Gaia (mythology)
Gaia ("land" or "earth", also spelled Ge or Gaea)Greek mythology embodiesfertility ofEarth. Behind particular aspects ofthree-fold goddess, standspre-Indo-European Great Mother,nurturing goddessdeathbirth, who was venerated from Neolithic times inancient Near East andAegean cultural sphere, as far as Malta andEtruscan lands. Some anthropologistsmemberscertain religions believesame divine spirit appeared under many names. These namessaidinclude Demeter (Roman Ceres)"mother", Persephone"daughter" or Hecate"crone." She could be identified as Rhea. In Anatolia (modern Turkey) she was Cybele. The Greeks never forgot that her ancient home was Crete, where she had always been worshipped as Potnia Theron,"Mistress ofAnimals" or simply Potnia.
The coming ofOlympian godsimmigrants intoAegean during2nd millennium BCE, andsometimes violent strugglesupplant Gaia, inform Greek mythologyits characteristic tension. EchoesGaia's power lingered intomythologyclassical Greece, where her roles were divided among Zeus' consort Hera, Apollo's twinconsort Artemis,Athena.
Unlike Zeus,roving nomad god ofopen sky, Gaia was manifestenclosed spaces:house,courtyard,womb,cave. Her sacred animals aresnake,lunar bull,pig,bees. In her handnarcotic poppy may be transmuted topomegranate. Though shecompleteherself,Triple Goddess often takesmale consort.
She wasdaughterChaos, or accordinganother version AetherHemera, andmotherUranus (also her husband), OureaPontus. UranusPontus were bornGaia alone, withoutfather.
Onlydistant echoGaia's primal power isbe foundher Roman equivalent, Magna Mater, who was most strongly identified by RomansCybele.
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GaiaGreek mythology
With Uranus, Gaia had three setschildren: one-hundred armed giants called Hecatonchiresone-eyed giants called Cyclopes wereyoungest,significantly later,Titans. Occasionally,Erinyes were consideredfourth setchildren by GaiaUranus.
Uranus hid(Hecatonchires) andCyclopesTartarus so thatwould not seelight, rejoicingthis evil doing. This caused painGaia (Tartarus was her bowels) so she created grey flint (or adamantine)shapedgreat sicklegathered together Cronushis brothersask themobey her. Only Cronus was willingdodeed, so Gaia gave himsickleset himambush. Cronus jumped outlopped off his father's testicles, casting them behind him. From his blood onEarth came forthGigantes, ErinyesMeliae. FromtesticlesUranus insea came forth Aphrodite. For this, Uranus called his sons Titans, meaning "strainers"they straineddid presumptuouslyfearful deed,which vengeance would come afterwards.
After Uranus' castration, Gaia gave birthEchidna(sometimes) Typhon by Tartarus. By Pontus, Gaia birthed Nereus, Thaumas, Phorcys, CetoEurybia.
As Uranus had been deposed by his son, Cronus, so was Cronus destinedbe overthrown by his son. To prevent this, he swallowed his children as soon aswere born. Gaia gave Cronus' wife, Rheaideasavelast child, Zeus, by giving Cronusstone wrapped up likebaby. Gaia then raised Zeus (accordingsome versions ofstory), who eventually rescued his brotherssisters, eaten by Cronus, as well as releasingCyclopes, HecatonchiresGigantes from Tartarus. Together, Zeushis allies overthrew Cronus.
When Apollo killed Gaia's child, Python, she punished him by sending himKing Admetus asshepherdnine years.
Zeus hid one lover, Elara, from Hera by hiding her underearth. His son by Elara,giant Tityas,therefore sometimes saidbesonGaia,earth goddess,Elara.
Gaia made Aristaeus immortal.
Gaia wasoriginal deity behindOracle at Delphi. She passed her powers on to, depending onsource: Poseidon, Apollo or Themis.
Consorts/ChildrenGaia
Gaiamodern ecological theory
The mythological name was revived1969 by James Lovelockhis Gaia hypothesis, which was later developed by Lynn Margulis intoGaia theory. The hypothesis proposes that living organismsinorganic materialpart ofdynamic system that shapesEarth's biosphere. Earth itselfviewed as an organismself-regulatory functions.
The theme behindmovie Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within adapts this philosophyGaia, whichalso embraced within parts ofNew Agemovement,by some environmentalists.
References
Carl A.P. RuckDanny Staples, The WorldClassical Myth, 1994.
