Thanks to long-time reader Danielle, I now have a whole new perspective on the myth of Cronus. I always thought it was kind of strange, as though something just didn't fit. Uranus cast all his children into Tartarus as soon as they were born. They were so horrible to look at, evidently, he just couldn't stand the sight of them. It was always a bit of a nagging question as to how Cronus managed to make his way stealthily up to his bedside while he slept, or while he was drunk, or otherwise in some way preoccupied and, egged on by the vengeful mother Gaea, castrated the old man, then flinging his genitals into the sea. It was almost as like he came out of nowhere, as though Uranus was never aware of his birth, or his very existence.
Now at last I possibly have the answer. Cronus had not even been born yet. He evidently castrated Uranus while still in Gaea's womb, while Uranus was fucking her. Ouch. Now that presents a bizarre picture. Cronus must have evidently been born right at the moment after he did the deed, Uranus's genitals in hand, after which came the triumphant toss which gave birth to Aphrodite from the foam of the sea, while drops of blood that fell upon the ground gave birth to the Furies, and to Pegasus.
I think what we are seeing here is the origin of why men, or at least western men, had for such a long time, such a hang-up about having sex with their pregnant wives. It is almost as though this myth was invented or developed to make men think twice about doing that. My guess is it might have had something to do with perceptions as to the effect of sex on an unborn child. Whatever the case, the video itself is interesting and worth a look for anyone interested in Greek myth.
Naturally, Cronus was determined not to make the same mistake his pop made, and so he swallowed his children whole as soon as they were born. We can safely assume he abstained from sex with sister-wife Rhea until they were born. This is portrayed in the artwork at the top by Goya, where a suitably monstrous Cronus is seen devouring who is apparently the future God of the Underworld, Hades.
The glossed over implications of all of this is the influence of the female deities in question. In the case of Cronus and Gaea, there is an implicit acknowledgment in the belief of the natural bonding of mother and child which takes place as early as well before childbirth, while the child is yet in the womb. This could have come about due observations as to the obvious attachment of the newborn infant to his mother which is not apparent insofar as the relationship of the infant to the father. No child knows who his father is, but it seems as though the bond with the mother is complete from the moment of childbirth. Thus, it is easy to make the leap that this bonding is developed during the entirety of the gestation process.
And it is equally true across genders. Both sons and daughters have that bond with the mother that neither can possibly have with the father. Since men have ruled since the dawn of historical times, and probably well before then (and probably always have), the bond between mother and child might have from earliest times been viewed with some alarm, and may have been a contributing factor to the subjugation of women.
It seems to present a compelling case that, if men felt that women should be subjugated, there was also a chance women might be resentful of that subjugation, and pass that resentment on to their children. Why make matters worse by having sex with her while she is carrying the child. It also possibly goes a long way towards explaining the sternness of discipline exhibited towards children by their fathers.
