Greek mythology :: essays research papers

The Mycenaeans of the ancient Greeks explained the origin of the universe using Greek gods. The gods were the makers of the universe and watched over mortals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Greeks explained that in the beginning there was emptiness, and the emptiness was called Chaos. From Chaos came the first three immortals: Gaea, who was the earth mother; Tartarus, who ruled the Underworld; and Eros who was the god of love.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gaea gave birth to Uranus without a partner. Gaea then married her son and she bore him three children called the Hundred-handed giants. The Hundred-handed giants each had fifty heads and one hundred incredibly strong arms. These would be the most frightening creatures that Gaea had. Uranus was afraid of their potential power so he confined them to the Underworld. The Hundred-handed giants became mad with their father and hated them with all their might.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Next Gaea had three Cyclopes. Each Cyclopes had one wheel shaped eye in the middle of their forehead. The Cyclopes were very strong and very skillful. Therefore they became the first immortal craftsmen. Again, Uranus became jealous of their skill and potential power, so he bound them with the strongest chains and threw them into their mother. After nine days and nights, they reached the Underworld. They were condemned there along with their brothers, the Hundred-handed giants. They, in turn, also grew to hate their father.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gaea then bore the first generation of immortal gods. Later, Uranus named them Titans (â€Å"Stretchers†). He named them stretchers because they had stretched their power and had overthrown his rule. Twelve of the thirteen Titans either controlled the major functions of the universe or had children that did.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cronus was one of Gaea’s children, a Titan. He killed his father for condemning his children. Before Uranus died he prophesied that â€Å" You murder me know, and steal my throne-but one of your own sons will dethrone you, for crime begets crime.† Cronus was very careful from then on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cronus’s wife, Rhea, goddess of earth, bore cronus children and one by one he swallowed each and every one of them. First, three daughters-Hestia, Demeter, and Hera; then two sons-Hades and Poseidon. Rhea was very furious with Cronus. She was determined to make sure that Cronus didn’t eat their next child which she was sure was going to be a son. When the time came, she snuck off down the slope of Olympus to a dark place to have her baby.