Is the primordial deity Aether also Hyperion?

Question

I read somewhere that Aether, the primordial god of the upper air, was ‘married’ to Aithre/Aethra/Theia. I also read that Theia was the mother of Hyperion’s children-Helios the sun, Eos the dawn, and Selene the moon. If you could tell me if/how Aether and Hyperion are related to each other or if they’re the same god, I’d appreciate the help! I’m having a hard time finding anything on Aether, so any book recommendations for further reading would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Hannah,

Great question! The lineage/genealogy of Gods in Greek Mythology can be quite confusing. To answer your question, there are a couple of ancient sources that help clear the distinction up. According to Hesiod, Aether, the primordial god of Light, was married/paired with Day ( Gk: Hemera) who bore Earth (Gk. Gaia) and the Sky (Gk. Ouranus). Earth and Sky then bore several Titans including Hyperion & Theia [Hesiod, Theogony, Lines 116-138]. From their marriage (yes, they are siblings), they bore the Sun (Gk. Helios). Thus, in the Homeric Hymn on Helios, his parents are highlight as being Hyperion & Theia, except Theia is referred to as Euryphraessa [Homeric Hymns: To Helios]. Later writers, such as Julian on Helios emphasizes the relationship between Hyperion and Theia, continuing the genealogy initiated and provided by Hesiod [Hesiod, Tesimonia].

Therefore, Aether and Hyperion are not the same God. In fact, a prime distinction between the two is that Aether is regarded as a personified deity and Hyperion is a personified Titan. Titans & Primordial Gods are not one and the same and they function somewhat similarly, but are nevertheless distinct.

Hope that helps!

~Cameron Brock