In Greek mythology the sovereign Uranus, the god of heaven, imprisoned his sons as soon as they were born so that they could not seize his power. The strongest and youngest son, Cronos, under the influence of Gaea, his mother, castrated his father and threw his genitals into the sea.

Aphrodite sprang from the sea foam that gathered around the severed member of Uranus. Cronos later married his sister Rhea - and, fearing his own sons, swallowed them as soon as they were born. After Zeus was born Cronos was tricked into swallowing a stone instead. Zeus caused his father to disgorge a series of gods; then he castrated him, and shared his power with his now-disgorged brothers and sisters.