Chapter Text

Book 1: In the Beginning

Disclaimer:

This work is the first of the series: Tales of Olympus, which should (if the author is able) span much of Greek mythology and beyond. Within will be three easily divided sections that cover The Beginning, The Reign of Cronos, & The Titanomachy/The Great Titan War.

While inspired by a wide range of mythological sources and contemporary works, including God of War, Percy Jackson, Lore Olympus, Hades by Supergiant Games, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, GoodTimes: Hercules, Mythos, Hesiod’s Theogony, and The Library by Apollodorus, among others, this work is ultimately a product of the author’s imagination, and significant alterations have been made to the material in service of this narrative.

Any similarities to current real-life people or modern events are purely coincidental. That said, future installments may draw upon historical events from the Ancient Era, the Bronze Age, and early CE as material for fantastical or fictional retelling.

Within this story, readers should expect depictions of explicit sexual encounters, incestuous relationships, including mother/son, father/daughter, and sibling relationships, as well as themes of reluctance and non-consent, graphic fight scenes, manipulation, and elements of magic. Above all else, however, this remains a story first, and the author has endeavored to ensure that plot, character, and narrative remain central.

Almost all of the deities in this narrative are related because they spawn from a single source: Chaos (with a few notable exceptions). This is not an invention of the author, but a reflection of Greek mythological source material.

Warner Brothers has a disclaimer that reads: 

"The cartoons you are about to see are products of their time. They may depict some of the ethnic and racial prejudices that were commonplace in American society. These depictions were wrong then and are wrong today. While these cartoons do not represent today's society, they are being presented as they were originally created, because to do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed."

So too as these myths products of their time, and for some, the incest is fantasy fuel (I am not here to judge), but I want to present these stories as honest as possible.

Hesiod, Apollodorus, Plato, and many other ancient writers depicted the gods in this manner, and to try and muddle these genealogies would be dishonest to the myths themselves. While some modern retellings attempt to shift divine lineages to soften these elements (which I entirely understand), doing so often merely displaces the incest rather than removes it (implying gods are cousins rather than brother and sister, for example). 

The author has chosen that this work (the whole series in case you were wondering) chooses instead to acknowledge the mythology as it was told and build the narrative honestly from there.

Certain elements may be uncomfortable, and they are not presented as endorsements of modern values. However, to erase them though would be to pretend they never existed. These retellings seek to engage with these myths critically and thoughtfully, not to sanitize them.

Throughout this work, quotations from songs, poems, books, and mythological sources may appear as epigraphs for transformative and illustrative purposes. No ownership is claimed over these excerpts, nor is there any intent to infringe upon copyrights or misrepresent the original creators. Rather, their inclusion is meant to highlight the timelessness of mythic themes and to draw connections between ancient storytelling and modern artistic expression.

Every effort has been made to comply with the principles of Fair Use under applicable copyright law, and the author sincerely thanks the original artists, writers, and creators whose words help bridge the mythic and the modern, as that is part of the core intent of this series.

Many tales have been shifted and reshaped to fit the narrative being told, though the spirit of the myths is, hopefully, preserved. Think of this telling as an attempt at mythic apologetics: an effort to rationalize many traditions into one world while also building a more grounded realm for these characters to inhabit.

This story is primarily the creation of the author, with assistance from proofreaders and an editor. It is offered as a cohesive single narrative of mythology for entertainment purposes, not as a replacement for the source material.

Please read with your own discretion. Please rate accordingly, and thank you for your consideration.

The Cast:

The Progenitor:

Chaos/Kháos (KAY-oss): The Progenitor Deity of formless, infinite, and undifferentiated chaos. Chaos is the source of all creation and existence, parent to the Primordials.

The Primordials:

Gaia/Gaîa (GUY-uh): The Primordial Deity of the Earth. A child of Chaos, she embodies the living world and all life that springs from it.

Eros/Érōs (AIR-ohs): The Primordial Deity of love and desire. Born from Chaos, Eros mysteriously disappeared during the earliest days of creation.

Tartarus/Tártaros (TAR-tuh-russ): The Primordial Deity of the deepest abyss. A child of Chaos, he embodies the endless chasm beneath the world.

Erebus/Érebos (AIR-uh-bus): The Primordial Deity of darkness and shadow. A child of Chaos, he represents the primeval darkness that existed before light.

Nyx/Nýx (NIKS): The Primordial Deity of Night and daughter of Chaos. A mysterious and ancient being, she is the mother of many Chthonic deities, including Hypnos (Sleep), Thanatos (Death), and the Moirai.

Ouranos/Ouranós (OAR-uh-nohs) AKA Uranus: The Last Primordial, representing the heavens and the sky. Born from Gaia and Chaos’ power. First King of Olympus and father to the Titans, Cyclopes, and Hecatoncheires.

The Titans — The "Rightful Children" of Ouranos and Gaia:

Oceanus/Okeanós (oh-SHEE-uh-nuss): Titan of the Ocean and all bodies of water.

Coeus/Koîos (KOH-ee-us): Titan of intelligence and the inquisitive mind.

Crius/Kreios (KREE-us): Titan of constellations and the heavenly bodies.

Hyperion/Hyperíōn (hy-PEER-ee-on): Titan of the sun, light, and heavenly wisdom.

Iapetus/Iapetós (eye-AP-ih-tuss): Titan of mortal life, mortality, and human nature.

Cronos/Krónos (KROH-nos): Titan of time, harvest, and the ages. Youngest of the Titan brothers.

Theia/Theía (THEE-uh): Titaness of shining light and divine splendor.

Rhea/Rheía (RAY-uh): Titaness of fertility, motherhood, generation, and powerful magic.

Themis/Thémis (THEEM-iss): Titaness of divine law, order, and sacred custom.

Mnemosyne/Mnēmosýnē (nuh-MOSS-ih-nee): Titaness of memory, remembrance, and the arts.

Phoebe/Phoíbē (FEE-bee): Titaness of prophecy, intellect, and the moon.

Tethys/Tēthýs (TETH-iss): Titaness of the sea, freshwater, and mother of rivers.

Other Characters

Aether/Aithḗr (AY-thehr): Son of Rhea. A young deity associated with the upper heavens and pure celestial light.

Atlas/Átlas (AT-luss): Son of Iapetus and Clymene. Lesser Titan of Might and Strength.

Brontes/Brontēs (BRON-teez), Steropes/Steropēs (STAIR-oh-peez), & Arges/Argēs (AR-geez): The Cyclopes. One-eyed giant craftsmen born to Gaia and Ouranos. Masters of divine metallurgy and builders of magnificent wonders.

Clymene/Klyménē (kly-MEN-ee): An Oceanid and daughter of Oceanus and Tethys. Wife of Iapetus and mother of Prometheus, Epimetheus, Atlas, and Menoetius.

Cottus/Kottos (KOT-tuss), Briareos/Briareós (bry-AIR-ee-ohs), & Gyges/Gyḗs (GUY-jeez): The Hecatoncheires. Three colossal giants with a hundred arms and fifty heads each, born to Gaia and Ouranos. They embody overwhelming strength and primordial destruction.

Demeter/Dēmḗtēr (dee-MEE-ter): Middle daughter of Cronos and Rhea. A gifted young goddess whose magic is closely tied to nature, weather, and growing wildlife.

Epimetheus/Epimētheús (eh-pah-mih-THEE-us): Lesser Titan of afterthought and hindsight. Son of Iapetus and Clymene, and twin brother of Prometheus.

Hades/Hādēs (HAY-deez): Eldest son of Cronos and Rhea. He has spent nearly his entire life imprisoned within Cronos.

Hera/Hēra (HAIR-uh): Youngest daughter of Cronos and Rhea. A gifted magical prodigy trained personally by her mother.

Hestia/Hestía (hes-TEE-uh): Eldest daughter of Cronos and Rhea. Quiet, compassionate, and largely uninterested in power or conflict.

Menoetius/Menoítios (men-oh-EE-tee-ohs): Lesser titan of destruction and rage. Son of Iapetus and Clymene.

Metis/Mētís (MAY-tiss): An Oceanid and daughter of Oceanus and Tethys. Lesser titaness of wisdom and prudent counsel.

Poseidon/Poseidôn (poh-SIGH-don): Middle son of Cronos and Rhea. Like Hades, he has spent nearly his entire life imprisoned within Cronos.

Prometheus/Promētheús (Pro-mih-THEE-us): Lesser titan of intelligence, foresight, and innovation. Son of Iapetus and Clymene, and twin brother of Epimetheus.

The Moirai/Moîrai (MOY-rye) AKA The Fates: Clothos/Clōthōs (KLAW-thohs), Lachesis/Láchesis (LATCH-ee-sis), and Atropos/Átropos (AH-troh-pos). Daughters of Erebus and Nyx, they weave the Tapestry of Fate that governs the destinies of gods and mortals alike.

Zeus/Zeús (ZOOSS): Youngest son of Cronos and Rhea. 

Preface:

Beginnings are a unique part of any story.

They are a start, sure, and endings are far off in the distance. Much that is commenced is scarcely ever concluded at the origin.

There is always so much promise and possibility at the start. Predictions are made, promises start here, prophecies are created. Uncertainty is born. What sort of mysteries might exist if there was no one there before you?

No one can guide or direct those that arrive under those circumstances. Mistakes made by those at the commencement of reality will have consequences that reverberate throughout the ages.

Those within this story are the first of many. They are the first husband, first wife, first mother, first father, first adulterer, first murderer, and the first murders. Because of them and their actions, loneliness, guilt, loss, death, and pain will also be first found in this tale. The repercussions will be felt throughout the eons that follow.

While many believe perfection and to be deathless is divine, know that these deities will make mistakes and can die.

Here, in this tale, as you read, I would caution you to not be too judgemental of those within. Like children with parents, there comes a time when one must practice a form of understanding and compassion.

Whatever you think of these beings, do so with kindness, for despite their immense powers and cosmic perspective, they are not so unlike you or me.

These are flawed beings existing in this prehistorical world so far from ours that we regard this telling as nothing more than mythology, but please, read this story with an open mind and and open heart to discover just how tangible these beings truly are.

Understand as well, that this is a dawn of creation. Much will start, but very little will end. This is the sun rising, not setting, so I invite you to start this journey with me. Take my hand, and let us go forth to the lands we call Greece before the birth of Time, at the start of existence.

Without further ado, let us start… in the beginning.