What is Cronos like?

Margaret:
    'In two words, awesome and stern. But he can be kind. We decided to honour Cronos on Saturday, Saturn day, and again the first encounter was gentle. Second time the tests started. We had begun this work on Sunday morning and it was nearly a week over. We had spoken the names of every deity of that day, and every deity had responded. 
    But would Cronos? we wondered. The Father of Zeus.
    Nica lit the candles and the incense and I found myself holding his hand. I had no idea what to expect, but realised this might not always be easy.

That first time a silver-coloured cloud entered the temple, and inside the cloud I saw a figure, but it was like trying to see someone through a thick veil. He spoke and I could hear clearly enough:
    "I am Cronos. It is well the mortal man calls me mighty. I accept homage paid to me in this temple, which I will willingly share with other Gods and Goddesses. You mortal woman can hear and see me. You have received this gift from the Gods, for which I trust you are grateful."
    Then the figure appeared beside the altar. He looked younger than Zeus,  a man in his late 40s with shoulder-length dark brown hair and dark eyes; clean-shaven, tall and regal and extremely fierce-looking. 
     Seriously stern, appearance and voice:
    "I can be fierce and I can be gentle. At present I am gentle towards you who honour me. I hope I shall remain so. There is much power here and I bring more.
     Next time you pay homage to me, you will travel towards me."

We had survived a week.
    We felt excited. Amazed. Exhilarated. 
    And scared.

*

The second encounter with Cronos was intense and quite intimidating.
    The temple filled with a yellow light and then he appeared. During the week I had forgotten how awesome is Cronos. That time he wore a tunic garment with wide pleats. He came to within a few feet of us and stood beside me. 
    "I am the great Cronos, the mighty Cronos. When you started to pay me homage, I wondered whether it was the true faith you had. In fact I doubted. Yet now I see your devotions are sincere and your faith has strengthened." 

He walked around us and as he did so, he touched us both lightly on the head. 

" It is with great joy we welcome you to this faith, and from time to time you will be rewarded. I feel the temple is more powerful than ever. The man has been working hard on the floor." Nica had polished the floor that morning. "It is an improvement."
    Then he circled around the room, his feet did not seem to touch the floor. The yellow light concentrated around us very strongly.
    "This is a special golden light I put around you both."
    Within seconds I was yanked from the temple.

I was taken to open country where he was standing in a chariot. It had two wheels with white gold painted edges and a design on the side in red and gold. It was harnessed to two grey/white horses. 
    There were lots of rocks around and sandy soil, but I saw no vegetation. There was a lot of men around him, all in Greek-type tunics, some short in length, others long. There were young men and several much older-looking, but they all looked seriously ferocious. Cronos smiled as all these fierce-looking men came towards me. I just could not stop shaking.
    "Over the centuries I have gained many attendants." 
    And he pointed to one man who looked about 35-40 years old, without doubt the most ferocious man I have ever seen, besides Hades.
    "This is Rondos."
    As the man came towards me I was terrified, but Cronos called him back and he obeyed.
    "You seem nervous tonight, there is no need. I wanted you to see these attendants. You have my protection." 

He is so awesome, so powerful. I noticed a purple glow around him. Then suddenly between he and me appeared a line of fire, four metres wide and a metre high. Two of his attendants took hold of me and tried to pull me into it.
    "You can cross the flames to me."
    And the huge men pulled me, though I pulled back. 
    "Let her go!" Cronos commanded and immediately they let go of me, and the fire vanished. I walked forward and the ground was not even hot.
    "You have shown faith."
    I stepped closer to him.
    "Do you believe that I devoured my children?"
    He looked straight at me. I said I don't know whether to believe it or not. Then a small bird swooped, a thrush and sat perched alongside him and he snatched it in his hands. He handed it to me.
    "Bite off its head."
    I shook terribly. He pulled me forward. I said I can't.
    "You have to."
    I will not do this.
    "In that case you will be shut in this cage."
    And then the attendants parted and one came through the crowd with a bird cage, horribly my-size and I was pushed inside. And all around the cage there appeared wild animals snarling at the outside, pushing snouts through the bars, trying to bite me.
    "Think how you disobey me." Said Cronos.
     Then the door was opened and he hauled me out.
    "I give you another chance. Bite the head off this bird."
    And it was put in my hands, a canary, and I could feel it, warm, its little heart beating, frightened. I opened my hands and let it fly away.
    Cronos looked SO angry. I was put back in the cage, but this time the floor writhed with snakes, nasty looking poisonous ones. I climbed the bars to get away from them.
    "Rethink!" roared Cronos.
    

Several minutes passed and again the door was opened and I stood before him.
    "I now have made it so much easier for you."
    And I saw it was a smaller bird, a little wren, so tiny. 
    No way will I bite its head off.
    He looked so furious and for the third time I was put in the bird cage and this time his attendants let loose a pack of ferocious dogs, bull terriers and Rottweillers by the look of them and I was absolutely terrified. Then suddenly it all vanished and I was standing before him.
    "I know of no other mortal who would disobey me. I would have been very angry had you done what you were told. It was a trap I set for a weak mortal. But you have proved you are not weak. I shall take you back to your temple." And he did, he came all the way back with me and I followed him into the temple:
    "You have earned my blessing. Do not believe all you read. I did not eat my children. I am one of the first and mightiest of Gods. Very, very old. I am powerful. I can give and I can take. There are many tests to be taken. Do not question them but accept the love that goes with them."
    And then this mighty God smiled sweetly and was gone.