The Gigantes were the sons of Gaea and Tartarus (Protogenoi) When the gods took over from the Titans, Gaia became vengeful and gave birth to the Gigantes. Others that they were born from the blood of the castrated Ouranos (Heaven). They were born to oppose a certain god. For example, Porphyrion was born to oppose Zeus.
At the instigation of Gaia they made war on the gods but were destroyed in the ensuing battle with the help of Herakles. The most famous of the combatants were Enkelados who was buried beneath the island of Sicily by Athena, Polybotes who was crushed beneath the rock of Nisyros by Poseidon, and Porphyrionwho was slain by Zeus and Herakles when he attempted to violate Hera.
This is present when the god the Gigante opposed and Herakles or Dionysos (who was still human at the time) together killed most giants (some like Enceladus or Polybotes were crushed under island). There is one peaceful giant, Damasen. Because he was born to be the anti-Ares he was everything Ares was not, resulting in a peaceful Giant.
Here is a list of the Gigantes and the god he opposed:
- Agrios (or Agrius) (Ἄγριος) - Clubbed to Death by the Fates with Bronze clubs
- Alkyoneus (Αλκυονευς) - Hades-Since Alcyoneus is the only Giant who could not be killed in his homeland of Pallene, Herakles on Athena's advice dragged him out of his homeland and killed him. Alcyoneus was also the only Giant that did not require joint effort of a God and Mortal
- Aristaios
- Damysos (Δαμυσος) - A swiftest of the Gigantes who was slain in the war against the gods. Kheiron exumed his body and extracting the swift "astragale" from his foot placed it in the heel of the hero Akhilleus.
- Emphytos (Εμπφυτος) -One of the Gigantes.
- Enkelados (Εγκελαδος) - Athena-Athena threw the island of Sicily on Enkelados and while he was not killed he was imprisoned
- Ephialtes-Apollo and Herakles shot its eyes out with arrows
- Euboios One of the Gigantes.
- Euphorbos One of the Gigantes.
- Euryalos One of the Gigantes.
- Hippolytos - Hermes-A Gigante slain by Hermes with his sword and wearing the cap of invisibility (Hades' Helm of Darkness) in the war against the gods
- Hyperbios One of the Gigantes.
- Khthonios One of the Gigantes.
- Leon (Λεων) - Leon was a leonine Gigante slain by Herakles in the war against the gods. The hero made a cloak of his skin. A lion-headed Gigante does occur in the famous Pergamon reliefs depicting the War of the Giants. The God that helped him is unknown
- Mimas - Hephaestus-Mimas was buried under a heap of Molten Metal, while he did not die, he is buried under what is now Mt. Vesuvius
- Molios - Molios was one of (if not the first) of the Gigantes to be slain. He was killed by Helios and an unnamed hero (most likely Herakles).
- Mylinos - Mylinos was a Gigante slain by Zeus
- Ouranion - One of the Gigantes.
- Phoitos Gigante slain by Hera in the war against the gods.
- Polybotes (Πολυβωτης) - Poseidon-Poseidon buried Polybotes by throwing part of the island of Kos, thus creating a new island Nisyrus
- Porphyrion (also known as (Eurymedon) (Πορφυριων or Ευρυμεδων) - Zeus-The King of the Gigantes who attempted to rape Hera in the war against the gods. Zeus struck him down with a thunderbolt and Herakles with an arrow
- Rhoikos One of the Gigantes.
- Skyeus (Συκευς) Gigante pursued by Zeus to Kilikia where Gaia (the Earth) transformed him into a fig-tree to escape the god.
- Theodamas One of the Gigantes.
- Theomises One of the Gigantes.
The Gigantes could only be killed by god and demigod working together.
After the original engagement between the Gigantes and the gods the remaining Gigantes fled where they were pursued by Zeus and Herakles Zeus threw lightning bolts and Herakles finished them off with his Hydra blood tipped arrows until there were none left to oppose The Olympians
Gallery
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Gigantes : | • Agasthenes • Agrios • Aigaion • Alektos • Alkyoneus • Aristaios • Asterius • Damasen • Damysos • Emphytos • Enkelados • Ephialtes • Erysikhthon • Eriktypos • Euphorbos • Eurytos • Gration • Harpolykos • Hippolytos • Hyperbios • Hyperphas • Iapetus • Khthonios • Klytios • Leon • Mimas • Mimon • Molios • Mylinos • Olympos • Otos • Ouranion • Pallas • Pankrates • Peloreus • Phoitos • Polybotes • Porphyrion • Rhoikos • Skyeus • Theodamas • Theomises• Thoon • Udaeus | |
Related Articles : | Gigantes • Gaea • Tartarus • Olympian Gods |