CREATION OF THE GODS
At the beginning of time, there was nothing but the yawning void of Chaos. From Chaos came Gaia, the Earth; Tartarus, the place below the Earth; and Eros, the god of love. Next came Night, Day and Erebus, the dark light of Tartarus. Gaia gave birth to Uranus - the sky - and to the mountains and the sea. She married Uranus, and their children were the Hundred- handers, the Cyclopes and the mighty Titans.
The Titans
Uranus hated and feared his Titan children. As each one was born, he locked them away deep in Tartarus, so that they might never see daylight. He took pleasure in his evil, but his wife, Garia, longed for a way to save her children. She created a sickle made of adament and gave it to Cronus, the youngest and most terrible Titan, who set an ambush for his father. Cronus attacked Uranus unawares and defeated him. As Uranus's substance dripped down onto the Earth, it created the Giants, the Furies, the Nymphs and Aphrodite.
The Titans
Uranus hated and feared his Titan children. As each one was born, he locked them away deep in Tartarus, so that they might never see daylight. He took pleasure in his evil, but his wife, Garia, longed for a way to save her children. She created a sickle made of adament and gave it to Cronus, the youngest and most terrible Titan, who set an ambush for his father. Cronus attacked Uranus unawares and defeated him. As Uranus's substance dripped down onto the Earth, it created the Giants, the Furies, the Nymphs and Aphrodite.
Monsters and Mythical Beasts
As well as believing in the Olympian gods, the ancient Greeks believed the world was populated with terrible monsters and fabulous beasts. Most of these creatures were relatives of the gods or Titans. The Gorgons, for example, were three savage sisters. Descendants of Gaia and the Sea, they had wings of gold and snakes for hair. Only one, Medusa, was mortal and all who looked upon her were turned to stone.
Monsters
Many ancient Greek monsters looked part human. The Cyclopes, for example, who made Zeus's famous thunderbolt, looked like giant humans with only one eye each. The centaurs were a race of beings that had a man's torso on a horses body. Some, like Chiron, were wise teachers, but most were warlike. They were defeated with the help of Theseus, the Athenian hero who also slew the bull-headed Minotaur in the Labyrinth.
Beasts
The Calydonian boar was one of the fiercest beast in the Greek myths, although it looked like an ordinary boar. Most mythical beasts were fantastical blends of many animals. The fire-breathing Chimaera, for example, had a lions head, a dragon's tail and a goat's body. It was slain by the hero Bellerophon, who also tamed another beast, the winged horse Pegasus, using a magic bridle that was given to him by the goddess Athena.
Monsters
Many ancient Greek monsters looked part human. The Cyclopes, for example, who made Zeus's famous thunderbolt, looked like giant humans with only one eye each. The centaurs were a race of beings that had a man's torso on a horses body. Some, like Chiron, were wise teachers, but most were warlike. They were defeated with the help of Theseus, the Athenian hero who also slew the bull-headed Minotaur in the Labyrinth.
Beasts
The Calydonian boar was one of the fiercest beast in the Greek myths, although it looked like an ordinary boar. Most mythical beasts were fantastical blends of many animals. The fire-breathing Chimaera, for example, had a lions head, a dragon's tail and a goat's body. It was slain by the hero Bellerophon, who also tamed another beast, the winged horse Pegasus, using a magic bridle that was given to him by the goddess Athena.