Gaea | Greek Mythology

(also Gaia )

Gaea is the Earth, who came out of Chaos. She gave birth to Ouranos the sky god who became her husband. Together they had a passionate relationship, but because of the strength of Ouranos' embrace, their children could not escape the earth womb until the youngest son, Kronos, freed them by emasculating his father. From Ouranous' blood, Gaea also gave birth to the Furies, goddesses who sought revenge on murderers.

Kronos turned out to be much like his father, and swallowed his own children. Gaea advised Rhea, Kronos' wife, to give Kronos a stone wrapped in linen instead of their youngest born, Zeus. Rhea did so and Kronos swallowed the rock without noticing. Zeus then overthrew Kronos, and freed his brothers and sisters from his stomach.

Gaea again helped Zeus, warning him that a child of his born from his lover Metis would take over. Zeus then swalloed Metis, and Athena sprang from his head. Zeus had been saved, by Gaea, from a fate similar to Kronos' and Ouranos', holding his place as the supreme god.