A Short Mythic Digest on the Story of Zeus
Cronus married his sister of sacred oak, Rhea. Out of which the prophecy from Gaia declared that after the death of Uranus, one of Cronus’ son's would seek to dethrone him.
Thus, from that time on, every child that Rhea bore, Cronus ate, swallowing them whole. From among his own children, Hestia, Hera, Hades and Poseidon, were devoured and trapped in the belly of their Father.
Outraged Rhea, heartbroken, 'mid the shadows of the night had secretly birthed her newest son, Zeus, on Mount Lyceum, in Arcadia. She bathed him there in the River Neda, and gave him over to Mother Earth, who carried him to Lycots in Crete, and kept him hidden in a cave called Dicte, nearby the Aegean Hill.
There Zeus was nursed by the ash nymph Adrastea, and the goat-nymph Amaltheia, who fed him honey and the milk of Amaltheia. Zeus was raised with his foster-brother, Pan.
(By his own gratitude, when Zeus would later sit on the throne of the Lord of the Universe, he cast these nymphs among the stars. The sign of Amaltheia as the constellation of Capricorn. Borrowing one of Amaltheia’s horns, Zeus gifted it to Melissas, which became the horn of plenty named Cornucopia; brimming rich and plentiful with all the drink the bearer wish).
Returning to his childhood: as Zeus’ golden cradle perched high up in a tree, nearby guarded by his foster-kin, Kouretes, and the other sons of Rhea- whose spears clashed against their shields, chanting loud to drown the noise of baby Zeus’ wailing. Thus, Cronos never heard or knew about his new-born son. To furthermore disguise her son, Rhea wrapped a rock in swaddled rags, and handed it to Cronus to eat, which he devouring then assuming it was but another of his kin.
After sometime, however, Cronus realised what was transpiring, discovering that one of his yet-undevoured, new-born son's still dwelt alive and hidden. So Cronus hunted Zeus- who though still young, but wise enough- eluded his father, by transforming into a snake, and so too his nursing nymphs transformed into woodland bears. Much later on, Zeus also cast them all as constellations of the Serpent and the Bear.
For some time, Zeus eluded Cronus, maturing into manhood in the cave of the Shepherds of Ida. Meanwhile, there was Metis, a Titaness, who dwelt beside the ocean stream. Rhea suggested that Zeus disguise himself and seek her company, offering to become a cup-bearer of Cronus.
Rhea provided Zeus with an emetic potion stirred with honey, and gave it to Cronus, whereupon he drank from the cup and vomited out the rock, followed out by all the sons and daughters he had swallowed to his gut: the once devoured brothers and sisters of Zeus.
By this gratitude of Zeus’ plot, they elected him as leader, to fight the ensuing war against the Titans, who themselves had summoned Atlas as their leader. War ensued ten years on end, between the Titans led by Atlas and the brothers and sisters of Zeus.
A prophecy read by Mother Earth declared her grandson Zeus would win defiant victory if he allied with the prisoners of Cronus, in Tartarus. By killing Campe, the gaoleress, Zeus took from her the keys unlocking the prisoners of Cronus. Among them was the Cyclopes and the hundred-handed-ones. Zeus nourished them all with divine food and drink, bringing back all their strength. In return, the Cyclopes, equipping Zeus for attack, gifted him a thunderbolt: and to defend himself, a helmet of darkness from Hades, with a trident from Poseidon.
These three brothers at the council of war outlined their plan of attack. Hades, disguised, stole Cronus’ weapons. Poseidon attacked by diversionary threat of his trident, allowing Zeus to move, who dealt the fatal blow and struck his father Cronus with a thunderbolt. With the help of the Hundred Handed Ones, who pelted rocks at Cronus and the Titans, they were defeated; and the victory of Zeus’ army assured. All the defeated Titans were banished with severest punishment to a British island that was guarded by the hundred handed ones, except for Atlas who received a lesser sentence; ordered to bear the weight of the world upon his shoulders.
Then Zeus established the Delphi stone- the stone which Cronus ate, assuming it to be his swaddled son. Rhea, Titaness of the seventh day, has subsequently been equated with Diana, the Triple Goddess of the Dove and Cult of the Oak.
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