Kronos

Kronos

Kronos (Ancient Greek: Κρόνuς, Krónuos), also written as Kronus or Cronus, was the king of the titans, and father and grandfather to many of the gods, most notably Zeus . He is the titan of the golden age and the universe. He won his battles with his trusty sickle and his courage alone. , He is the god of Time, Harvest, Fate, Justice and Evil. His Roman name is Saturn. 

Myths

Childhood

Kronos is also son of Gaea, Ouranos's wife and mother, was the mother of all Titans. Uranus, fearing one of his offspring would rise up and destroy him, took drastic steps. He locked his children within Gaea, causing her great displeasure and pain. Alongside his Titan brothers, his Elder Kyklopes and Hekatonkheires cousins, he waited, imprisoned, within his mother. has a big cock

Slaying his Father

Kronos was the youngest of the titan children of Ouranus and Gaea, yet the strongest. Gaea had created a sickle from the strongest of flint to slay Uranus. The other five titans cowered, yet Kronos took the sickle. He hid till Uranus  came down to earth and surprised him. Uranus could not withstand the power of the sickle and his sons combined. Kronos slew him anyway. He took half of Uranus and threw him into Tartarus, the other in a pond, guarded by Pontus. Afterwards, Aphrodite was born of the foaming the pond. Eventually, Gaea took a new husband, Pontus, - and later Tartarus (Protogenoi) - and Kronos had become the new king and ruler of the universe.

The Golden Age

Kronos had six children with Rhea, he ate each briefly after he or she was born. However when she was pregnant with her sixth child (Zeus) she went to a cave in Crete where she gave birth to him in private. Rhea then took a boulder (provided to her by Gaia) which she wrapped in a blanket and which she gave to Kronos instead of Zeus. Rhea left Zeus on the island of Crete where he grew up. Fearing Cronus would hear Zeus's crying Rhea sent Nymphs to make noise so loud, Kronos would never hear him. She had also sent a goat and a few other nymphs to tend to him and they raised him deep within a cave. Once he grew to a formidable age, he was nearly ready to combat Kronos. Zeus married the goddess of prudence, Metis, for he needed her good advice. Rhea had been given a mixture of mustard, wine, and herb to give to Kronos. Kronos thought it would make him more powerful, but to his never ending suffering, instead he vomited his children.

Titanomachy and Kronos's punishment

Enraged by their father's cannibalism, the six gods and goddesses declared war on Kronos. The three most powerful gods, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades freed the Elder Cyclopes and Hekatonkheires from Tartarus. In gratitude, the beings allied with the gods and forged the brothers with powerful weapons.

For ten long years, Zeus and his brothers waged a brutal war against the Titans, slowly conquering their realms, and forcing them into Mount Othrys. On the final battle, the Hekatonkheires razed Kronos's palace, and Zeus sheared Othrys's peak with his lightning bolts. The Titans were defeated and chained. Zeus took Cronus's Scythe and eviscerated his father into pieces. He cast them into the abyss, Tartarus, along with the other Titans who supported Kronos. Atlas was condemned to hold the burden of the sky for the rest of his life.

Appearance

Kronos is sometimes depicted as a tall, powerful man with a black or grey hair and beard, blessed with well proportioned features and dressed in simple robes. Alternatively, he is depicted as a skinny old man with wispy grey hair and beard and a wicked expression.

Saturnalia

The festival called Saturnalia, which is named after Kronos's Roman name Saturn, was celebrated during winter and was the merriest time of the year.

Ruler of the Isle of the Blessed

In some myths after Zeus and the other Olympians defeated the titans, Kronos was given a happier fate and ruled over the Isles of Blessed. And in a Roman myth, he became the king of Latium after he was banished from Olympus and taught his people agriculture and the blessings of civilization.

Parents

Gaea (Mother)

Ouranos (Father)

Spouse & Lovers

Rhea (Sister and Wife)
Philyra (Lover)

Children

• Hestia (with Rhea)
• Demeter (with Rhea)
• Hera (with Rhea)
• Hades (with Rhea)
• Poseidon (with Rhea)
• Zeus (with Rhea)
• Chiron (with Philyra)

Siblings

• Argês (Brother)
• Briareos (Brother)
• Brontês (Brother)
• Gyes (Brother)
• Hyperion (Brother)
• Iapetos (Brother)
• Koios (Brother)
• Kottos (Brother)
• Krios (Brother)
• Mnemosyne (Sister)
• Okeanos(Brother)
• Phoibe (Sister)
• Rhea (Sister)
• Steropês (Brother)
• Tethys (Sister)
• Theia (Sister)
• Themis (Sister)

Gallery

Cronus holding a sickle

Cronus being handed a rock in Zeus's clothing

Cronus, about to devour a child.

Kronos & Rhea.png

Cronus being handed his child

Bronze Statue of Kronos

Kronos flying in a chariot led by flying Drakons

Bust of Kronos

Depiction of Kronos (identifiable because of the hourglass in his hand representing time).

Kronos & Ouranos

Bust of Kronos

Bronze Sculpture of Kronos King of Titans Lord of Time (Identifiable by his Scythe and hourglass)

Bronze Sculpture of a winged Kronos King of Titans Lord of Time (Identifiable by his Scythe and hourglass)

Marble Statue of winged Kronos King of Titans Lord of Time (Identifiable by his Scythe and hourglass)

Bronze Sculpture of a young Kronos

Z50.1GKronos.jpg

Mosaic of Kronos, he rides on a stool carried by two winged gods.

Cronus Devouring His Children by Pietro Muttoni