Jupiter to Uranus: We've got to stop meeting this way



A Titan Thanksgiving

According to Space.com - for the third time in eight short months - Jupiter and Uranus will be practically rubbing orbs with one another.

Mythologically speaking, could this spell disaster for these two genealogical giants?

The ancient saga of King Jupiter and Grandfather Uranus is the stuff that blockbusters are made of.  It all began long ago when Sky King Uranus developed a “thing” for Earth-Mother Gaia.  Whenever atmospheric conditions were just right, he would envelop her curvy mounds with his gaseous gams.  One thing led to another, and soon the Titans were almost born.  “Almost” because Uranus attempted to cork them deep within Gaia’s womb…

“Cork you!” was Gaia’s feisty response.  She therefore handed each of her sons a specially-fashioned sickle, and urged them to point it in dad’s direction.  Only Saturn (eventual father of Jupiter) was up to the task.  Using the “eye for an eye, and a…” philosophy, he wielded the sickle where he thought it would hurt Uranus the most.

The heavens then rang with the mightiest of ouches as Uranus’ private parts were strewn throughout the world.  From his blood arose the Gigantes, Furies, Erinyes, Meliae, and (some say) the Telchines.  From his

genitalia arose the beautiful Aphrodite (which just goes to prove, there’s an upside to everything).

As if that weren’t enough, Saturn later attempted to gobble up his own son, Jupiter.  Again, it was the wily wife and mother who interceded.  Jupiter’s mother, Rhea, fooled her brother/husband (yes, you read that right) Saturn by substituting a stone in swaddling clothes for Jupiter.  After Saturn swallowed this ruse whole, Rhea then smuggled the real Jupiter off to Granny Gaia’s.   

With a family history like that - what else was there for Jupiter to do but depose Saturn?  He didn’t want to, he didn’t mean to, but…

As for Jupiter and what’s left of Grandpa Uranus, only time will tell.  So keep an ear out for some big-bang

extravaganzas as they once again try to reunite.

Resources

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20101229/sc_space/nightskyuranustoalignwithjupiterthisweek

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranus_(mythology)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_(mythology)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_(mythology)

Copyright January 2, 2011 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved