Crius
Encyclopedia
In Greek mythology
, Crius, Kreios or Krios was one of the Titans
in the list given in Hesiod
's Theogony
, a son of Uranus
and Gaia
. The least individualized among them, he was overthrown in the Titanomachy
. M.L. West
has suggested how Hesiod filled out the complement of Titans from the core group— adding three figures from the archaic tradition of Delphi
, Koios
, Phoibe
, whose name Apollo
assumed with the oracle, and Themis
. Among possible further interpolations among the Titans was Kreios, whose interest for Hesiod was as the father of Perses
and grandfather of Hekate, for whom Hesiod was, according to West, an "enthusiastic evangelist".
Consorting with Eurybia, daughter of Earth Gaia
and Sea Pontus
, he fathered Astraios and Pallas
as well as Perses. The joining of Astraios with Eos
, the Dawn, brought forth Eosphoros, the other Stars and the Winds
.
Joined to fill out lists of Titans to form a total that made a match with the Twelve Olympians
, Crius was inexorably involved in the ten-year-long war between the Olympian gods and Titans, the Titanomachy
, however without any specific part to play. When the war was lost, Crius was banished along with the others to the lower level of Hades
called Tartarus
. From his chthonic
position in the Underworld
, no classical association with Aries
, the "Ram" of the zodiac
, is ordinarily made.
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, Crius, Kreios or Krios was one of the Titans
Titan (mythology)
In Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of powerful deities, descendants of Gaia and Uranus, that ruled during the legendary Golden Age....
in the list given in Hesiod
Hesiod
Hesiod was a Greek oral poet generally thought by scholars to have been active between 750 and 650 BC, around the same time as Homer. His is the first European poetry in which the poet regards himself as a topic, an individual with a distinctive role to play. Ancient authors credited him and...
's Theogony
Theogony
The Theogony is a poem by Hesiod describing the origins and genealogies of the gods of the ancient Greeks, composed circa 700 BC...
, a son of Uranus
Uranus (mythology)
Uranus , was the primal Greek god personifying the sky. His equivalent in Roman mythology was Caelus. In Ancient Greek literature, according to Hesiod in his Theogony, Uranus or Father Sky was the son and husband of Gaia, Mother Earth...
and Gaia
Gaia (mythology)
Gaia was the primordial Earth-goddess in ancient Greek religion. Gaia was the great mother of all: the heavenly gods and Titans were descended from her union with Uranus , the sea-gods from her union with Pontus , the Giants from her mating with Tartarus and mortal creatures were sprung or born...
. The least individualized among them, he was overthrown in the Titanomachy
Titanomachy
In Greek mythology, the Titanomachy or War of the Titans , was the ten-year series of battles fought in Thessaly between the two camps of deities long before the existence of mankind: the Titans, based on Mount Othrys, and the Olympians, who would come to reign on Mount Olympus...
. M.L. West
Martin Litchfield West
Martin Litchfield West is an internationally recognised scholar in classics, classical antiquity and philology...
has suggested how Hesiod filled out the complement of Titans from the core group— adding three figures from the archaic tradition of Delphi
Delphi
Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
, Koios
Coeus
In Greek mythology, Coeus was one of the Titans, the giant sons and daughters of Uranus and Gaia . His equivalent in Latin poetry—though he scarcely makes an appearance in Roman mythology— was Polus, the embodiment of the celestial axis around which the heavens revolve...
, Phoibe
Phoebe
Phoebe or Phebe is a female given name , meaning "bright and shining" deriving from Greek 'phoibos' .-Mythology:*Phoebe , one of the Titans*Phoebe, one of the Heliades*Phoebe , the daughter of Leucippus...
, whose name Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
assumed with the oracle, and Themis
Themis
Themis is an ancient Greek Titaness. She is described as "of good counsel", and is the embodiment of divine order, law, and custom. Themis means "divine law" rather than human ordinance, literally "that which is put in place", from the verb τίθημι, títhēmi, "to put"...
. Among possible further interpolations among the Titans was Kreios, whose interest for Hesiod was as the father of Perses
Perses
Perses is an ancient Greek name given to:* Mythological people:* Perses * Perses * Perses , a son of Helios and the oceanid Perseis.* Real people:* Perses...
and grandfather of Hekate, for whom Hesiod was, according to West, an "enthusiastic evangelist".
Consorting with Eurybia, daughter of Earth Gaia
Gaia (mythology)
Gaia was the primordial Earth-goddess in ancient Greek religion. Gaia was the great mother of all: the heavenly gods and Titans were descended from her union with Uranus , the sea-gods from her union with Pontus , the Giants from her mating with Tartarus and mortal creatures were sprung or born...
and Sea Pontus
Pontus
Pontus or Pontos is a historical Greek designation for a region on the southern coast of the Black Sea, located in modern-day northeastern Turkey. The name was applied to the coastal region in antiquity by the Greeks who colonized the area, and derived from the Greek name of the Black Sea: Πόντος...
, he fathered Astraios and Pallas
Pallas (son of Crius)
Pallas is a Titan, associated with war, killed by Athena in the contest to fight for Zeus . Most sources indicate that he was the son of Crius and Eurybia, the brother of Astraeus and Perses, and the husband of Styx. He was the father of Zelus, Nike, Kratos, and Bia. In addition, he has been named...
as well as Perses. The joining of Astraios with Eos
Eos
In Greek mythology, Eos is the Titan goddess of the dawn, who rose from her home at the edge of Oceanus, the ocean that surrounds the world, to herald her brother Helios, the Sun.- Greek literature :...
, the Dawn, brought forth Eosphoros, the other Stars and the Winds
Anemoi
In Greek mythology, the Anemoi were Greek wind gods who were each ascribed a cardinal direction from which their respective winds came , and were each associated with various seasons and weather conditions...
.
Joined to fill out lists of Titans to form a total that made a match with the Twelve Olympians
Twelve Olympians
The Twelve Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon , in Greek mythology, were the principal deities of the Greek pantheon, residing atop Mount Olympus. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, and Hades were siblings. Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Athena, Apollo, and Artemis were children of Zeus...
, Crius was inexorably involved in the ten-year-long war between the Olympian gods and Titans, the Titanomachy
Titanomachy
In Greek mythology, the Titanomachy or War of the Titans , was the ten-year series of battles fought in Thessaly between the two camps of deities long before the existence of mankind: the Titans, based on Mount Othrys, and the Olympians, who would come to reign on Mount Olympus...
, however without any specific part to play. When the war was lost, Crius was banished along with the others to the lower level of Hades
Hades
Hades , Hadēs, originally , Haidēs or , Aidēs , meaning "the unseen") was the ancient Greek god of the underworld. The genitive , Haidou, was an elision to denote locality: "[the house/dominion] of Hades". Eventually, the nominative came to designate the abode of the dead.In Greek mythology, Hades...
called Tartarus
Tartarus
In classic mythology, below Uranus , Gaia , and Pontus is Tartarus, or Tartaros . It is a deep, gloomy place, a pit, or an abyss used as a dungeon of torment and suffering that resides beneath the underworld. In the Gorgias, Plato In classic mythology, below Uranus (sky), Gaia (earth), and Pontus...
. From his chthonic
Chthonic
Chthonic designates, or pertains to, deities or spirits of the underworld, especially in relation to Greek religion. The Greek word khthon is one of several for "earth"; it typically refers to the interior of the soil, rather than the living surface of the land or the land as territory...
position in the Underworld
Greek underworld
The Greek underworld was made up of various realms believed to lie beneath the earth or at its farthest reaches.This includes:* The great pit of Tartarus, originally the exclusive prison of the old Titan gods, it later came to be the dungeon home of damned souls.* The land of the dead ruled by the...
, no classical association with Aries
Aries (constellation)
Aries is one of the constellations of the zodiac, located between Pisces to the west and Taurus to the east. Its name is Latin for ram, and its symbol is , representing a ram's horns...
, the "Ram" of the zodiac
Zodiac
In astronomy, the zodiac is a circle of twelve 30° divisions of celestial longitude which are centred upon the ecliptic: the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year...
, is ordinarily made.