The Origins of Greek Mythology

According to Greek mythology, in the beginning of time there was chaos. From this chaos Eurynome, the Goddess of All Things, rose naked. Needing a place to stand, she divided the sky from the sea. While the was riding the Southern wind she reached out and grabbed hold of the North wind, also known as Boreas, and rubbed it between her hands. This created the serpent Ophion.

Ophion then coiled around Eurynome and they mated. While Eurynome was with child, she turned herself into a dove and laid the Universal Egg. When the egg was laid, Ophion wrapped himself around it, keeping it warm until it hatched. When the egg hatched, it released the sun, moon, planets, stars and Earth, with all it's creatures.

Eurynome then created the Seven Planetary Powers and set a Titan and a Titaness to each one. Theia and Hyperion were placed with the sun; Phoebe and Atlas with the moon; Dione and Crius with Mars; Metis and Coeus with Mercury; Themis and Eurymedon with Jupiter; Tethys and Oceanus with Venus and Rhea and Cronus with Saturn. The first man, Pelasgus, sprang from the soil in Arcadia and was followed by others. Pelasgus taught the other men how to make huts, feed upon acorns and sew pig skin tunics.

At this point there are no gods and priests yet, but only goddesses and their priestesses. Women were the dominating sex and men were their followers. Fatherhood at this time was not seen as an honor. Conception was attributed to either the wind, the eating of beans or accidentally swallowing a bug. All inheritance came from the mother.

There are many different accounts as to how the gods where created. One of them being that, Cronus, who was married to Rhea, was the father of the gods, after he swallowed his father. In a prophesy it was said that one would murder his father and steal his throne, but beware because his son would in turn overthrow him. Cronus knew this and was careful not to let this happen. Whenever Rhea would have a child, Cronus would swallow them so they couldn't take over his throne. Altogether he swallowed five children; Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades and Poseidon.

Rhea was very angry with Cronus and she was determined not to let him eat another child. When it was time for her baby to be born she climbed down Olympus, which is where it is said they lived. She then found a dark place to have her son, Zeus. She hung a golden cradle in an olive tree and laid him there. When she returned to Olympus she had taken a rock and wrapped it up to look like an infant. Cronus found her cradling the rock to her chest and grabbed it from her, swallowing it clothes and all.

Down on Earth, Zeus grew up to be strong and handsome without Cronus ever knowing. When Zeus was old enough Rhea brought him back to Olympus and introduced him and the new cupbearer. No one suspected he was the son of Cronus and they all loved him because he was beautiful.

One night while Cronus slept, Rhea and Zeus made up Cronus usual nectar, but added mustard and salt to it. When Cronus drank from the cup the next morning he began to gag. One by one, beginning with the stone, Cronus began vomiting up his children. Zeus's brothers and sisters then named Zeus as their leader and a battle ensued between titans and gods.

Zeus received help, not only from the gods, but also from monsters that centuries before Cronus had imprisoned deep beneath the ground. These monsters were; the Cyclops and the Hundred-handed Ones. One story says that Zeus killed Cronus with a scythe, but no one really knows. Eventually, the Titans fled and the war was over.

The gods then climbed back to the top of Olympus and Zeus took the throne. His sister Hera became his wife and the Queen of the gods. His other siblings took charge over things as well. Poseidon was given the oceans to rule over; Hades was given the Underworld (a job he hated); Demeter was the goddess of the harvest and Hestia was the goddess of hearth and home. Over the course of many years, other gods were born and took their place on Mount Olympus.
There are many variations to the Greek story of how time began, much like there are different forms of Christianity. This is just one telling of the story.