came spontaneously into being. But then came
the broad-breasted Earth (Gaia).
She is ever the steadfast abode for those
immortals who live on the peak
of snowcapped Olympus.
Then came dark Tartarus (the Underworld)
underneath the ground’s wide path.
Then came Eros (Desire), who is
the most beautiful of the immortal gods. [120]
She loosens limbs.
For all gods, for all humans,
heartfelt Desire subdues
even earnest intent and careful deliberation.
came spontaneously into being, from the Void.
Then, in turn, from Night came
Brightness (Aether) and Day (Hemera). But
Night gave birth to them after conceiving them
in sexual intercourse with Darkness. [125]
her perfect match,
Sky (Uranus), sparkled with stars.
He would shelter her everywhere.
She would be the steadfast abode
for the blessed gods always.
Then, she brought forth the large Mountains (Ourea), [130]
the lovely haunts of goddesses.
Indeed, Nymphs dwell throughout
the wooded mountains.
Then, she gave birth to
the unplowed expanse, the raging surge,
the Sea (Pontus). All this she did
without sexual intercourse. But then …
to deep-eddying Ocean (Oceanus)
and Coeus and Crius
and Hyperion and Iapetus
and Theia and Rhea
and Themis and Mnemosyne [135]
and golden-crowned Phoebe
and charming Tethys.
After these, she brought forth her youngest,
Cronus, he of the famously evil stratagem.
Of all the children, he was the most formidable.
For his lusty father, he conceived hatred.
Then, she brought forth
the Cyclopes, lawless at heart.
Brontes and Steropes and Arges
were mightily competitive in spirit. [140]
It was they who later gave thunder to Zeus.
The thunderbolt was originally theirs.
They resembled the gods
in most respects. But
they had only one eye. It lay in
the middle of their foreheads.
They were called
the “Round-Eyed Ones” (Cyclopes) because of
the one round eye
on their foreheads. [145]
Strength, force, and wiliness
characterize their deeds.
Then, still more came
from Earth and Sky.
Three large, mighty children,
the infamously abominable
Cottus and Briareus and Gyges,
were the most insolent of offspring.
One hundred hands and arms
shot out from their shoulders [150]
(befitting their greedy nature), and
fifty heads for each
grew from the fifty shoulders
of the hundred-strong limbs.
Strength, monstrosity, might:
such was their overwhelming appearance.
from Earth and Sky were
the most formidable of children.
They conceived hatred for their father [155]
from the moment of conception.
Whenever any one of them first began to exist,
he would keep them stuffed inside,
each and every one. None could exit and see the light
outside Earth’s dark hole. By this evil deed,
he was able to keep on taking his pleasure,
he, insatiable Sky. The gigantic Earth
began to groan. Congested inside,
she felt the strain. So she devised
a gambit both evil and skillful. [160]
With haste, mining her stock
of adamantine steel,
she built a massive sickle,
and displayed it to her children.
Exhorting them, she spoke,
but with sorrow in her dear heart:
“My children, your father is wicked.
If you have the will,
then obey me. We must pay back
the evil disgrace of the father, [165]
your father, because he was the first
to resolve to do disgraceful deeds.”
So said she. But fear seized them all.
Not one of them
made a sound. Suddenly great Cronus
(he of the famously evil stratagem) became bold.
In reply, he addressed his noble mother
with these words:
“Mother, I at least
promise to do this and to complete [170]
the deed, since I at least take no heed
of the hateful father,
our father, because he was the first
to resolve to do disgraceful deeds.”
So said he. And gigantic Earth
greatly rejoiced in spirit.
She placed him under cover,
in ambush. She placed in his hands
the sharp-toothed sickle. She suggested to him
the entire gambit. [175]
Then great Sky came, bringing on
the Night. Embracing the Earth,
he pressed upon her, desiring intercourse.
Alongside her, he laid out
fully extended. Then, from the place of
ambush, his son stretched out his hand
on the left. With his right hand,
he took hold of the massive sickle,
long and sharp-toothed.
The genitals of his own dear father [180]
he furiously mowed down.
He sent them flying, throwing them away
behind his back. But they did not escape
from his hand to no purpose.
Every bit of blood
that sprayed out,
the Earth received all of it.
As the years wound by, from it
she brought forth the powerful Furies (Erinyes),
and the great Giants (Gigantes). [185]
In their armor, they were radiant.
In their hands, they were holding long spears.
Then, all over the boundless Earth, came forth
the nymphs called the Ash-Tree Nymphs.
severed the Sky’s genitals,
he cast them from the mainland
into the wave-washed Sea.
For a long time, they were carried over
its expanse. Then suddenly a white [190]
foam broke forth on the surface
of the immortal skin. In it, a young girl
grew up.
First, to sacred Cythera
she made her approach. Then she reached
Cyprus next, a place surrounded by water.
When the goddess, tender beauty, set foot
on the land, around her the meadow green
flowered beneath
the tread of her slim feet. “Aphrodite, [195]
the goddess at home in the foam”;
“Cytherea, crowned with flowers”:
that’s what gods and men call her,
because in the foam
she grew up. But they call her Cytherea
because she surfed ashore at Cythera.
Also, “Cyprus-Born” (Cyprogenes),
because she came forth in wave-washed Cyprus.
Also, “Miss Congenitalia” (Philommeides),
because she appears genial about genitals (medea). [200]
Desire (Eros) accompanied her,
and beautiful Sweet Longing (Himerus) attended her,
right from her time of birth,
when she entered the clan of the gods.
Ever since she began, she has held
this honor. She has been put in possession of
this destiny among humans
and the immortal gods:
the whispers, smiles,
and deceptions [205]
of a young girl – her sweet
delight, affection, and gentle charm.
the name Titans, meaning “Grits” (Titanes).
Great father Sky had abused these
children whom he himself sired.
But he said that they “showed grit and determination”
(titainontes) to perform the wildly
great deed. Yet there will be, for such a deed,
unavoidable retribution, coming soon. [210]