Gaea’s screams could be heard throughout the aether, at first it was quiet, but over the eons, it became louder and louder. The gods, having overturned the offspring of Gaea, rejected her suffering; even Zeus, most powerful of all the gods turned a blind eye. Instead, the humans: they coveted, grew more and more numerous until their greed stained the earth with pollution and permanent damage. Over the ages, the power and worship of the gods dwindled and the natural forces that once belonged to the Titans found their way to their original masters. Once the great powers were returned, the empty husks of the Titans were returned to their former glory and freed from their prisons. Some of the Titans, who had once allied themselves with their mother, could no longer bear to be an observer to their matriarch's suffering. A great meeting was called between two of her greatest kin: Helios rode down upon his great chariot, the light shining from his radiant crown, a dark red filled with anger. As he came upon the heights of Mount Etna, Okeanos, who had made his way beyond the boundaries of his domain, was lying in wait for his nephew. A hearty greeting was exchanged between the Titans, yet the somber nature of their discussion weighed heavily upon the surrounding atmosphere. While discussing the sufferings of Gaea, both Okeanos and Helios became filled with rage at the humans’ audacity to challenge the order of the heavens that had always been maintained: mortals at the bottom of the hierarchy, worshipping their superiors. Together they plotted to release havoc and destruction upon the humans. Acting upon their plan, the Titans combined their powers and released Typhon from slumber, deep beneath Mount Etna. They knew they could not control Typhon, but by using their abilities, they would be able to direct him towards the mortals. Having freed the ancient monster, Helios and Okeanos returned to their respected domains and put in motion their vengeance. Helios drove the sun closer to the Earth, melting and burning everything, subsequently increasing the power of Okeanos. Okeanos in turn used his increased strength to manipulate the oceanic currents to damage human settlements and create an enhanced risk of natural catastrophe. Typhon, augmented by the combined actions of the Titans, rampaged across human civilization, continuously growing as a mortal threat. Although Gaea suffered greatly from the consequences of her kin’s impulsive yet benevolent decision, the scourge of humans was eradicated, and Gaea was set to recover, slowly, as the Ouranides stood guard.
Analysis
The main point of this myth is to address the etiological reasoning for global warming. Gaea, the mother Earth, is being tortured by the humans who have turned a blind eye to her fearful cries and choose to exploit her gifts. The humans lose their belief in the Olympians and, instead, become motivated by materialistic opportunities granted by the Earth and succumb to consumerism. This in turn results in a restoration of power to the primordial gods who represent the natural forces of disaster that are triggered due to anthropomorphic damages to the Earth. The natural forces destroy mankind and bring balance and peace to Earth, allowing her to recover.
I chose to represent Zeus’s prideful and arrogant nature by making Zeus turn a blind eye to Gaea’s cries of help against the human’s harmful attacks. Gaea had played a critical role during the Titanomachy, where she tried to have Zeus overthrown, for entrapping her titan children, by procreating Typhon with Tartaros (Hesiod. Theogony, 819 ff). Zeus was also known to harbor hatred against the Titans who killed Zagreus (the “first Dionysus”) and took his wrath out on Gaea by scorching her with heat (Nonnus, Dionysiaca 6. 155 ff). This resentment is carried by Zeus and reflected as he ignores Gaea is crying.
Helios and Okeanos are usually described to be together –Helios rises from Okeanos, glides across the sky as he guides the sun, and then he falls back into Okeanos, bringing nightfall to Earth –hence why I chose to cast them as the main characters of the story. Gaea was indignant for her children being treated unfairly by Zeus and, thus, created Typhon to lay siege on Olympus (Hesiod, Theogony 116 ff). When Typhon is defeated by Zeus, his mother lays herself over his bruised body and grieves (Nonnus, Dionysiaca 2. 540 ff). I included Typhon in the story so that he may repay his mother’s kindness by protecting her from human destruction. I also chose to include Typhon to signify his hatred and loathsomeness to Zeus for imprisoning him beneath Mount Etna (Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 353 ff).
After the Titanomachy, Zeus took control over Olympus and divided the three kingdoms between his brothers, where Poseidon replaces Okeanos to control the oceans (Homer. Iliad. XV. 187- 192). I chose to reflect the Titans’ securement of timē by mentioning their return of power. Okeanos had previously remained neutral during the Titanomachy but showed his support by sending his daughters to help Zeus instead of actively participating in the war (Hesiod, Theogony 398 ff). Helios remains in literature, completing his daily important task as the driver of the sun (Ovid. Metamorphoses. 2. 106). Helios is described to be the “one who oversees and overhears all” (Homer. Odyssey. 11, 108-109) and by hearing his grandmother’s suffering (Hesiod. Theogony. 371) and seeing Zeus’ lack of concern, he decides to take action. Okeanos’ restoration of timē is connected to his decision to actively participate and rescue his mother (Hesiod. Theogony, 126, 133 ff).
The meeting place between Helios and Okeanos is set on Mount Etna. I chose this location to introduce the plan that is devised between uncle and nephew: free the imprisoned Typhon to wreak havoc on the humans. As mentioned earlier, Gaea had procreated Typhon as a means to destroy Zeus, but Zeus fought valiantly to trap Typhon underneath Mount Etna of Sicily (Pindar, Pythian 1. 15-21). Okeanos and Helios decide to free him as an insult to Zeus and proceed to use their powers together to help save Gaea. Helios being the driver of the sun, brings it closer to the Earth, causing everything to heat up and subsequently burn or melt; Okeanos controls the ocean waves and brings destruction to the land of man; Typhon trembled below Gaea, erupting red flames, smoke, and vapor. Although Gaea suffers from obvious collateral damage, she has been freed from man’s cruelty and can now recover peacefully as the Ouranides, or sons of heaven, protect her.
Gaea is the Great Mother that symbolizes the Earth, and her destruction is caused by mankind’s mistreatment. Gaea represents the beauty of Earth, being able to create and hold life inside her, but abusing her and inflicting damage upon her causes her to react nastily. Global warming brought on by man is represented by the Ouranides unleashing their power upon mankind, symbolizing the forces of Mother Nature acting ferociously to unleash mass destruction. Global warming is the cause of temperature rise due to anthropomorphic activity. Helios driving the sun closer represents the Earth heating up; Okeanos creating waves of destruction represents the changes in water temperature and oceanic currents; Typhon shaking the Earth and breathing fire represents natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because of the cumulative effects of global warming.
Bibliography
Conway. Pindar, Pythian 1. 15-21
Lattimore. Homer. Iliad. XV. 187- 192
Lind. Nonnus. Dionysiaca 6. 155 ff
Lind. Nonnus, Dionysiaca 2. 540 ff
Melville. Ovid. Metamorphoses. 2. 106
Shewring. Homer. Odyssey. 11, 108-109
Smyth. Aeschylus. Prometheus Bound. 353 ff
Trzaskoma. Hesiod. Theogony 116 ff
Trzaskoma. Hesiod. Theogony, 126, 133 ff.
Trzaskoma. Hesiod. Theogony. 371
Trzaskoma. Hesiod. Theogony 398 ff
Trzaskoma. Hesiod. Theogony. 819 ff