The whole sorry mess starts when Saturn, using a flint sickle given to him by his mother, Earth, castrates his father, Uranus. (whole male readership flinches) The blood flowing from the wound gives rise to the Furies, Titans and Nymphs.

Saturn goes on the marry his sister Rhea, a somewhat questionable practice, that is completely overshadowed by his habit of eating each of their children as they are born. Rhea is understandably not particularly happy with this practice and conceals her final pregnancy from Saturn. She gives birth the Zeus.

Zeus, following a full and happy childhood that you would expect from such a stable relationship, grows up and challenges his father. Saturn is forced to regurgitate Zeus' previously devoured siblings. Together they then wage war on the Titans that were given life at the original castration.

In this mythology Saturn is the diety of time, ageing and death. In this context the devouring of the children is the ageing process. The image on the right is a painting of entitled "Saturn Devouring One Of His Children" by Goya painted circa 1822.