This is the Greek story of creation based
on versions by the poet and storyteller,
Hesiod.
MYTHOLOGY
GREEK
NYX
The goddess of ____ and all
that sleeps is Nyx.
Hesiod (and other Greek
storytellers) never explained
how Chaos created offspring,
but it happened.
Nyx is associated with all that
sleeps including Hypnos,
Thanatos, Eris, to name a few.
Erebus
He is the god of all that is
_____ and in shadows.
Erebus and Nyx gave birth to
many children as mentioned
previously including the Moirai
(Fates), Charon (the ferryman),
and Nemesis.
Erebus is said to reside in the
lower reaches of the
Underworld and associated
with death.
Eros
He is the god of _____ and the
Romans called him _____.
When Eros was created there
became a sense of order in the
universe.
Eros is said to be a perpetual
youth. The Romans made him
the son of _____.
Some myths claim that he was
blindfolded.
Tartarus
He is a god of ____ and more
like a place than a god.
Tartarus is said to be in the
lowest region of the world, a
place of ______, prison-like, a
cave which is guarded allowing
no one to leave.
Tartarus managed to bring
more order to the universe.
GAIA (GAEA)
She is said to be _____ Earth.
•
With more order in the
Universe, Gaia came to be.
•
She is often as seen with
children and animals around
her.
•
Gaia has the power to _____,
she can tell future events.
•
Like Chaos, Gaia had the
ability to recreate on her own.
Sons of Gaia
Gaia created two sons on her
own.
•
Uranus (Ouranos) becomes
the supreme god of the ______,
or Father Heaven.
•
Pontus is the supreme god of
the ______.
Hecatoncheires
Their name in Greek means “_____
handed.”
•
These ____ brothers were giants
with 50 heads and ______ hands
each.
•
These brothers were very
powerful and destructive.
•
Briareus eventually becomes the
guard of Tartarus.
Cyclopes
Cyclops means _____-eye describ-
ing the single eye found in the
forehead.
•
These _____ brothers were also
said to be giants and very strong.
•
Each brother had a special
weapon: Arges - thunderbolt,
Brontes - thunder, and Steropes -
lightning.
•
The Cyclopes were said to be the
first blacksmiths creating the
weapons for the gods.
Deceit #1
Uranus feared the Hecatoncheires and
the Cyclopes because they were so de-
structive and ugly. He decided to im-
prison them.
•
Uranus tricked his ugly sons into
going to _____ (a place of punishment)
and once there, he locked them in.
•
Gaia was not happy with this
situation and decided to have the
Titans help her plan for their release.
CRONUS and his siblings
Uranus was not fearful of them.
•
Gaia secretly went to the Titans to
ask for their assistance in
releasing the Hecatoncheires and
Cyclopes from ______.
•
Only _____ stepped forward to
help his mother.
•
Gaia gave him a ______ (sickle) in
which to strike his father.
DECEIT #2
As Uranus slept, Cronus took the
scythe and struck his father.
•
Remember, Cronus dethrones his
father to become the ruler of the
_______.
•
From the blood of Uranus more
offspring were created.
•
Some of the blood fell to the sea,
and some fell to the land and
some on the rocks.
APHRODITE
From the blood of Uranus which ran
to the sea came Aphrodite, the god-
dess of _____ and beauty.
•
The blood created a foam above
the water’s surface and slowly
changed into a large clam shell.
•
Aphrodite emerged from the shell
fully formed.
ERIYNES (FURIES)
From the blood which fell to the
ground came the Eriynes or Furies
who were ____ sisters who torment
sinners.
•
The Furies are feared by man and
god alike.
•
They were hideous creatures with
snakes for hair, dogs’ heads, and
bat wings.
GIGANTES (GIANTS)
The blood which fell upon the rocks
created the creatures known as
Gigantes.
•
There were many of these
creatures which had _____ feet.
•
They were numerous and said to
dressed in armor to become foot
soldiers.
The Golden Age - The rule
of the ____
Once Cronus assumed power, he
took his sister, ____ to be his mate
and queen.
•
The rest of the siblings took
control of their domains and
began to produce the second
generation of Titans.
•
The Titans are sometimes
referred to as the “elder gods.”
TITANS
CRONUS - god and ruler of Titans, father of
time
RHEA - sister/wife of Cronus, Titaness of fertility
OCEANUS - Titan god of water, encircles the
earth
TETHYS - Titaness and marries Oceanus,
together they produce the Oceanids and sea
nymphs
HYPERION - Titan god of light, father of the sun
and dawn; one of the 4 pillars that hold the
earth and heavens apart
TITANS (cont.)
THEA - Titaness and marries Hyperion
THEMIS - Titaness of justice, law and order
She was a counselor to Zeus and mother of
the Fates and Seasons
IAPETUS - Titan god of death; known for his
3 sons: Atlas, Epimetheus, and Prometheus
COEUS - Titan god of intelligence; inquisitive
minds
MNEMOSYNE - Titaness of memory and
mother of the Muses
CRIUS - Titan god of constellations
PHOEBE - Titaness of the moon and
married to Crius
(End of Outline #3)
•
The second generation of Titans would include the
offspring of the original 12 children.
•
Unfortunately, Cronus never released the Cyclopes
or Hecatoncheires (deceit #3). He enjoyed his
power and did not want them to interfere. Gaia
was very upset.
•
Gaia scolded Cronus and told him that one of his
own would rise up to dethrone him as he did his
own father.
DECEIT #3
The reign of the Titans (or elder gods) was said to be a “golden”
time of no sickness or death for mankind.
•
Cronus kept his word to give Rhea children.
However, shortly after each infant was born,
Cronus would ______ it.
•
Rhea was so upset, but continued to try and have
more children.
•
Finally, after the birth of her 5th child (which
Cronus swallowed), she went to Gaia to ask for
advice.
THE OLYMPIANS
Rhea wanted children but Cronus feared his mother’s _____, so
he devised a plan.
•
The 6th child was ______.
•
Rhea gave the infant to her mother and Gaia took
the child to the Island of Crete to be raised by
nymphs and drink special ____ milk.
•
The many shepherds, guards, and nymphs
protected Zeus to keep him from his father.
THE DECEIT #4
Gaia instructed Rhea to secretly bring her the 6th child once it
was born. She had a plan.
•
First Zeus went to the palace of Cronus disguised
as a ______ for the king.
•
The Titaness Metis gave Zeus a special _____ to give
to his father.
•
Once Cronus drank the potion, he began to vomit
up his 5 other children and the stone.
•
Each child emerged fully grown.
THE DECEIT # 5
In due time Zeus grew up to be a strong and intelligent young
god. He knew it was time to challenge his father.
The Omphalos at Delphi, Greece; supposed stone
vomited up by Cronus...
•
The six children of Cronus and Rhea
decided to form an alliance and take
power from the Titans.
•
They needed help and went to Gaia for
assistance.
•
Before we get to the battle between these
powerful forces, let’s discover who were
the Olympians.
THE RISE OF THE OLYMPIANS
As each child emerged from Cronus’ mouth, they were thankful to
Zeus, and they swore to follow him in battle against the Titans.