EL 112 – Mythology and Folklore MIDTERM NOTES
THE 12 TITANS IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
1. OCEANUS ( OCEAN in Roman) – “ TITAN GOD OF THE SEA AND WATER “
Symbol:
According to Hesiod’s Theogany, he was the Eldest child of the Titans
Husband of Tethys ( Titan Goddess of Fresh Water and Nursing )
He fathered 3,000 stream spirits and 3,000 ocean nymphs called
Oceanids.
He was responsible to encircle the rivers on earth; fresh waters, wells,
springs, and rain clouds.
In fact, Oceanus and Tethys were far too reproduce, causing their union
to create massive floods and surges. They eventually came up with a
decision to divorce to stop all the damage they caused.
His Godly Power: can unleash gigantic Tsunamis and Tidal Waves, as
well as creating water out of nothing.
2. TETHYS ( TETHYS in Roman ) – “ TITAN GODDESS OF FRESH WATER AND
NURSING “
Symbol:
Wife of Oceanus ( Titan God of the Sea and Water )
She is the primal font of fresh water which nourishes the Earth.
Her sister, Rhea, brought her child Hera to her care in order to escaped
Cronus’s watchful gaze.
Tethys punished Callisto and Arcas, Zeus lover and child, by forbidding
their constellations from touching the sea.
Her Godly Power: can change her shape at her will and have a gift of
prophecy.
3. HYPERION ( SUN in Roman) – “ TITAN GOD OF LIGHT, WISDOM, VIGILANCE,
AND OBSERVATION“
Symbol:
Second son of Gaea (Mother Earth ) and Uranus ( Father Sky )
He is considered as the third most powerful Titan next to Atlas and
Cronus.
He was one of the representation of the four (4) pillars that he and his
brothers; Koios or Coeus ( pillar of the North), Krios or Crius ( pillar of the
South ), and Iapetus (pillar of the West) governed the cosmos which
separated and held the heavens above one another.
He was credited to rule the Eastern corner in the setting cycle of the sun
and moon for his children.
His Godly Power: Prowess in Battle ( Strength and Combat Skills ),
Titanic Energy, Pyrokinesis ( Power over Fire ), Photokinesis (can control
Light ), Tongue of the Old Times Fluency ( ancient language their mother,
Gaea ,used ), and Water Walking.
4. THEA or THEIA ( also known as DIVINE or EURYPHAESSA ) – “ TITAN GODDESS OF
THE SUN AND LIGHT “
Symbol:
Also known as the Goddess of Sight ( thea ) and the shining ether of the
bright, blue sky ( aithre ), and Splendour.
Wife of Hyperion ( Titan God of Light, Wisdom, Vigilance, and
Observation )
She was viewed as the goddess who gives sight to mankind for her eyes
beam light.
She possessed a ravishing beauty that made her stand out among her six
Titan sisters.
She gave birth to Eos ( The Dawn ), Helios ( The Sun ), and Selene ( The
Moon )
She was believed endowed the radiance in precious metals such as gold,
silver, and vibrant gems with their brilliance and intrinsic value.
Her Godly Power: ability to see ghost and spirits; as well as other form
of clairvoyance, and Prophetic ( ability to see or predict the future ).
5. COUES
CRONUS or KRONUS ( SATURN in Roman) – “ TITAN RULER OF THE UNIVERSE ” and the
“ THE GOD OF TIME ”
Symbol :
Husband of Rhea ( Goddess of Fertility, Motherhood, and Generation)
He ruled the cosmos during the Golden Age after castrating and
overthrowing his father, Uranus (Sky).
Youngest son of Gaea ( mother earth ) and Uranus ( sky )
The strongest Titan among his siblings for he possessed omnipotent
power
During his reign, prosperity, peace and harmony was apparent.
Because of his greed in power, his mother, Gaea grew angry at him for
imprisoning his brothers and later on plotted his demised.
He learned from a prophecy that as Cronus had dethroned his father, one
of his children would likely do the same. To prevent it, he mercilessly
swallowed his children after birth with the fear of being more powerful
than him. But to his dismay, one of his children escape from his wrath (
Zeus, the God of Lightning and the King of the Gods ) who saved his
siblings from breaking free and gradually conspire with his brothers (
Poseidon, the God of the Sea and Hades, God of the Underworld ) from
overthrowing their father and putting his remains in Tartarus, the deepest
part of the world next to the Underworld.
His Godly Power: can control earth and vegetation
RHEA ( RHEIA in Roman) – “ TITAN GODDESS OF FERTILITY, MOTHERHOOD, AND
GENERATION” and the “ MOTHER OF THE GODS ”
Symbol:
Wife of Cronus ( Titan Ruler of the Universe)
Youngest daughter of Gaea ( Mother Earth ) and Uranus ( Father sky )
She was responsible for the flow of Cronus’s kingdom
She gave birth to six (6) Great Olympians: Hestia, Demeter, Hera,
Poseidon, Hades, and Zeus.
When Rhea learned she was expecting once again, she seeks advice from
their mother, Gaea, in helping her conceal her newborn child. She
swaddled a stone dressed in baby clothes and gave it to Cronus to
swallow. They successfully fooled Cronus and concealed the infant Zeus
in a cave in the Island of Crete.
Her Godly Power: can control time, light, water, and memory , read
thoughts (present, future, and past), and can create order in any type
of chaos.
TETHYS ( TETHYS in Roman ) – “ TITAN GODDESS OF FRESH WATER AND NURSING “
Symbol:
Wife of Oceanus ( Titan God of the Sea and Water )
She is the primal font of fresh water which nourishes the Earth.
Her sister, Rhea, brought her child Hera to her care in order to escaped
Cronus’s watchful gaze.
Tethys punished Callisto and Arcas, Zeus lover and child, by forbidding
their constellations from touching the sea.
Her Godly Power: can change her shape at her will and have a gift of
prophecy.
MNEMOSYNE ( MONETA in Roman ) – “ TITAN GODDESS OF MEMORY” and the
“MOTHER OF ARTISTIC INSPIRATION”
Symbol: FOUNTAINS, AND SPRINGS
The voice of Underground Oracle of Trophonios in Boetia
Regardless of her breaking the incest family tree for not marrying one of
her brothers, she still somehow helped her mother, Gaea, in the enxt
generation of deities.
She slept with Zeus for nine (9) consecutive days resulting of the birth of
the nine (9) muses; Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomeni,
Polymnia, Ourania, Terpsichore, and Thalia whose role was to protect
the arts in Ancient Greece, give inspiration to philosophers and artists for
creation, and entertain the Gods in Mount Olympus.
She is an integral part of Titanomachy for she represents the rote
memorization required to preserve the stories of history and the sagas of
myth before the introduction of writing.
Her Godly Power: can control and divine authority over memories
