Cheiron

One of the Titans of mythology, son of Uranus and Gaia (heaven and earth), he castrated his father to gain his kingship. Fearing a son of his might do the same, he swallowed his children as they were born to his wife, Rhea. Rhea hid their youngest son, Zeus, on the island Crete, giving Cronos a stone to swallow instead. Zeus ultimately overthrew Cronos and the Titans, rescuing his older siblings, and establishing the hegemony of the Olympian gods. ( reference page)

Philyra

Daughter of Oceanus (the river that encircles the world) and the Titan Tethys. Cronos, while searching for Zeus, seduced her in the form of a horse. Rhea's discovery of the affair forced her into hiding, where she bore Cheiron. Her shame was so great that she asked Zeus to turn her into a linden tree, a request he granted. ( reference page)

Achilles

Greek hero, Son of Peleus, King of Thessaly, and a nereid named Thetis. Dipped in the river Styx in infancy, Achilles was invulnerable to attack, expect on his heel (the one point on his body that had not been submerged). He was educated by Cheiron in medicine and combat. A central figure of the Iliad, Achilles refused to fight with the other Greeks against the Trojans, following a dispute with Agamemnon, King of Mycenae. After his lifelong companion, Patroclus, was killed in battle, Achilles returned to the fray, defeating the Trojan champion Hector. Achilles himself was killed by a poisoned arrow shot from Hector's brother, Paris. His psyche is met in Hades by Odysseus in the Odyssey. ( reference page)

Asclepius

Greek hero and god of healing. In Homer he is mortal and has been taught medicine by the Centaur Cheiron; in Pindar and Ovid, he is said to be the son of the God Apollo and the Thessalian princess, Coronis, and was associated with Apollo as a god of healing. ( reference page)

Jason

Son of Aeson, King of Iolcos in Thessaly, who was overthrown by his brother, Pelias. Jason returned from exile to challenge his uncle, but is convinced he must recover the legendary golden fleece before ascending to the throne. With his heroic crew, the Argonoauts, he survived many adventures, found the fleece, and became King. His longtime mistress, Medea, killed their children upon his marriage to another. ( reference page)

Aeneas

Trojan hero, son of Anchises and the goddess Aphrodite. After the fall of Troy, Aeneas is said by Virgil to have sailed to Carthage, where he became the companion of Queen Dido. Driven by destiny, he eventually sailed away to Italy, where he founded the city which would become Rome. ( reference page)

Peleus

Son of Aeacus, King of Aegina, and grandson of Cheiron. He was saved from an attack by hostile centaurs by Cheiron, who befriended him and taught him many things. He later became king of Thessaly, married the nereid Thetis, and fathered Achilles, who was also tutored by Cheiron. It was at Peleus wedding to Thetis that Eris, goddess of discord, first revealed the golden apple that Paris would later award to Aphrodite for her beauty, infuriating Hera, and setting in motion the events leading to the Trojan War. ( reference page)

Prometheus

Prometheus was the wisest Titan. His name means "forethought" and he was able to foretell the future. He was the son of Iapetus. When Zeus revolted against Cronos, Prometheus deserted the other Titans and foughton Zeus' side.

By some accounts he and his brother Epimetheus were delegated by Zeus to create man. In all accounts, Prometheus is known as the protector and benefactor of man. He gave mankind a number of gifts including fire. He also tricked Zeus into allowing man to keep the best part of the animals sacrificed to the gods and to give the gods the worst parts.

For this Zeus punished Prometheus by having him chained to a rock with an eagle tearing at his liver. He was to be left there for all eternity or until he agreed to disclose to Zeus which of Zeus children would try to replace him. He was eventually rescued by Heracles without giving in to Zeus. (reference page)

Rhea

Wife of the Titan Cronos, who swallowed his children as they were born, to prevent them from conspiring against him. Rhea hid their youngest son, Zeus, on the island Crete, giving Cronos a stone to swallow instead. Zeus ultimately overthrew Cronos and the Titans, rescuing his older siblings, and establishing the hegemony of the Olympian gods. ( reference page)

Zeus

Youngest son of the Titans, Cronos and Rhea. He established the hegemony of the Olymian gods by overthrowing his father. By lot, he gained rule of the sky, while his brothers Poseidon and Hades gained rule of the Sea and the Underworld, respectively. In later traditions, he was regarded as the unquestioned King of the gods, and ultimate arbiter of destiny. In one tradition, after Cheiron has been wounded by the poisoned arrow of Heracles, Zeus made him into the constellation, Sagittarius ( reference page)

Epimetheus

Epimetheus was a stupid Titan, whose name means "afterthought". He was the son of Iapetus. In some accounts he is delegated, along with his brother Prometheus by Zeus to create mankind. He also accepted the gift of Pandora from Zeus, which lead to the introduction of evil into the world. (reference page)

Centaur Home Page

Home