Uranus
primordialUranus was the primordial sky god, born from and consort of Gaia, whose castration by Kronos separated heaven from earth.
The Myth
Uranus covered Gaia completely, forming the dome of the sky. He fathered the Titans but imprisoned the Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires within Gaia. Only Kronos dared act — he ambushed his father and severed his genitals, casting them into the sea. From the blood sprang the Erinyes, Giants, and Meliae. From the severed parts floating in sea foam, Aphrodite was born. Uranus prophesied that Kronos would in turn be overthrown by his own son.
Parents
Born from Gaia (or Chaos)
Children
Titans, Cyclopes, Hecatoncheires
Symbols
Fun Fact
The planet Uranus, discovered in 1781, is the only planet named from Greek rather than Roman mythology.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth: