Cronus-Titan God of Time and the Ages

Cronus was the youngest of the Titan children of the creator deities Uranus and Gaia.  He dethroned his father and in an ironic twist he himself was overthrown by his children, the Olympians.

The Greek Creation Story

Uranus meaning heaven or sky fertilized Gaia, meaning earth, by raining on her.  As Uranus's wife gave birth to many beings the most important were the cyclopes (cyclopes were giants with one eye), the Hecatoncheires each with 100 hands, and the Titans which were intelligent giants.   Uranus over time grew jealous of his children and forced them back in to Gaia's body.  Obviously the pain of carrying around many grown children was painstaking and Gaia pleaded with with her children to help in defeating Uranus.  Only Cronus was brave enough to come to his mother's aid.  Gaia released Cronus and he armed himself with a sickle and hid waiting to strike his father.  With perfect timing Cronus attacked his father and castrated Uranus, tossing his genitals into the sea.  Being powerless now, Uranus gave his throne to Cronus but not without leaving him with some parting words of wisdom:  he told him that he too would experience defeat by his own children.

As his first order of business Cronus released all of his siblings and married his sister Rhea.  Being perpetually paranoid one of them would usurp him, he imprisoned his siblings again.  Even his wife did not escape his paranoia.  During her pregnancy the words of his father echoed in Cronus's ears.  Rhea gave birth to the 1st Olympian, Hestia, and Cronus immediately seized her swallowing her whole.  4 additional times did Cronus do this. You would have thought that Rhea would have learned her lesson! 

Attempting to make a change Rhea on her 6th pregnancy enlisted Gaia for help.  Together they hatched a scheme.  Rhea hid from Cronus and gave birth to Zeus.  She then handed him to 2 nymphs, Adrasteia and Ida.  Once Rhea was sure her baby was safe she wrapped a stone like a baby and went home to Cronus giving him the faux baby.  Of course in usual fashion Cronus swallowed it.  

As Zeus grew he and his mother developed a plan to free his siblings.  They made his favorite drink,but secretly added other ingredients to ruin it.  He tossed it back not suspecting anything but the disgusting concoction caused him to vomit.  The stone came up, followed by the other 5 children who were now fully grown.  The children, known as the Olympians declared war on their father.  Together with some of the Titans they waged battle.  The cyclopes made thunder and lightening into powerful weapons for Zeus.  10 years went by before Cronus was defeated and banished with his allies, several of the Titans that fought on his side.  

Cronus in Art

The most famous painting of Cronus is "Saturn Devouring one of His Children" (saturn is Cronus in Roman), by Francisco Goya an extremely prominent artist of his time.

Discussion

The two paintings of Cronus are pretty creepy.  It isn't too often we read of people eating their children.  All of this done out of psychological fear of being upstaged and overthrown by ones own children.  We see this not just with Cronus but at different points in literature and history.  Rulers scared of the success of their thriving sons, not quite ready to relinquish power to them.  What are some examples of this you can think of from tv, movies, or literature?