The King of the Gods ruled the sky and was so mighty , a thunderbolt represented his power. Zeus is often seen as the older man with a beard, chasing after beautiful women and spending a great deal of energy trying to deceive his beautiful wife. In this article, you will learn about some of his offspring, as well as significant pieces of information regarding the oftentimes naughty ruler of Mount Olympus.
Family
Zeus is the child of Cronus and Rhea, and is believed to have been born in a cave on Mount Ida , on the island of Crete.
Zeus is the brother of Poseidon (god of the sea), Hades (god of the underworld), Hestia (goddess of the home), Demeter (goddess of agriculture), and Hera , who would become his wife. With Hera, they had Ares , the god of war, but he was also responsible for many other children that he had with his mistresses. Other children included Aphrodite, Hebe, Hermes, Helen, Perseus, and the Muses. Out of all his illegitimate children, Heracles frustrated Hera the most.
Associated Symbols
The thunderbolt is a symbol that is often used to represent Zeus. In artistic depictions, he is often holding a thunderbolt in his hand. However, the eagle, oak trees, and the bull (which has been a disguise at times) are also symbols of Zeus.
Strengths and Weaknesses
While Zeus was an extremely powerful god with charm, strength, and highly persuasive ways, he had weaknesses. He was constantly getting into sticky situations due to his many love affairs. At times, the god was also known to display mood swings.
Temple Sites
In Dodona, which is located in northwestern Greece, is where you’ll find the temple of Zeus in Athens.
Seducing His Mistresses
Living at Mount Olympus, Zeus looked down on the mortals and when he gets in a fight with Hera, he decides to pay a visit to earth. The god takes the form of many different disguises in an attempt to seduce maidens that have caught his eye. At will, he had the ability to turn into a human or any animal that he pleased. For example, he transformed into an eagle to seduce the nymph Aegina. When he seduced Antiope, he was in the form of a goat/man. Zeus seduced Europa when he took the form of a bull. Leda fell for his disguise as a beautiful swan. In order to seduce Alcmene, Zeus chose to turn into the shape of her husband.
Myths Involving Zeus
The birth of Zeus was not embraced with open arms by everyone, as his father feared that his son would grow up to take over his position. This is why his mother Rhea hid her infant son in a cave on Mount Ida. The exact events that followed are unclear. Many different versions exist regarding Zeus’ life. Some say the god was raised by Gaia, an old goddess that represented the Earth. Other tales say a goat named Amalthea, who with the help of smaller gods, cared for the infant.
Additional myths name a nymph called Adamanthea, a nymph named Cynosura, a woman known as Melissa, and a shepherd family, as possible entities responsible for Zeus’ survival.
