Seek knowledge...

Interaction over reading.Pricing The Archive

The best place to interact with mythology.

Interaction over reading.Pricing The Archive

The best place to interact with mythology.

Home›

Mythology›

Greek Mythology›

Stories

Greek Mythology

Stories

The mythological legacy inherited by the ancient Greeks revolves around the Olympian gods, heroic figures like Heracles and Odysseus, and mythic sagas such...

Greek Mythology Stories Archive

Browse Greek Mythology Stories

Khaos and the First Gods

In the earliest time, before there were mountains, seas, or sky, Khaos came first: the personified void, the first great opening in which the world could begin. After Khaos came Gaia, Tartaros, Eros, Night, and Darkness, and from their coming the first gods and the first shape of the world began to appear.

Gaia and Uranus

Gaia, the Earth, brought forth Uranus, the Sky, and with him became the mother of many mighty children. But Uranus feared those children and forced them down into darkness. At last Gaia could bear it no longer. She fashioned a pale-gray sickle and called on her youngest son, Cronus, to strike back; from that blow, the oldest order of divine power was split open.

Cronus Overthrows Uranus

Uranus presses down upon the earth and hides his newborn children in the depths of darkness. In her anguish, Gaia fashions a pale, flint-gray sickle and calls on her children to rise against their father. The youngest Titan, Cronus, answers her. At night he lies in wait beside his mother and cuts away Uranus's power, overthrowing the ancient king of the sky.

Cronus Devours His Children

After overthrowing his father, Cronus became lord of the heavens, but he feared that his own children would one day seize his throne. So, as each child was born, he swallowed the infant whole. At last Rhea could bear it no longer. With the help of Gaia and Uranus, she hid her youngest son, Zeus, and deceived Cronus with a stone wrapped in swaddling cloth.

The Birth and Return of Zeus

Cronus feared that one of his own children would overthrow him, so each time Rhea gave birth, he swallowed the child whole. Rhea hid her youngest son, Zeus, and tricked her husband with a stone wrapped in swaddling cloth. When Zeus grew up, he returned, rescued his brothers and sisters, and brought Cronus’s reign toward its end.

The Titanomachy

Kronos swallowed his own children to keep his throne as king of the gods. When Zeus grew to manhood, he freed his brothers and sisters, called upon mighty divine beings long held in prison, and waged war against the Titans. After ten years of battle, thunderbolts, hurled stones, and the strength of the Hundred-Handers overwhelmed the old gods. The Titans were shut away in Tartaros, and a new race of gods ascended Olympus.

The Division of the World and the Order of Olympus

After the Titan War ended, Zeus and his brothers divided the powers of the world among themselves: Zeus received the sky, Poseidon the sea, and Hades the realm below. The new king of the gods then settled the immortals upon Mount Olympus, so that the old chaos of struggle gave way, for a time, to a new order in which each god had a place and the world had new masters.

The War of the Giants

After the blood of Ouranos fell into the earth, Gaia gave birth to terrifying Giants. Years later, they launched an assault on Mount Olympus, and Zeus and the gods could save their heavenly throne only with the help of the mortal hero Heracles.

The Battle with Typhon

After the Titans were defeated, Gaia, goddess of the earth, brought forth the terrible Typhon and sent him storming into the sky to challenge Zeus. Zeus was wounded and trapped for a time, but he recovered his strength, pursued Typhon with thunderbolts, and at last buried him beneath Mount Etna.

Prometheus Creates Humankind

The earth already had seas, forests, birds, and beasts, but no creature yet stood upright to gaze at the sky and think. Prometheus shaped human forms from clay and river water, then asked Athena to breathe divine spirit into them. So humankind came into the world, and under his teaching learned how to live.

The Sacrificial Portions at Mekone and the Theft of Fire

At Mekone, Prometheus divided the sacrificial ox on humanity’s behalf, setting before Zeus one heap of white bones and another of good meat. From that choice came the custom by which mortals offer sacrifice to the gods. Enraged, Zeus took fire away from humankind, but Prometheus stole it back—and in doing so brought a far heavier punishment upon himself.

Pandora

After Prometheus brought fire to humankind, Zeus refused to let the deed go unanswered. He ordered the gods to fashion Pandora, the first woman, and sent her to the house of Epimetheus. When the jar she brought with her was opened, suffering scattered through the human world, and only Hope remained inside.

Page 1 / 15Per page

PrevNext

More from Greek Mythology

Characters Places Artifacts

Home›

Mythology›

Greek Mythology›

Stories

Greek Mythology

Stories

The mythological legacy inherited by the ancient Greeks revolves around the Olympian gods, heroic figures like Heracles and Odysseus, and mythic sagas such...

Greek Mythology Stories Archive

Browse Greek Mythology Stories

More from Greek Mythology

Characters Places Artifacts

Home›

Mythology›

Greek Mythology›

Stories

Greek Mythology

Stories

The mythological legacy inherited by the ancient Greeks revolves around the Olympian gods, heroic figures like Heracles and Odysseus, and mythic sagas such...

Greek Mythology Stories Archive

Browse Greek Mythology Stories

More from Greek Mythology

Characters Places Artifacts

Greek Mythology Stories | Mythology Stories