The Gigantes

The **Gigantes**, or Giants as they are more commonly known, were a race of great strength and aggression, though not necessarily of great size.

### Relatives

Mother: GaeaFather: Uranus

Siblings: The Erinyes and the Meliae

## Overview

They were known for the Gigantomachy (Gigantomachia), their battle with the Olympian gods. According to Hesiod, the Giants were the offspring of Gaea (Earth), born from the blood that fell when Uranus (Sky) was castrated by his Titan son Cronus. The vanquished Giants were said to be buried under volcanoes and to be the cause of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

## History

### Theogony

In the beginning, Gaea, mating with Uranus, bore many children: the first generation of Titans, the Cyclopes, and the Hundred-Handers. But Uranus hated his children and, as soon as they were born, he imprisoned them inside of Gaea, causing her much distress. And so Gaea made a sickle of adamant which she gave to Cronus, the youngest of her Titan sons, and hid him (presumably still inside Gaea's body) to wait in ambush.

When Uranus came to lie with Gaea, Cronus castrated his father, and "the bloody drops that gushed forth Gaea received, and as the seasons moved round she bore ... the great Giants." From these same drops of blood also came the Erinyes (Furies) and the Meliae (ash tree nymphs), while the severed genitals of Uranus falling into the sea resulted in a white foam from which Aphrodite grew. The mythographer Apollodorus also has the Giants being the offspring of Gaea and Uranus, though he makes no connection with Uranus' castration, saying simply that Gaea "vexed on account of the Titans, brought forth the Giants".

### Gigantomachy

The most important divine struggle in Greek mythology was the Gigantomachy, the battle fought between the Giants and the Olympian gods for supremacy of the Cosmos. It is primarily for this battle that the Giants are known.

Despite the immense scale of the war, the cause of the war is actually unknown. The *Iliad* mentions the rape of Hera by the Giant Eurymedon, while according to scholia to Pindar's Isthmian, it was the theft of the cattle of Helios by the Giant Alcyoneus that started the war. However, the most well accepted belief of the cause according to Apollodorus, who also mentions the theft of Helios' cattle by Alcyoneus, suggests a mother's revenge as the motive for the war, saying that Gaea bore the Giants because of her anger over the Titans (who had been vanquished and imprisoned by the Olympians). Seemingly, as soon as the Giants are born they begin hurling "rocks and burning oaks at the sky".

There was a prophecy that the Giants could not be killed by the gods alone, but they could be killed with the help of a mortal. Hearing this, Gaea sought for a certain plant (pharmakon) that would protect the Giants. Before Gaea or anyone else could find this plant, Zeus forbade Eos (Dawn), Selene (Moon) and Helios (Sun) to shine, harvested all of the plant himself and then he had Athena summon Heracles.

### Defeat

Alcyoneus and Porphyrion were the two strongest Giants. Heracles shot Alcyoneus, who fell to the ground but then revived, for Alcyoneus was immortal within his native land. So Heracles, with Athena's advice, dragged him beyond the borders of that land, where Alcyoneus then died (compare with Antaeus). Porphyrion attacked Heracles and Hera, but Zeus caused Porphyrion to become enamored of Hera, whom Porphyrion then tried to rape, but Zeus struck Porphyrion with his thunderbolt and Heracles killed him with an arrow.

Other Giants and their fates are mentioned by Apollodorus. Ephialtes was blinded by an arrow from Apollo in his left eye, and another arrow from Heracles in his right. Eurytus was killed by Dionysus with his thyrsus, Clytius by Hecate with her torches and Mimas by Hephaestus with "missiles of red-hot metal" from his forge. Athena crushed Enceladus under the Island of Sicily and flayed Pallas, using his skin as a shield. Poseidon broke off a piece of the island of Kos called Nisyros, and threw it on top of Polybotes (Strabo also relates the story of Polybotes buried under Nisyros but adds that some say Polybotes lies under Kos instead). Hermes, wearing Hades' helmet, killed Hippolytus, Artemis killed Gration, and the Moirai (Fates) killed Agrius and Thoas with bronze clubs. The rest of the giants were "destroyed" by thunderbolts thrown by Zeus, with each Giant being shot with arrows by Heracles (as the prophecy seemingly required).

## Common Powers and Abilities

**Divine Monster Physiology:** The Gigantes either are or can transform into a Divine Monster; a type of creature whose very existence goes against nature and is formed from divine essence. Their existence transcends the natural laws of reality and allows them to commit acts of great destruction.

**Earth Manipulation:** The Gigantes can create, shape and manipulate earth and "earthen" elements including most solid objects, specifically all minerals and mineral compositions regardless of their state (mountain, boulder, sand or dust), dirt, soil, etc. The Gigantes can also control brick and plant. More advanced Gigantes can manipulate metals such as iron, copper and titanium.

**Giant Physiology:** The Gigantes either are or can transform into a giant, a humanoid being of prodigious size and strength common in the mythology and legends of many different cultures. Most obvious changes are increased size (ranging from relatively normal-sized but big to huge to closer geological scale), strength and endurance. Generally, giants lack any real supernatural abilities, but they can have the same ability to learn as, for example, humans, and some have truly impressive powers.

**Transcendent Giant Physiology:** The Gigantes with this ability can gain the traits of a giant of godlike scale (or are one), these giants are immense creatures that embody aspects of nature or the Cosmos and often stand in opposition to order, representing more primal and/or chaotic forces - though like their lesser giant cousins individuals vary immensely and thus they can range from malevolent, neutral or benevolent in nature.

**Multiple Legs:** The Gigantes have more than two functioning legs, which make them more stable and harder to push over.

**Transcendent Warrior Physiology:** The Gigantes are warriors of godlike levels, making them nearly all-powerful and virtually unstoppable. These kinds of warriors possess incredible powers and knowledge of battle and combat strategies, making them the ultimate masters of warrior-hood and the most feared and formidable beings in existence capable of fighting against the most dangerous beings in creation, possibly even anti-deities. The Gigantes can also possess flawless and supernatural weaponry of transcendent nature, capable of destroying everything in their path in times of conflict against extremely powerful beings equal or superior to themselves. They can transcend their limitations in such a manner that just thinking about their exploits can strike great fear and awe among the entirety of creation, no matter which universe they belong to.