Chapter 8: Sic transit gloria mundi: The Rise of Cronos

“ ... Cronus cut off his father’s genitals and threw them into the sea ... And, having dethroned their father, they brought up ... and committed the sovereignty to Cronus.”

- Apollodorus, The Library (~2nd Century CE)

Ouranos’ body lay floating on the water. Breathless from his decisive act, Cronos turned from his father’s deceased form. No one knew what would happen next.

Of all the Titans, only Iapetus could see Thanatos, who was a son of Nyx, come from nowhere to walk to the headless body of the Last Primordial. Iapetus walked towards the young Chthonic deity. Thanatos, however, extruded a grim demeanor and held up a hand to halt the Titan. He was not to be disobeyed.

“He walks among the living no more,” Thanatos proclaimed. “The once king is to walk in the halls of Tartarus forevermore.”

Iapetus did not fully understand what that meant, but it was understood that Ouranos would never pose a threat to the Titans ever again.

For all of Ouranos’ firsts, his death would be the most amazing act that Iapetus would bear witness to. While the other Titans consoled one another, Iapetus gawked at the very essence of his Primordial father leaving the husk of a body.

The spirit of Ouranos was much like his body: Tall, strong, and foreboding. However, in death, the most significant difference was that his spiritual body still had its head attached.

When Thanatos returned with the Sky King to Tartarus, Ouranos was in a fog. He did not look at the near-skeletal being that was Thanatos.

The task that the Underworld had set for the former king grabbed him by his very essence. All he felt was the pull to trudge forward and wander through Tartarus while ignoring all others in his wake.

Swaying left and right, his march seemed aimless but Thanatos knew better. The very Realm of the Underworld had a path for the former King of Olympus, and it was not for a Chthonic child of Nyx to intervene.

Cronos made sure Crius was well enough before he brought himself to Olympus. There, he found Rhea resting in the bed, sheets the only thing covering her body. The signs of her infidelity were clear: her flesh had bruises, her legs twitched from the union, and she had a smile.

She stirred as Cronos paced back and forth. He was lost in thought as to what to do. He loved her, adored her. She had been all he had wanted in a partner since childhood. Yet, she had willingly laid with their father. She had allowed him the chance to create life in her belly. He shook his head in rage. He could do to her what he had to Ouranos.

What had Iapetus said? Death? Kill? Could Cronos do that to Rhea? Kill her? Remove her spirit from her body and send that very spirit to Tartarus forever? He shook his head as she woke.

“Cronos!” Rhea cried. “I ... this isn’t...”

“I know what you did,” Cronos said, putting his scythe against the wall.

Rhea looked from the blood-stained scythe to Cronos and his broken demeanor. She perhaps did not know what death was or what had fully transpired, but she pieced together that if Cronos was in the room and Ouranos was not, then the Sky Father was no longer in control of Olympus.

“It was not like that!” Rhea exclaimed. Her voice quivered. “Ouranos forced me. I had no choice, Cronos. After asking for his blessing, I begged him not to take me, but he gave me no choice.” Cronos stared at her, uncertain. So much of him wanted to believe her. He continued to listen in silence. “He forced himself upon me, Cronos. You must believe that. He threatened you, our family.”

“Rhea, Mother Gaia saw you. She saw you with him.”

Rhea seemed shocked but did not lose a step in her defense. “How can she be sure of what she saw? Once Ouranos had what he wanted, I was in his grasp; I had to play the part, Cronos. You must believe me!”