Cyclopes Appearance: Big men or giants with one eye in the center of their foreheads.
Symbol or Attribute: The single eye is the Cyclopes' best-known attribute.
Strengths:Physically strong. They are also said to be able metalsmiths.
Weaknesses: Obviously, they only one eye, so the Cyclopes are easily blinded.
Parents: The Cyclopes are born of Uranus and Gaea. There are usually three of them, Arges the Shiner, Brontes the Thunderer and Steropes, the Maker of Lightning. But other groups of Cyclopes exist. The Cyclops best-known from Homer's story of Odysseus was named Polyphemus and was said to be the son of Poseidon and Thoosa.
Spouses: None known
Children:None known
Associated Sites:They are said to have built "Cyclopean" walls out of large stones at Tiryns and Mycenae, where they also built the famed Lion or Lioness Gate. There was a shrine to the Cyclopes near Corinth, which is not far from these two cities.
Basic Story: The Cyclopes were imprisoned by jealous, insecure Uranus, who imprisoned these too-powerful sons down in Tartarus, a nasty underworld region. Cronos, a son who overthrew his father Uranus, let them loose but came to regret it and re-imprisoned them. They were ultimately freed for good by Zeus, who overthrew Cronos. They repaid Zeus by going to work for him as metalsmiths and keeping him well-supplied with bronze thunderbolts, occasionally branching out to provide Poseidon with his trident and a cap of invisibility for Hades. These particular Cyclopes were killed by Apollo in revenge for the death of Asclepius, though it was Zeus himself who was actually guilty of the deed.
Alternate name: Sometimes spelled "Cyclops".
Interesting Fact: Some early tales of the Cyclopes don't focus on the single eye; instead, it is their huge size and skill that is considered most remarkable.
More Fast Facts on Greek Gods and Goddesses:
More Fast Facts on Greek Gods and Goddesses:
The 12 Olympian Gods and Goddesses - The Greek Gods and Goddesses at Home (Temple Sites) - Aphrodite - Apollo - Ares - Artemis - Athena - Chiron the Centaur - Demeter - Eros - Gaea - Hades - Hephaestus- Hera - Hercules - Hermes - Hestia - Kronos - Medusa - Pan - Pandora - Pegasus - Persephone - Pluto (Hades) - Poseidon - Rhea - Zeus.
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