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Urania
The Greek Muse of astronomy and astrology. She is occasionally
mentioned as the mother of Linus by Apollo. She is represented
with a globe in her left hand and a peg in her right
hand. Urania is dressed in a cloak embroidered with
stars and she keeps her eyes towards the sky.
Uranus
Uranus, also known as Ouranos, was the embodiment of
the sky or heavens, and known as the god of the sky.
He was the first son of Gaia (the earth) and he also
became her husband. According to Hesiod, their children
included the Titans: six sons (Oceanus, Coeus, Crius,
Hyperion, Iapetus and Cronus) and six daughters (Theia,
Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoebe and Tethys). There were
other offspring: the Cyclopes, (who were named Brontes,
Steropes and Arges and were later known as "one eyed
giants"), and also the three monsters known as the Hecatonchires,
who each had one hundred hands and fifty heads. Their
names were Briareus, Cottus and Gyes. Other offspring
of Uranus and Gaia were the Erinyes, who were spirits
of punishment and goddesses of vengeance. The Erinyes
avenged wrongs which were done to family, especially
murder within a family. After Uranus had been castrated,
his blood fell to earth (Gaia) and conceived the Giants.
These were of monstrous appearance and had great strength
. Similiarly, in some versions Aphrodite is believed
to have risen from the foam created by the sex organs
of Uranus after they were thrown into the sea by his
son Cronus. Uranus was aghast by the sight of his offspring,
the Cyclopes and the Hecatoncheires. (In a differing
version Uranus was frightened of their great strength
and the fact that they could easily depose him). He
hid them away in Tartarus (the bowels of the earth)
inside Gaia, causing her intense pain. The discomfort
became so great that she asked her youngest son, Cronus,
to castrate his father, as this would cease his fertility
and put an end to more monstrous offspring. To accomplish
this deed Gaia made an adamantine sickle, which she
gave to Cronus. That night Uranus came to lay with Gaia.
And as the sky god drew close, Cronus struck with the
sickle and cut off Uranus's genitals. From the blood
that fell from the open wound were born nymphs and giants,
and when Cronus threw the severed genitals into the
sea a white foam appeared. From this foam Aphrodite
the goddess of love and desire was born. A slightly
differing version tells of Uranus being so vast that
he could cover Mother Earth (Gaia) and easily take advantage
of her fruitfulness, but Gaia tired of her exuberant
fertility and begged her sons to free her from the excessive
embrace of Uranus. All refused except Cronus. Armed
with a sickle he castrated Uranus, and the blood which
fell from the mutilation gave birth to the Erinyes (Furies),
the Giants and the Meliae (Nymphs of the manna ash trees).
And when Cronus threw the sickle into the sea the island
of Corfu, home of the Phaeacians, sprang up). After
Uranus (the sky) had been emasculated, the sky separated
from Gaia (the earth) and Cronus became king of the
gods. Later, Zeus (the son of Cronus) deposed his father
and became the supreme god of the Greek Pantheon.
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