Zeus is the most popular god in Greek mythology
Zeus is the famous god-ruler of the sky. He ruled over all gods and men. He earned his throne through an unconventional method. Zeus overthrew his own father with the help of his brothers and sisters. After seizing power, Zeus and his siblings divided the rule of the world among themselves. Zeus got the rule of heaven, Hades the underworld, and Poseidon the rule of the sea.
The main symbol of Zeus was the lightning and the protective cloak with which he caused storms and darkness in the sky. Zeus had many powers. He could create chaos with thunder and lightning and reward the earth with water.
Zeus was the son of the titans Kronos and Rhea. Cronus learned that his power would be taken away by one of his sons, so he decided to swallow every child that Rhea gave birth to him. So Cronus devoured several of his children. Rhea decided to save her last son, Zeus. When he was born, she wrapped a stone in diapers and gave him to Cronus. Cronus immediately swallowed it, so Zeus was saved.
There are several versions of how Zeus grew up without his parents. One suggests that Zeus was raised by a nymph and fed with the milk of Amalthea the goat. There is also the legend that Zeus was raised by a family of shepherds.
From childhood Zeus was a strong and intelligent child. When he grew up, he decided to seize the throne. After that, a long war between the gods and the titans began. It lasted for ten years.
How did Zeus come to power?
After Zeus grew up, he decided to free his swallowed brothers and sisters. He, on the advice of his first wife Metida, prepared a special potion, which Kronos drank and regurgitated the swallowed children. After this, a long war between the titans and the gods began. It was called titanhomony. Zeus was aided in his fight against Kronos by the one-eyed Cyclopes, who had been freed by Zeus from Tartarus. They forged lightning bolts for Zeus with which Zeus struck his enemies. Zeus was also aided in his struggle by the hundred-armed giants. After Cronus was freed and imprisoned in Tartarus, Zeus assumed power. He became the king of gods and men. He settled with the other gods on Mount Olympus.
Zeus was a very strong, powerful, and important God. He performed many different functions. His main functions were:
- He ruled over the other gods. Zeus made important decisions. He punished gods and men for faults.
- Zeus was thought to be the God of justice and guarded the law. He was called upon to protect the rights of men.
- Zeus was worshipped as the God of marriages of the family. He was called when it was necessary to protect marriage and family relationships.
- Zeus was also the God of war. He was called to protect armies and ensure victory.
The Wives and Lovers of Zeus
Zeus was known for his love affairs. He officially had three wives and many extramarital affairs. From this many children were born. Among the children were real heroes: Hercules, Prometheus and others.
Zeus' first wife was Metida. She was very clever. She was the one who told Zeus to prepare the potion that made Cronus regurgitate the swallowed children. But Metide was to suffer a sad fate. Rhea predicted to Zeus that Metida would bear him a son who would overthrow Zeus. Zeus then turned Metida into a fly and swallowed him. After that, the goddess of war, Athena, was born. She emerged from the head of Zeus. Suffering from severe headaches, he decided to smash her against the wall. And so the adult Athena was born.
The second official wife of Zeus was Themis. She gave birth to Zeus to three oras, the seasons. Zeus fell in love with Themis because of her cleverness. She was the goddess of justice, a titanid. She is depicted with a blindfold over her eyes. This is a symbol of impartiality. Themis had a scale in one hand and a sword in the other.
The third wife of Zeus was Hera. She was the most jealous. Hera could not accept her husband's unfaithfulness. Hera closely watched the faithfulness of the man and the correctness of the relationship between parents and children. She sent various tests on Zeus's mistresses and illegitimate children. But this made them strong in spirit. Hera gave birth to Zeus to Hephaestus, the goddess of fire, Geba, the goddess of youth, Ares, the goddess of war, and Ilithyia, the goddess of childbearing. Hephaestus was born lame and ugly. So Hera decided to throw him off a cliff. But Hephaestus survived. He was rescued by the nymphs. Hephaestus eventually became the best blacksmith in the world. He made lightning bolts for his father.
Zeus ordered Hera to be hanged between heaven and earth for trying to dethrone him.
Zeus fervently falls in love with both goddesses and earthly women. In front of them he molests in various guises. He transformed into some element or animal. Read about this and the use of the image in the modern world at whoiszeus.ca.