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Greek Mythology Notes

Cottus

🏔 titanΚόττος
furious assault, hundred-handed combat

One of the three Hecatoncheires, the hundred-handed giants, embodying the fury of battle.‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌

The Myth of Cottus

Cottus was one of the three Hecatoncheires born to Gaia and Uranus, alongside Briareos and Gyges.‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌ His name is often translated as "the furious" or "striker." Imprisoned in Tartarus by Uranus, Cottus and his brothers languished until Zeus freed them as part of his strategy against the Titans. Hesiod describes the Hecatoncheires hurling three hundred boulders at a time during the Titanomachy, their combined assault overwhelming the Titans with relentless, crushing force. After the war, they became the permanent wardens of Tartarus, their hundred hands ensuring no imprisoned Titan could ever break free.

Parents

{Gaia,Uranus}

Children

{}

Symbols

boulderschainshundred arms

Fun Fact

Hesiod says each Hecatoncheir hurled three hundred rocks simultaneously during the Titanomachy — meaning the three brothers launched nine hundred boulders per volley.

Explore Further

Gyges

🏔 titan

hundred-handed earth-born power

One of the three Hecatoncheires, the hundred-handed giants born of Gaia and Uranus.

Hecatoncheires

🏔 titan

Hundred-handed giant

Briareus was the mightiest of the three Hundred-Handed Ones who helped Zeus defeat the Titans.

hectarehecto-

Menoetius

🏔 titan

Titan of violent anger and rash action

A Titan struck down by Zeus for his hubris and violent temper during the war between Titans and Olympians.

maniamanic

Aegaeon

🏔 titan

sea storms, hundred-handed giants

A Hecatoncheir associated with sea storms, sometimes identified with Briareos under his mortal name.

aegean

Menoetius

🏔 titan

Hubris, Recklessness

A second-generation Titan struck down by Zeus for his violent pride during the war between gods and Titans.

Brontes

🏔 titan

thunder

One of the three Cyclopes, personifying thunder, who forged divine weapons for the Olympians.

brontosaurusbrontide

Hecatoncheires

🐉 creature

Hundred-handed giants

The Hecatoncheires were three giants, each with a hundred hands and fifty heads — the most powerful beings born before the Olympians.

Kratos

🏔 titan

strength, might, power

The personification of strength and ruling power, son of Pallas and Styx, divine executor of Zeus's commands.

democracyaristocracyautocracy

Kronos

🏔 titan

Titan king of the Golden Age

The king of the Titans who ruled during the Golden Age and devoured his children to prevent prophecy of his overthrow.

chronologychronicchronicle

Kronos

🏔 titan

Titan, father of the Olympians

King of the Titans who ruled during the mythological Golden Age. Kronos overthrew his father Ouranos and was in turn overthrown by his son Zeus.

crony

Atlas

🏔 titan

Titan condemned to hold the sky

The Titan condemned to bear the weight of the heavens on his shoulders at the western edge of the world for eternity.

atlasAtlanticAtlantis

Briareos

🐉 creature

giants,sea

One of the Hecatoncheires (Hundred-Handed Giants), beings of immense power with fifty heads and one hundred arms, allies of Zeus in the Titanomachy.