To Earth, the fruitful mother, ever young,
To whom we owe our birth, our praise is sung.
The Titans, gods, the monsters, mortals, call
You by the name of mother one and all.
From you the Titans sprang; the gods you nursed,
Great monsters rose from you, though they were cursed;
Of mortals every kind came from your womb,
And whatsoever plant does sprout and bloom;
And every skill to raise them you employ,
Their flourishing is all your care and joy.
All parent of your children’s life the source,
The moon around you runs her nightly course;
As gifts the sun sends you his beaming rays.
Your spinning dance marks all our life our days.
Your inner reaches, hidden depths profound,
Whom Heaven loves, encircling all around.
Let all your children reverence you and show
Great honour for those gifts which you bestow.
Tag: Heaven
The Revolt of Kronos
The sons of Heaven were hated from the first,
He hid them each in Earth and they were cursed;
Until their mother, Earth, who loved them so
Urged them to rise and Heaven overthrow.
They were hid in darkness soon as they were born,
They could not see the light, and were left forlorn.
But Earth, she groaned within her and was strained,
Heaven’s wickedness she loathed and disdained.
Of adamant she made a sickle great,
To bring down Heaven she fashioned it with hate.
She loved her sons and bid them to repay,
Their father’s crimes to bring them to light of day.
“Your father is a heedless fool,” she said,
“From him every sort of wickedness was bred.”
She spoke, but fear sprang up in everyone
Till crooked Kronos, Earth’s great Titan son,
Replied to her, emboldened in his heart.
He gave his word and swore vengeance for his part.
“I care not, Mother, for my ineffable
Father, Heaven, whose acts are terrible.
I will set myself and perform the deed,
And then we all from him shall at last be freed.”
Earth was filled with joy and a plan devised,
That Heaven would by Kronos be surprised.
She gave her son the sickle she had made,
And hid him once with this he was arrayed.
Then with the night did Heaven come and lay
Around the Earth and by her side did stay.
He longed for love, but hate was in her heart;
Deceived great Heaven did she for her part.
Her hidden son came forth and made his stand,
The saw-toothed sickle held in his right hand,
And with his left he reached and seized his sire,
The blade sent pain through Heaven like a fire.
He cut the stones from Heaven, who, castrated,
Was overthrown by one whom he’d created.
The stones did Kronos cast behind his back,
And revelled in the fruits of his attack.
And now as king of all did Kronos reign,
While Heaven’s blood in giant drops did rain.
This rain the Earth received, and so was born
All that raged and frenzied in its baleful scorn.
The Furies first and Giants, who with spears
And armour in their greatness filled with fears
All those lesser souls that lived upon the Earth;
These the Giants harrowed in great mirth.
Songs of the Gods 