The Greek word aphros means "foam," and Hesiod relates in his Theogony that Aphrodite was born from the white foam produced by the severed genitals of Uranus (Heaven), after his son Cronus threw them into the sea. Lunch served 11am-3pm. aceAccess. His weaknesses include his passion for Persephone (also . Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Take care, Jean, This was an awesome read Jean Bakula. However, in making their gods humanly comprehensible they tended to trivialize them as well, depriving them of some of their original power and mystery. She wanted to see Zeus fully revealed. He is sexually aggressive, and can act seductive, but can also bury his sex drive in his work for long periods of time. Here are the alternative phrases we'll be looking at: Relentless. What traits comprise a Zeus like person in our day and age? Upon hearing this prophecy, Zeus ate his pregnant lover Metis (Titan goddess of wisdom) to prevent it. Check out Tutorbase! I remember back when I was in 4th or 5th grade, we spent a couple weeks learning about Greek Mythology. In some accounts, he was said to be the son of Zeus and Hera; in others, he was the son of Hera alone, conceived in order to get back at Zeus for bringing forth Athena. He and his two brothers split the rule of the world, with Hades becoming king of the Underworld, Poseidon, king of the sea, and Zeus, king of the heavens. The word Zeus later got passed on into the Latin language as Deus, which survives in English in words like deity and divinity. Romance languages, which are the languages that grew out of Latin, still use forms of Zeuss name for the word for god. Olympus, Classic Greek Mythology: Stories from Ovid's Metamorphoses, M.A., Linguistics, University of Minnesota. Zeus was the husband of Hera, but he had many affairs with other goddesses, mortal women, and female animals. Lightning. Among Zeus's offspring were great heroes such as Perseus, Castor and Polydeuces, the great Heracles. His adolescent children may be getting into trouble, his wife may divorce him, he may have serious health issues because all he did was work to get ahead. Effective January 17, 2023. These days, nearly 900 customers pass through the lines every day at the Temple of Zeus caf in the atrium of Klarman Hall. Eventually Zeus sent his son Hermes to deliver lo from Argus, which was very difficult because Argus never slept. One important god, however, had Zeus as a father and a mortal woman as a mother. So it is a marriage that is not very personal, intimate, and doesnt get much of his attention. Hera, in ancient Greek religion, a daughter of the Titans Cronus and Rhea, sister-wife of Zeus, and queen of the Olympian gods. Thats because, just like with which gods sat at Olympus, the details can change from source to source. I hope to get back to the Greek Gods, I have more to write about and became really interested in them. Further, Zeus's infatuations were not limited to women, for when he fell in love with the youthful Ganymede he had the boy abducted by his eagle and brought up to Olympus to serve as cupbearer. Just to be safe, he decided he would eat--yes, eat--all of his children. When other people take emotional stances, he is dismissive of them. So lets dive in and learn all that there is to know about Zeus, Greek god of all Greek gods. Take care, Jean, Your excellent article has confirmed what I've always believedZeus is the most fascinating mythological God of all. Though his original nature is obscure, from the time of Homer onward he was the god of divine distance, who sent or threatened from afar; the god who made . The more tough lessons early on, the fewer errors you make later. He may help his children to get ahead in the world. Humanity developed technology and grew in power until all Zeus could do was to intervene in human affairs. She has been featured by NPR and National Geographic for her ancient history expertise. He is King of the gods and a god of oraclesespecially in the sacred oak at Dodona. He could squeeze a cloud and make some gentle rain to help the crops grow. His name is probably derived from herma (see herm), the Greek word for a heap of stones, such as was used in the country to indicate boundaries or as a landmark. Alex Munkachy from Honolulu, Hawaii on May 03, 2013: I enjoy seeing other perspectives on archetypes (especially the Zeus figure) as I am studying and writing about them myself. This wasn't limited to shifting his own shape as he could . His wife, Rhea, finally disguised the babies as stones so they would live. Zeus was a very powerful God, so powerful in fact that he alone . I lost. Pixabay. In literature more than in art, he wields a huge shield named Aegis. The most famous depiction of Zeus is the Statue of Zeus at Olympia. Myths like those below are interesting to read because we see earlier peoples attempts to explain the world, and while they may not make much literal sense, they give us a sense of the ways the ancient Greeks understood the world. Gill, N.S. Apollo, byname Phoebus, in Greco - Roman mythology, a deity of manifold function and meaning, one of the most widely revered and influential of all the ancient Greek and Roman gods. People who broke their vows, lied, or traded dishonestly in the marketplace got a taste of his retribution as well. Dr. Bolen is a Jungian analyst who found that the study of Greek Gods in Mythology was helping her patients by showing her which god's or goddess's traits were needed to cultivate to help them to get well. One night as Hera slumbered, Zeus made love to one of the Pleiades, Maia, who gave birth to the tricky messenger of the gods, Hermes. Maybe you want something more modern? "Learn About the Olympian God Zeus." But Hera was furious and sent a gadfly to chase Io over the earth. The key to research is to assimilate as much data as possible in order to be to the first to sense a . She requested the full manuscript and I'm hopeing to hear back by the end of the year. Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on August 20, 2019: His children were allowed to live because he spat out the stone as he was tricked into doing. These are men who play King of the Mountain as boys, and succeed at it as men. Who Is Zeus? Everyone is expendable, and he expects others to feel the same way about him. Learn more about the nine literary elements that youll find in every story (and the 31 most useful literary devices of all time). They are Metis, Themis, Eurynome, Demeter, Mnemosyne, Hera, and Leto. He allowed Hades to abduct and rape Persephone, and did not react to her cries for help. Hephaestus was the only ugly god among perfectly beautiful immortals. 127 best books to read before you take the AP English Literature exam. Sometimes the Aegis is described as more of an armored breastplate, but either way its often said to be decorated with the head of a gorgon. He is the god that governs the skies, including things that come from the sky like thunder and lightning. Join to view profile Lightshade. Zeus and his trusted messenger Hermes were sometimes said to travel in human disguise to test the hospitality of mortals. After many sacrifices, Zeus relented and told them, through the goddess Themis (goddess of justice) to throw the bones of their mothers over their shoulders. I was reading a lot about it before I published anything on the topic. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Zeus had one foolproof means of seduction: transform into an animal and use that to convince a woman to let down her defenses. Since Zeus is so concerned with achieving power, other facets of his personality often become stunted. Thanks for reading and commenting! Zeus: Greek god of thunder, king of all men, hurler of lightning bolts. Yet Zeus spared her unborn infant, sewing it up inside his thigh until it was able to emerge as the god Dionysus. Ask below and we'll reply! It took no great foresight to see that their marriage was bound to be quarrelsome and unhappy, given Zeus's lust and Hera's jealousy. Their union brought forth four children: Hebe, the cupbearer to the gods; Ares, the god of war; Ilithyia, a goddess of childbearing; and Hephaestus, the craftsman of the gods. Zeus recipe archive. These retellings are just a taste of all the many, many myths of Zeus! Each of these new gods and goddesses were full-fledged Olympians, having had two divine parents. Rain started to pour continuously onto the world and rivers flooded the crops nearby which made a whole year's worth of work . Yet the Greek economy, unlike that of the . Other Gods like Hera, Ares, and Poseidon are forced to be friends with Zeus because they don't want to face his wrath. Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on November 14, 2012: Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on July 31, 2012: Thank you for your kind words. Theres a chance that the myths weve included below dont sound exactly like the version youve heard. A health crisis of a loved one may also be the thing that wakes him up to realize how precious some people are to him. A cruel and merciless punishment awaited the aspiring lovers of the queen of the gods. Zeus grew up in exile to protect him from his own father. You are mixing several topics, but these subjects do lead to that. If you like these versions of the myths and want to learn more about the ancient Greeks themselves, Hamilton also published a book titled The Greek Way that will give you a sense of what the people who created these myths were like. Then he will tease children he perceives as weaker than him in school and at play. Like other Greek Gods of Mythology who were afraid their sons would be better than them, Zeus may have undermined his sons and daughters, and have no competent heir. He goes after it single-mindedly until it is his. Midlife is when successful Zeus men know they have arrived at the top. Zeus then became a good military strategist and successful alliance maker. It's very exciting, but lots of work. "What You Need to Know About the Greek God Zeus." Nice to see you! Ixionas, abusing the hospitality which Zeus offered him, tried to reach Hera with erotic mood. The next time Zeus visited the girl he was so delighted with her that he promised her anything she wanted. If Zeus also has a nurturing mother who teaches him manners and social skills, he will grow up with a sense of entitlement, but will have confidence in himself and his place in the world. You didnt mentioned what happened to the stone that was spat out with the his children. Zeus was the most powerful God of Greek Mythology and of Mt. Circe was a sorceress who was the daughter of Helios (the Sun) and Hecate (the goddess of witchcraft). Zeus was born with shapeshifting powers that allow him to take on the form of any being and he can recreate the form perfectly without fail. This is a relief of Zeus, carved between the 1st Century and 2nd Century. Updates? Zeus and his now-regurgitated siblings then waged war on Cronus and eventually overthrew the Titans and imprisoned them for eternity in Tartarus, a place of eternal suffering and torment. Zeus met wise Metis when he was older, and she helped Zeus give Cronus an emetic, causing him to vomit up his children, and the stone. Despite his conquests Zeus was not always successful in his amorous pursuits. Gill, N.S. Infectious. As a memorial to Argus, Hera set his eyes in the tail of her pet bird, the peacock. Zeus the philanderer was always getting women pregnant and fathering numerous offspring. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Zeus then was attracted by his sister Demeter, who resisted him. This can also be a time of emotional difficulties, because now he has to face neglected parts of himself or his relationships. The only way for liars or cheats to get back in good graces with Zeus was to commission and dedicate a statue to him in a sanctuary. Jupiter is thought to be made up of a Proto-Indoeuropean word for god, *deiw-os, combined with the word for father, pater, like Zeus + Pater. N.S. Zeus can quickly cut his losses and move on. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points, How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer, Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests. So how did Zeus wife, Hera, feel about all this? Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on July 18, 2011: Thank you for stopping by and commenting. That potion made Cronus vomit up all his children! Just like a Greek God of Mythology, Zeus understands that todays allies can be tomorrows competition, and vice versa. The bull was so gentle and lovely that she decided to ride it. This usually comes in a form of extreme anger as the King of Gods had a very fiery temper that should never be trifled with. He is emotionally distant and unavailable to them as well. This 1815 sketch by French archaeologist Quatmere de Quincy depicts what the Statue of Zeus at Olympia may have looked like. Zeus is a hard worker or alpha male, even from the time he has his first part time job. Their distance allows them to disregard the thought they are ruining younger men and womens lives. The Greek pantheon of gods and goddesses features three waves of leading deities.