Greek Mythology: The Creation of the Universe

Greek Mythology: The Creation of the Universe

The Beginning
The Greeks believed that the very first immortal was Chaos, the empty void of emptiness. From Chaos sprung out Erebus (Darkness), Gaia (Earth), Eros (Love), Tartarus (The Underworld), and Night. Nyx (Night) bore Erebus two children, Aether (Light) and Hemera (Day). Without Erebus Nyx gave birth to Ker (Destruction), Hypnos (Sleep), Moros (Destiny, Doom), Thanatos (Death), Momus (Blame), Oizys (Distress, Pain), Oneiroi (Dreams), the Hesperides, the Fates, the Keres, Nemesis (Retribution, Indignation), Philotes (Friendship), Geras (Old Age), Apate (Deceit) and Eris (Strife, Discord).

The Destruction of Ouranos

Gaia gave birth to Ouranos by herself and later on married him. She was still lonely, so she gave birth to Pontus, the sea himself. Then came the wrath of the Titans, Cronos, Oceanus, Iapetus, Hyperion, Crius, Rhea, Phoebe, Coeus, Themis, Mnemosyne, Tethys and Theia. There were four Iapetionides, Atlas, Menoetius, Prometheus and Epimetheus. Before Gaia could give birth to the titans, Ouranos trapped them inside their mother’s womb because he feared them. Gaia decided she needed to deal with her evil husband. She asked her children which one of them would shatter their father with the scythe. They feared him but Cronus took the scythe and snuck up on Ouranos while he was asleep. From the blood that poured out from Ouranos, the giants formed. And from the sea foam Aphrodite, the goddess of love, was born.