THE GIGANTE ARISTAEUS IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Aristaeus Son of gaia
In Greek mythology, Aristaeus was named as one of the one hundred Gigantes, the sons of Gaia. The Gigantes, Aristaeus included were said to have born of Gaia, when the blood of the castrated Ouranos, fell upon her. This was also the method by which the Erinyes were born, thus Aristaeus could be said to have been a brother to the Furies.
The Gigantes were commonly said to have been giants although this is not always universally agreed upon, for some tell of them being just men with incredible strength.
The Gigantes though were a troublesome race, with come claiming they were born with weapons in hand. It was therefore easy for Gaia roused them in rebellion against the rule of Zeus.
Thus Aristaeus, with his brothers, took war to Zeus and his kin, and the Gigantomachy began.
The Gigantes were commonly said to have been giants although this is not always universally agreed upon, for some tell of them being just men with incredible strength.
The Gigantes though were a troublesome race, with come claiming they were born with weapons in hand. It was therefore easy for Gaia roused them in rebellion against the rule of Zeus.
Thus Aristaeus, with his brothers, took war to Zeus and his kin, and the Gigantomachy began.
The Transformation of AristaeusThe battlefield of the Gigantomachy was normally said to be the Phlegra Plain, normally equated with the Pallene peninsula of ancient Thrace.
Although initially successful, the arrival of Heracles to the battle, swung the war in favour of Zeus and his allies, and Gigante after Gigante were killed. |
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Seeing the war go badly, Aristaeus fled from the battlefield, and took refuge upon Mount Etna on Sicily. There, Gaia hid her son, with the earth goddess turning Aristaeus into a dung beetle to avoid any future retribution from Zeus.
In the Suda, Aristaeus is named as the only Gigante to survive the Gigantomachy, although Athenaeus, in the Deipnosophistae, also name Syceus as a survivor, although he was also transformed by Gaia to avoid death.
In the Suda, Aristaeus is named as the only Gigante to survive the Gigantomachy, although Athenaeus, in the Deipnosophistae, also name Syceus as a survivor, although he was also transformed by Gaia to avoid death.
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Colin Quartermain - Aristaeus - 11th September 2021