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and the Hecatonchires from Tarterus.

The Cyclopes put their blacksmithing skills to use, providing the weapons needed by Zeus and his brothers and sisters to overthrow the Titans. Zeus was provided with thunderbolts, which were to become a symbol of his power. The thunderbolts were given various properties; Arges provided brightness; Brontes added thunder; whilst lightning was supplied by Steropes. The three Cyclopes also forged Hades' helmet of darkness, which allowed the wearer the gift of invisibility. Other Olympian gods also benefited; Poseidon received his trident; Artemis her bow and arrow of moonlight; Apollo his bow and arrow of sunrays.

It was Hades wearing his helmet of darkness that eventually ended the Titanomachy, the ten year rebellion against the Titans. By putting on his helmet, Hades became invisible and managed to slip into the camp of the Titan's and destroy their armaments.

The weapons provided, would have a great impact in later events for the Olympian gods. Hades' helmet was used by Perseus when he decapitated Medusa, whilst Zeus' thunderbolts would later be the cause of the Cyclopes' deaths.

After the Titanomachy had finished, Zeus was in the position of supreme ruler. Grateful for the assistance of the Cyclopes he allowed them to live with the gods on Mount Olympus. There they fashioned further weapons for the gods, also acting as assistants to Hephaestus, the god of smiths. During this time the Cyclopes were also credited with the construction of massive building projects, including the fortifications of Tiryns and Mycenae.

The happy existence of the Cyclopes on Olympus was relatively short-lived though. In a fit of rage, Zeus struck Asclepius down with one of his thunderbolts. This rage was caused due to Asclepius having raised a man from the dead, against the rules of the gods. Asclepius though was the son of Apollo. Apollo, in an act of vengeance struck, the Cyclopes down, blaming them for forging the weapon that killed his son.

Greek mythology then suggests that the ghosts of the giants went to reside in the heart of Mount Aetna, an active volcano. Their presence was used to explain the noise and smoke that frequented from the volcano, as the ghosts continued to work their forges.

The first generation was therefore destroyed without any known offspring. The question is then generated as to their relation the Cyclopes of the second generation. The second generation are said to have the same physical attributes, without the associated

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