The Story of Creation of The World

The Story of Creation of the World
According to Greek Mythology
In the beginning there was only chaos. Then out of the void appeared Erebus, the unknowable place
where death dwells, and Night. All else was empty, silent, endless, darkness. Then somehow Love was born
bringing a start of order. From Love came Light and Day. Once there was Light and Day, Gaea, the earth
appeared.
Then Erebus slept with Night, who gave birth to Ether, the heavenly light, and to Day the earthly light.
Then Night alone produced Doom, Fate, Death, Sleep, Dreams, Nemesis, and others that come to man out of
darkness.
Meanwhile Gaea alone gave birth to Uranus, the heavens. Uranus became Gaea's mate covering her
on all sides. Together they produced the three Cyclopes, the three Hecatoncheires, and twelve Titans.
However, Uranus was a bad father and husband. He hated the Hecatoncheires. He imprisoned them
by pushing them into the hidden places of the earth, Gaea's womb. This angered Gaea and she ploted against
Uranus. She made a flint sickle and tried to get her children to attack Uranus. All were too afraid except, the
youngest Titan, Cronus.
Gaea and Cronus set up an ambush of Uranus as he lay with Gaea at night. Cronus grabbed his father
and castrated him, with the stone sickle, throwing the severed genitales into the ocean. The fate of Uranus is
not clear. He died, withdrew from the earth, or exiled himself to Italy. As he departed he promised that Cronus
and the Titans would be punished. From his spilt blood came the Giants, the Ash Tree Nymphs, and
the Erinnyes. From the sea foam where his gentiles fell and Aphrodite came.
Cronus became the next ruler. He imprisoned the Cyclopes and the Hecatoncheires in Tartarus. He
married his sister Rhea, under his rule the Titans had many offspring. He ruled for many ages. However, Gaea
and Uranus both had prophesied that he would be overthrown by a son. To avoid this Cronus swallowed each
of his children as they were born. Rhea was angry at the treatment of the children and ploted against Cronus.
When it came time to give birth to her sixth child, Rhea hid herself, then she left the child to be raised by
nymphs. To conceal her act she wrapped a stone in swaddling clothes and passed it off as the baby to Cronus,
who swallowed it.
This child was Zeus. He grew into a handsome youth on Crete. He consulted Metis on how to defeat
Cronus. She prepared a drink for Cronus design to make him vomit up the other children. Rhea convinced
Cronus to accept his son and Zeus was allowed to return to Mount Olympus as Cronus's cupbearer. This gave
Zeus the opportunity to slip Cronus the specially prepared drink. This worked as planned and the other five
children were vomited up. Being gods they were unharmed. They were thankful to Zeus and made him their
leader.
Cronus was yet to be defeated. He and the Titans, except Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Oceanus,
fought to retain their power. Atlas became their leader in battle and it looked for some time as though they
would win and put the young gods down. However, Zeus was cunning. He went down to Tartarus and freed
the Cyclopes and the Hecatoncheires. Prometheus joined Zeus as well. He returned to battle with his new
allies. The Cyclopes provided Zeus with lightning bolts for weapons. The Hecatoncheires, he set in ambush
armed with boulders. With the time right, Zeus retreated drawing the Titans into the Hecatoncheires's
ambush. The Hecatoncheires rained down hundreds of boulders with such a fury the Titans thought the
mountains were falling on them. They broke and ran giving Zeus victory.
Zeus exiled the Titans who had fought against him into Tartarus. Except for Atlas, who was singled
out for the special punishment of holding the world on his shoulders.
However, even after this victory Zeus was not safe. Gaea angry that her children had been imprisoned
gave birth to a last offspring, Typhoeus. Typhoeus was so fearsome that most of the gods fled. However, Zeus
faced the monster and flinging his lightning bolts was able to kill it. Typhoeus was buried under Mount Etna
in Sicily.
Much later a final challenge to Zeus rule was made by the Giants. They went so far as to attempt to invade
Mount Olympus, piling mountain upon mountain in an effort to reach the top. But, the gods had grown strong
and with the help of Heracles the Giants were subdued or killed.
Comprehension Check
1. According to the story of creation, how the world was created?

2. Why Gaea mated her son Uranus?
3. When Gaea and Uranus mated, what did they produce?
4. Why Gaea plotted to ambush Uranus?
5. Who ambushed Uranus? How did he ambush Uranus?
6. Why did Cronus eat every child that Rhea gave birth?
7. Who was their last child? How did Rhea keep her child away from Cronus?
8. Describe how the battle began with Cronus and Zeus?
9. Why Atlas lead the battle taking the side of Cronus?
10. Why did Atlas carry the world on his back?

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The Story of Creation of the World

According to Greek Mythology

1. According to the story of creation, how the world was created?

3. When Gaea and Uranus mated, what did they produce?

4. Why Gaea plotted to ambush Uranus?

5. Who ambushed Uranus? How did he ambush Uranus?

8. Describe how the battle began with Cronus and Zeus?

9. Why Atlas lead the battle taking the side of Cronus?

10. Why did Atlas carry the world on his back?

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