Hesiod's Theogony
THEOGONY
Introduction
Greek literature begins with Homer and Hesiod, and while Homer’s works, the Iliad and the Odyssey, get most of the attention, Hesiod’s contributions to Greek (and, by extension, western) culture are arguably just as important.
The only surviving biographical information about Hesiod that still exists comes straight from the poet himself. Early in the Theogony, for example, Hesiod mentions that he is a shepherd who tends sheep under Mount Helicon in Boeotia, a region in central Greece. This is where he claims the Muses appeared to him and gave him the gift of poetry. In Work and Days, Hesiod also notes that he lived in Ascra, a small village near Mt. Helicon; that he has a brother, Perses, with whom he was often at odds; that Hesiod’s and Perses’ father came to Boeotia from Aeolian Cyme in Anatolia; and that Hesiod himself rarely left his home region save for one small trip across the 3 mile (4.8 km)wide Euripus Strait from Aulis to Chalcis to participate in the funeral games for Athamas of Chalcis, where he won a tripod in a singing competition—which he cites as evidence of the poetic gift given to him by the Muses.
Whether these biographical details are accurate is uncertain, but it does provide at least a starting point for investigating Hesiod’s writings. The question of when Hesiod wrote is a bit more complex. However, it is likely that Hesiod and Homer wrote in the 8th century, shortly after the emergence of the Greek alphabet. This was a period of great cultural and economic growth after a very long dark ages that began around 1200 BCE when most of the major Mediterranean civilizations (including Hittite, Assyria, Babylonian, and Mycenaean) were wiped out by a combination of natural catastrophes, internal strife, and invasion from a group known from history only as the Sea Peoples.
Broadly speaking, then, Hesiod and Homer are writing during the same historical period. They are also using a similar dialect of Greek, which is a variation of Ionic Greek that is usually referred to ask Homeric Greek or Epic Greek—a dialect as different from the Greek of Classical Greece as Shakespeare is different from modern English.
Theogony
Given these linguistic similarities, then, it is no surprise that both authors employ many of the same poetic conventions, such as the use of epithets, descriptive phrases that identify a characteristic of the person or god in question (like “loud-thundering Zeus” or “grey-eyed Athena”).
Ultimately, what links Homer and Hesiod together is the simple fact that both poets’ works are concerned with the gods and heroes of the eastern Mediterranean—specifically a Mycenaean Greek culture that ceased to exist hundreds of years before the poets were born and lived on only in stories and legends. Of course, each poet goes about this task differently. Homer’s epics tell specific stories about some of the key figures in the Trojan War, and feature some of the most complex and fully-realized characters in all of literature. This is true of both the mortal characters like Achilles and Odysseus and the immortals like Zeus and Athena.
By contrast, Hesiod’s Theogony uses a bigger canvas and focuses on the biggest of pictures: the creation of the world and the heavens, the birth of the gods, the disputes and battles between the different generations of gods, and the various interaction between the gods and mortals. None of this should come as a surprise since the word “theogony” in Greek literally means “the genealogy of the gods.” This, then, is the principle purpose of theis work: to tell the origin of the universe and the subsequent generational development of the gods from primordial beings like Nyx (Night) and Gaia (Earth) to Olympian gods like Zeus, Athena, and Hera.
That is not to say that there are no good stories here—far from it. In fact, this brief work includes many of the most well-known stories from Greek mythology, including Cronos’s castration of Ouranos, the births of Aphrodite and Athena, the battle between the gods and the Titans, Prometheus, Heracles, Pegasus, Pandora, Jason and Medea, and Perseus and Medusa. There are also a lot of fascinating monsters, like the Hundred-Handed, the Cyclopes, the Harpies, the Gorgons, Echidna, Orthrus, Cerberus, the Hydra of Lerna, the Chimera.
In short, Hesiod’s Theogony is a fascinating overview of Greek mythology, but it can be a tricky read given the fact that it revels in the sheer depth of the Greek pantheon of gods. There are over 400
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different Greek gods, demigods, and other creatures mentioned in this 1,022-line work, and keeping track of them all is a tall order even for experienced readers of mythology. Therefore, to help simplify the task of learning about all these figures, I have included links to Wikipedia articles on most of the character and place names mentioned throughout the poem. These links can be found at the first mention of each name; for example, the link to the Wikipedia page on Zeus can be found in line 11 but not in any subsequent mention of the god. For those not reading the book digitally, I have also included a standard glossary of people and places; and though this glossary information is not as comprehensive as that found online, it should suffice for most readers.
Theogony
We begin our song with the Heliconian Muses who hold high and holy mount Helicon and with their soft feet dance upon the violet waters and the altar of Cronos’ mighty son. After bathing their tender flesh in the Permessus, Hippocrene, or sacred Olmedius, they perform their chorals on the highest peaks of Helicon, sublime beauty flowing freely from their feet. Starting there and shrouded in a great mist, they travel by night, their beautiful voices singing to aegis-bearing Zeus, to queen Hera of Argos who walks with golden sandals, to Athena, gleaming-eyed daughter of Zeus, to Phoebus Apollo, to shedder of arrows Artemis, to Earth-holder and Earth-shaker
Poseidon, to venerable Themis, to darting-eyed
Aphrodite, to golden-crowned Hebe, to fair Dione, to Leto and Iapetus and wily Cronos, to Eos and great Helios and bright Selene, to Gaia and great Oceanus and black Nyx, and to all other immortals who always are.
The Muses once taught Hesiod a beautiful song as he tended lambs under holy Helicon. First, the goddesses, Olympian Muses, daughters of aegis-bearing Zeus, spoke these words to me: “Shepherds in fields, foul disgraces, nothing but bellies—we know how to make lies into truth, and we know how to speak truth when we wish.” So saying, Zeus’ eloquent daughters plucked a staff, a fine branch of blooming laurels, and gave it to me; they blew a divine voice into my mouth so I would glorify what was and what will be;
and they ordered me to sing of those who always were and of themselves first and last.
But why do I speak of an oak or a rock? We begin with the Muses, who praise great father Zeus on Olympus and so cheer his mind, their sweet, harmonic voices flowing tirelessly from their mouths, singing of what is, what was, and what will be. The house of loud-thundering father Zeus laughs at the goddesses’ lily-like voices, as do the peaks of snowy Olympus and mansions of the immortals. First, they sing a divine song to celebrate the beginning the race of gods, those brought to life by Gaia and Ouranos, and those born of them, givers of good fortune. Then they celebrate Zeus, father of gods and mortals, both in the beginning of their song and the end, for he is the best and greatest of all the gods. Again, the Olympian Muses, daughters of aegisbearing Zeus, please the mind of Olympian Zeus by singing of the races of Giants and of humans.
Mnemosyne, guardian of the Eleutherae hills, joined with the son of Cronos on Pieria and bore the Muses to shun evil and dispel distress. For nine nights, counselor Zeus mixed with her in her sacred bed, away from the other gods. A year later, after the cycle of the seasons and the passing of many months and days, she bore nine like-minded maidens—their breasts filled with song, their spirits free of woe— near the highest peak of snowy Olympus, a place of splendid choruses and beautiful mansions, where the Charities and Himeros have their homes and festivities. Their lovely voices celebrate the laws and customs of all
the immortals in the songs they send forth.
On their way to Olympus, their beautiful voices filled the air with a divine song, the black earth echoed as they sang, and a lovely noise rose beneath their feet as they went to see their father, lord of the heavens and wielder of the fiery thunderbolt, who defeated his father Cronos and distributed fairly the powers and honors to the immortals.
These were the songs of the Muses, whose homes were on Olympus, the nine daughters of great Zeus: Clio, Euterpe, Thalia, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Erato, Polymnia, Ourania, and Calliope, who was superior to all for she also accompanied revered kings. When a Zeus-nourished king is born, great Zeus’ daughters honor him by pouring sweet dewdrops on his tongue, so words flow like honey from his mouth. All his people look upon him as he solves disputes with sound judgment, and his eloquent and truthful words quickly and fairly resolve even the bitterest conflict. This is why kings are wise, for when people do harm in the assembly, kings easily halt calls for revenge and appease both sides with gentle words. In markets they treat him with deference like a god, and he stands out in a crowd. Such are the gifts given to mortals by the Muses.
Muses and far-shooting Apollo bring singers and lyre players to the earth, but Zeus makes kings; and mortals loved by the Muses are blessed, for sweet words flow from their mouths. If a singer who serves the Muses sings about the famous deeds of ancient men and women and the blessed gods who live on Olympus, then mortals whose souls are fresh with pain and whose hearts burn with grief will instantly forget their suffering and pain, diverted by the gifts of the goddesses.
Welcome, children of Zeus. Sing to me a lovely song, a song of the divine race of immortals who always are, those born of Gaia, starry Ouranos, and dark Nix and nourished by salty Pontus. Tell us how the gods and earth first came to be, and the rivers, the infinite seas that swell with rage, the shining stars, and the wide heavens above. Tell us how the gods were born, givers of fortune, how they divided riches and distributed honors, and how they first took craggy Olympus. Start at the beginning, Muses with homes on Olympus, and tell me: who was born first?
First there was Chaos, then broad-chested Gaia, the steadfast seat of all immortals who live upon the snowy peaks of Olympus, then murky Tartarus in the depths of the wide earth, and Eros, most beautiful of the immortal gods, who weakens the limbs and overwhelms the minds and wise counsel in the breasts of all gods and humans.
Chaos gave birth to Erebus and black Nix, and from Nyx came Aether and Hemera, conceived after Nyx joined in love with Erebus.
First, Gaia bore starry Ouranos, her equal, to envelop her on all sides so she would be the ever-secure home for the blessed gods. Then she bore tall Ourea, pleasant refuge for the goddess Nymphs of the mountain forests, and the sterile, swelling seas of Pontus. All of these she bore alone. Then she
bedded Ouranos and bore deep-whirling Oceanus, Coeus, Crius, Hyperion, Iapetus, Theia, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, goldencrowned Phoebe, and fair Tethys. Then wily Cronos was born, her youngest and most dreadful child, who hated his fearsome father.
Then she bore the violent-hearted Cyclopes: Brontes, Steropes, and spirited Arges . They gave thunder to Zeus and built thunderbolts, and they looked like the gods in every way but one: they had only one eye in the middle of their foreheads. Because of this single, circular eye, they were called Cyclopes. Their strength was great, as was their craft.
But Gaia and Ouranos gave birth to three unspeakably huge and powerful sons: Cottus, Briareus, and Gyges, arrogant children. From their shoulders sprang a hundred monstrous arms, with fifty heads on each pair of sturdy shoulders, and immense strength in their massive forms.
These were the worst all those born to Gaia and Ouranos. Their father hated them from the moment they were born and hid them all in a secret corner of Gaia, never allowing them into the light, and Ouranos rejoiced at his foul work. But Gaia groaned at the strain within her depths and devised a wicked plan. She quickly made a large scythe using gray, impenetrable steel and showed it to her children. Then she said to them, as her heart grieved:
“My children, born to a wicked father, if you
choose to obey, then avenge your father’s foul disgrace, for he was the first to plot evil deeds.”
So she said, but fear seized them, and no one said a word. But crooked-counselor Cronos boldly answered his noble mother, saying: “Mother, I pledge to complete this task; I do not care about our despicable father, for he was the first to plot evil deeds.”
Hearing this, colossal Gaia rejoiced in her heart. She hid Cronos in an ambush, put a sharptoothed sword in his hands, and explained to him the whole plan. When Ouranos came, towing night, he stretched himself out over Gaia, desiring her love. Cronos reached out with his left hand, took the jagged-toothed sickle in his right, and quickly cut off his dear father’s genitals and threw them behind him. But they did not fall in vain, for all the blood-red drops that fell were caught by Gaia, and in time, she bore the mighty Erinyes, the great Giants with bright armor and long spears, and the Nymphs called Meliae across the endless earth. Soon after the genitals were cut by the sickle and thrown into the agitated sea, they were carried through the water for a long time, and a white foam sprang from the deathless flesh, and inside grew a young woman. First she came to sacred Cythera and then to sea-bathed Cyprus, where a beautiful goddess emerged with grass growing around her slender feet. Gods and mortals call her Aphrodite, for she was born from the sea-foam, and fair-crowned Cytherea, for she reached Cythera, and also Cyprogenes for she was born
on sea-bathed Cyprus, and Philommedes for she sprang from genitals. Eros followed her, and fair Himeros stayed with her from the moment she was born until she joined the race of the gods. She had this honor from the beginning and obtained by lot from humans and immortal gods the secrets, smiles, deceptions, sweet delights, friendliness, and gentleness of young women.
Their father, great Ouranos, rejected his sons and nicknamed them Titans, for he said they foolishly stretched to commit a great deed and would one day pay a price for their actions.
Nyx, though she had not slept with any other gods, bore terrible Moros, black Ker, and Thanatos, Hypnos, the tribe of Oneiroi, and Momus, deadly Oizys, and the Hesperides, who cared for the beautiful, golden apples and the trees that bore them beyond famed Oceanus. She also bore the Moirai and the pitilessly punishing Keres— Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos—who assign good and evil to mortals at birth, who pursue the wrongs of both mortals and gods, and who never abandoned their terrible fury until they gave their dire punishments to wrongdoers. And deathly Nyx bore Nemesis, bringing woe to mortals, and then bore Apate, Philotes, mournful Geras, and hard-hearted Eris.
And hated Eris bore woeful Ponos, Lethe, Limos, the lamentable Algea, the Hysminai, the Machai, the Phonoi, the Androktasiai, the Neikea, the Pseudea, the Logoi, the Amphillogiai, the Dysnomia, Atë, all similar to each other, and Horkos, who brings great misery to mortals when someone willingly swears a false oath.
Pontus fathered truthful and sincere Nereus, his oldest child; they call him Old Man, for he is gentle and kind, never forgets customs, and makes fair and honest plans. Then he mixed again with Gaia and bore great Thaumas, arrogant Phorcys, fair-cheeked Ceto, and Eurybia, whose heart is made of steel.
Many children, all greatly desired, were born in the barren sea to Nereus and fairhaired Doris, daughter of ever-circling Ocean: Protho, Eucrante, Sao, Amphitrite, and Eudora, Thetis, Galene, Glauce, and Cymothoe, swift Speo, beautiful Thalia, Pasithea, Erato, rosy-armed Eunice, charming Melite, Eulimene, Agave, Doto, Proto, Pherusa, Dynamene, Nessea, Actaea, Protomedea, Doris, Panope, lovely Galatea, fair Hippothoe, rosy-armed Hipponoe, and Cymodoce who, along with Cymatolege and fine-ankled Amphitrite, calm the dark sea’s waves and the stormy wind’s blasts; and Cymo, Eone, fair-crowned Halimede, smiling Glauconome, Pontoporea, and Leagore, Eusagore, Laomeda, Polynoe, and Autonoe, Lusianassa, Euarne, who is fine in figure and blameless in beauty, and Psamathe, who is beautiful in body, and divine Menippe, Neso, Eupompe, Themisto, Pronoe, and Nemertess, who has the mind of her immortal father.
These came from the illustrious Nereus: fifty daughters all able to do great work.
Thaumas wed Electra, deep-flowing Oceanus’ daughter, and she bore swift Iris and the fair Harpies, Aello and Ocypete, who had swift wings and soared high up in the air like the wind or the birds.
To Phorcys, Ceto bore the fair-cheeked, grey-haired Graeae, so-called by mortals and immortals alike: fine-robed Pemphredo and saffron-veiled Enyo. And she bore the Gorgons who live beyond famed Oceanus at the edge of Nyx where the clear-voiced Hesperides dwell: the immortal and ageless Sthenno and Euryale, and the mortal Medusa, who met a foul end. Dark-haired Poseidon slept with Medusa in a soft meadow surrounded by spring flowers. When Perseus beheaded her, out sprang great Chrysaor and the horse Pegasus.
one named for the sword he held, the other for being born beside the waters of Oceanus. Pegasus left the earth, mother of sheep, and flew to the immortals, and he lives in Zeus’ house, bringing thunder and lightning to counselor Zeus. Chrysaor joined with Callirhoe, great daughter of Oceanus, and she bore three-headed Geryon, who was killed by mighty Heracles beside his tottering cattle on sea-bathed Erytheia on the day he drove the broad-chested cattle across the Oceanus streams to sacred Tiryns and killed Orthus and herdsman Eurytion in the dark stables across famed Oceanus.
Ceto also bore in a hollow cave another terrible monster who is unlike any mortal or immortal god: divine, dauntless Echidna, who is one-half fair-eyed, beautiful nymph and one-half terrible, quick-moving serpent who eats raw flesh in the hidden places under the earth. Her cave is beneath a hollow boulder, far from immortal gods and mortal humans. There the gods assigned pitiful Echidna glorious houses to live in, and the immortal and ageless nymph keeps watch among the Arima under the earth.
It is said that the quick-glancing maiden Echidna joined with terrible, violent, and lawless Typhon, became pregnant, and bore fearsome children. First came the Orthrus, Geryon’s dog; then she bore the unmanageable, unspeakable Cerberus, eater of raw flesh, the bronze-voiced dog of Hades, fifty-headed, merciless, and mighty. Then she bore foul-minded Hydra of Lerna, reared by the white-armed goddess Hera when she was monstrously angry with mighty Heracles. But Heracles, son of Zeus and of Amphitryon, slew the Hydra with pitiless bronze, aided by warlike Iolaus and plunderer Athena’s counsel.
And Echidna bore the invincible, fire-breathing Chimera: terrible, huge, swift, and powerful. She had three heads: a savage lion, a she-goat, and a serpent, a mighty dragon; her front was lion, her middle was goat, her back was serpent, and she breathed terrible fire. She was slain by Pegasus and noble Bellerophon. Chimera, subdued by Orthrus, bore deadly Sphinx, scourge of the Cadmeans, and the Nemean lion, the bane of mortals, whom Hera, glorious wife of Zeus, raised and sent to live in Nemea. While dwelling there, it laid waste to the mortal races and ruled Tretos in Nemea and Apesas; but the strength of Hercules overpowered it.
Ceto made love to Phorcys and bore her youngest child, a terrible snake who guards the golden apples in the dark places at the end of the world.
These, then, are the children of Ceto and Phorcys.
Tethys bore to Oceanus the twisting rivers:
Nilus, Alpheus, the deep-swirling Eridanos,
Strymon, Meander, beautiful-flowing Ister,
Phasis, Rhesus, the silver-waving Achelous,
Nessus, Rhodius, Haliacmon, Heptarorus,
Grenicus, Aesepus, divine Simoeis, Peneius,
Hermus, fair-flowing Caïcus, the great
Sangarius, Ladon, Parthenius, Euenus, Aldescus, and the divine Scamander. And she bore divine daughters who raised young boys into men along with lord Apollo and the Potamoi, for this was Zeus’ charge to them: Peitho, Admete, Ianthe, Electra, Doris, Prymno, divine-formed Ourania,
Hippo, Clymene, Rhodea, Callirhoe,
Zeuxo, Clytie, Idyia, Pasithoe, Plexaura,
Galaxaura, welcoming Dione, Melobosis, Thoe, shapely Polydora, fair-formed Cerceis, doe-eyed Pluto, Perseis, Ianeira, Acaste, Xanthe, charming Petraea, Menestho,
Europa, Metis, Eurynome, saffron-veiled
Telesto, Chryseis, Asia, fair Calypso, Eudora, Tyche, Amphiro, Ocyrhoe, and Styx, who is without a doubt the greatest of them all. These were the oldest of the maidens born to Oceanus and Tethys, but there are many others: three-thousand thin-ankled daughters of Oceanus spread across the earth and watery depths, all equal, shining children of goddesses. And many other loud-flowing rivers, sons of Oceanus, were born to queen Tethys; their names are difficult for a mortal to recite, but each is known by those who dwell near them.
And Theia, taken in love by Hyperion, bore great Helios, bright Selene, and Eos, who shines for all mortals upon the earth and for the gods who hold the broad heavens. And Eurybia, divine among goddesses, joined in love with Crius and bore great Astraeus, Pallas, and Perses, famed for his knowledge. And Eos, a goddess in love with a god, bore to Astraeus the violent winds: clearing Zephyrus, swift-moving Boreas, and Notus. After this, Eos bore early-born Heosphoros and the shining stars that crown the heavens.
Oceanus’ daughter Styx mixed with Pallas and bore in her palace Zelus, beautiful-ankled Nike, Kratos, and Bia, famous children all. They have no house but the house of Zeus, no seat, and no path besides the one the god gives them, and always sit beside thundering Zeus. So Styx, immortal daughter of Oceanus, decided on the day the Olympian hurler of lightning called all immortal gods to great Olympus and said that whoever fights against the Titans would not lose their privileges and would retain all of their honors among the immortal gods; and those who were denied honor by Cronos would gain honor and privilege, as is their right. So incorruptible Styx and her children, following her father’s plan, were first to go to Olympus, and Zeus honored her and gave her great gifts, making her the great oath of the gods and keeping her children beside him from that day on. And everything that he promised, he fulfilled, and he himself rules with greatness and might.
Phoebe came to the much desired bed of Coeus, and the goddess, pregnant with a god’s love, bore dark-robed Leto, always gentle and kind both to humans and to the immortal gods—gentle from the start, and kindest of those on Olympus. Phoebe also bore honorable Asteria, whom Perses led to his great house to become his loving wife.
Asteria bore Hecate, whom Zeus, Cronos’ son, honored above all others. He gave her splendid gifts: a portion of the earth and the sterile sea, a share of the honor from the starry skies, and the highest honors from the immortal gods. Now, whenever humans upon the earth pray
for favors by offering beautiful sacrifices, they call on Hecate. Much honor follows the ones whose prayers the goddess kindly accepts, and fortune follows those so blessed—such is her power. For all those born to Gaia and Ouranos were granted honors, and Hecate had her share too. Nor did the son of Cronos seek to deprive her of any honor she received from the Titans, and she retains all she was given in the beginning. Nor does this goddess, an only child, have fewer honors on the earth, in the sky, or in the sea; in fact, she has more, for Zeus himself honors her. When she comes and proudly aids someone, that person will surpass all others in the assembly. When men arm themselves for deadly combat, the goddess stands beside her chosen side, eager to grant victory and extend glory. She stands beside revered kings during trials, she stands beside horsemen that she chooses, and she stands beside and helps those competing in contests. And when one gains victory by strength or force, he carries his prize with ease and joy and honors his parents. And to those who work the gusty gray sea and pray to Hecate and the roaring Earthshaker, the great goddess easily grants a great haul of fish, and just as easily takes it away, if her spirit so wishes. And along with Hermes, she excels at increasing livestock in pens: herds of cattle and wide goats, and flocks of wooly sheep; she can strengthen a herd or flock or weaken it— whatever her spirit desires. And though she is her mother’s only child, she is granted great honors among the immortals. And Cronos’ son made her nurse to all children who see with their eyes the light of all-seeing Eos. Thus she was a nurse from the very start, and these are her honors.
Rhea was tamed by Cronos and bore him glorious children: Hestia, Demeter, goldensandaled Hera, mighty Hades whose ruthless heart lived beneath the earth, the loud-sounding Earth-shaker, and counselor Zeus, father of gods and mortals, whose thunder shakes the wide earth. Great Cronos gulped the children down as soon as they emerged from kneeling Rhea’s divine womb. He wished to prevent Ouranos’ famed children from becoming king over the immortals, for he learned from Gaia and starry Ouranos that, though he was strong, his own son was fated to overthrow him through the plans of great Zeus; thus he kept constant watch and swallowed his children whole, bringing Rhea great grief. So when she was about to bear Zeus, father of gods and mortals, she begged her dear parents, Gaia and starry Ouranos, to devise a plan to let her bear her child in secret and avenge her father’s fury and the fury of her children whom wily Cronos had swallowed. They
listened to their dear daughter and obeyed her, revealing to her all that was destined to happen to king Cronos and his stout-hearted son. Then they sent her to Lyctus, in the rich lands of Crete when she was ready to bear her youngest, great Zeus; once there, gigantic Gaia would receive him, nurse him, and raise him. So Rhea carried him through
the quick black night to Lyctus, took him in her hands, and hid him in a cave deep within holy Gaia, in the dense forests of Mount Aegaeon. Then she took a stone, wrapped it in swaddling clothes, and gave it to Ouranos’ son, the Titan king. He grabbed the stone and swallowed it cruelly, unaware that his son remained free and untroubled and would one day overpower him, drive him from his place of honor, and become king of the immortals.
Lord Zeus’ strength and glorious limbs grew quickly, and after a year’s time, thanks to Gaia’s elegant deception, great crooked-counselor Cronos vomited up his children, defeated by his son’s plans and his might. First, Cronos vomited up the stone, since he had swallowed it last; Zeus took the stone and placed it in sacred Pytho, in the valleys around Parnassus, to be a sign of wonder for mortals from that point on.
Then he freed his uncles, the Cyclopes, sons of Ouranos, from the bonds Cronos foolishly inflicted upon them. In return for his kindness, they gave him thunder, blasting thunderbolts, and lightning, which before Gaia had concealed. With these, Zeus rules over mortals and immortals.
Iapetus married Clymene, Oceanus’ fair-ankled
daughter, went to bed with her, and she bore stout-hearted Atlas, illustrious Menoetius, shrewd and sly Prometheus, and scatter-brained Epimetheus, who became the bane of all mortals who work for their bread, for he was the first to accept Zeus’ moulded maiden. Far-seeing Zeus hurled arrogant Menoetius down to Erebus with a thunderbolt because of his foolishness and his reckless vanity. Atlas is forced to stand at the ends of the earth in front of the clearvoiced Hesperides and hold up the wide heavens with his head and tireless arms, for this is the fate counselor Zeus assigned to him. And Zeus bound wily Prometheus in painful, unbreakable chains that were driven through the middle of a pillar, and he sent a wide-winged eagle to eat his immortal liver, but each night the liver grew back as much as the wide-winged bird had eaten that day. But Heracles, son of fairankled Alcmene, killed the eagle, repelling the foul fate of Iapetus’ son, freeing him from suffering, and adding to Theban-born Heracles’ great glory upon the bountiful earth. High-ruling Olympian Zeus approved, for he wished to honor his revered son, and so gave up the anger he held against Prometheus for matching wits with Cronos’ mighty son.
For when gods and mortals met in Mecone, Prometheus cleverly divided a great ox and set it before him, hoping to deceive Zeus. First, he set down before him flesh and rich, fat entrails and hid them in the ox’s stomach; then he cleverly set down the white ox bones and covered them with shining fat. Then the father of gods and mortals said to him: “Dear son of Iapetus, noblest of all the gods, you have divided the portions unfairly.”
So said all-knowing Zeus, mocking him. But with a smile, crooked-counselor Prometheus replied to him, not forgetting his clever trick: “Glorious Zeus, greatest of all immortals, choose whichever one your heart desires.”
So he said, deceptively. All-knowing Zeus spotted the deception, but he desired evil for mortals, which he would fulfill. He took the white fat with both hands, and when he saw the white ox bones and realized the deception, he exploded with rage, his mind filled with malice. Ever since then, mortals burn white bones on smoking altars in offering to the gods.
And a fuming cloud-gatherer Zeus told him: “So, dear son of Iapetus, noblest of all the gods, you did not forget your clever tricks after all.”
So spoke an angry, all-knowing Zeus. And because of this deception, he refused to give the might of eternal fire to the ash trees for mortals who live upon the earth. But the son of Iapetus tricked Zeus again by stealing the far-shining gleam of eternal fire in a hollow fennel stalk. It burned deep in high-thundering Zeus’ soul when he saw the far-shining gleam of fire among mortals, so he devised a wicked punishment for humans. Following the plans of Cronos’ son, famed Hephaestus molded from earth a beautiful girl. Then the grey-eyed goddess Athena dressed her in silvery clothes and covered her head with a finely-crafted veil, a true wonder. Around her head Pallas Athena first placed
a garland of fresh flowers of the meadow to arouse desire and then added a golden diadem made by the hands of the famed Lame One, Hephaestus, to please Zeus, his father. On this he added many finely-made designs, terrible beasts that the land and sea nourish; he made many of these, each one a shimmering miracle, as real as a living, speaking creature.
When he had built this fine but evil creature, the price for fire, he led her out to the other gods and mortals, resplendent in the adornments of Zeus’ grey-eyed daughter. Gods and men alike were awed when they saw the steep deception, which men could never control. For she was mother to the race of females, who live with men but are their greatest foe, always a friend of luxury, never of poverty. Just as bees in roofed beehives feed drones, their partners in their foul deeds—every day, all day long until the sun goes down, the bees hurry about building their white honeycombs, while the drones sit inside the roofed beehives feeding their stomachs on the toil of others— so also did high-thundering Zeus create women to be the bane of mortal men, partners in painful deeds. And he exchanged another good for evil: he who flees marriage and women’s foul deeds and refuses to marry comes to old age deprived of a caretaker; when he lives, he lacks nothing, but when he dies his relatives divide his fortune. The man who marries a worthy wife, one whose mind is similar to his own, will see good and evil in balance throughout his life. But the man who takes a troublemaker for a wife will know endless, incurable pain in his mind and heart during his life.
Thus, no one can deceive the mind of Zeus.
Not even Iapetus’ son, gracious Prometheus, could escape a foul fate, for despite his sharp mind, a terrible burden holds him down.
When Ouranos first grew angry with Briareus, Cottus, and Gyges, he bound them in strong chains, for he hated their arrogance, their looks, and their size and he made them live beneath the broad earth. So they sat below, at the earth’s edge, living in pain and suffering greatly, their hearts filled with grief. But the son of Cronos and the other immortals born in love to fair-haired Rhea and Cronos returned them to the light with the advice of Gaia, who told them the whole story and showed them how these creatures would help them win and gain great glory. The Titans and those born to Cronos would battle against one another for a very long time and suffer greatly—the Titans from high Othrys and from Olympus the gods, who bring good things and who were born to fair-haired Rhea after sleeping with Cronos. For ten long years they fought one another, their spirits filled with rage. And there was no resolution in sight, for both sides were evenly divided and the war’s outcome was uncertain.
But when Zeus offered the Hecatoncheires nectar and ambrosia, which the gods themselves eat, their hearts and spirits were lifted. The the father of gods and mortals addressed them and said to them: “Listen to me, bright children of Gaia and Ouranos, so I can say what is in my heart. We have battled every day for a long time, each seeking victory and power, the Titans and we gods who were born from Cronos.
So use your great strength and untouchable
hands and fight with us against the Titans, for we are your kind friends who freed you from your painful bonds and brought you out of the bitter dark and into the light.”
So he said, and at once great Cottus replied:
“Noble sir, you say what we already know. We know your mind and thoughts are superior and you defend the gods against icy ruin. Your wisdom, lord son of Cronos, brought us out of the gloomy darkness and freed us from unrelenting bonds, which we hope never to experience again. Thus, with clear minds and eager spirits, we vow to defend your power against the Titans in dread battle.”
So he said, and the gods who give glory heard his words and approved. Their hearts desired war more than ever before, and on that day all readied for battle, men and women, the Titan gods and the children of Cronos as well as those defiantly strong beings Zeus brought back to the light from Erebus under the earth, each of them with a hundred arms coming out of their shoulders, and fifty heads growing from their shoulders on top of their giant limbs. They took their places against the Titans wielding enormous stones in their large hands. But the Titans quickly reinforced their battle lines, and both sides readied their mighty hands. The endless seas echoed around them, the great earth rumbled, the heavens groaned, and high Olympus shook from the ground up as the immortals charged, and the rumble and cries reached all the way to deep Tartarus. So it was that the two sides hurled their terrible spears at each other, their encouraging shouts reaching the starry skies as the two sides converged. Zeus unleashed the full fury of his heart
and the full force of his might. From both the sky and from Olympus, he hurled a constant barrage of lightning bolts, and the bolts, like a twisting fire, flew closely-packed out of his gigantic hands along with the flash and thunder. All over, the life-giving earth burned black, a loud crackling filled the vast forests, and the earth and the streams of Oceanus and the seas all boiled. The hot flames encircled the earthborn Titans and reached the heavenly aether, and for all their power, their eyes were blinded by the flashing light of the bolts. Divine heat took hold of Chaos that looked to the eyes and sounded to the ears like Gaia and Ouranos making love: the great sound that rose up when he pressed down upon her from on high, the sound of gods converging in passion. And the wind stirred a torrent of dust that mixed with the thunderbolts and lightning—the weapons of great Zeus—and these carried the cries and shouts into the center between the two sides, and a terrifying noise of battle rose up, and mighty deeds were revealed.
Then the battle turned. Earlier, they had converged on each other and fought steadily, but then Cottus, Briareus, and battle-crazed Gyges rose up from the front lines and hurled three hundred boulders from their massive hands, one after another, and overwhelmed the Titans with their blows, defeating them and sending them down beneath the earth and binding them there. As far below the earth as the sky is above the earth— that is the drop from earth to murky Tartarus.
A bronze anvil falling from the sky for nine days and nights would reach the earth on the tenth day, and the same anvil falling from the earth for nine days and nights would reach Tartarus on the tenth. A bronze barrier surrounds Tartarus, and night is poured around its neck in three rows; and above it grow the roots of the earth and the sterile sea.
This is the murky netherworld where the Titan gods were hidden by design of cloud-gatherer Zeus: an vile place at the very ends of the wide earth. There is no escape, for Poseidon placed a bronze gate around it, and a wall surrounds it on all sides.
This is where Gyges, Cottus, and great-hearted Briareus live, the guards of aegis-bearing Zeus. And this is the source and limits of the dark earth, murky Tartarus, the barren sea, the starry heavens—dank, a terrible place that even the gods abhor: a great chasm. Those who come inside the gates could never reach the chasm’s end even in a full year, for they would be blown this way and that by one storm after another, monstrous even for the immortal gods. And it is here where the palaces of Nyx can be found, shrouded in black clouds.
It is here where Atlas, son of Iapetus, stands immobile, holding the wide heavens with his head and sturdy hands, and Nyx and Hemera cross paths and greet each other as they pass the great bronze threshold, one going out the door and the other coming in, for both cannot be in the house at the same time, for one leaves the house to pass around the earth while the other remains in the house waiting for her journey to begin. Hemera carries light for the earth; the other holds in her hands Hypnos, brother of Thanatos—deadly Nyx, shrouded in clouds.
And here Nyx’s children have their homes:
Hypnos and Thanatos, feared gods. Bright
Helios never shines his light upon them when
he rises in the sky or when he sets in the sky. Hypnos travels gently over the earth and wide seas soothing human beings, but Thanatos has an iron heart and brazen soul, and when he takes hold of a human, he does not let go. He is hated even by the immortal gods.
And here stand the echoing palaces of the god of the underworld, stout Hades and terrible Persephone. A fearsome dog ruthlessly guards the gates using a nasty trick: he wags his tail and ears at those going in, but watches them carefully and does not let them leave, devouring those trying to go out the gates of stout Hades and terrible Persephone.
And here lives a goddess loathed by immortals, terrible Styx, oldest daughter of ebbing Oceanus; she lives aloof from other gods in a famous palace with a large rock roof and silver pillars on all sides that reach to the heavens. Thauma’s daughter, swift-footed Iris, rarely travels under the broad back of the sea to deliver her messages. When strife or quarrel stirs between the gods or when one with mansions on Olympus lies,
Zeus will send Iris to bring back a golden jug filled with the great oath of the gods, the many named icy water that pours down from a high rock, flowing under the wide earth along the holy river, a branch of Oceanus, a tenth of which is given to Styx. Nine parts flow all over the earth and the sea’s wide back in silver, whirling spools before falling into the sea, but one part flows from her rock, a great misery for the gods. Immortals with homes on Olympus’ snowy peaks who swear false oaths after pouring Stygian waters will lie breathless for an entire
year, taking no ambrosia or nectar as sustenance but lying spread out on a bed, breathless and speechless, enveloped in a foul coma. When the punishment ends after a full year, the gods receive another, even worse, test: nine years of exile from other eternal gods, their councils and their feasts. But in the tenth year, the gods can again mingle with others who have homes on Olympus. This is the oath that the gods take with Styx’s primeval waters, which pour out from that rugged place.
And here are found the limits of the dark earth and of dark Tartarus and the barren sea and the starry skies, one after another— terrible places that even the gods abhor.
And here are the marble gates and unmovable bronze floor that is bound to the earth with selfgrown roots, and here the Titans live, separated from all other gods, on the far edges of murky Chaos. The famed allies of loud-thundering Zeus also live here, far below the floor of Oceanus, Cottus and Gyges, but Earth-shaker Poseidon made noble Briareus his son-in-law by giving him Cymopolea, his daughter, to marry.
After Zeus drove the Titans from heaven, huge Gaia joined with Tartarus and bore her youngest child, Typhon, aided by golden Aphrodite. His hands were strong and capable of great deeds, and his feet were tireless. A hundred snake heads sat on his shoulders, fearsome dragons with dark flickering tongues. Fire sparkled from the eyes on each divine head, and with each look his eyes burned fire. The voices in all the heads produced indescribable sounds. At times, they made sounds the gods could understand; at other times, they bellowed loudly like a giant bull with unbelievable strength or roared like a proud lion or cried
like a litter of puppies, amazing to behold, or they hissed and made the tall mountains echo. And terrible deeds would have happened on that day, and Typhon would have ruled over mortals and gods alike had Zeus, father of gods and mortals, not been watching. He thundered loud and hard and the earth shook violently, as did the heavens above and the seas and the Oceanic streams and deep Tartarus. As lord Zeus rushed ahead, all Olympus shook under his immortal feet, and the earth groaned. Beneath them, the violet sea was consumed by the heat of the thunder and lightning and the monster’s flames and winds and blazing bolts. And the earth, sea, and sky all boiled, and the force of the immortals sent great waves crashing over the sea shores, and an endless quake arose; and Hades, lord of the underworld, and the Titans in Tartarus around Cronos trembled in fear of the endless noise and terrible battle-strife.
When Zeus had raised his might and taken his weapons, thunder and lightning, he leapt from Olympus onto the terrifying monster and burnt all of his divine heads. Once overpowered by striking blows, Typhon fell over lame, and the wide earth groaned; and as he was struck, flames flew from the thunderbolt lord in the dark, rocky mountain dells, and this awesome blast burnt much of the wide earth and melted it like tin that skilled young men heat in well-pierced melting pots or like iron, the strongest of things, tamed in the mountain dells by blazing fire and melted in the divine earth by skilled Hephaestus; so the fire melted in the earth. And with rage in his heart, Zeus hurled Typhon into broad Tartarus.
From Typhon comes the might of the moistblowing winds, separate from Notus, Boreas, and clean Zephyrus, which are born of the gods and a profit for mortals. The other winds blow rashly over the seas, bringing violent storms to murky waters and great woes to mortals. They blow this way and that, scattering ships and killing sailors, and mortals who encounter them on the seas are helpless against them. Even on the boundless, florid earth, they lay waste to the beautiful works of humans, filling them with dust and painful uproar.
When the blessed gods finished their work and settled by force their battle with the Titans over honor, then with Gaia’s counsel they urged far-seeing Zeus to become king and rule over all immortals, and he divided their honors among them.
Zeus, king of the gods, took as his first wife Metis, who knows more than any other god or mortal. But when she was about to give birth to gleamingeyed goddess Athena, he deceived her with cunning words by putting Athena into his belly, taking the advice of Gaia and starry Ouranos. They prophesied that one of the other immortal gods would hold the honors of king instead of Zeus, for Metis would one day bear very wise children: first she would bear gleaming-eyed Tritogeneia, who had strength and wisdom equal to her father, and then a son, a king of gods and mortals, with a violent heart. But before this happened, Zeus put Athena in his own belly, so the goddess would advise him on good and evil.
His second marriage was to shining Themis, who bore the Horae—Eunomia, Dike, and prosperous Eirene—who protect the works of mortals;
and the Moirai—Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos— to whom counselor Zeus gives the greatest honor, for they give mortal humans both good and evil.
Then Eurynome, beautiful daughter of Oceanus, bore for him the three fair-cheeked Charities: Aglaea, Euphrosyne, and charming Thalia; limbrelaxing desire falls from their eyes at every glance, for they are beautiful to behold under their brows.
Then bountiful Demeter came to his bed and bore white-armed Persephone, taken from her mother by Hades with the approval of counselor Zeus.
Then he fell in love with fair-haired Mnemosyne, ane she bore the nine Muses with golden bands, who delight in festivals and the joy of song.
Then aegis-bearing Zeus joined in love with Leto, and she bore Apollo and Artemis, shedder of arrows, loveliest of all Ouranos’ children.
Finally, Zeus made Hera his flourishing wife, and she joined in love with the king of gods and mortals and bore Hebe, Ares, and Eileithyia.
Zeus bore from his own head bright-eyed Athena, the revered rouser of terrible war and untiring leader who delights in the chaos of battle; this made Hera furious, so without mingling in love she bore famed Hephaestus, whose skilled hands surpassed all of Ouranos’ children.
And Amphitrite bore for the loud-roaring Earthshaker great and mighty Triton, who holds the sea bottom and dwells in a golden palace with his dear mother and lordly father, a feared god.
And Cytherea bore for shield-piercing Ares terrible Phobos and Deimos, who drive the battle lines of men into confusion with Ares, destroyer of cities, and Harmonia, who became wife of Cadmus.
And Zeus took Maia, daughter of Atlas, to bed, and she bore famed Hermes, herald of the gods.
Semele, daughter of Cadmus, joined with Zeus and bore delightful Dionysus, a mortal woman bearing an immortal son, but now both are gods.
And Alcmene joined in love with cloud-gatherer Zeus and gave birth to the mighty Heracles.
And Hephaestus, famed for his twisted legs, took as wife Aglaea, youngest of the Charities.
And golden-haired Dionysus took as his wife blonde Ariadne, Minos’ daughter, and the son of Cronos made her immortal for his sake.
The strong son of fair-ankled Alcmene, mighty Hercules, took Hebe, daughter of great Zeus and golden-sandaled Hera, as his revered wife on snowy Olympus, after completing his painful tasks, for he now lives unharmed and ageless among the immortals for the rest of days.
And Perseis, famed daughter of Oceanus, bore Circe and King Aeëtes for untiring Helios. Aeetes, son of light-bringing Helios, married the daughter of unending-river Oceanus, beautiful-cheeked Idyia, by will of the gods; and she, overcome by the passion of golden Aphrodite, gave birth to fair-cheeked Medea.
Now farewell to you with homes on Olympus,
and the islands, mainlands, and salt seas within. Now, sweet-voiced Olympian Muses, daughters of aegis-bearing Zeus, sing of the race of goddesses, those who lay in beds with immortals and mortals and who bore children equal to the gods.
The divine goddess Demeter mingled in love with heroic Iasius in a thrice-plowed field in Crete’s bountiful lands and bore noble Plutus, who travels all over the earth and the wide sea’s back; whoever happens upon him and comes into his arms is made rich, for he grants them great wealth.
Harmonia, golden Aphrodite’s daughter bore to Cadmus Ino, Semele, fair-cheeked Agave, and Autonoë, who married long-haired Aristaeus, and Polydorus, in fair-meadowed Thebes.
Callirhoe, daughter of Oceanus, mingled in Aphrodite’s love with stout-hearted Chrysaor, and bore the strongest of all mortals, Geryon, who was killed by mighty Hercules over his oxen with rolling feet in sea-girt Erytheia.
And Eos bore to Tithonus bronze-helmed Memnon, Ethiopian king, and lord Emathion. But to Cephalus she bore a shining son, strong Phaethon, a god among mortals. When he was a delicate child in the soft bloom of youth, laughter-loving Aphrodite snatched him up and made him the night guardian of her sacred temples, a divine spirit.
By will of the immortal gods, Jason, Aeson’s son, led the daughter of Zeus-blessed King Aeëtes away after completing the many grueling tasks assigned to him by the arrogant king, the violentminded Pelias. After enduring many hardships, he came to Iolcus in a swift ship with glancingeyed Medea, daughter of Aeëtes, and made her his blushing bride. She joined in love with Jason, shepherd of the people, and bore Medus, who was raised in the mountains by Chiron, son of Philyra. Thus Zeus’ will was fulfilled.
Of the daughters of Nereus, Old Man of the Sea, divine Psamathe joined with Aeacus in the love of golden Aphrodite and bore Phocus, while silver-footed Thetis joined with Peleus and bore lion-hearted Achilles, router of enemies.
And fair-crowned Cytherea bore Aeneas, joining in love with the hero Anchises on the peaks of windy Ida, rich in valleys.
Circe, daughter of Helios, son of Hyperion, joined in love with stout-hearted Odysseus and bore Agrius and Latinus, noble and strong; and she bore Telegonus thanks to golden Aphrodite. They ruled over the famed
Tyrrhenians, far away in the holy islands.
Divine Calypso joined in love with Odysseus and bore Nausithous and Nausinous.
These are goddesses who lay with mortal men and bore children equal to the gods.
Now, Olympian Muses, daughters of aegisbearing Zeus, sing of the race of women.
Glossary
Achelous: God of the river Achelous in Greece, 340
Acaste: Oceanid, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, and companion of Persephone, 355
Achilles: Son of King Peleus of Phthia and Thetis, grandson of Aeacus, cousin of Telamonian Ajax, and leader of the Myrmidons in the Trojan War, 1007
Admete: Oceanid, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, a companion of Persephone when Hades abducted her, 349
Aeacus: King of Aegina, son of Zeus and Aegina, father of Peleus, Telamon, and Phocus, and grandfather of Achilles and Ajax, 1004 Aeëtes: King of Colchis, son of Helios and Perseis, brother of Circe, husband of Idyia, and father of Medea, 957
Aegaeon (Mt.): Mountain on the island of Crete, and location of Psychro Cave, where Rhea gave birth to Zeus, 484
Aeneas: Trojan prince, son of Aphrodite and Anchises, cousin of Hector and Paris, 1008
Aeson: King of Iolcus in Thessaly, son of Cretheus and Tyro, father of Jason and Promachus, 992
Aether: the “upper sky” or pure air breathed by the gods; also personification of brightness, 124
Agave: Theban princess, queen of the Maenads, daughter of Harmonia and Cadmus, mother of Pentheus and Epirus, and sister of Ino, Semele,
Autonoë, and Polydorus, 976
Aglaea: see Charities
Alcmene: Mother of Heracles (with Zeus) and wife of Amphitryon, 527
Algea: Personifications of pain and woe and children of Eris, 227
Alpheus: God of the Alpheus river in the Peloponnese, 338
Amphillogiai: Goddesses of disputes, daughters of Eris, 229
Amphitrite: Queen of the sea, daughter of Nereus and Doris, wife of Poseidon, and mother of Triton, 243
Amphitryon: Son of Alcaeus, Theban general, and step-father of Hercules, 316
Anchises: Member of the royal family in Troy, cousin of King Priam of
Troy, son of Capys and Themiste, lover of Aphrodite, and father of Aeneas, 1009
Androktasiai: Female personifications of manslaughter and daughters of Eris, 228
Anemoi: The four winds, children of Eos and Astraeus: Boreas (north wind), Zephyrus (west wind), Notus (south wind), and Eurus (east wind), 379-80
Apate: Personification of deceit, daughter of Nyx, 224
Apesas: Mountain in Peloponnese, Greece, now called Phoukas, 331
Aphrodite: Goddess of love, beauty, passion, and procreation, 17 Apollo: God of archery, music, dance, sun, light, healing, prophecy, and more, son of Zeus and Leto, 14 Ares: God of war, son of Zeus and Hera, 923
Aresas: Mountain in Peloponnese, now called Phoukas, 331
Argos: City in Peloponnese, 12
Ariadne: Cretan princess, daughter of King Minos, wife of Dionysus, 948
Aristaeus: Son of Apollo and Cyrene, a minor god who introduced bee-keeping (among other useful arts) and was known as the pastoral Apollo in Boeotia, husband of Autonoë, and father of Actaeon and Macris, 977
Artemis: Goddess of the hunt, wilderness, animals, and chastity, daughter of Zeus and Leto, 15
Asmete: Oceanid, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, and companion of Persephone, 349
Asteria: Personification of the island Asteria or Delos, wife of Perses, daughter of Phoebe and Coeus, sister of Leto, mother of Hecate, 409 Astraeus: God of the dusk, son of Crius and Eurybia, husband of Eos, and father of the Anemoi (four winds), 376
Atë: Goddess of mischief, delusion, ruin, and folly and daughter of Eris, 230
A Terrible Snake: see Ladon
Athena: Goddess of wisdom, handicrafts, and warfare, daughter of Zeus, 13
Atlas: Titan son of Iapetus and Clymene and brother of Prometheus, Menoetius, and Epimetheus, cursed to hold up the earth and heavens with his head and shoulders, 509
Atropos: One of the three fates (Moirai), who cut the thread of life, daughter of Nyx or of Themis and Zeus, 218
Autonoë: Theban princess, eldest daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia, wife of Aristaeus, mother of Acateon and Macris, and sister of Ino, Semele, Agave, and Polydorus, 977
Bellerophon: Hero, slayer of monsters, including the Chimera, 325
Bia: Goddess of force, anger, and raw energy, daughter of Styx and Pallas, 385
Boreas: see Anemoi
Briareus: see Hecatoncheires
Cadmea: citadel in ancient Thebes, 327
Cadmus: Greek hero, founder and first king of Thebes, husband of Harmonia, 937
Calliope: Muse of eloquence and epic poetry and leader of all Muses, 79
Callirhoe: Naiad, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, married to Chrysaor, 287
Calypso: Oceanid nymph who lived on island of Ogygia, lover of Odysseus, and mother of Nausithous and Nausinous, 358
Cephalus: Athenian son of Hermes and Herse, lover of Eos, and father of Phaethon (though in some accounts, he is the father of Tithonus, who is the father of Phaethon), 986
Cerberus: Many-headed dog who guards the gates of Hades, son of
Echidna and Typhon, 310
Chaos: The first of the primordial beings to come into existence, a gaping space upon which Gaia and all other entities exist, 116
Chiron: Centaur who was skilled in medicine, warfare, and music and who trained numerous famed warriors, including Jason, Ajax, Achilles, and Perseus, 1001
Clytie: Water nymph, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, 352
Ceto: Sea goddess and daughter of Pontus and Gaia, 238
Charities: Aglaea (“Shining”), Euphrosyne (“Joy”), and Thalia (“Blooming”) are the Charities or Graces, goddesses of charm, beauty, creativity, and fertility, 64
Chimera: Fire-breathing monster, daughter of Echidna, with the heads of a lion, a goat, and a serpent, slain by Bellerophon and Pegasus, 320
Chrysaor: Son of Poseidon and Medusa and brother of the horse Pegasus, born when Perseus cut off his mother’s head, 281
Circe: Goddess and enchantress, daughter of Helios and Perseis, who lived on the island of Aeaea, and whose encounters with Odysseus are depicted in the Odyssey, 957
Clio: Muse of history and lyre playing, 77
Clotho: One of the three fates (Moirai), who spins the thread of life, daughter of Nyx or of Themis and Zeus, 218
Coeus: Titan, son of Gaia and Ouranos, husband of Phoebe, father of
Leto and Asteria, 134
Cottus: see Hecatoncheires
Crete: Largest island in Greece, home to the ancient Minoan civilization, 478
Crius: Titan, son of Gaia and Ouranos, 134
Cronos: Leader of the Titans, son of Gaia and Ouranos, father of Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Hades, Hestia, Demeter, and Chiron, 18
Cyclopes: One-eyed creatures, sons of Ouranos and uncles of Zeus and the other Olympian gods; Zeus freed them from captivity, and as a reward they gave Zeus the power over thunder and lightning, 501 Cymopolea: Daughter of Poseidon and wife of Briareus, 819
Cythera: Island just south of the Peloponnese and north of Crete, 193
Cytherea: see Aphrodite
Cyprus: Island south of Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), the supposed birthplace of Aphrodite,193
Deimos: Personification of dread and terror, son of Ares and Aphrodite and twin brother of Phobos, 935
Delphi: Also known as Pytho, location of an ancient sanctuary to Apollo, home of the Delphic oracle, and (for the ancient Greeks) the center of the world, 499
Demeter: Goddess of the harvest and agriculture, daughter of Rhea
and Cronos, mother of Persephone, 454
Dike: See Horae
Dione: Titan, daughter of Gaia and Ouranos, mother of Aphrodite, 18 Dionysus: God of wine, fertility, orchards, ritual madness, ecstasy, festivity, and theater, son of Zeus and the mortal Semele (who later became mortal), 941
Doris: Sea goddess, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, wife of Nereus, and mother of the Nerites and Nereids, 242
Dynamene: Sea nymph, daughter of Nereus and Doris, associated with the might of ocean swells, 248
Dysnomia: Daemons of lawlessness and daughters of Eris, 230
Echidna: Half-nymph, half-snake monster, born to Ceto and Phorcys,
297
Eirene: see Horae
Electra: Daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, wife of Thaumas, mother of Iris and the Harpies, 265
Eileithyia: Goddess of childbirth and midwives, daughter of Zeus and
Hera, 923
Eleutherae: City in Attica, west of Athens, 53
Emathion: Son of Eos and Tithous, brother of Memnon, king of Ethiopia, killed by Heracles, 985
Eos: Titan goddess of the dawn, daughter of Hyperion and Theia, and mother of Memnon, Emation, and Phaethon,19
Epimetheus: Titan son of Iapetus and Clymene, brother of Atlas, Prometheus, and Menoetius, received the gift of Pandora and purportedly married her, 511 Erato: Muse of love poetry, 78
Erebus: Primordial darkness, 123
Eridanos: God of the Eridanos river in Hades, 338
Erinyes: Furies, female goddesses of vengeance; born to Gaia from the
blood of Ouranos’ castrated genitals, 185 Eris: Goddess of strife, daughter of Nyx, 225
Eros: God of love and sex, 119
Erytheia: Island in the Hesperides, close to modern-day Spain, 290
Eudora: Nereid, daughter of Nereus and Doris, 244
Eunomia: see Horae
Euphrosyne: see Charities
Euryale: One of the Gorgons, 277
Eurybia: Goddess of mastery of the seas, daughter of Pontus and Gaia, and mother of Astraeus, Pallas, and Perses, 239
Eurynome: Oceanid, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, worshipped at the conflux of the Neda and Lymax rivers in Peloponnese, 357 Euterpe: Muse of music, 77
Fifty Daughters: see Nereids
Gaia: Personification of Earth and mother of all life, 20
Galatea: Sea goddess, daughter of Nereus and Doris, love object of the cyclops Polyphemus, 249
Galene: Sea goddess, daughter of Nereus and Doris, associated with calm seas, 244
Geras: God of old age, son of Nyx, 225
Geryon: Giant who lived on the island of Erytheia in the Hesperides, son of Callirhoe and Chrysaor, slain by Hercules, 288
Giants: Strong and aggressive creatures (but not large in size); born to
Gaia from the blood of Ouranos’ castrated genitals, 185
Gorgons: Daughters of Ceto and Phorcys whose hair was made of snakes and could turn life into stone, 274
Graeae: Sisters who shared one eye, daughters of Phorcys and Ceto,
271
Gyges: see Hecatoncheires
Hades: God of the dead and king of the underworld, son of Rhea and Zeus, 455
Harmonia: Goddess of harmony and concord, daughter of Ares and Aphrodite, and mother of Ino, Semele, Agave, Autonoë, and Polydorus, 937
Harpies: Half-human, half-bird creatures who flew faster than birds or the winds, daughters of Thaumas and Electra, 267
Hebe: Goddess of youth and the prime of life, daughter of Zeus and
Hera, 17
Hecate: Titan goddess of witchcraft, boundaries and crossroads, birth and death, success and failure, daughter of Perses and Asteria, 411 Hecatoncheires: Hundred-handed giants Cottus, Briareus, and Gyges, born to Ouranos and Gaia, 148-49
Helicon: Mountain in Thespiai, sacred home of the Muses, 2
Helios: Personification of the sun, father of the Charities and Circe, son of Hyperion and Theia, 19
Hemera: Primordial goddess of daytime, 124
Heosphoros: Morning-star (Venus), son of Astraeus and Eos, 381
Hephaestus: God of craftsmen, artisans, fire, and volcanoes who was lame in one foot, son of Hera alone (or Zeus and Hera), and husband of Aphrodite, 572
Hera: Goddess of women, marriage, and family, wife and sister of Zeus, daughter of Cronos and Rhea, 11
Heracles: Famous hero, born in Thebes, son of Zeus and Alcmene, became immortal after his death, 289
Hermes: Messenger of the gods, protector of travelers, thieves, merchants, and orators, son of Zeus and Maia, 443
Hestia: Goddess of the hearth, domesticity, and the family and daughter of Rhea and Cronos, 454
Hesperides: Nymphs of evening and the golden light of sunset and daughters of Nyx, 214
Himeros: Winged gods associated with sexuality, 64
Hippocrene: Spring on Mt. Helion that is sacred to the Muses and formed the hooves of Pegasus, 6
Horae: Eunomia (Lawfulness), Dike (Justice) and Eirene (Peace) are goddesses of the seasons and the passing of time, daughters of Themis and Zeus, 902
Horkos: Personification of the curse inflicted upon a mortal for swearing a false oath, son of Eris, 231
Hydra of Lerna: Serpent monster, daughter of Echidna and Typhon, killed by Hercules, 313
Hyperion: Titan, father of Helios, Selene, and Eos, 134
Hypnos: God of sleep and son of Nyx, 213
Hysminai: Personifications of battle and children of Eris, 227
Iapetus: Titan, father of Atlas and Promethius, 18
Iasius: Founder of the mystic rites on Samothrace, son of Electra and Zeus, father of Plutus and Philomenus, 970
Ida: Mountain in Anatolia, south of Troy where the gods, particularly Zeus, often gathered to watch the Trojan War, 1010
Idyia: Oceanid, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, queen to Aeëtes, king of Colchis, and mother of Medea, 352
Ino: Mortal queen of Boeotia who was made immortal after her death and took the name Leucotheia (“The White Goddess”), daughter of Harmonia and Cadmus, wife of King Athamas, mother of Learchus and Melicertes, and sister of Semele, Agave, Autonoë, and Polydorus,
976
Iolaus: Son of Automedon and Iphicles, charioteer of Hercules, 318
Iolcus: Ancient city in Thessaly, home of Aeson, Pelias, and Jason, 997
Iris: Goddess of rainbows and messenger of the gods, daughter of Thaumas and Electra, 266
Jason: Son of Aeson, leader of the Argonauts who captured the Golden Fleece (among many other adventures), husband of Medea, father of Thessalus and many others (many of whom Medea murdered in revenge over Jason’s desire to marry Creusa, daughter of the king of Corinth), 992
Ker: Goddess of violent death and daughter of Nyx, 212
Keres: Female death spirits and daughters of Nyx, 217
Kratos: God of strength, son of Styx and Pallas, 385
Lachesis: One of the three fates (Moirai), who measured the thread of life, daughter of Nyx or of Themis and Zeus, 218
Ladon: Serpent-like monster who guarded the golden apples in the
Garden of the Hesperides, killed by Heracles, 334
Lame One: see Hephaestus
Latinus: Son of Odysseus and Circe, brother of Agrius and Telegonus, and ruler of the Tyrrhenians (often linked to the Etruscans), 1013 Lethe: One of the five rivers in Hades; also the spirit of forgetfulness and daughter of Eris, 226
Leto: Goddess, mother of Artemis and Apollo, daughter of Phoebe and
Coeus, 18
Limos: Goddess of starvation and daughter of Eris, 226
Lyctus: City in Crete where Rhea gave birth to Zeus, 477
Machai: Spirits of battle and combat and children of Eris, 227
Maia: Daughter of Atlas and Pleione, mother of Hermes, 938
Meander: God of the Meander river in southern Asia Minor (Turkey),
339
Mecone: The place where Prometheus tricked Zeus, often associated with Sicyon in northern Peloponnese, Greece, 535
Medea: Daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis and Idyia, niece of Circe, granddaughter of Helios and Perseis, aids Jason in his search for the
Golden Fleece, and later goes with Jason back to Thebes, 962
Medus: King of Colchis, son of Medea and Jason, 1000
Medusa: Youngest of the Gorgons, killed by Perseus, 277
Meliae: nymphs of the ash tree, born to Gaia from the blood of
Ouranos’ castrated genitals, 187
Melpomene: Muse of tragedy, 78
Memnon: Ethiopian king and son of Eos and Tithonus, killed by Achilles in Trojan War, as depicted in the lost epic Aethiopis, 985
Menoetius: Titan son of Iapetus and Clymene, brother of Atlas, Prometheus, and Epimetheus, punished by Zeus after Titan war exiled to Erebus, 509
Metis: Titan and Oceanid, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, and cousin and first wife of Zeus, 358
Mnemosyne: Goddess of memory and mother of the nine Muses, 53
Moirai: The Fates, daughters of Nyx or of Themis and Zeus, 217
Momus: The god of satire and disgrace and son of Nix, 213
Moros: God of impending doom and son of Nyx, 212
Muses: Nine goddesses, born of Mnemosyne and Zeus, who are the inspiration for literature, science, and the arts, 1
Nausinous: Son of Odysseus and Calypso, and brother of Nausithous, 1018
Nausithous: Son of Odysseus and Calypso (though some accounts say
he is the son of Circe), and brother of Nausinous, 1018
Neikea: Spirits of arguments and children of Eris, 229
Nemean lion: Monster, offspring of Orthus and Chimera, killed by
Hercules, 327
Nemea: Region in northeastern Peloponnese, 329
Nemesis: Goddess who punished those who committed hubris, daughter of Nyx, 223
Nereids: Sea goddesses (50 in total according to Hesiod), daughters of Nereus and Doris, 264
Nereus: Also known as the Old Man of the Sea, son of Pontus and
Gaia, 233
Night: see Nyx
Nike: Goddess of victory, daughter of Styx and Pallas, 385
Nilus: God of the Nile river, 338
Notus: see Anemoi
Nyx: Goddess of the night, 20
Oceanids: Nymph daughters of Tethys and Oceanus, numbering in the thousands, 337
Oceanus: Titan, embodiment of the river that circled the world, father of the river gods and Oceanids, 20
Odysseus: King of Ithaca, best known for his intellect, son of Laertes and Anticlea, husband of Penelope, and father (with Circe) of Telemacus, Agrius, Latinus, and Telegonus, and father (with Calypso) of Nausithous and Nausinous, 1012
Oizys: Goddess of misery, anxiety, grief, and depression and daughter of Nyx, 214
Olmedius: Stream near Mt. Helicon, 6
Olympus: Highest mountain in Greece and home of the Greek gods, 37
Oneiroi: The gods of dreams and sons of Nyx, 213
Orthrus: Two-headed dog who guarded Geryon’s castle, son of
Echidna and Typhon, 309
Othrys (Mt.): Mountain in central Greece, 632
Ourea: The elemental mountains (including Olympus, Helicon, and Etna) born by Gaia alone, 129
Ouranos: Primordial sky god, son and husband of Gaia, and father of the Titans, and after Cronos castrated Ouranos, his discarded blood and genitals created the Furies, the Giantsand Aphrodite, 45 Ourania: Muse of astronomy, 79
Pallas: Titan, son of Crius and Eurybia, brother of Astraeus and Perses, husband of Styx, and father of Zelus, Nike, Kratos, and Bia, 377 Parnassus: Mountain in central Greece, north-west of Athens, that towers over Delphi, 499
Pegasus: Winged horse, son of Poseidon and Medusa, brother of Chrysaor, born when Perseus cut off his mother’s head, usually depicted as pure white, 281
Peleus: King of Phthia, member of the Argonauts, husband of Thetis, and father of Achilles, 1006
Pelias: Son of Tyro and Poseidon, king of Iolcus, and nephew of Jason,
who he sent on the quest for the Golden Fleece, 996
Peneius: Thessalian river god, 342
Permessus: Stream near Mt. Helicon, 5
Perseis: Oceanid, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, wife of Helios, and mother of Aeëtes, Perses, Pasiphae, and Circe, 355
Perses: Titan, son of Crius and Eurybia, brother of Pallas and Astraeus, husband of Asteria, and father of Hecate, 377
Perseus: Son of Zeus, great-grandfather of Hercules, heroic founder of Mycenae who slayed Medusa and saved Andromeda from the monster Cetus, 280
Phaeton: Son of Eos and Cephalus, was taken by Aphrodite and made the night guardian of her sacred temples, 987
Pherusa: Sea nymph, daughter of Nereus and Doris, associated with the might of ocean swells, 248
Philotes: Goddess of affection, friendship, and sex, daughter of Nyx, 224
Philyra: Oceanid, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, mother of Chiron, 1002
Phobos: Personification of fear and panic, son of Ares and Aphrodite and twin brother of Deimos, 935
Phocus: Prince of Aegina, son of Psamathe and Aeacus and brother of Telamon and Peleus, who was killed by his brothers, 1005
Phoebe: Titan goddess associated with the moon, husband of Coeus, mother of Leto and Asteria, 136
Phoebus Apollo: see Apollo
Phonoi: Male personifications of murder, sons of Eris, 228
Phorcys: Sea god son of Pontus and Gaia, 238
Pieria: Region in Macedonia (northern Greece), home of the Muses and
Orpheus, 54
Plutus: Greek god of wealth, son of Demeter and Iasius, 971
Polydorus: King of Thebes, son of Cadmus and Harmonia, husband of Nycteïs, father of Labdacus, and brother of Ino, Semele, Agave, and Autonoë, 978
Polymnia: Muse of sacred poetry, sacred hymns, dance, eloquence, agriculture, and pantomime, 78
Ponos: Personification of hardship and toil and son of Eris, 226
Pontus: Primordial (pre-Olympic) sea god, 107
Poseidon: God of the sea, son of Cronos and Rhea, brother of Hades, Zeus, Hera, Demeter, Chiron, and Hestia, father of Triton, Polyphemus,
Atlas, Pegasus, and Orion, 16
Potaomai: Gods and goddesses of the rivers, 348
Prometheus: Titan trickster, son of Iapetus and Clymene, brother of Atlas, Menoetius, and Epimetheus, punished by Zeus by being tied to a post and having his liver eaten by an eagle, but was later freed by Heracles, 510
Psamathe: Sea goddess associated with sand beaches, daughter of
Nereus and Doris, mother of Phocus, 259
Pytho: see Delphi
Rhea: Titan, sister and wife of Cronos, mother of Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, and Hestia, 135
Sangarius: Phrygian river god, 344
Scamander: River god on the Trojan plain, 345
Selene: Goddess of the moon, daughter of Hyperion and Theia, 19
Semele: Daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia, mortal mother of Dionysus who was made immortal after Dionysus rescued her from
Hades, 940
Simoeis: River on the Trojan plain, 342
Sphinx: Lion/human hybrid creature found in Greek and Egyptian mythologies, 326
Sthenno: Oldest of the Gorgons, 277
Strymon: River god and king of Thrace, 339
Styx: River separating Earth from Hades, 360
Tartarus: Deep abyss where Zeus sent the Titans, 119
Telegonus: Son of Odysseus and Circe, brother of Agrius and Latinus, half-brother of Telemachus, and (according to some accounts) accidental killer of his father, 1014
Telesto: Oceanid, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, and personification of success, 358
Terpsichore: Muse of dance and chorus, 78
Tethys: Titan, mother of the river gods and Oceanids, 136
Thaumas: Sea god son of Pontus and Gaia, 237
Thalia (Charities): see Charities
Thalia (Muse): Muse of comedy and idyllic poetry, 77
Thanatos: God of death and son of Nyx, 212
Thebes: City in Boeotia, central Greece, and home of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus, Hercules, and many others, 529
Theia: Titan, sister/wife to Hyperion, mother of Helios, Selene, and
Eos, 135
Themis: Titan, one of the Oracles of Delphi, and he personification of divine justice, 16
Thetis: Sea nymph, daughter of Nereus and Doris, wife of Peleus, and mother of Achilles, 244
Tiryns: Area in Argolis in the Peloponnese where Hercules performed his twelve labors, 292
Tithonus: Prince of Troy, son of King Laomedon and Strymo, taken by Eos to be her lover and fathered two sons, Memnon and Emation, and later Eos asked Zeus to make Tithonus immortal but failed to ask for immortal youth as well, so he continued to age as he lived forever, 984
Tritogeneia: see Athena
Triton: God of the sea, son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, 931
Twisting Rivers: see Oceanids
Tyche: Oceanid, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, 359
Typhon: Monstrous serpent, son of Gaia and Tartarus, father to many monsters including Cerberus and the Hydra of Lerna, 307
Tyrrhenians: Ancient people who lived in modern-day Italy and who are often associated with the Etruscans, 1016
Zelus: God of dedication, rivalry, envy, jealousy, and zeal, son of Styx and Pallas, 384
Zephyrus: see Anemoi
Zeus: God of thunder, ruler of Olympian gods, son of Cronos and Rhea, husband of Hera, father of Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Dionysus, Elis, Helen of Troy, Heracles, Hermes, Persephone,
Perseus, and Muses, among others, 11
Study Questions for Hesiod's Theogony
1. Who are the Muses? Why does Hesiod invoke them at the start of the poem?
2. Why do the Muses insult Hesiod before giving him the gift of poetry?
3. What do the Muses mean when they tell Hesiod, “We know how to make lies into truth and we know how to speak truth when we wish” (27-28)?
4. Hesiod notes that the songs of the Muses “celebrate the laws and customs of all the immortals” (66-67). If this is the purpose of the Muses’ songs, then what is the purpose of Hesiod’s own song?
5. Why is Calliope superior to the other muses (79-80)? What does this tell us about Ancient Greek culture?
6. How does the creation story that begins at line 116 compare to other creation stories, such as the one in Genesis?
7. What does Hesiod mean when he says, “First there was Chaos” (116)?
8. Does Chaos create Gaia, Tartarus, and Eros? If not, then what does?
9. Why do you think Eros is among the first of the gods? What role does sex play in the Greek creation myth?
10. What is the significance of the Cottus, Briareus, and Gyges, the Hundred-Handed (Hecatoncheires)? What roles do they play in the battles between the various gods?
11. What is born from the blood of Ouranos’s genitals?
12. Why are the Titans called “Titans”?
13. If you review the list of rivers in lines 338-371, you will notice that many of the rivers are located far from Greece. What does this tell us about geographical knowledge at this time— especially given the fact that Hesiod was not a seafarer but a shepherd?
14. Why is Hecate honored above the other gods?
15. What does Cronos do to his children and why?
16. Why does Rhea save Zeus? How does she save him?
17. Why is Styx and her children so beloved by Zeus? What does this tell us about Zeus?
18. Who is Atlas and what happens to him?
19. How does Prometheus first try to trick Zeus? What is the consequence?
20. How does Prometheus trick Zeus the second time? What is the consequence for Prometheus? What is the consequence for humanity?
21. Zeus “desired evil for mortals” (551-52). What “evil” does Zeus inflict upon human beings (specifically, men)?
22. Compare this story of Pandora (the “moulded maiden”) to the more traditional story of Pandora’s Box (found in Hesiod’s other work, Work & Days).
23. What is Hesiod’s attitude towards women? Do you think this reflects the general attitude of Greek men towards women?
24. How does Zeus convince the Hundred-Handed to join his side of the war against the Titans? What does this tell us about Zeus?
25. How do the Olympian Gods defeat the Titans?
26. What is Tartarus? Where is it located? How does it differ from Erebus?
27. Who are Nyx and Hemera? Why can they not both be in the palaces of Nyx at the same time?
28. What trick does Cerberus use to lure mortals into Hades?
29. Why is Styx “loathed by immortals” (775)?
30. Why does Iris retrieve a golden jug from Styx? What is in the jug? What is the jug used for?
31. Why is oath-breaking such a terrible crime for the gods? What happens to oath-breakers?
32. Who is Typhon? What is his significance?
33. How was Athena born? Why was she born in this way?
34. Hesiod identifies several mortals who are granted immortality —including Heracles, Semele, Dionysus, and Ariadne. What reasons are given for these exceptions to the general rule that separates mortals and immortals?