Crius

Crius (Kreios, Krios) was one of the twelve Titans, a son of Uranus and Gaea and a brother of Cronus. He married Eurybia, a daughter of Pontus and Gaea, and became the father of Astraeus, Pallas and Perses. Ancient writers tell little about Crius himself, but his descendants include the winds, the stars, Victory and Hecate.

Family

Hesiod lists Crius among the children of Gaea and Uranus, between Coeus and Hyperion: Oceanus, Coeus, Crius, Hyperion, Iapetus, Theia, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoebe, Tethys and, youngest, Cronus (Hesiod, Theogony 133–138). His wife Eurybia was a child of Pontus (the Sea) and Gaea, and had a heart of adamant (Theogony 233–239). She lay with Crius in love and bore Astraeus, Pallas and Perses, “who was outstanding among all for his knowledge” (Theogony 375–377). Apollodorus gives the same three children (Apollodorus, Library 1.2.2).

Crius grandchildren

• Astraeus and Eos (Dawn), daughter of Hyperion, had the winds Zephyrus, Boreas and Notus, and the morning star Eosphoros and the shining stars that crown the sky (Theogony 378–382; Apollodorus, Library 1.2.4).
• Pallas and Styx, daughter of Oceanus, had Zelus (Emulation), Nike (Victory), Kratos (Power) and Bia (Force). Hesiod says that these children always sit beside Zeus, and that there is no house or road of his that they do not accompany (Theogony 383–388).
• Perses and Asteria, daughter of Coeus and Phoebe, had Hecate (Theogony 404–411).

Apollodorus gives the same children and the same grandchildren: winds and stars to Astraeus and Dawn, Hecate to Perses and Asteria, and Victory, Dominion, Emulation and Violence to Pallas and Styx (Library 1.2.4).

Crius and the rule of Uranus

In Hesiod, Uranus hid his children in the earth as soon as each was born. Gaea made a great sickle and asked her sons to take revenge, and all of them were afraid except Cronus, who lay in ambush and cut off his father’s genitals (Theogony 154–182). Crius is not named in this scene. Apollodorus says that Gaea persuaded the Titans to attack their father, all except Oceanus, and gave Cronus the sickle; after Uranus was overthrown, the brothers brought up their siblings who had been thrown into Tartarus and gave the sovereignty to Cronus (Apollodorus, Library 1.1.4). In this version Crius took part in the attack with his brothers. No ancient source makes him a pillar of the sky or gives him a particular post at the castration.

Titanomachy

In the Titanomachy, the ten-year war between the Titans and the gods born to Rhea, the Titans fought from Mount Othrys and the gods from Olympus (Theogony 629–635). Crius belongs to the defeated Titans, but the sources name no individual deed of his. Zeus’ side was helped by the Hundred-handers, who buried the Titans under a barrage of rocks and sent them under the earth in bonds (Theogony 713–720). The Titan gods are hidden in the gloom of Tartarus, at the edge of the earth, behind bronze gates and a wall, and the Hundred-handers guard them (Theogony 729–735).

Crius Sources

Hesiod, Theogony 133–138, 154–182, 233–239, 375–388, 404–411, 629–635, 713–735; Apollodorus, Library 1.1.4, 1.2.2, 1.2.4.

See Also: Titans, Uranus, Gaea, Eurybia, Iapetus, Coeus, Hyperion, Cronus, Astraeus