What is meant by Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades taking down their father Cronus and the Titans?

The Greek legend describing Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades overthrowing their father Cronus and the Titans has some sort of interesting connection to real history.

What do you think it is?

For example: What powers did the god Zeus represent?

[Edited on 28-2-2004 by lostinspace]

[Edited on 28-2-2004 by lostinspace]

i don't think it does... it's just a creation story. every religion has one. and zues represented the power of lightening and thunder, not to mention being the god of gods.

Yes zues was the strongest "god" and the most powerful according to the Greek mythology, and lived on Mt. Olympus

If Zeus represented the powers of sky and heaven, then what did the other two gods represent (Neptune and Hades)?

Originally posted by lostinspace
If Zeus represented the powers of sky and heaven, then what did the other two gods represent (Neptune and Hades)?

I don't mean to be rude... but try doing just the smallest amount of research.
Put the names into google and read what comes up.

I beleive it meansa sort of coup or cival war

I was trying a different approach to deep thought and see if there were ones with intuitive minds on mythology. Are the stories of earth's legends just a load of crap? Were people so dumb in ancient times that they made up stories because they were tired of picking their noses?

Apparently some just want the answer told to them.

Its good to present things in question form, so as to stimulate imaginative thinking.

you want imaginative thinking? think of what drugs the people who came up with the constellations were on, and how the hell they got such intricate designs out of the stars.

Zeus(Jupiter) represents the god of sky and heaven.
Poseidon(Neptune) represents the god of the sea.
Hades(Pluto) represents the god of death.
Cronus(Saturn) represents the current ruling oppressive power on earth, with the other Titans in subjection to him.

To end Cronus' and the other Titan's kingdom reign on earth, the gods of sky, water, and death joined forces to defeat these enemies.

The skies fell (in some way), the seas were displaced somehow along with the earth flooding with water, and millions upon millions were killed by this event.

Sky, water, and death.

But what about Cronus and the Titans? The legend goes on to say that Zeus(Jupiter), Poseidon(Neptune), and Hades(Pluto) banished the Titans(of which Cronus is also) into Tartarus. A place of dense darkness only for these fallen gods.

Cronus(Saturn) represents the leader of the fallen gods, namely, Satan. He and the other fallen angels or gods are thrown into a place that limits their powers and perception.

The early Christians contributed to this line of thought in the account of 2 Peter 2:4-5

"Certainly if God did not hold back from punishing the angels that sinned, but, by throwing them into Tartarus, delivered them to pits of dense darkness to be reserved for judgment; and he did not hold back from punishing an ancient world, but kept Noah, a preacher of righteousness, safe with seven others when he brought a deluge upon a world of ungodly people."

Originally posted by lostinspace
The Greek legend describing Zeus, Neptune, and Hades overthrowing their father Cronus and the Titans has some sort of interesting connection to real history.

No connection whatsoever. It is, as others have said, a creation myth and about as valid as Coyote creating the Milky Way by tossing stars out of a blanket. We have a lot of literature about these gods, you know, and there were many plays and odes about the Greek gods.

If you're going on symbolism (which you really shouldn't in this case -- just read the plays of Aristophanes and the other ancient Greeks), then you also have to resolve all the other things with him... including some very human traits he shares with the other gods.

For example: What powers did the god Zeus represent?

He was the leader of the gods and a classic "sky and weather" god. The Romans later renamed him Jupiter, and associated him with the emperors.

I don't think you can totally discount the symbolism.... The threat of the sons usurping the father's rule is an ongoing idea of the Greeks, and later the Romans, so it makes sense that it made it's way into the creation mythos...

I always liked the humanistic traits posessed by the Greek and Roman gods...so much more fun than monotheism.....

Originally posted by Gazrok
I don't think you can totally discount the symbolism.... The threat of the sons usurping the father's rule is an ongoing idea of the Greeks, and later the Romans, so it makes sense that it made it's way into the creation mythos...

Well... true, but I didn't want to get into the whole Oedipal thing, y'know? And it's too early in the morning for an academic discourse on the origins of theatre, choruses, the Dionysian festivals, philosphy, and all that religious stuff. Particularly when I haven't had any coffee.

I always liked the humanistic traits posessed by the Greek and Roman gods...so much more fun than monotheism.....

Oh yeah! And then there were the Norse gods and the AmerInd ones. I always had a fondness for Loki and Coyote.

And Bast, the Eye of Ra, of course.

Originally posted by Gazrok
I don't think you can totally discount the symbolism.... The threat of the sons usurping the father's rule is an ongoing idea of the Greeks, and later the Romans, so it makes sense that it made it's way into the creation mythos...

I always liked the humanistic traits posessed by the Greek and Roman gods...so much more fun than monotheism.....

Yep, i'm an avid fan of the theories of the greeks and romans, the gods are way more believeable because of their problems and mental issues, one perfect omnipotent being isn't as fun as an entire greek god family having a dramafest.

the Dionysian festivals

Yeah, see what I mean? You gotta love a god dedicated to food, wine and fun....

Love all the hyper-links to and from the different names.

mythopedia.hypermart.net...

Zeus overtrowing Cronus - God overtrowing Lucifer.
Overtrowing the Titans - God destroying the Giants.

Edit:
The powers represented by the way the same powers which God showed at the Mountain the Sinai. Just compare that describtion to the describtion of Zeus.

[Edited on 28-2-2004 by LeenBekkemaa]

Originally posted by lostinspace
The Greek legend describing Zeus, Neptune, and Hades overthrowing their father Cronus and the Titans has some sort of interesting connection to real history.

What do you think it is?

For example: What powers did the god Zeus represent?

Well zeus was the god of thunder. Other than that, I have on more to put in.