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Kronos

KRO nos

Κρονος

Cronos

Father of the Olympians

Kronos

Kronos in The Iliad (reference)
Kronos in The Odyssey (reference)

Kronos is one of the Titans, i.e. one of the children of Gaia (Earth) and Ouranos (the Heavens). He was also the husband and brother of Rheia (Rhea) and father of the Olympians: Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Histia (Hestia), Hera and Demeter.

As one of the primal goddesses, Gaia was the mother of many of the Immortals. Her child and consort, Ouranos, was the ruler of the heavens in the same way that Gaia was the master of the earth. His dominion was absolute but he became too concerned with the affairs of Gaia and tried to dominate her as well. When Gaia was pregnant with Kottos (Cottos), Briareos and Gyes, Ouranos would not let them be born for fear that they would usurp his power. In desperation, Gaia begged her Titan children to slay Ouranos but only Kronos was willing to step forth and do the deed. Gaia created flint and formed a sickle for Kronos to use as a weapon. Kronos attacked Ouranos with the enormous sickle and castrated him. From the blood of Ouranos’ injury were born a race of Giants, the Eumenides (Furies), the Nymphs of the Ash Trees (the Meliae) and the beautiful Aphrodite (goddess of Love). (Theogony, lines 106, 125, 127 and 155)

Kronos became the consort of his sister, Rheia, but when she became pregnant he began to worry that one of his children would assault him in the same way that he had assaulted his father. As each of his children were born, Kronos would swallow them so that they could not grow to be adults and threaten his power.

After Kronos had devoured five children, Rheia devised a plan to save her sixth child. She substituted a stone for the sixth infant, Zeus, and Kronos swallowed the stone thinking that he had devoured the last of his children. Rheia spirited Zeus safely away and he was allowed to grow to adulthood. In the prime of his youth, Zeus ambushed Kronos and attacked him with such violence that the five children Kronos had swallowed were disgorged from his stomach.

The children of Kronos took Mount Olympos (Olympus) as their seat of power and made Zeus their leader. Each was allotted a portion of creation as their dominion but there were Immortals who would not recognize the authority of the newcomers and sought to dethrone them. The Olympians declared a war against all the unyielding Immortals who would not acquiesce to the authority of Zeus. After ten years of fierce warfare, all who opposed Zeus and the Olympians were forced into submission. The Titans who fought alongside the Olympians were allowed to keep their rank and power in the new order.

Zeus exiled Kronos to Tartaros (Tartarus) but later allowed his broken and defeated father to join the Heroes in the paradise at the end of the world, the Elysian Fields.

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Kronos is often confused with the Roman god, Saturnus.

Kronos and Rheia

Rheia substitutes a stone for the infant Zeus to fool Kronos

Kronos in The Iliad

(listed by book and line)

The line numbers listed here correspond fairly well with the Lattimore and Murray/Wyatt translations of The Iliad. Other translations (Fitzgerald, Fagles et al) do not correspond as well but, with a small amount of effort, you should be able to find the reference you need regardless of the translation you use. Lattimore (ISBN 0226469409); A.T. Murray/William F. Wyatt Vol. I & II (ISBN 0674995791 and 0674995805); Robert Fitzgerald (ISBN 0374529051); Robert Fagles (ISBN 0140275363)

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Kronos in The Odyssey

(listed by book and line)

The line numbers listed here correspond fairly well with the Lattimore and Murray/Dimock translations of The Odyssey. Other translations (Fitzgerald, Fagles et al) do not correspond as well but, with a small amount of effort, you should be able to find the reference you need regardless of the translation you use. Richmond Lattimore (ISBN 0060931957); A.T. Murray/George E. Dimock Vol. I & II (ISBN 0674995619 and 0674995627); Robert Fitzgerald (ISBN 0374525749); Robert Fagles (ISBN 0140268863)

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