the first generation of gods. The most famous of the Titans were Cronus, who eventually overthrew his father Uranus, and Prometheus, who is credited with giving fire to mankind.
Cronus, however, was not content to rule alone and feared that one of his children would eventually overthrow him as he had done to his own father. To prevent this, he swallowed all of his children as soon as they were born. His wife, Rhea, managed to save one of their children, Zeus, by substituting a rock wrapped in cloth in place of the baby. When Zeus grew up, he defeated his father and the other Titans in a great battle, becoming the ruler of the gods.
Zeus then married his sister, Hera, and together they had numerous children, including Athena, Apollo, and Artemis. Zeus also fathered many other children with various mortal women, including Hercules, who became a hero known for his great strength and courage.
The theogony also tells the stories of many other gods and goddesses, including Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility, and Hades, the god of the underworld. It also includes stories about the creation of humans, the first woman Pandora, and the great flood.
Overall, the Greek theogony is a complex and fascinating text that provides a rich tapestry of myths and stories about the gods and the origins of the universe. It remains an important part of the Western literary tradition and continues to be studied and admired by readers around the world.
Is there a 'bible' for Greek mythology! : GreekMythology
A huge battle with the Giants followed, where the Olympian Gods excelled… and then time had come for the Olympian gods to rule the world! After that you can read pretty much anything and kind of understand it. It was quite rich in stories, with wars between Gods and Titans, most of them amusing and a little naive. Glad is the palace of father Zeus the loud-thunderer over the delicate voice of the goddesses which reaches far and wide. Because Zeus, now established as king of the Olympian gods, first married the Oceanid Metis, but, in order to avoid a prophecy that any offspring of his union with Metis would be greater than he, Zeus swallowed Metis herself to prevent her from giving birth. Such contradictions are less common than they might appear at first glance. The parthenogenic children of Chaos were Gaia the Earth , Eros Desire or sexual love , Tartarus the Underworld , Erebus Darkness and Nyx Night.
But Menoetius was outrageous, and far-seeing Zeus struck him with a lurid thunderbolt and sent him down to Erebus because of his mad presumption and exceeding pride. It if often used as a sourcebook for Greek Mythology, however in formal terms it is a hymn invoking Muses. And because this is how we call these planets in Greece and this is how everybody should call them. These may not go forth, for Poseidon has placed above them brazen gates, and a wall goes round them on both sides. And on the other part the Titans eagerly strengthened their ranks, and both sides at one time showed the work of their hands and their might. A final threat to Zeus' power was to come in the form of the monster Zeus, by Gaia's advice, was elected king of the gods, and he apportioned various honors among the gods.
Now sing the company of goddesses, sweet-voiced Muses of Olympus, daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis, -- even those deathless one who lay with mortal men and bare children like unto gods. But then Zeus had raised high his wrath, and had taken his arms, his thunder and lightning, and smoking bolt, leapt up, 855 and smote him from Olympus, and scorched all-around all the wondrous heads of the terrible monster. These four are the parents of all the other Titans. There in the front stand the resounding abodes of the infernal god, of mighty Hādēs, and awesome Persephone besides; and a fierce dog keeps guard in front, a ruthless dog; 770 and he has an evil trick: those who enter he fawns upon with his tail and both ears alike, yet he allows them not to go forth back again, but lies in wait and devours whomsoever he may have caught going forth outside the gates of strong Hādēs and dread Persephone. Translated by Evelyn-White, H G. Compare the context of neikos at Works and Days 35.
With his wife, Hera Dias had Hephaestus, the God of fire, and Ares, the God of War. From this chaos comes order: the sun, moon, and stars appear, and the calendar is formed. These include Charon the ferryman to the underworld as well as several other figures. Pallas married Sphynx and together they were the parents of 4 children, Kratos in recent years State which for the ancient Greeks means Strength, Nike the Goddess of Victory, Zelea the Goddess of Jealousy, and Via, the Goddess of Violence, Force. Why am I here? But beneath his immortal feet vast Olympus trembled, as the king rose up, and earth groaned beneath. Castration of Ouranos Now monstrous strength is powerful, joined with vast size.
The dog Orthos first she bore for Geryon, and next, 310 in the second place, she brought forth their irresistible and ineffable flesh-devourer Cerberus, dog of hell, with brazen voice and with fifty heads, a bold and strong beast. For a while they would utter sounds, so as for the gods to understand, and at another time again the voice of a loud-bellowing bull, untamable in force, and proud in utterance; at another time, again, that of a lion possessing a daring spirit; at another yet again they would sound like to whelps, wondrous to hear; 835 and at another he would hiss, and the lofty mountains resound. Also, two other deities that existed from the beginning of time as we describe above, Chronos which started the Time and means the old father time, and Anangee, the Greek word for a need that had the meaning of Destiny and was the cause of creation. Rhea gave Kronos a stone wrapped in cloth. Hesiod also includes various myths such as that of Medusa and Heracles, as well as a lengthy description of Hecate, who is especially involved in human affairs and generous toward her worshippers. Maia, the daughter of the Titan Hephaestus married one of the Graces, Algaea. Oceanus remained neutral, while Prometheus and Epimetheus fought alongside Zeus and his siblings.
Greek Theogony: The Victory of Gods against Titans
With her lay the Dark-haired One pegae of Ocean; and that other, because he held a golden blade aor in his hands. Greek Mythology and Poetics. After that the Odyssey which takes place after the war. She advised him that he would need allies. For example, differentiation, since Chaos differentiates separates, divides Tartarus and Earth. And after them the goddess of morning produced the star Morning Star, and the brilliant stars with which the sky is crowned. Gaea then brought Uranus the Heaven , the infinite Pontus the Sea with his raging waves and high mountains full of forests to the world.
Then gave birth to someone her equal, the starry sky Ouranos, so that he would cover her whole and be the ever-safe foundation of the blessed gods. He married his sister Hera who became queen of the Gods and was the Goddess of women. And they duly heard and complied with their dear daughter, 475 and explained to her as much as it had been fated should come to pass concerning king Kronos, and his strong-hearted son. And Alkmene after union in love with cloud-compelling Zeus bore Hēraklēs the strong. More Related Posts We, the Hellenes, have our Theogony, some refer to it as Cosmogony because it also deals with the creation of Cosmos The Greek word for the Universe , which is part of Every ancient religion has a kind of Theogony. Stability, on the other hand, is the foundation stone of longevity, indestructibility, and survival. Why Uranus hated his children is also not clear.
Both gods and men call her Aphrodite as she was born in aphros… Zeus Overcomes His Father Kronos 453-500 Kronos subdued Rhea who gave birth to famous children: Hestia, Demeter, and Hera with her sandals of gold; and powerful Hades who with his merciless heart lives under the ground; and earth-pounding Poseidon Ennosigaios; and Zeus with all his wise plans, the father of both gods and men, whose thunder shakes the expansive earth. She bare him Menoetius and. But the insolent Menoitios wide-seeing Zeus 515 thrust down to Erebos, having stricken him with flaming lightning, on account of his arrogance, and overweening strength. Genesis is simply birth and fits better with the birth of the Universe. In providing logical explanations or hypotheses about the origin and nature of the world, the mythographers were unconsciously creating a system of nascent knowledge that would go on to influence the cultural and socio-political fabric of society.
The male Titans were Gaea made a stone sickle and begged the Titans to help her against Uranus. For as many as were born of Earth and Ocean amongst all these she has her due portion. Indeed Hēraklēs, valiant son of fair-ankled Alkmene, slew this bird, and repelled from the son of Iapetos the baneful pest, and released him from his anxieties, not against the wiles of high-reigning Olympian Zeus, 530 so that the kleos of Thebes-born Hēraklēs might be yet more than before over the many-feeding earth. HESIOD CONTENTS THE THEOGONY, TRANSLATED BY H. During the Golden Age, Cronus ruled the universe, while humans enjoyed very long lives with no pain or sorrow.
Connect with Amos37 Free Resources for the growing Christian. For of as many sons as were born of Earth and Sky, 155 they were the fiercest, and were hated by their father from the very first: as soon as any of these was born, he would hide them all, and not send them up to the light, in a cave of the earth, and Sky exulted over the work of mischief, while huge Earth groaned from within, 160 straitened as she was; and she devised a subtle and evil scheme. Uranus was fearful of his children overthrowing him, so he pushed his children back one by one into the womb of Gaea. Dias of course became the king of the Gods but was also the new God of the sky and in particular the God of thunder. A, Regius Professor of Greek G. The boundless sea rang terribly around, and the earth crashed loudly: wide Heaven was shaken and groaned, and high Olympus reeled from its foundation under the charge of the undying gods, and a heavy quaking reached dim Tartarus and the deep sound of their feet in the fearful onset and of their hard missiles. And in a cave she bare another monster, Ekhinda, who is half nymph and half snake.
