Gods 3

the Loves of Zeus - Europa

emerged relatively unscathed Phoenician maiden having spied her while she was picking blooms in a seaside meadow, Zeus trickily transformed himself into a handsome bull she got on his back and they eventually made landfall in Crete, where Europa was to bear Zeus three sons: Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon the myth is doubly aetiological: - first, it explains the etymology of "Europe," to which the maiden-no-longer lent her name - secondly, the myth constructs an origin for the link between Crete and bulls, and association established not only in other myths such as that of the Minotaur, but also in evidence from the archaeological record

Hera

"Juno" by the Romans was consort and queen of the gods regal and matronly she is an Earth goddess with spheres of authority over women, marriage, and childbirth (recall her ability to prolong the birth of Herakles) she is often referred to as an ox-eyed goddess, as the cow an animal sacred to her (Io in the form of a cow was her prize at one point) she also is featured with peacock imagery because, after Argus the hundred eyed beast was killed, she took the hundred eyes and put it on one of her favorite birds, thus the etiology of the peacock's tail feathers as in the Attic red-figure vase pictured here attributed to the Brygos Painter, ca. 500-475 BC, she is frequently seen with a crown and scepter sitting on a throne it is important in her imagery that she appears as a queen

Zeus

"Jupiter" by the Romans usually depicted as a powerful mature male, seen with a beard and often gray hair the ancient Greek tragedian Aeschylus refers to him as the father of gods and men, and so all should obey his will he is the highest ruler who can—with the help of lesser gods—manage everything as a founder of kingly power, he also has spheres of authority in law and of order, with other lesser justice/order gods to assist him he also protects the assembly of people and councils, and just as he presides over the whole state, so also rules over every house and family as a god of law and order he also watches over the sanctity of the oath, the law of hospitality, and protected suppliants he avenged those who were wronged and punished those who had committed a crime as a sky god he was often mentioned as a cloud-gatherer or bright he is usually depicted with a lightning bolt made by the Cyclopes, evergreen holm oak as Zeus's priests in Dodona were given godly inspiration by the rustling of oak leaves he is sometimes depicted as an eagle or a bull as he transformed into those creatures to abduct Ganymede and Europa, respectfully spheres of authority: - sky - thunderstorms - weather - moral order of the universe - justice and virtue - social institutions (oaths, hospitality, supplications, etc) epithets: - the cloud-gatherer - "Bright" signature attributes: - thunder / lightning - Aegis/eagle/oak

Aphaia

Aphaea is a Greek goddess who was worshipped almost exclusively at a single sanctuary on the island of Aegina evidence shows locals worshipped her as early as the 14th century B.C. as a local deity associated with fertility and agricultural when the island came under Athenian rule, she was assimilated with Athena

Athena's Epithets and Attributes

Athena has several epithets, the most important and most commonly used is that of 'Parthenos,' which means the virgin as a virgin goddess this was an important distinction and so the Parthenon is the 'house of the virgin' being a daughter of Metis, she is often associated with words describing her intellect or keenness 'Promachos' was often used when describing her as the goddess of war, as it means 'at the front of battle' also 'Polias,' from the Greek word meaning city since her worship in Athens was so important 'Pallas' Athena is also used but the origins are a bit more muddled one source tells about a playmate of Athena's named Pallas, a daughter of Triton they were mock fighting and Athena was hurt Zeus struck the other girl down for injuring Athena Athena was so sad at the loss of her friend she affixed the girl's name to her own another epithet is Athena Nike when referencing victory in battle and finally she is often referred to as 'Glaukopis' meaning 'gray-eyed,' or as it is often translated 'bright-eyed'

Military, Political, and Domestic Arts and Crafts

Athena is the goddess of military prowess, but also of the domestic arts she would have been the home economics teacher in antiquity while she was worshipped alongside Hephaestus for inventions and crafts, more specifically, she was a goddess of weaving and spinning - Fates as weavers those things made young women excellent wives and thus Athena was a goddess of 'arete' the 'excellence' of a woman one particular myth involving Athena and weaving is the tale of Arachne the image on this slide is from a perfume pot and depicts Arachne weaving Arachne, unlike many other myths, is lower class. She had no regal lineage she lived in Lydia and had won renown for her weaving skills however, she denied that her gifts were god-given - this was an impious act she even went so far as to call out the goddess and state, 'Let her [Athena] contend with me. Should I lose, there's no forfeit that I would not pay.' Athena disguised herself as an old woman and warned the girl of her impious words, and even stated that the goddess would pardon her if she asked forgiveness for her hasty words Arachne did not listen, insulted the old woman before her and again challenged Athena to which, Athena immediately dropped the disguise and threw down the gauntlet Athena weaved a depiction of her winning against Poseidon to become the god of Athens or in another version she weaved four scenes of the devastating results of humans trying to put themselves above the gods Arachne weaved in each corner scenes of gods (particularly Zeus, Athena's father) seducing mortals in the form of animals - yet another slap in the fact to Athena, a virgin goddess. Arachne's work was faultless but completely inappropriate and so Athena ripped the tapestry to shreds and began beating Arachne (or in the Roman version she sprinkled her with poisonous dust) Arachne could not withstand the punishment and so she hung herself. Athena however would have the last word 'Live!' she said, 'Yes, live but hang, you wicked girl, and know you'll rue the future too: that penalty your kin shall pay to all posterity!' and she turned Arachne into a spider

Athena - Goddess of War

Athena's Roman equivalent is Minerva, but there is a close relationship with the goddess Nike the winged goddess of victory (Roman Victoria) since she was born fully armored, she is a goddess to soldiers the shield she carries is often in the style of a hoplite she is normally seen with an Aegis or an animal pelt traditionally, the aegis is the skin/head of the gorgon Medusa and is a talisman against evil usually, it is a wrap around her shoulders, but often she is portrayed with the gorgon head on her shield although she is the goddess of war, it is important to point out the differences between Athena and Ares while Ares represented the blood lust of war, Athena, being a child of Metis, is a goddess that represents the tactics and strategy of war - prowess in battle because good strategy often leads to victory, it is obvious why Nike is a traditional part of her retinue (her crew)

Zeus' Daughters by Themis (Justice)

Clotho (Spinner) Lachesis (Apportioner) Atropos (Inflexible)

Hera - Goddess of Heroes at Argos

Hera's temple at Argos and the festivals celebrated there in her honor demonstrate her intimate association with the region of Argos and its heroes with many rituals involving sacrificing cows and figurines of mother and child and model houses suggest the many facets of Hera's identity among the Argives

Human Order

Hesiod combines Zeus' power over weather with his oversight of human deeds and justice in Works and Days, Zeus exhibits a particular interest in the dealings of princes whereas the Theogony shows him in relation to other gods, Works and Days depicts Zeus as deeply engaged with the human natural world Hesiod and the farmers of Ascra worship Zeus as a giver of rain and judge of men's deeds Hesiod suggests how these two activities—meting out justice and sending rain—are intimately connected to each other Zeus is considered a ruler who gives "straight" judgements; peaceful communities flourish and thrive, while violent and wicked men bring suffering to their "whole community" in the form of famine, plague, and sterility of the earth and humankind - these kinds of events are understood as punishments inflicted by Zeus on whole communities in which rules or lesser individuals have not acted justly - - the justice of Zeus, then, dictates that the actions of a single ruler or individual may lead to the devastation of an entire community

Parentage of Poseidon

Poseidon was the fifth child of the Titans Kronos and Rhea, and a grandson of Ouranos (the Heavens) and Gaia (the Earth) he was a brother of the gods Zeus, Hades, Hera, Demeter and Hestia Poseidon was married to the marine-goddess Amphitrite, the eldest child of Nereus, who was the first-born son of Pontos (the Sea) this marriage was an alliance which secured his dominion over the sea

Poseidon's Sanctuaries

Poseidon's chief sanctuaries are at Sounion, which is the southernmost tip of the Attic peninsula, and at Isthmia, near the Isthmus of Corinth

the Loves of Apollo: Kreousa

Kreousa ("Queen") is the name of several mythical heroines the Kreousa who Apollo seduced came from Athens her anguish is portrayed in Euripides' play Ion, named after the son whom she bore to her seducer Kreousa had married a mortal, but the two of them had no children - so, like many an ordinary Greek couple, the pair consulted an oracle about their prospects for having a family - they chose the oracle Delphi, one of whose temple-servants was Ion, surreptitiously conveyed there as a newborn to Hermes after an intricate series of misunderstandings, mother and son are reunited, but the ??? tone is more bitter than sweet - Apollo never apologized in person, and his rape of Kreousa remains inescapably shameful

Appearance and Attributes of Poseidon

Poseidon was the Olympian god of the sea, but also earthquakes, floods, drought, and horses he was usually depicted as a mature man with a dark beard holding a trident he is credited with the creation of sea creatures - hippocamp (half-horse, half-fish) - dolphin - fish - horse Poseidon's sacred plants were the pine tree and wild celery which were used to crown victors at Isthmian Games (one of the Panhellenic games) which were dedicated to Poseidon the Isthmian games were held on the Isthmus of Corinth in a grove of pine trees sacred to Poseidon he is also attributed with a strong hatred for Odysseus for blinding Polyphemus, who is Poseidon's son other reasons for his hatred include being on opposing sides in the Trojan war, and the relationship between Odysseus and Athena since Poseidon competed against her for the patronage of Athens earth shaker

Zeus

Zeus' offspring via Themis (Established Custom) - several daughters whose names suggest the cosmic spheres he oversees and the values he introduces into the universe - the Seasons (sometimes called "Watchers") - Lawfulness - Peace - Justice Zeus ensures the cosmos' orderly continuance through natural processes, such as the seasons despite being called 'the father of gods and mortals," Zeus created neither all the divine beings in the universe or the human race he oversees peace and justice among both groups Zeus secures his rule by maintaining order in three key spheres: - the cosmic sphere (celestial phenomena) - the human sphere (actions of humans on earth) - the divine sphere (gods and goddesses)

Hera

Zeus and Hera's marriage is characterized by her fidelity and his philandering Hera remains monogamous and marries no other god she bears only the offspring of Zeus: - Ares, the god of war - Hebe, a goddess who represents young and becomes Heracles's bride - Eileitheuia, a goddess of childbirth, an area of women's lives also overseen by Hera on her own, without Zeus, she bears - Hephaestus, a god who is known for his lameness and his association with metalurgy - Typhaon, a snaky, dragon-like monster who seems to be a shadowy double of Typhoeus in Theogony Zeus' many offspring outside the marriage provokes Hera's infamous wrath compounding with his infidelity, Hera's also angry because Zeus refuses to share the governance of the cosmos with her - like all other gods and goddesses, Hera is subject to Zeus's rule Hera's subservience to her husband is reflected in architecture, art, and ritual yet neither Zeus's dominance nor his philandering fully explain or justify her common portrayal as a chronically angry and jealous wife

Zeus and Hera's Children

Zeus and Hera, arguably, have four children together one daughter is Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth and labor pains - according to some sources there were two Eileithyiai, one who furthered birth and one who protracted labor - her name in Greek means "she who comes to aid" or "relieve" - she was often depicted as a woman wielding a torch representing the burning pains of childbirth or she was depicted with her arms raised in the air to bring the child to the light another daughter, Hebe, is the goddess of youth and the cupbearer of the gods' heavenly feast - she was also the patron goddess of the young bride and an attendant of the goddess Aphrodite - in some versions of his parentage, Hephaistos is the son of Zeus and Hera, but we will talk more about him in a later lecture Ares, the god of war is another child of their union and another god we will cover in more detail later

Zeus and Leda

Zeus approaches Leda in the form of a swan, impregnates her, and she gives birth to Helen and Pollux - at the same time, she gives birth to Clyemnestra and Castor who were fathered by Tyndareus the ancients depicted this encounter sometimes as a violent, nonconsensual act and at other times as a playful seduction relatively few depictions will show the swan overpowering Leda with physical force two different morals here: - human beings cannot escape the will of Zeus or the limits of their mortality - the beauty and hope of semidivine offspring may be a consolation for the human condition it is precisely the fluctuations between female consent and resistance between divine violence and grace in these tales that convey a range of human sentiments, even ambivalence toward Zeus - the gods lent beauty and grace to the human world, but they did not offer relief for (and indeed in some instances they directly caused) human suffering

Mosaic of Ganymede and Zeus from the House of Dionysos in Cyprus

Zeus found beauty in both male and female form Ganymede was a handsome Trojan prince who was carried off to Olympus by Zeus in the shape of an eagle he was also placed among the stars is the constellation Aquarius with his ambrosial mixing cup as Crater and the eagle Aquila Ganymede was often portrayed as the god of homosexual love, and as such, appears as a playmate of the love gods Eros (love) and Hymenaios (marital love) he was typically depicted in Greek vase painting as a handsome youth and in scenes of his abduction he holds a rooster which is a lover's gift, a hoop which is a boy's toy, or sometimes a lyre, which you can see on the kylix when portrayed as the cupbearer of the Gods he pours nectar from a jug in sculpture and mosaic, Ganymede usually appears with a shepherd's Crook and a Phrygian cap as you see him in the mosaic on the right the boy's name was derived from the Greek word ganumai meaning 'gladdening' and medon or medeon meaning 'prince' or 'genitals' the name may have been formed to contain the deliberate double-meaning

Zeus' Escapades with Immortals

Zeus had many affairs with immortals one immortal was Leto, the titan goddess - Zeus was frisky and found Leto "glorious" according to Homer and of course after the interlude she became pregnant - Hera was furious and according to Pseudo-Hyginus, she decreed that Leto should give birth at a place where the sun did not shine - the more common tale is that all lands should shun her - so Leto wonders the world for a while before reaching Delos, a floating island, where she gave birth to Artemis - newly born Artemis then helped her deliver Apollo --- his affair with Metis produced Athena with Maya, a Pleiad Nymph (a daughter of the Titan Atlas and sea-nymph Pleione), he had Hermes with Demeter he had Persephone and then with Themis he had the Horae, who guarded the gates of Olympus - these goddesses were the seasons and portions of time - the three were usually named Eunomia (Good Order/Good Pasture), Eirene (Pease/Spring), and Dike (Justice) - these goddesses individually represented the conditions required for prosperous farming with Themis he also had the Morae (the spinning fate), who wove, measured, and cut a mortal's life string with Eurynome, an Oceanid Titan goddess of water, meadows and pastures, Zeus had the Graces, three goddesses of grace and beauty with the Titan goddess of memory, Mnemosyne, he had the Muses - these were the goddesses of music song and dance and the source of inspiration to poets - they were also goddesses of knowledge who remembered all things that had come to pass lastly, according to Homer, Zeus with Dione had Aphrodite

Ganymede Serving Zeus Kylix

Zeus has a thunderbolt in his left hand and is holding out a cup to be served Hera is on the right holding foliage and is sitting on a throne

Zeus and Hera's Marriage

Zeus is married to Hera, and although he has many conquests before and during their marriage, their union is a sacred union known as a hieros gamos this is a union between a sky god and an earth deity. Hera is the only consort of Zeus, although according to some sources he was married to other gods before Hera, however Hera is predominately featured as his consort in a majority of the myths

Extent of Zeus' Power

Zeus is powerful but not without checks of course, he cannot alter the will of the Fates, nor could he significantly go against Hera - remember a happy wife means a happy life

Cosmic Order: Thunder and Lightning

Zeus' name refers to the bright sky of the day rather than the night - this suggests that the Zeus whom the Greeks worshipped derived from a widely worshipped Indo-European sky god he is specifically associated with the thunderbolt and lightning - also, his weapons by which he asserts his power over other gods as well as the sources of the celestial phenomena he does control (rain and storms) religious imagination translated the myth of Zeus' inheritance of the sky (via Cronus, with Poseidon getting the sea and Hades getting the Underworld) into the belief that Zeus dwelled on the mountains sanctuaries devoted to Zeus located on lofty peaks suggest that the Greeks understood Zeus to control rain and storms Zeus was worshipped on Mount Lycaeus and Mount Hymettus - the rain rituals on these mountains suggest that worshippers had a practical understanding of Zeus as a god who dwelled in the sky and sent rain for their fields also had the role as ensurer of justice among humankind

Demeter

associated with corn symbolizes the source of the break which formed the Greeks' staple diet "fertility goddess" in terms of crop harvest spheres of activity: - corn - fertility of the land - patroness of the Eleusinian Mystery cult in conjunction with her daughter Persephone attributes - often carries a torch or corn

Zeus' Escapades with Mortals

Zeus's escapades with mortals are also numerous Io was an Argive princess and Naiad-nymph who was loved by Zeus, when Hera, suddenly interrupted their tryst Zeus transformed her into a white cow Hera was not fooled however because even as a cow Io was beautiful, and she requested the animal as a gift, knowing full well that Zeus could not refuse her the gift of an animal Hera then appointed the hundred-eyed giant Argos Panoptes as Io's guard. Zeus felt guilty and so sent Hermes to slay the beast Io, however, was still a cow and Hera retaliated by sending a gadfly to constantly torture Io the stinging insect drove Io crazy - think of a flock of mosquitoes that never cease to find a new place to sting you the gadfly forced her to wander miles across the expanses of Europe and Asia before eventually reaching Aigyptos Egypt once there, Zeus was able to restore her form with the touch of his hand, and she gave birth to their son if Epaphos Io and her descendants ruled Egypt and the East for many generations, but later returned to Greece more famous of her descendants were Cadmus who founded the royal house of Thebes and Danaos of Argus because of her association with Egypt, Io sometimes is identified with the Egyptian goddess Isis and her son Epaphos with the sacred bull Apis with the mortal Alcmena from Thebes, Zeus had Heracles. According to Hesiod, she was the tallest most beautiful woman with wisdom surpassing other mortals

Zeus' Limitations to His Power

also a complex question prime example of the effect of which the pluralism of Greek mythology can have some texts speak of Zeus in terms of perfection and completeness but others depict Zeus as emphatically within, rather than above, the causality of events

Birth of Erichthonius

although Athena was a virgin goddess, she does have a so-called adopted son this vase depicts the birth of Erichthonius by the Munich Painter circa 460 B.C. according to Pseudo-Apollodorus, one day Athena came to Hephaistos looking for his help in creating new armor he was recently scorned by Aphrodite and fell in love with Athena and started to chase her of course, the virgin goddess fled, but he got close enough and tried to embrace her she rejected him, but the proximity to her caused him to get excited and he ejaculated on her leg obviously, she wiped off her leg and the seed hit the ground at that spot, Erichthonius was born Athena raised him in secret, wishing to make him immortal she put him in a chest, and committed it to Pandrosos, a daughter of Cecrops, ordering it to never be opened unfortunately Pandrosos's sister opened it out of curiosity, and saw a serpent coiled about the baby one myth says the snake destroyed them, other accounts say they were driven mad by the anger of Athena and threw themselves down from the acropolis according to the myths, Athena then raised him in Athens where he grew up and eventually expelled Amphiktyon and became king of Athens - progenitor of royal Athenian lineage it was Erichthonius who first placed the wooden image of Athena in the Acropolis and instituted the Panathenaia

Athenian Red-Figure of Zeus and Ganymede

an Athenian red-figure kylix from the 5th Century

Extent of Demeter's Power

and finally, Demeter, the harvest earth goddess, when she is sad nothing can grow, which means humans have nothing to sacrifice to the gods, but we will talk more about her in a few weeks

Athene

child of Zeus and Metis wise, resourceful and valiant virgin warrior who sprang fully armed from the head of Zeus her military trademarks were the helmet, the spear, and above all the "aegis," the tasselled goatskin which she wore about her shoulders, and on it was the grim image of the Gorgon, instiller of panic felt to be "close," especially to heroes whom she favored - she frequently plays a role in hero myths she was also "close" to communities - sometimes the very fate of a city hung upon her presence - the link between the city of Athens and her was intimidate --- her sacred bird, the owl, is a typical image on Athenian coinage where did this connection with Athens come from? - according to mythology, Athene and Poseidon vied for the role of pre-eminent deity in the city - whereas Poseidon's trident struck a source of sea-water from the bare rock of the Acropolis, Athene's gift, which duly earned her the victory, was at once more sustaining and more economically useful: a cultivated olive tree cultivation is a key notion for understanding Athene her wrath could be devastating her virginity remains intact - her divine persona combines masculinity and femininity in an idiosyncratic yet never grotesque way Hephaistos was the smith-god who split open Zeus' head so that Athene could be birthed - one day he was sexually pursuing her and ended up spilling semen on her thigh - she wiped it off with some wool and tossed it aside - this brought about a child who would be one of Athen's earliest kings: Erechtheus/Erichthonios spheres of activity: - craftsmanship, especially in wood - cunning - warfare attributes: - helmet and spear - snake-fringed cape (aegis) being the image of Gorgon - owl

the Worship of Zeus Milichius (Mild One)

counterpart of Hesiod's description of Zeus represented as a bearded man or as a snake - in the Greek, snakes were associated with the Underworld, so in this sense Zeus was associated with the Underworld from where he sent the earth's fruits upwardo9 the Diasia festival in Athens was where everyone thanked Zeus for beneficial weather as well as propitiated him to ensure a successful harvest he was also connected with justice - if any murder were to happen in Athens, he had to be supplicated - in the Pompaia, another ritual dedicated to him, a ram's skin was carried around the city to protect it from pollution caused by any ritual violations, including bloodshed his shrine illustrates Greek religious habits and attributes as well as the many dimensions of Zeus - he oversees community welfare by attending to it agriculturally and morally

Scylla

daughter of Phorycys and Hecate Scylla and Charybdis are the modern-day equivalent of being 'between a rock and a hard place' or choosing 'the lesser of two evils' Scylla was once a beautiful naiad who was turned into a monster by a jealous god/witch as a monster Scylla would grab sailors from off the ship and eat them alive. Whereas Scylla is represented by dangerous cliffs, Charybdis was a nearby whirlpool which caused hazardous conditions in the Strait of Messina Charybdis was the daughter of Pontus and Gaia

Hera's Sanctuaries

depicted here is the head of Hera from the Temple of Hera at Olympia circa 600 B.C., and you see in the image the remains of her Sanctuary at Olympia below the principal place of worship for Hera was Samos, where her temple the Heraion was a prominent sanctuary for women another location of worship was the Heraion in Argos, where they claimed it was a sight of her birth and marriage to Zeus at her temple in Olympia, just like Zeus, she had a giant gold and ivory statue, but her statue was made by Polycletus Heraion -- Heraia

Rituals

describes these actions include sacrifice, dedications of objects, prayer, dance, songs, and processions Zeus was worshipped on Mount Lycaeus and Mount Hymettus - the rain rituals on these mountains suggest that worshippers had a practical understanding of Zeus as a god who dwelled in the sky and sent rain for their fields

Sanctuaries: Sounion

during the Greco-Persian War in the 5th Century, after the Greeks defeated Xerxes in the naval Battle of Salamis, the Athenians placed an entire captured enemy trireme (warship with three banks of oars) at Sounion as a trophy dedicated to Poseidon Sounion overlooks the Aegean Sea which is famous for its name sake Aegeus and Theseus

the Loves of Zeus: Io

first, she received mysterious messages approaches from Zeus then, she was banished from her home by her father, the river-god Inachos finally, she was persecuted by Gera, in whose Argive temple she had been serving as preistess she was eventually turned into a cow, either vindictively by Hera, or by Zeus himself to try to disguise her from Hera's wifely suspicions - Hera would not be fooled, and set the hundred-eyes Argos to watch over the "cow" - Hera eventually sent a stinging fly to madden Io and drive her wandering throughout the world - only when she reached Egypt did she find peace - Zeus changed her back into human shape and mated with her by simply touching her - her child Epaphos ("Child of Touch") was ancestor to Danaos, who would make the return journey from Egypt to Argos and found a dynasty there

Zeus as Horkius (Guardian of Oaths), Philius (Guardian of Friendship), and Polius (Guardian of the City)

further indicate that Zeus' oversight of human communities and customs was just as important as his control of the weather

Zeus

has at the center of his being a configuration of what we would describe as "natural phenomena" - sky - weather - storm - lightning - thunderbolt Homer called him nephelegereta, "marshaller of the clouds" dominates physically - frequently boasts about his awesome superiority to the other Olympians supremacy through sovereignty - animal equivalent is the eagle - another of of the god's attributes is the scepter, which confers authority upon human rulers dominion over the family - "father of gods and men" - metaphorical father to men, literal father to some of the gods - stood at the head of the family of the Olympians - modelled as it was on an institution of human society, the concept of the divine family was an image which brought the gods' behavior at least partly within the framework of comprehensible spheres of activity: - sky - weather - numerous aspects of social life, including hospitality, supplication, oaths - "father of gods and mortals" attributes: - thunderbolt - eagle - scepter

Zeus' Concern with Justice in Human Communities

he was especially important to Greek kings, who claimed him as their protector and patron he also protected those on the margins of society

Parthenon

here is another photo of the Parthenon, which was dedicated to Athena, the city's patron it is the most important surviving building of ancient Greece it was built in the 5th century B.C. when Athens was at its peak of power it is of Doric order construction and the architects were Iktinos and Callicrates with Phidias as the sculptor throughout the centuries it withstood significant damage including getting partially blown up in the 17th century when it was used to store gunpowder

Zeus/Swan and Leda

here we have an image of Zeus as a swan seducing Leda Leda was a queen of Sparta and the wife of King Tyndareus there are several versions of the parentage of her children some say she laid an egg from which were hatched the Dioskouroi twins Castor and Polydeukes, both sons of Zeus (Caster and Pollux in Roman mythology) yet another source states that Leda laid two eggs each containing a child of Zeus and a child of Tyndareus, Polydeukes and Castor in one and Helen and Clytemnestra in the other although another tales relates that the second egg contained just Helen and was delivered to Leda by the goddess Nemesis who had laid it after coupling with Zeus in the guise of a goose

Sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia

here you see a recreation of the 'Flame of Zeus' at Olympia the sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia has a strong connection with Elis because the first Olympic Festival was organized in Olympia by the authorities of Elis in the 8th century B.C. they later held authority over Olympia and the games the temple was built in the 5th century B.C. and is in the classical Doric order construction by the architect Libon of Elis

Judgement of Paris

here you see one side of an attic black-figure hydria ca. 510 B.C. by the Antimenes Painter depicting the Judgement of Paris the prize for the "fairest goddess" was a golden apple. Paris was the judge and asked the three goddess what they would give him if he picked them Hera said that if she were chosen fairest of all women she would make Paris king of all men, Athena promised him victory in war, and Aphrodite promised him the most beautiful woman in marriage of course, being a healthy youth and often persuaded by lust, Paris chose Aphrodite

Zeus' Power and His Morality

how far Zeus' authority can be said to be moral is a very complex question myth depicts him as: - father of Dike ("Right") - consort of Themis ("Due Order") - punisher of oath-breakers (Zeus Horkios) - punisher of those who reject suppliants (Zeus Hikesios) yet his own conduct places him well beyond the norms of human morality--witness his incest with his sister Hera and his serial adultery

Violence and Grace

in Aeschylus's play Agamemnon, after the chorus describes Agamemnon's sacrifice of his daughter, its members are filled with fear and foreboding they pray to Zeus and in so doing express how they (and perhaps the audience of the play) understand his mysterious governance of the cosmic, divine, and human realms the first stanza, the chorus expresses both its members reverential piety and their limited understanding of Zeus and the world in which they live in the second stanza, the chorus recalls Hesiod's account of how Zeus came to power - here we see how seamlessly mythic tales and religious piety intersect with each other the chorus concludes with a picture of Zeus that seems distinctly Greek - it sees benefit in the inevitable suffering of human beings - the chorus also links the judgements of Zeus and the other divinities to "grace," something allows (perhaps even compels) human beings to develop a perspective on their condition - grace and beauty complement that perspective on their condition - divine violence coupled with divine grace: these are Zeus' gifts to humanity one collection of myths offers further insight into the violence and grace associated with Zeus - these are the stories in which Zeus disguises himself, often as an animal, in order to rape or seduce a human being, usually a woman; sometimes he came in the form of a regular human - these kinds of stories where Zeus is in disguise is what's usually portrayed in children's stories with the violence and sex minimized

the Sea

in Greek eyes, the fundamental quality of the sea was its ambiguity and quickly changing nature - this doubleness of the sea runs throughout our sources in Plato's Laws, discussion at one point turns to where a certain city should be founded - being near the sea would have dire consequences, since being near the sea "fills the land with wholesaling and retailing, breeds shifty and deceitful habits in a man's soul, and makes the citizens distrustful and hostile" but the sea could also be represented as a valuable source of livelihood, through fishing and trade - a source of "home" the sea is embodied by a god who, though not the only power active in its waters, is nevertheless comfortably superior to all the rest: Poseidon - his temper is sometimes calm and serene, sometimes furious and uncontrollable several lesser sea-deities, including Glaukos, Nereus, Proteus, and Triton, have a shared connection with prophecy - perhaps the implication is that the deep of the sea is parallel to the mysterious profundity of the future also powerful at sea were the Dioskouroi ("Children of Zeus"), Kastor and Polydeukes - their downfall came through a family dispute - feud-to-the-death with their cousins Idas and Lynkeus - one version said the Dioskouroi had abducted the two daughters of Leukippos, who were due to be married to Idas and Lynkeus - thanks to Zeus, however, Kastor and Polydeukes were allowed to be identical after death as they had been before it: each was to spend alternate days on Olympos and in the Underworld - in this unusual posthumous existence they could be called on by mariners in distress --- if the mariners prayer was heard, the twins would ride to the rescue on their trademark white steeds, or in the form of the fiery electrical discharge which can manifest itself around a ship's mast during a storm (St. Elmo's fire)

Divine Order: Kingship

in Homer's Iliad, Zeus is a king who works to keep balance in a world at war, both on Olympus and on earth Zeus is firmly in control of the gods by virtue of his physical strength, but he must work to maintain his position of authority among the gods, who often try to evade his dictates in order to help human beings they love or harm those they dislike Homer shows repeatedly that, despite his supreme power over the Olympians as their ruler, Zeus is nonetheless constrained by his obligations to other gods and goddesses, whose allegiance Zeus values in his quest to maintain his sovereignty without strife - he has to respect other deities' powers if cosmic warfare is to be avoided when Zeus is bound to meet his obligations to other immortals, he often cannot respond to human prayers and sacrifices - because these divine obligations may be unknown to human beings, his actions appear fickle, unclear, even cruel the most dramatic example of humans not understanding involves the destruction human actors in the Iliad lack the capacity to understand the constraints on Zeus' prerogatives, making Zeus appear incomprehensible, indifferent, and even unconcerned with justice - in emphasizing those aspects of Zeus that best fit his tale of war and suffering, Homer portrays Zeus as seen through the eyes of the warriors at Troy, and perhaps by extension Homer's audience, many of whom would have been soldiers - in the Iliad, survival on the battlefield seems arbitrary; the fate of soldiers seems to have little to do with their moral fiber - Zeus is understood to embody the cruelty and suffering inflicted by warriors and kings neither Hesiod nor Homer is more "correct" about Zeus - it is more consistent with Greek thinking to treat each poem as an expression of how different people in different circumstances

Extent of Aphrodite's Power

in contrast, is Aphrodite - she is erotic passion and can put lustful thoughts into everyone's heads - she often affected Zeus with lustful passions, possibly a cause of his amorous nature

the Loves of Zeus: Kallisto

in numerous Greek myths concerning a god's interaction with humans, metamorphosis plays a part, either because a divinity adopts a "meditating" shape in order to make his presence among humans less overpoweringly direct, or because one or more of the humans has been so drastically "destabilized" that they can no longer retain their original form Kallisto was a nymph and daughter of the Arcadian king Lykaon - Arcadia was perceived by non-Arcadians as uncivilized, so Kallisto was seen as from "the wilds," which is why myths represented her as a devotee of Artemis in order to mate with her, Zeus took the form either of Apollo or of Artemis herself Zeus changed Kallisto into a bear in order to escape Hera's notice, and bears were not at home in the landscape where Artemis roamed Hera then tricked Artemis herself into shooting her ursine former companion - another variant tells that the virgin huntress herself shot Kallisto for yielding up her virginity the child, Arkas, would be a founder of a dynasty Kallisto was then changed into the constellation of the Bear

Panathenaia

in the inner chamber of the Parthenon, was a detailed frieze thought to be showing the Panathenaia this was an Athenian festival, in June, honoring the goddess there were two different types of the Panathenaia, the Lesser and Greater the Lesser Panathenaia was held every year, and the Greater was held every four years the Greater Panathenaia had musical, gymnastic, and equestrian contests there would be a procession of the victors from those contests along with sacrifices from Athens and beyond brought in honor of the goddess additionally, a new garment, a peplus, was made for the statue of Athena Parthenon Frieze by Pheidias (drawing from Connolly and Dodge 2000, 84-85)

Athena's Attributes

in this image you have a statue of Athena in the Temple of Aphaia, ca. 505-500 B.C. she is always portrayed as a youthful, fully grown, and fully armored woman she is a virgin goddess and in the Homeric Hymn 5 to Aphrodite, it is described how there are only three gods that Aphrodite is unable to affect: "First is the daughter of Zeus who holds the aigis, bright-eyed Athene; for she has no pleasure in the deeds of golden Aphrodite, but delights in wars and in the work of Ares, in strifes and battles and in preparing famous crafts. She first taught earthly craftsmen to make chariots of war and cars variously wrought with bronze, and she, too, teaches tender maidens in the house and puts knowledge of goodly arts in each one's mind." (translation by Evelyn-White) Artemis and Hestia are the other two, and also virgin goddesses Telestes, in Fragment 805, states "Why should a keen yearning for lovely beauty distress her [Athena], to whom Klotho [one of the Fates] had assigned a marriageless and childless virginity." (trans. Campbell) - unapproachable virginity

Jupiter and Thetis

in this image, Thetis is pleading for Zeus to spare the life of her son, Achilles you can see his body is stiff and he has a dead stare to his eyes he takes up most of the canvas showing his importance she however tries to make as much contact as possible: her toes are touching his, her breasts are upon his thigh, her arm is across his lap, she is touching his beard, and her clothes are literally falling off in a show of offering herself for the life of her son notice the eagle to the right and to the left is Hera looking in on the scene

Inside the Sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia

inside the temple was a giant statue of Zeus made of gold and ivory - 42 feet high it was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and it took the sculptor Pheidias 12 years to complete it he was also the sculptor for the statues of Athena inside the Parthenon and a large bronze statue between the Propylaea and the Parthenon Zeus's image was reflected in a pool below the statue containing olive oil - Pausanius stated that this was the way to preserve the ivory from the Greek climate and it doubled the apparent height of the statue

Interior of the Parthenon

just like the temples of Zeus and Hera in Olympia, the statue of Athena in the Parthenon was made of gold and ivory and was sculpted by Pheidias there are a few detailed descriptions from antiquity so the reconstruction is fairly accurate, unfortunately the real statue disappeared sometime in late antiquity

Rape of Europa

mid-6th century tuff metope from a lost ancient temple on the Acropolis of Selinunte, Sicily, Italy in this image we see a depiction of the rape of Europa Europa was a princess of Phoenicia, which is in West Asia she was abducted to the island of Crete in the Greek Aegean, by Zeus who took the form of a bull she bore him three sons: Minos, Sarpedon, and Rhadamanthy unlike most of Zeus's conquests Europa was left unscathed by Hera's vengeance

Parthenon: West Pediment

on the West Pediment you see the contest between Athena and Poseidon for patronage of Athens obviously, Athena won, but how? - the king Cecrops asked them to each give a gift to the Athenians and they would choose whichever gift they preferred Poseidon hit the ground with his trident and a salt spring grew up not a particularly useful gift as they could not drink the water Athena then gave them an olive tree this was a very useful gift; they had olives to eat, olive oil for cooking and light, and the tree itself could be used in construction or for burning Cecrops accepted the gift and Athena was declared patron of the city please note, that another very popular version of this myth is that Poseidon offered up as a gift a horse, but a wild horse Athena then made a harness to civilize it and again was able to take credit for making Poseidon's gift better

Plan of Isthmia

on this side you can see the plan of Isthmia, where the Isthmian games were held. There is a theater and stadium as well as later fortifications by the Romans

Metis and Athena's Birth

one of Zeus's early consorts was Metis, a goddess of "wise counsel" Zeus, as with all his conquests, never fails to impregnate his lover but when Metis was about to give birth to Athena, Zeus swallowed her up he had been warned by Gaia and Ouranos, "in order that no other should hold royal sway over the eternal gods in place of Zeus; for very wise children were destined to be born of Metis" thus, Athena is born of both Metis and Zeus but how does she get out? what are the labor pains of Zeus like? - Zeus complained of a horrible headache, one that was so unbearable that he ordered Hephaestus to strike him in the head with an axe thus Athena, with a little help from Hephaestus, is born from the head of Zeus the image on this slide is an Attic Black Figure attributed to Phrynos Painter depicting Athena springing from the head of Zeus. Notice that Zeus holds a thunderbolt and is sitting on a swan throne Athena is born ready-equipped with a shield and Hephaestus holds a double-headed axe and wears a short workman's chiton and boots

the Essentials of Zeus

parentage Cronus and Rhea offspring - Artemis and Apollo (with Leto) - Athena (with Metis) - Dionysus (with Semele) - Hermes (with Maia) - Persephone (with Demeter) - many others attributes - thunderbolt - lightning - eagle significant cult titles - Horkius (Guardian of Oaths) - Meilichius (Mild One) - Ombrius (Stormy) - Philius (Guardian of Friendship) - Xenius (Guardian of Hospitality) significant rituals and sanctuaries - the Diasia: a carnival-like ritual in which adults and children played games, exchanged gifts, and offered animal-shaped cookies to Zeus - Olympia: Zeus was honored in a quadrennial festival at Olympia with sacrifices and athletic and musical competitions - the Pompaia: a parade around Athens during which a ram's skin was carried to ensure the city's protection

the Essentials of Hera

parentage Cronus and Rhea offspring - Hebe (the goddess of youth) - Eileitheuia (goddess of childbirth) - Hephaestus (the god of metallurgy) - Typaon (a snaky dragon sometimes identified with Typhoeus, the offspring of Gaia) attributes - scepter - crown - peacock significant cult titles - Argeia (Argive) - Nympheuomene (Bride-to-Be) - Telea (Fulfiller of Marriage) significant rituals and sanctuaries - the Hecatombaia: a procession and a sacrifice of 100 oxen at Argos - the Tonaia: during this ritual at Samos, a statue of Hera was bound to a tree

Zeus as Xenius (Guardian of Hospitality)

refers to his oversight of ethical and religious obligations between guests and hosts, obligations that had great importance for intercity commercial, social, and political exchanges

Cult

refers to repeated actions directed towards specific divinities in a particular place

the Loves of Zeus: Ganymede

relatively less problematic Zeus plucked the young Trojan prince Ganymede (either as himself or as an eagle) from earth to be the gods' nectar-pourer on Olympos, as well as his own "catamite" (a passive partner) within Greek society, there was wide-spread social acceptance of same-sex relationships when one of the partners was reckoned to be (in age or status) "superior" and the other "inferior" so, to the extent that it reflected real-life custom, Zeus' passion for Ganymede raised none of the moral issues attendant on, for example, the act of adultery, which threatened the integrity of the husband's household though the boy's mortal family were bound to grieve for his loss, they were comforted by the assurance that he would be granted not only immorality but also eternal youth

Hera

sister and consort of Zeus was worshipped at sanctuaries throughout the Greek world - especially renowned was one temple on the island of Samos and another between Argos and Mycenae - she also had major shrines at Olympia, at Perachora near Corinth, and at south Italian sites such as Croton, Paestum, and Foce del Sele the progression that typifies Hera's rites in these sanctuaries is the transition from virgin to bride some places celebrated her as Parthenos (Maiden), while others worshipped her as presiding over marriage (main worship ritual), others did both her place in mythology is dominated in virtually every respect by her role as consort of Zeus most of her myths tell about her vindictiveness towards Zeus' lovers and their children - Leto > Apollo and Artemis - Io - Semele > Dionysos - she absolutely hated Herakles, Zeus' son by yet another of his mortal lovers, Alkmene --- Herakles was given rule over Mycenae by Zeus without first consulting Hera --- there was another child, Eurystheus who was the grandson of Perseus (another one of Zeus' sons), who would also qualify as a "descendant of Zeus" --- Hera persuaded the Eileithyiai (goddess of childbirth) to block Alkmene's delivery until Eurystheus' mother had been prematurely delivered --- thereafter, Hera never relented in her persecution of Herakles (which ironically means "Glory of Hera") --- at the height of Herakles' power, he was driven insane by Hera, causing him to kill his own wife and children spheres of activity: - consort of Zeus - consumed by jealousy at his serial infidelity - supports the integrity of marriage attributes: - often a scepter or crown - peacock

Persphone

spheres of activity: - bride of Hades and so Queen of Underworld - worshipped, along with her mother Demeter, in the Eleusinian Mysteries attributes: - corn and fruit as symbols of growth

Hermes

spheres of activity: - divine intermediary - messenger - guide of souls of dead to Hades - bringer of infertility to flocks attributes: - herald's staff (kerukeion) - winged boots/sandals - broad-brimmed hat

Dionysos

spheres of activity: - ecstacy - the madness of intoxication - wine - exuberance and danger of animal and vegetable nature attributes: - ivy - vines - panther - the thyrsos--a wand of fennel found at the end with ivy

Hestia

spheres of activity: - fire of hearth

Pan

spheres of activity: - god of lonely, rustic wildness - induces "panic" attributes: - hybrid, half-goat, half-human form

Priapos

spheres of activity: - god of sexual arousal attributes: - endowed with large and permanent erection

Artemis

spheres of activity: - hunting - wild animals - helper of women in childbirth attributes: - bow and arrows

Hades

spheres of activity: - lord of the Underworld attributes: - his cap confers invisibility on the wearer - represented as a regal, scepter-bearing figure in spite of his "hateful" role

Apollo

spheres of activity: - music - divination and prophecy - purification - healing - identified with the sun in later antiquity attributes: - bow and arrows - lyre - laurel

Hephaistos

spheres of activity: - physical infirmity (lameness) combined with brilliant virtuosity as an artisan - especially skilled at metalwork, hence his association with fire attributes: - axe - forging tongs - anvil

Aphrodite

spheres of activity: - sex - love attributes: - aphrodisiac girdle - doves - sparrows

ERos

spheres of activity: - sexual desire attributes: - bows and arrows

Ares

spheres of activity: - the fury of war attributes: - helmet - spear - shield

Graeae and Gorgons

the Graeae were 'old women,' 'grey ones,' or 'grey witches' they also were called the Grey Sisters, and the Phorcides (the daughters of Phorcys and his sister Ceto (both children of Pontus and Gaia)) these sisters shared one eye and one tooth among them their names were Deino (or Dino), Enyo, and Pemphredo (or Pephredo). Hesiod describes the Graeae as being 'fair-cheeked' lover of Poseidon? and in Prometheus Bound, the Graeae are described as being 'half-swan' when Perseus encountered them, he stole their eye while they were passing it among themselves, forcing them to tell the whereabouts of the three objects needed to kill Medusa (in other versions the whereabouts of Medusa) by ransoming their shared eye for the information the Gorgons were three sisters whose hair was made of venomous snakes and had an appearance that would turn mortals to stone traditionally, while two of the Gorgons were immortal, Stheno and Euryale, their sister Medusa was not, and she was eventually slain by the demigod hero Perseus one reason for the Gorgon's appearance was due to the rape of Medusa by Poseidon in Athena's temple Medusa, once beautiful and a worshipper of Athena, was pursued by Poseidon into Athena's temple where she was praying to the goddess to save her - birth to Pegasus and Chrysaor when Poseidon raped her in the temple of a virgin goddess, Athena could only retaliate against the mortal woman so she turned her hideous this is possibly yet another reason why the two gods were rivals

the New Order of the Gods

the Olympians was established with Zeus, the sky god as the king of the gods Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades are the trinity who control the important spheres of power: the sky, sea, and underworld

the God of Artemision

the bronze statue shown here is called the God of Artemision, often called the god from the sea, as it was recovered from the sea off Cape Artemision in Northern Euboea it is either Zeus or Poseidon and is slightly over life-size and would have held either a thunderbolt or a trident. Scholars do not agree on which god it portrays and the sculptor is unknown if you would look at other iconography of Ancient Greek pottery, it shows Poseidon wielding the trident in more of a stabbing motion similar to a fencing stance; while Zeus is often depicted fighting with his arm raised holding a thunderbolt overhead the statue's empty eye sockets were originally inset probably with bone, as well as, the eyebrows with silver, and the lips and nipples with cop

Monsters

the monsters from these sea unions were Scylla and Charybdis, the Graeae and the Gorgons to name a few most of them connected to the sea

the Loves of Apollo: Cassandra

the mortal objects of Apollo's sexual advances fared little better than did the favored of Zeus the tribulations of two of Apollo's victories are explored extensively in Greek tragedy Cassandra belonged to the Trojan royal house as a daughter of Pri..? she was of a later generation than Zeus' favorites when Apollo made a bargain with her--that he would grant her second sight if she would yield her virginity to him--she accepted the boon but then rashly broke her promise Apollo's gift could not be rescinded, but he added a qualification: that no one would ever believe Cassandra before and during the Trojan war, her prophecies of doom fell on deaf ears she was raped by Aias son of Oileus at Troy, she was allotted as concubine to Troy's conqueror Agamemnon ???, she died in Mycenae, slain by his vengeful wife Clytemnestra

Parthenon: East Pediment

the triangular section above the columns is called a pediment on the East Pediment there originally was a sculpted depiction of the birth of Athena you can see in these images two representations of what the sculptured scene may have looked like the top reconstruction is at the Acropolis Museum in Athens, and the bottom image is on the Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee you can visit the museum websites for detailed descriptions, but take note that in both you see Zeus seated on a throne, with Hephaestus on one side with his ax/mallet, and Athena directly in front of Zeus fully formed with spear, shield, and helmet

Athena's Sanctuaries

the two most important areas of worship for Athena were in Athens (Akropolis) and at Aphaia (Aegina)

Poseidon and Amphritrite

the union between Poseidon and Amphitrite produced a few children, but the most important for this course are Triton and Proteus Triton is what today would be called a merman, a fish-tailed sea-god, who was the herald of Poseidon he is depicted with a conch shell trumpet and is said to have calmed the waves on vase paintings he can be either bearded or youthful looking with a fish tail, but in mosaic he usually had a double fish tail, much like a dolphin Proteus was a prophetic god who herded Poseidon's seals he was credited with being able to morph into different shapes, for only if he was captured would he have to prophesize the future after the Trojan War, Menelaus encountered him and was successful in capturing him Proteus is associated with the island of Lemnos, Pallene (a Thracian peninsula), and Pharos and Egyptian island. In the Odyssey, his home is on Pharos, which, in antiquity, was a Phoenician trading colony

Background to Inhabitants of the Sea

the union of Pontos and Gaia produced many children various marine related monsters as well as Nereus and Phorcys Nereus with Doris, an Oceanid, fathered the Nereids and Nerites who lived with him in the Aegean Sea Phorcys is a primordial sea god and most notable for fathering a host of monsters - the god of the hidden dangers of the deep the Oceanids have been mentioned a few times and these are the 'bounty of the sea' and are a result of the union between Oceanus and Thetys - thousands of Oceanids

Places Dedicated to Zeus

there are many places dedicated to the worship of Zeus, however three main areas are Olympia, Dodona, and Athens Olympia is in the north west part of the Peloponnese Dodona is on the western coast of mainland Greece Athens is in the southern part of the mainland

Turning to Historical Developments in Greek Religious Practice to Understand Hera's Wrath

there are religious and historical dimensions of Hera's worship that are independent of Zeus and provide a different lens through which to understand their contentious relationship Hera was a powerful goddess who was worshipped in magnificent temples this Hera oversaw a range of human endeavors unconnected to her mythic profile as the wife and sister of Zeus

Perseus Killing Medusa

this is a famous representation of Medusa being slain by Perseus with Athena helping on the left in her arms you see a horse. Gods never fail to impregnate their lovers, so after Medusa was killed, from the severed stump where her head once was, sprang the horse Pegasus and the monster Khrysaor (remember Poseidon is associated with horses and monsters)

Silver Owl Tetradrachm Coin from Athens

this is a silver Owl Tetradrachm Coin from Athens - 454 B.C. this was a widely used coin in antiquity it shows on the obverse the head of Athena, facing right, and although it is difficult to see on this image, she is wearing a crested helmet with olive leaves the reverse is her owl, a very popular emblem of Athens and thus Athena, also holding a sprig of olive the letters along the right side are "AΘE," the abbreviation in Greek for Athens

Hebe (Canova)

this is an Attic red-figure from 450 to 400 B.C., and you can see on the right, Hebe being led by Herakles in a wedding procession through Olympus, flanked by two Erotes (the love gods), one even holding her veil

Acropolis

this is an aerial image of the Acropolis the word acropolis comes from the Greek word ἄκρον (akron) meaning the highest point and πόλις (polis) meaning city so, the Acropolis in Athens was the highest point in the city and contained many important buildings, but none as important as the Parthenon which you can still see standing today

Hebe

this is the statue Hebe by Antonio Canova as a goddess of youth, her Roman name was Iuventas from the Latin iuventa meaning youth although she was the patron goddess of brides, she herself was married to Herakles upon Herakles ascending to Olympus as a god, he received Hebe in marriage, which reconciled the hero with Hebe's mother Hera, after all he was another illegitimate child of Zeus in Greek vase painting, she was depicted either as the bride of Heracles or the cupbearer of the gods pouring Ambrosia from a picture sometimes, and in a few instances she had wings "youthful bloom"

Judgement of Paris (Rubens)

this painting is by Peter Paul Rubens ca. 1636 and is a much later depiction of the Judgement of Paris in one version of the myth, Paris initially asks the goddesses to get naked so that he could more accurately judge their beauty a pretty bold request from a mere mortal

Hera's Cults and Myths

turn predominantly upon the theme of marriage, but with contrasting emphases her cults stress the fundamental necessity of this socio-psychological transition the myths stress what happens when fulfillment gives way to the bitterness of rejection paradoxically, her triumphs are only temporary - even Herakles eventually succeeded at last in joining the company of the gods on Olympos

Poseidon

when Kronos' inheritance was divided, Poseidon was allotted the sea the Mediterranean in general, the Aegean in particular was and is two-faced: mirror smooth one day, tempestuous the next - Poseidon's sovereignty was imagined as expressing itself both through serene authority and through raw, explosive violence a symbol of his stormy energy is his trident, used by fisherfolk to spear their prey, but by the god of the deep to raise havoc among the waves he can also stir up turbulence on the ground - "Shaker of the Earth" associated with certain animals, especially the horse - he can call upon horrific monsters (Hippolytos-Thesus-Poseidon myth) spheres of activity: - sea - earthquake - the raw energy of the horse and the bull attributes: - trident - typically surrounded by sea creatures

the Loves of Zeus: Danae and Antiope

when the women whom Zeus seduced were unmarried, their fathers tended to take a skeptical view of what had allegedly happened when Akrisios, king of Argos and father of Danae, was told that the child to be born to Danae would kill him, he locked her in a bronze prison - but Zeus, in the form of golden rain, penetrated the prison and then the prisoner - in time she bore Perseus - again, Akrisios refused to believe that it was Zeus who had fathered the child, so again he locked his daughter away, this time with her baby, in an ark which he cast adrift on the sea Antiope was raped by Zeus in the form of a satyr and bore two twin boys: Amphion and Zethos - she too was thrown out of the house by her father, the river-god Asopos

the Loves of Zeus: Leda and Alkmene

whenever Zeus went after married women, there was always complications involved Leda was married to the Spartan king Tyndareos and Alkmene was married to Perseus' grandson Amphitryon to Leda, Zeus appeared in the Guise of a swan - according to variants, she hatched either one or two eggs, the children being Helen , the Dioskouroi ("Children of Zeus")--that is, Kastor and Polydeukes--and Clytemnestra Zeus came to Alkmene as her own husband - there was doubt about the child's paternity, but the logic of divine power entailed that the mightier son, Herakles, had been sired by Zeus, while the feebler, Iphikles, owed his conception to Amphitryon, a mere mortal

Male Divinities and Their Lovers

whereas goddesses faced an uphill struggle to continue to enjoying their all-too-human favorites, their male counterparts took their pleasure where they liked and suffered few emotional traumas as a result (the traumas were for their lovers to cope with)