How the World was Created…According to the Greeks

Out of CHAOS (which means “confusion”) emerged two beings:

Gaea (Mother Earth) Uranus (Heavens)

Gaea and Uranus had 12 children!

• Their children were called the Titans.• Eight of the Titans were:

– Oceanus and Tethys (rulers of the sea)– Hyperion (sun)– Thea (moon)– Rhea (Great Mother)– Themis (Law and Justice)– Mnemosyne (memory)– Cronus (youngest and strongest)– Hecatonchires (100 hands)– 3 Cyclopes (one-eyed)

The plot…

• Uranus hated all of his children, but particularly the monsters….

…and these he sent to Tartarus (the Underworld!)

Gaea asked the Titans to rescue the monsters, but only CRONUS agreed to help.

He then overthrew his father!

When Uranus was killed, his blood created creatures:

• Giants– More like men

than gods– Fierce fighters

• Erinyes (Furies)– Had hair of writhing

snakes– Winged creatures that

would plague men

Later, Cronus and Rhea married…• Cronus becomes the ruler of the

earth.• Cronus and Rhea have 6 children:

– Daughters: Hestia, Demeter, Hera– Sons: Hades, Poseidon, Zeus

BUT….Cronus now feared that his children would destroy him, so he swallowed all of them but Zeus, who escaped with the help of his mother.

How did he escape?

When Zeus grew up, he and Rhea (his mom) waged war on Cronus. A long battle followed.

Cronus eventually disgorged his children. The monsters helped Zeus and gave him weapons. Cronus, who was assisted by

some of the Titans, was eventually defeated.

ZEUS then divided the world with his brothers and sisters.

The Six Major Gods and Goddesses

ZEUSGod of the sky and thunder

Able to control lightning, rain and thunder

Married to Hera

HERAGoddess of marriage

Able to transform people into objects

Married to Zeus

POSEIDONGod of the sea, earthquakes and horses

Able to control the sea, cause earthquakes and mental disturbances, such as epilepsy

Married to Amphitrite

DEMETERGoddess of agriculture, nourisher of youth, the green earth and preserver of marriage

Able to change the seasons

Not married, but has a child, Persephone, by Zeus

HADES

God of the Underworld

Able to drive the shades of the dead into the lower world and possesses a magical helmet that makes people invisible

Married to Persephone

HESTIA

Goddess of the hearth and home

Keeper of the fires of Mt. Olympus

Virgin goddesss

Many more gods and goddesses lived on Mt. Olympus…

But these were the original six…

ZEUS Hades POSEIDON

DEMETER Hera HESTIA