Cronus
Cronus was the ruler of gods after he castrated his father, Uranus (the sky), and separated Uranus from his mother (the earth). Cronus was one of 12 titans born from Gaea (Mother earth), and Uranus. There were six males and six female titans born from them as well as monsters and nymphs. His other siblings were, Rhea (who became his wife), Oceanus, Tethys, Hyperion, Mnemosyne, Themis, Iapetus, Coeus, Crius, Phoebe, and Thea.
Cronus was told by another god that one of his sons would overthrow his throne and take his place. This feared Cronus so every time he and Rhea had a child, Cronus swallowed it. He swallowed all of his children born of Rhea, until Zeus was born. When Zeus was born, Rhea plotted to hide Zeus so Cronus could not swallow him too. She, with the help of Gaia, hid Zeus in a cave in Mount Ida, in Crete, and went back and gave Cronus a rock dressed in baby clothes, and Cronus swallowed it, not knowing any different. Later, Rhea gave Cronus an herb that she told him would make him invincible but instead, it made him regurgitate and when he did, up came the rock first, then the children he had swallowed, in reverse order from how he swallowed them.
It was said that Cronus had a wondering eye and likes the pleasures of the mortals on earth. It is said that he sired many great heroes. His children he sired with Rhea were, Demeter, Hera, Hestia, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus. He also sired other children and this made Rhea very jealous and she tried to kill every child he sired that were not hers.
Cronus was the only sibling who would help his mother, Gaea (Mother Earth) and castrate her husband, Uranus. Uranus was jealous of the power Uranus had and after helping his mother, he became the ruler of the gods. Gaea made a sickle and Uranus cut off Uranus’ genitals so they could not bear any more monsters. They not only gave birth to the 12 Titans, they also had monsters and nymphs. Gaea thought this was the only way to stop creating monsters.
After Zeus and the other offspring of Cronus were grown, they cast Cronus and the rest of the Titans into Tartarus (below Hades). This was the war known as Titanomachy. Zeus, his brothers and sisters, and with the help of the Gigantes, Hecatonchires, and Cyclopes, overthrew Cronus and the other Titans. Gigantes, Hecatonchires, and Cyclopes were also offspring of Gaea and Uranus so they were related to Cronus and the Titans.
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