Zeus grew up on the island of Crete. After he became a young man, he obtained a potion that induced vomiting from a female Titan named Metis. Zeus had his mother Rhea arranged for him to become his father’s cupbearer. He slipped the potion into a drink causing Cronos to spit up his brothers and sisters.

The five siblings were so grateful for the rescue that they wanted Zeus to become the leader of the Olympians. Cronos feared the rising power of Zeus. He tried to rally the Titans to join him to defeat Zeus and his siblings. He was not able to get the Titan women to join him. Two of the men, Prometheus and Epimetheus actually joined the Olympians against their fellow Titans. The rest of the Titan men chose Atlas to lead the battle against the Olympians.

For ten years, the Titans and the Olympians fought with neither side able to gain a lasting advantage. Gaia advised Zeus to free the Cyclopes and the hundred headed Giants from Tartarus (a place in the underworld) and persuade them to join his side. Zeus went down to Tartarus, killed the monster which guarded the prisoners, and released them. In return for their freedom, the Cyclopes and the Giants became allies with Zeus tipping the scale of power to the Olympians.

The Cyclopes gave Zeus the power over thunder and lightning. Then gave the helm of darkness to Hades and to Poseidon they gave a trident (three-pronged spear). Hades used the helm of darkness to steal away Cronus’ weapons and Poseidon came at him with the trident. The distraction allowed Zeus to strike with lightning, and he downed Cronus. With the defeat of Cronus and the added power of the Cyclopes and Giants, the Olympians were able to defeat the Titans. The Titans who participated in the war, were imprisoned in Tartarus. Atlas was given a special punishment for his role in the war. He was required to hold up the sky.

 

 

The Battle Between the Gods and the Titans by Wtewael Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago

Major Gods and Goddesses

 Aphrodite |  Apollo | Ares |  Artemis | Athena | Demeter | Dionysus
    Hades | Hephaestus |  Hera | Hermes |  Hestia |  Poseidon |  Zeus  

Heroes

Achilles | Aeneas | Diomedes | Hector | Hercules | Jason | Odysseus | Perseus | Theseus

Stories
Introduction  | Creation Story |  Olympians VS. Titans  |  Creation of Man |   Revolt of Giants 
    Abduction of Persephone  |  The Underworld  |   Visitors to Underworld  | Amzon Warriors
Ares vs. Athena | Daedalus and Icarus | Echo and Narcissus | Judgement of Paris
Perseus and Andromeda | Trojan War

Original Sources of Greek-Roman Mythology

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