Kronos - Kuronosu (English spelling) Kronos

A god in Greek mythology. In Roman mythology, he is Saturn. He is the son of Uranus and Gaia and belongs to the Titans (giants). His father Uranus imprisoned all his children in the underworld, so Gaia, angry, persuaded his youngest son, Cronus, to cut off Uranus' penis and usurped his supremacy. Cronus, who became the ruler, married his sister Rhea and obtained Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus. However, he was predicted by his parents that his child would take the throne, so he swallowed his children as soon as they were born. However, when his youngest son, Zeus, was born, Rhea lied and gave him a stone instead, and hid Zeus on the island of Crete. As a result, Cronus fought for supremacy with Zeus, who later grew up, for 10 years, and was eventually defeated by Zeus, who had the Cyclopes and Hecatonchires on his side.

He was probably an indigenous god, and his struggle for supremacy with Zeus is thought to show how the Greeks expelled the indigenous people. One theory is that the age of Cronus was a golden age, and he brought many forms of happiness to mankind. After being driven out of Olympus, he became king of the Isle of Bliss. The Romans also say that after being driven out of Olympus, Cronus went to Italy, and his son Pyx became the ancestor of the successive kings of Rome.

[Kazuhiko Tange]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ギリシア神話の神。ローマ神話ではサトゥルヌスにあたる。ウラノスとガイアの子でティタン（巨人族）に属す。父ウラノスは生まれた子をすべて冥府(めいふ)に閉じ込めたので、怒ったガイアは、末っ子のクロノスをそそのかしてウラノスの男根を切り取らせ、その覇権を簒奪(さんだつ)せしめた。支配者となったクロノスは、姉のレアと結婚して、ヘスティア、デメテル、ヘラ、ハデス、ポセイドン、ゼウスを得た。しかし彼は、自分の子供に王位を奪われるであろうと両親から預言されていたので、子供が生まれるとすぐにこれを飲み込んだ。しかし末っ子ゼウスが生まれたとき、レアが偽って石をかわりに飲ませ、ゼウスをクレタ島に隠した。このためクロノスは、のちに成長したゼウスと10年間にわたって覇権を争うことになり、結局、キクロペス、ヘカトンケイルを味方につけたゼウスに敗れた。

　彼はおそらく先住民族の神で、ゼウスとの覇権争いはギリシア民族による先住民族駆逐の経緯を示すものと考えられる。一説には、クロノスの時代は黄金時代であり、彼は人類に種々の幸せをもたらした。そしてオリンポスを追われたのちは至福の島の王となったという。またローマ人は、オリンポスを追われたクロノスはのちにイタリアに赴き、その息子ピクスがローマ歴代の王の祖となったとしている。

［丹下和彦］

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