Hyperion

ee PER eon

‘Υπεριον

The Titan

A Son of Gaia and Ouranos

Hyperion was one of the sons of Gaia (Earth) and Ouranos (the Heavens). He and his five brothers and six sisters were called Titans. Ouranos (Uranus) named them Titans because they quickly demonstrated their complete lack of restraint ... the name Titans literally means Stretchers or Strainers ... they stretched and strained the limits of propriety and indulged themselves to the point of self destruction. The Titans not only brought about their own demise, they were also responsible for the demotion and mutilation of their father, Ouranos.

The role and title of Hyperion is somewhat confusing. He is the father of Helios (the Sun), Selene (the Moon) and Eos (the Dawn) but he is often referred to as the Sun ... thus the confusion ... is Helios the Sun or is it really Hyperion? There are many instances in the ancient Greek literature where Hyperion is named as the Sun but most translators ignore the reference and substitute the name of Helios instead. There is also a bit of confusion as to who the mother of Helios, Selene and Eos actually was ... she is usually assumed to be another Titan named Theia but she is also listed as a goddess named Euryphaessa.

The Titans were the first generation of Immortals without some sort of grandiose destiny. Before the Titans were born, the Immortals were responsible for, and took the bodies of, the Earth, the Heavens, the Seas, the Mountains and the dark Pit under the earth ... the Titans had godly responsibilities and powers but they were more human looking than any of the Immortals who proceeded them.

The Titans

The Titans are:

Hyperion - the father of Helios (the Sun), Selene (the Moon) and Eos (the Dawn)
Iapetos (Iapetus) - the father of Prometheus, Atlas, Epimetheus and Menoitios (Menoetius)
Koios (Coeus) - the father of Leto and Asteria
Krios (Crius) - the father of Pallas
Kronos (Cronos) - father of the Olympians
Mnemosyne - Memory; the mother of the Muses
Okeanos - Ocean; the father of the Okeanids and the Rivers
Phoibe (Phoebe) - the mother of Leto and Asteria
Rheia (Rhea) - the mother of the Olympians
Tethys - the wife of Okeanos (Ocean) and the mother of the three thousand Okeanids and the Rivers
Theia - the mother of Selene (Moon), Helios (Sun) and Eos (Dawn)
Themis - the goddess of law and order

The day-to-day exploits of the Titans still remain a mystery except for the most notorious Titan of all ... Kronos (Cronos). Kronos and his sister/wife Rheia (Rhea) became the parents of the generation of Immortals which would become known as The Olympians. When Ouranos became too overbearing, Gaia persuaded Kronos to ambush and mutilate him. For his services to his mother, Kronos was elevated to the role of the most powerful Titan.

Like his father, Kronos became too overbearing and suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of one of his sons, Zeus. However, Kronos would not surrender his authority without a fight ... he enlisted the help of the other Titans and waged war on Zeus. The conflict became known as the War of the Titans and lasted for ten turbulent years ... many parts of the surface of the earth were laid to waist by the violence of the fighting but in the end, Zeus and his allies defeated the Titans and banished them to the Underworld.

His inauspicious banishment to the Underworld is the last record we have of Hyperion ... we can only assume that he is still there.

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Hyperion in The Iliad

(listed by book and line from four different translations)

Richmond Lattimore

08.480 - Zeus says to Hera, "I care not; not if you stray apart to the undermost limits of earth and sea, where Iapetos and Kronos seated have no shining of the sun god Hyperion to delight them nor winds' delight, but Tartaros stands deeply about them ..."
19.398 - ... Automedon, took up the shining whip caught close in his hands and vaulted up to the chariot, while behind him Achilleus helmed for battle took his stance shining in all his armour like the sun [Hyperion] when he crosses above us ...

Loeb Classical Library

08.480 - Zeus says to Hera, "Nor do I trouble myself about your anger, not even if I should go to the nethermost bounds of earth and sea, where Iapetus and Cronos sit and have joy neither in the rays of Helios Hyperion nor in any breeze, but deep Tartarus is round about them."
19.398 - And Automedon grasped in his hand the bright whip that fitted it well, and leapt in the chariot; and behind him stepped Achilles armed for battle, gleaming in his armor like the bright Hyperion.

Robert Fagles

08.555 - Zeus says to Hera, "You and your anger—rage away! I care nothing for that. Not even if you go plunging down to the pit of earth and sea where Cronus and Iapetus make their beds of pain, where not a ray of the Sun [Hyperion] can warm their hearts, not a breeze, the depths of Tartarus wall them round."
19.471 - ... Automedon leapt aboard behind the team and behind him Achilles struck his stance, helmed for battle now, glittering in his armor like the sun [Hyperion] astride the skies ...

Robert Fitzgerald

08.545 - Zeus says to Hera, "You and your anger do not effect me, you may betake yourself to the uttermost margin of earth and sea, where Iapetos and Kronos rest and never bask in the rays of Helios [Hyperion] who moves all day in heaven, nor rejoice in winds, but lie submerged in Tartaros.
19.439 - Automedon then took in hand the shining whip and mounted the chariot, and at his back Akhilleus mounted in full armor, shining bright as the blinding Lord of Noon [Hyperion].

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Hyperion in The Odyssey

(listed by book and line from four different translations)

Richmond Lattimore

01.008 - The poet asks the Muses to sing of how Odysseus could not save his companions, hard though he strove to; they were destroyed by their own wild recklessness, fools, who devoured the oxen of Helios, the Sun God [Hyperion], and he took away the day of their homecoming.
01.024 - But Poseidon was gone now to visit the far Aithiopians, Aithiopians, most distant of men, who live divided, some at the setting of Hyperion, some at his rising, to receive a hecatomb of bulls and rams.
12.133 - Circe: "There is no giving birth among them [the flocks and herds of Helios], nor do they ever die away, and their shepherdesses are gods, nymphs with sweet hair, Lampetia and Phaethousa, whom shining Neaira bore to Hyperion the sun god."
12.176 - Odysseus: "Then I, taking a great wheel of wax, with the sharp bronze cut a little piece off, and rubbed it together in my heavy hands, and soon the wax grew softer, under the powerful stress of the sun, and the heat and light of Hyperion's lording. One after another, I stopped the ears of all my companions ..." [so they would not hear the Sirens]
12.263 - Odysseus: "Now when we had fled away from the rocks and dreaded Charybdis and Skylla, next we made our way to the excellent island of the god, where ranged the handsome wide-browed oxen, and many fat flocks of sheep, belonging to the Sun God, Hyperion."
12.347 - Odysseus: "Come then, let us cut out the best of Helios' cattle, and sacrifice them to the immortals who hold wide heaven, and if we ever come back to Ithaka, land of our fathers, presently we will build a rich temple to the Sun God Helios Hyperion, and store it with dedications, many and good."
12.375 - Odysseus: "Lampetia of the light robes ran swift with the message to Hyperion the Sun God, that we had killed his cattle ..."

Loeb Classical Library

01.008 - The poet asks the Muses to sing of how Odysseus did not save his comrades, for all his desire, for through their own folly they perished—fools, who devoured the cattle of Helios Hyperion; whereupon he took from them the day of their returning.
01.024 - But now Poseidon had gone among the far-off Ethiopians—the Ethiopians who dwell in two, the farthermost of men, some where Hyperion sets and some where he rises—there to receive a hecatomb of bulls and rams ...
12.133 - Circe: "These [the flocks and herds of Helios] bear no young, nor do they ever die, and goddesses are their shepherds, fair-tressed nymphs, Lampetia and Phaethousa, whom beautiful Neaera bore to Helios Hyperion."
12.176 - Odysseus: "But I with my sharp sword cut into small bits a great round cake of wax, and kneaded it with my strong hands, and soon the wax grew warm at the bidding of the strong pressure and the rays of the lord Helios Hyperion. Then I anointed with this the ears of all my comrades in turn ..." [so they would not hear the Sirens]
12.263 - Odysseus: "Now when we had escaped the rocks, and dread Charybdis and Scylla, soon then we came to the perfect island of the god, where the fine cattle, broad of brow, and the many sturdy flocks of Helios Hyperion."
12.346 - Odysseus: "Instead, come, let us drive off the best of the cattle of Helios and offer sacrifice to the immortals who hold broad heaven. And if we ever reach Ithaca, our native land, we will at once build a rich temple to Helios Hyperion and put in it many choice offerings."
12.374 - Odysseus: "Swiftly then to Helios Hyperion came Lampetia of the long robes, bearing tidings that we had slain his cattle."

Robert Fagles

01.010 - The poet asks the Muses to sing of how Odysseus could not save them [his companions] from disaster, hard as he strove—the recklessness of their own ways destroyed them all, the blind fools, they devoured the cattle of the Sun [Hyperion] and the Sungod wiped from sight the day of their return.
01.027/028 - But now Poseidon had gone to visit the Ethiopians worlds away, Ethiopians off at the farthest limits of mankind, a people split in two, one part where the Sungod [Hyperion] sets and part where the Sungod [Hyperion] rises. There Poseidon went to receive an offering, bulls and rams by the hundred ...
12.143 - Circe: "No breeding swells their [the flocks and herds of the Sungod] number, nor do they ever die. And the goddesses herd them on, nymphs with glinting hair, Phaethusa and Lampetie, born to the Sungod Helios [Hyperion] by radiant Neaera."
12.192 - Odysseus: "Now with a sharp sword I sliced an ample wheel of beeswax down into pieces, kneaded them with my two strong hands and the wax soon grew soft, worked by my strength and Helios' [Hyperion's] burning rays, the sun at high noon, and I stopped the ears of my companions one and all." [so they would not hear the Sirens]
12.285 - Odysseus: "But now, at last, putting the Rocks, Scylla and dread Charybdis far astern, we quickly reached the good green island of the Sun where Helios, lord Hyperion, keeps his fine cattle, broad in the brow, and flocks of purebred sheep."
12.373 - Odysseus: "So up with you now, let's drive off the pick of Helios' sleek herds, slaughter them to the gods who rule the skies up there. If we ever make it home to Ithaca, native ground, erect at once a glorious temple to the Sungod [Hyperion], line the walls with hoards of dazzling gifts!"
12.403 - Odysseus: "Quick as a flash with her flaring robes Lampetie sped the news to the Sun [Hyperion] on high that we had killed his herds ..."

Robert Fitzgerald

01.014 - The poet asks the Muses to sing of how Odysseus fought only to save his life, to bring his shipmates home. But not by will nor valor could he save them, for their own recklessness destroyed them all—children and fools, they killed and feasted on the cattle of Lord Helios [Hyperion], the Sun, and he who moves all day through heaven took from their eyes the dawn of their return.
01.038 - But now that god [Poseidon] had gone far off among the sunburnt races, most remote of men, at earth's two verges, in sunset lands and lands of the rising sun [Hyperion], to be regaled by smoke of thighbones burning, haunches of rams and bulls, a hundred fold.
12.151 - Kirke: "Then you will coast Thrinakia, the island where Helios' cattle graze, fine herds, and flocks of goodly sheep. No lambs are dropped, or calves, and these fat cattle never die. Immortal, too, their cowherds are—their shepherds—Phaethousa and Lampetia, sweetly braided nymphs that divine Neaira bore to the overlord of high noon, Helios [Hyperion]."
12.212 - Odysseus: "I carved a massive cake of beeswax into bits and rolled them in my hands until they softened—no long task, for a burning heat came down from Helios [Hyperion], lord of high noon. I carried wax along the line [of sailors], and laid it thick on their ears." [so they would not hear the Sirens]
12.342 - Odysseus: "We rowed on. The Rocks were now behind; Kharybdis, too, and Skylla dropped astern. Then we were coasting the noble island of the god, where grazed those cattle with wide brows, and bounteous flocks of Helios [Hyperion], lord of noon, who rides high heaven."
12.448 - Odysseus: "Come we'll cut out the noblest of these cattle for sacrifice to the gods who own the sky; and once at home, in the old country of Ithaka, if ever that day comes—we'll build a costly temple and adorn it with every beauty for the Lord of Noon [Hyperion]."
12.480 - Odysseus; "Lampetia in her long gown meanwhile had borne swift word [of the killing of the herds] to the Overlord of Noon [Hyperion]."

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Other Text References

Theogony

line 134 - Gaia (Earth) and Ouranos (the Heavens) were the parents of the Titans, including Hyperion
line 374 - Hyperion and Theia were the parents of Helios (the Sun), Selene (the Moon) and Eos (the Dawn)
line 1011 - Hyperion's son, Helios (the Sun) was the father of Kirke (Circe); Kirke and Odysseus were joined in love and had three sons: Agrios (Agrius), Latinos (Latonus) and Telegonos (Telegonus)

Hymn to Demeter II

line 26 - But no one, either of the deathless gods or of mortal men, heard her (Persephone's) voice, nor yet the olive-trees bearing rich fruit: only tender-hearted Hekate (Hecate), bright-coiffed, the daughter of Persaeus, heard the girl from her cave, and the lord Helios, Hyperion's bright son, as she cried to her father, the Son of Kronos (Cronos).
line 74 - And the Son of Hyperion answered Demeter: "Queen Demeter, daughter of rich-haired Rheia (Rhea), I will tell you the truth; for I greatly reverence and pity you in your grief for your trim-ankled daughter. None other of the deathless gods is to blame, but only cloud-gathering Zeus who gave her to Hades, her father's brother, to be called his buxom wife."

Hymn to Pythian Apollon III

line 371 - Then Phoebus Apollon boasted over Typhaon: "Now rot here upon the soil that feeds man! You at least shall live no more to be a fell bane to men who eat the fruit of the all-nourishing earth, and who will bring hither perfect hecatombs. Against cruel death neither Typhoeus shall avail you nor ill-famed Chimera, but here shall the Gaia (Earth) and shining Hyperion make you rot."

Hymn to Histia XXIX

line 13 - When the goddess Athene (Athena) burst forth from Zeus's head, the bright son of Hyperion [Helios, the Sun] stopped his chariot horses in the sky

Hymn to Athene XXVIII

I begin to sing of Pallas Athene (Athena), the glorious goddess, bright-eyed, inventive, unbending of heart, pure virgin, savior of cities, courageous, Tritogeneia. From his awful head wise Zeus himself bare her arrayed in warlike arms of flashing gold, and awe seized all the gods as they gazed. But Athene sprang quickly from the immortal head and stood before Zeus who holds the aegis, shaking a sharp spear; great Olympos (Olympus) began to reel horribly at the might of the bright-eyed goddess, and earth round about cried fearfully, and the sea was moved and tossed with dark waves, while foam burst forth suddenly: the bright son of Hyperion stopped his swift-footed horses a long while, until the maiden Pallas Athene had stripped the heavenly amour from her immortal shoulders. And wise Zeus was glad.

And so hail to you, daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis! Now I will remember you and another song as well.

Hymn to Helios XXXI

And now, O Muse Kalliope (Calliope), daughter of Zeus, begin to sing of glowing Helios whom mild-eyed Euryphaessa, the far-shining one, bare to the son of Gaia (Earth) and starry Ouranos (Heaven). For Hyperion wedded glorious Euryphaessa, his own sister, who bare him lovely children, rosy-armed Eos (Dawn) and rich-tressed Selene (Moon) and tireless Helios (Sun) who is like the deathless gods. As he rides in his chariot, he shines upon men and deathless gods, and piercingly he gazes with his eyes from his golden helmet. Bright rays beam dazzlingly from him, and his bright locks streaming from the temples of his head gracefully enclose his far-seen face; a rich, fine-spun garment glows upon his body and flutters in the wind; and stallions carry him. Then, when he has stayed his golden-yoked chariot and horses, he rests there upon the highest point of heaven, until he marvelously drives them down again through heaven to Okeanos (Ocean).

Hail to you, lord! Freely bestow on me substance that cheers the heart. And now that I have begun with you, I will celebrate the race of mortal men half-divine whose deeds the Muses have showed to mankind.