Aloadae facts for kids

The Aloadae were two giant brothers in Greek mythology. Their names were Otos and Ephialtes. They were known for being incredibly strong and daring. Their story is about their bold challenge against the powerful Olympian gods.

Who Were the Aloadae?

The Aloadae were the sons of Poseidon, the god of the sea, and a mortal princess named Iphimedia. They grew up very quickly and became huge giants. They were much stronger than regular humans.

Their Big Challenge

Otos and Ephialtes had a very ambitious plan. They wanted to reach Mount Olympus, the home of the gods. To do this, they tried to stack mountains on top of each other. Their goal was to force the goddesses Hera and Artemis to marry them. Otos wanted Artemis, and Ephialtes wanted Hera.

Ares Gets Trapped

Ares, the god of war, tried to stop the giants. He fought against Otos and Ephialtes. However, the giants were too powerful for him. They managed to defeat Ares and trap him. They locked him inside a bronze jar. Ares was held prisoner for thirteen months.

Artemis's Clever Trick

The goddess Artemis eventually stepped in to deal with the Aloadae. She came up with a clever plan to defeat them. Artemis changed her shape into a beautiful deer. She then raced quickly between the two giant brothers. Otos and Ephialtes both threw their spears to hit the deer. But they missed the deer and accidentally struck each other instead. This clever trick led to their own downfall, and they died.

Images for kids

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  Titans and Giants, including Ephialtes on the left, in Gustave Doré's illustrations to Dante's Divine Comedy.

See also

In Spanish: Alóadas para niños