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This reading comes from the Cave’s

The Best of Hesiod’s Theogony & Works and Days

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BUT EARLIER, WHEN THEIR FATHER Sky was enraged in his spirit with Briareos (called Obriareos) and Kottos and Gyges, he bound them in mighty bonds because of the jealous awe he felt at their insolent manhood and form [620] and great size. And Sky made them live beneath the broad-pathed earth.

There, dwelling beneath the earth, they suffered pains. They had been tossed down to the deepest depths of great earth, to its very limits. There they were in lamentation for a long time, bearing great sorrow in their hearts. But Zeus, the son of Kronos, and the other immortal gods—the ones whom lovely-haired Rhea brought into the world with Kronos in love—they led them up into the light of the sun again, according to the shrewd plans of Earth.

For Earth recounted to them everything from beginning to end, how with these three they would gain both victory and the shining glory-boast for themselves—for they were fighting for a long time, enduring heart-wrenching battle toil.

[630] For the Titan gods and as many as were born of Kronos had long been facing one another in mighty battle. The illustrious Titans battled from lofty Othrys, while the gods, the givers of good things, the ones lovely-haired Rhea brought into the world when she slept with Kronos, fought from Olympus. And so, enduring heart-wrenching distress, they battled one another continuously for ten full years. There was no deliverance from the painful strife and no end in sight for either side. The outcome of the war could equally go either way.

But when Zeus had offered the three everything that is fitting and pleasing—[640] the nectar and the ambrosia that the gods themselves eat—, and when their proud spirits revived within their chests after they had fed on nectar and delightful ambrosia, then the father of men and gods addressed the three:

“Hear me you famous children of Earth and Sky, so that I may say what my spirit within my chest bids me to say. We—both the Titan gods and all those born of Kronos—have already set ourselves against one another for a very long time, battling every day for victory and the power to rule. So manifest your great strength, and show your invincible hands, [650] and set yourselves against the Titans in mournful battle. Keep in mind our kind friendship, and remember how through our plans you have returned to the light of the sun from your cruel imprisonment deep within the shadowy gloom of the netherworld below.”

That’s what Zeus said. And in return, blameless Kottos answered him, “Divine one, you tell us a story we know well. But we ourselves also know that your understanding and mind is all-encompassing, and that you were born to be a defender for the immortal ones against icy-cold ruin. We know that through your wisdom we have come back again from the shadowy gloom of the netherworld below and from relentless, harsh bonds. [660] Lord ruler, son of Kronos, all this was something unexpected since we had given up all hope. And so now, with an earnest mind and a willing spirit, we will secure your power to rule during grim warfare, fighting the Titans in mighty battle.”

That’s what Kottos said. And the gods, the givers of good things, applauded when they heard his speech. And they longed for battle even more than before.

And on that day, they all engaged in miserable battle, the female goddesses and the male gods—the Titan gods, and all those born of Kronos, and those whom Zeus brought up from Darkness (Erebos) into the light of the sun, [670] the ones who are terrible and mighty and possess excessive strength that defies all. A hundred arms and hands sprang up from their shoulders, and fifty heads grew from their necks above their shoulders and mighty limbs. These, then, stood against the Titans in mournful battle, holding enormous rocks in their strong hands. And on the other side, the Titans eagerly strengthened their battle lines.

Then, at the very same time, both sides demonstrated feats of strength with their hands. The boundless sea rang terribly around them, and the earth crashed loudly, and the wide sky was shaken and groaned. [680] And high Olympus quaked from the ground up at the forceful attack of the immortals. And heavy tremors reached down to gloomy Tartaros from the pounding sound of their feet and the unspeakable whir of their mighty throws when, in this way, they hurled grievous missiles at one another. And the sound of both sides reached the starry sky as they urged their comrades on. And they met one another with a great war-cry.

Then Zeus no longer held back his force, but now at once his heart was full of might and he demonstrated all his strength. At the same time he marched down from the sky and Olympus, [690] continually flashing lightning. The thunderbolts flew thick and fast from his strong hand together with thunder and lightning rolling down as a divine flame.

The life-giving earth roared as it burned, and the unspeakably vast forest everywhere crackled loudly with fire. And all the earth bubbled with heat, as did Ocean’s streams and the barren sea. And hot, fiery air surrounded the earthborn Titans as an unspeakable flame rose up to the bright upper air. And the flashing glare of the thunderbolts and lighting blinded their eyes, even though they were strong. [700] Awful, burning heat like that of the sun engulfed Chaos.

To see it with eyes and to hear the sound with ears—it was as though Earth and broad Sky above were coming together. This is the kind of mighty crashing sound that would have arisen if Earth were being hurled down to ruin, if Sky were hurling her down from above. That’s how great a sound there was when the gods met together in strife. And with this, the winds stirred up shaking blasts and dust storms, as well as thunder and lighting and the smoky thunderbolt, which are the arrows of great Zeus. And the winds carried the gods’ screaming and crying into the middle between the two sides, and the loud roar of [710] fearful strife rose up as both sides demonstrated their power by works of war.

Then the fight turned to the advantage of one side. Before that time they kept at one another and fought continually in mighty battle. But then among the foremost fighters, Kottos and Briareos and Gyges, who were greedy for battle, stirred up bitter combat. They launched three hundred rocks one after another from their strong hands and overshadowed the Titans with their missiles.

And even though the Titans were high-spirited and daring, they conquered them with their hands and sent them down beneath the broad-pathed earth. And they bound them with painful bonds [720] as far down beneath the earth as the sky is above the earth.

So ends Reading 9, “The Titanomachy – Zeus Battles with the Titans.” See you in Reading 10, “The Cosmos – From Starry Sky to Tartaros Far Below.”