The Fall of the Titans

The battles and prejudices between the Original Greek Gods, the Titans, and the younger Greek Gods, the Olympians, are in no way unheard of. The Titans were the rulers of all and the strongest beings…. That is… Until their children overthrew them. Of course, certain Titans and Olympians were stronger than others of their kind. The Titans (Immortal giants who were the children of Gaia and Uranus, also known as Earth and Sky), were a race of deities who ruled during the Golden Age and were overthrown when the 3 major gods; Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, rebelled against their father, Cronus.

 

                Cronus was the last Titan ruler to come before the Olympian Gods. He overthrew his father, Uranus, and took power after. Unfortunately for Cronus, his parents, Gaia and Uranus, told him of a prophecy which said that he would be overthrown by one of his children, just as he had overthrown his father. In a desperate attempt on Cronus’ part to try and prevent the prophecy and his fall in power, he decided to get rid of all of his children. He ate Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon once they were born, knowing that one of them could steal his power from him. He didn’t want to take any chances. Cronus’ female companion and mother of his children, Rhea, wanted revenge on Cronus for what he did to their children and to his own father. She went to Cronus’ mother, Gaia, and made a plan with her. Rhea was having a sixth child whom she kept a secret from Cronus. She gave Cronus as stone wrapped up, which he then ate as he believed it was their child, and hid Zeus away.

 

                Once Zeus had finally grown up, he returned to take vengeance on his father. He forced Cronus to take an emetic, which is something that induces vomiting, so he would release his brothers and sisters from his stomach. Once he had released them, there was a major war called Titanomachy ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanomachy ). The Olympians battled the Titans and the Titans were overthrown. The Titans were then banished and exiled to the pit of Tartarus in the Underworld.

 

                The question of this brutal history is, would the Titans have been overthrown without Zeus? Cronus was the most powerful Titan and had eliminated his other children. Without Zeus freeing his siblings and leading the rebellion, Cronus would not have fallen from power quite so soon. If Zeus hadn’t overthrown his father, it is uncertain how much longer the Titans would have ruled. The real question is, why was it Zeus that had to overthrow his father? He was the youngest of the family and his 2 brothers are almost as powerful. Did it happen to be the child that Rhea saved who would overthrow Cronus, or was it predestined to be Zeus’ fate?