Origin of the Gods

Origin of the Gods

The Ancient Greek Creation Myth

Chaos

The Greeks believed the force that began all life was called Chaos, whose name had roots meaning "yawn" and "space." Chaos was often described as a "dark void." Other times, it was described as a constant battle between opposites such as light and darkness, heat and cold, weightlessness and mass, all swirling together.

Fill in the Blank

What is the Greek word for the force that began all life?

Primal Forces

Chaos eventually began to take shape. From Chaos came the original forces of the ancient Greek world: Gaea (Earth), Tartarus (the Underworld), Eros (Love), Erebus (Darkness), Nyx (Night), Aether (Light), and Hemera (Day). Nyx also gave birth to terrifying creatures that represented many frightening forces, such as dreams and death.

Poll

(Opinion) Which primal force has the coolest name?

• Gaea

• Tartarus

• Eros

• Erebus

• Nyx

The World

Gaea gave birth to the mountains and the sea. She also gave birth to Uranus, a creature so big he covered Gaea and became the sky. With Uranus's help, Gaea created monstrous creatures with 50 heads and 100 arms. They also created one-eyed creatures called Cyclopes. Disgusted by these creations, Uranus hurled them into the Underworld.

The Battle for Power

Uranus united with Gaea for a second time, creating the twelve Titans. Just as he had hated his previous creations, Uranus feared the Titans. Uranus thought he could banish his children to the Underworld and stay in power forever with no one to threaten him, but this plan angered Gaea.

Multiple Choice

How many Titans were there?

• 6

• 8

• 10

• 12

The Separation of Earth and Sky

Gaea asked her children, the Titans, for help. Her youngest son, Cronus, came forward to face his father. When Uranus lay down to sleep, Cronus injured him with a sickle. This angered Uranus and destroyed his remaining connection to Gaea. Uranus fled from his wife and children in humiliation. Afterward, Cronus became the leader of the Titans.

Fill in the Blank

Which Titan stepped forward to help Gaea and become the leader?

Like Father, Like Son

Like his father, Cronus feared the Cyclopes and Uranus's other creations, so he locked them up in the Underworld again. The other Titans began to multiply. Together, the titans Theia and Hyperion created Helios (the sun), Selene (the moon), and Eos (the dawn). Oceanus and Tethys created thousands of river and sea nature spirits called nymphs.

So Tasty

Cronus and his sister Rhea joined together (yuck!) and gave birth to the Greek gods and goddesses. A prophecy said that Cronus would lose his throne to one of his children, so each time Rhea gave birth, Cronus swallowed the child whole. This way, they had no chance of harming him.

Multiple Choice

How did Cronus dispose of his children?

• He sent them to boarding school.

• He swallowed them whole.

• He threw them into the ocean.

• He banished them to the Underworld.

Like a Rock

The Titan Rhea begged her mother Gaea for help. Gaea agreed to hide Rhea's next child, a son she named Zeus, from Cronus. To trick her husband, Rhea handed Cronus a stone swaddled in a blanket. Without even looking, Cronus swallowed the stone, thinking he had avoided the prophecy and saved himself.

Fill in the Blank

What was the name of the son Gaea hid from Cronus?

Food Poisoning

Zeus was raised in secret on the island of Crete. As a young man, Zeus returned to free his siblings from Cronus's stomach. Zeus and Rhea created a potion that would cause Cronus to vomit. Cronus drank the potion, and up came Zeus's siblings, all fully grown. Zeus's siblings, the other Greek gods and goddesses, were named Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Hestia, and Demeter.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following was not the name of one of Zeus's siblings?

• Poseidon

• Hades

• Hyperion

• Hera

• Demeter

The Battle is On!

Zeus, along with his five siblings declared war on the Titans. Cronus and the Titans prepared themselves for battle atop Mount Othrys, and the Olympians fought from Mount Olympus. However, some Titans remained neutral as the battle raged on. One Titan, Prometheus, actually allied himself with the Olympians.

Fill in the Blank

From which mountain did the Greek gods and goddesses fight?

Suiting Up

Prometheus had the brilliant idea to free the Cyclopes and the "Hundred Handers" from the Underworld. Once released, these monsters pledged their loyalty to the Olympians as thanks and helped forge them weapons and armor. Hades received an invisible helmet, Poseidon received a powerful Trident, and Zeus received mighty thunderbolts.

Multiple Choice

What weapon was gifted to Poseidon by the Cyclopes?

The War Is Over

With these new weapons, the Olympians were able to put an end to the war. All the Titans who had helped the Olympians or remained neutral were free. Those who had fought against Zeus and the other gods were banished to the Underworld. One Titan, Atlas, was punished. He was forced to hold up the sky so it would not fall and crush Earth.

... Or Is It?

The Olympians had won, but Gaea was obviously not happy with how her children had been imprisoned once again. She released two terrifying beasts to attack the Olympians: Echidna (a giant snake) and Typhon (a creature with 100 heads, venomous eyes, and a mouth that spewed lava). The rest of the gods and goddesses fled, but Zeus fought against Typhon.

Fill in the Blank

What spewed out of Typhon's mouth?

Of Monsters and Men

Typhon ripped up Mount Etna and tried to crush Zeus with it, but Zeus destroyed it with a thunderbolt, burying Typhon. Echidna fled to her cave, where she gave birth to legendary beasts: the Nemean Lion, the Hydra, Orthros, Cerberus, the Sphinx, and the Chimaera. Zeus could have killed Echidna and her children, but he left them alive for future heroes to challenge.

Poll

(Opinion) If you were forced to fight a legendary beast, which one would it be?

The Pantheon

With the war over, the triumphant Olympians took on their most well-known roles. Poseidon became ruler of the oceans, Hades descended into the Underworld to rule over the dead, Demeter became the goddess of the harvest, and Hestia became the goddess of hearth and home. Zeus married his sister Hera (...) and became ruler of the heavens.

Multiple Choice

Who descended into the Underworld and became ruler of the dead?

• Poseidon

• Zeus

• Hades

• Hestia

• Demeter

Open Ended

(Opinion) What surprised you about the Greek origin myth?

Why was it surprising?