what was zeus passionate about

Now maybe he can relax and enjoy his life more. Apollo. Among the most well-known are Athena, the goddess of war; Perseus, the hero known for slaying Medusa; and Persephone, Demeters daughter and wife to Hades. Learn About the Olympian God Zeus. In Orphic legend (i.e., based on the stories of Orpheus ), Dionysusunder the name Zagreus was the son of Zeus by his daughter Persephone. Zeus visited her one night in the darkness, and she knew a divine being was present and she slept with him. Heras birth rank was equal to Zeuss, as she was a daughter of Rhea and Cronus. Know one wants to talk about the stone. But Rhea, his wife, saved the infant Zeus by substituting a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes for Cronus to swallow and hiding Zeus in a cave on Crete. Zeus then became a good military strategist and successful alliance maker. He disguised himself as the most beautiful bull anyone had ever seen. Zeus is the king of the Greek gods, which makes him one of the most important members of the Greek Pantheon. A sky god, he controls lightning, which he uses as a weapon, and thunder. Thats because the last seat on Olympus is a bit of a revolving chair. To be one, other archetypes would have to be present in him. I have noticed my journey on HP has been like that--as I search for topics to write about, sometimes I don't know much about them, and it turns into a learning experience for me as well. She was essentially urban and civilized, the antithesis in many respects of Artemis, goddess of the outdoors. But however a wife influences him, his power in the marriage will dominate her and they will have a traditional patriarchal marriage revolving around his needs. A person with Zeus characteristics exudes control, reason, will, and the ability to take decisive actions. He frequently shows up as an eagle, as when he abductedGanymede,or a bull. The lack of introspection and emotional distance makes it so Zeus does not realize how cut off he is from others, then he understands something is seriously wrong. 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. If you want your cover to stand out, describing yourself as "passionate about" the work may not do the trick. Humans were greedy and disloyal to the gods, and Zeus got so sick of them that he decided to just wipe them all out with a massive flood. Just like a Greek God of Mythology, Zeus understands that todays allies can be tomorrows competition, and vice versa. Life in the sky can cause one to lose touch with the Earth and the people on it, so although Zeus had a good overview, he could see the forest, but not the trees. Because so many statues of Zeus have survived, we know quite accurately what the ancient Greeks thought he looked like: very tall and muscular, with long curly hair and big, bushy beard. Well, in some stories she was so jealous that she gave birth to Hephaestus (who apparently had no father) as revenge. As his position in a company rises, he can easily fire people and give orders that are unreasonable and insist they be accomplished. Hera learned of this and came to Semele disguised as her nurse. What You Need to Know About the Greek God Zeus. These retellings are just a taste of all the many, many myths of Zeus! Simply put, the pantheon is made up of the twelve gods who lived on Mount Olympus, who are known as the Olympians. 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. He is in his element at fancy restaurants or cigar bars where real men eat lunch, play golf or go hunting together, as membership in exclusive places are bastions of power that serve his purposes. Similarly to how he tricked Hera, Zeus transformed himself into a swan that was being pursued by an eagle. After Prometheus and Athena crafted humanity out of clay, they were forbidden by the gods from teaching them the benefit of fire, which would make them powerful enough to challenge the gods. By swallowing Metis, however, Zeus had gained wisdom as part of his intrinsic nature. They are Metis, Themis, Eurynome, Demeter, Mnemosyne, Hera, and Leto. According to the Greek poet Homer, heaven was located on the summit of Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece and the logical home for a weather god. I've had to read so many sets of galleys, or copies of the manuscript, for corrections, I feel like I hate it, lol! Now you know why there are so many Greek statues of Zeus! If he cheats on her, and she is a Hera type, she may end up as a jealous and insecure woman. While he slept, the gods tied him to a chair with a hundred knots and took his lightning bolt from him. (Myths are weird.). Thanks for reading and commenting! ThoughtCo. One day he glanced upon Leda, the daughter of the king Thestios. Zeus was the most powerful God of Greek Mythology and of Mt. Another was a fabulous beauty, the famous Helen of Troy. 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. 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 . Kind of? So if you want to understand Greek mythology, you should start by getting to know Zeus. The myths about Zeus are primarily concerned with establishing his mastery over gods and men. But eleven other gods lived on Olympus, too. Great hub. 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. Hera calmly asked Zeus if she could have this animal, and Zeus gave it to her, reluctant to go into an explanation. The nymph Asteria managed to resist him only by the most desperate means changing herself into a quail, flinging herself into the sea, and becoming the floating island of Ortygia. Gill, N.S. A "Zeus" is always looking for what he wants or needs to acquire. He is unhappy playing alone and is not dreamy or introverted. Zeus does favors for people, but a time comes when he calls in a favor. Some may recall this archetype from The Godfather trilogy or the Sopranos TV show. The following myths about the gods show human qualities projected onto divinities, and many of those qualities are not of a very high moral level. One important god, however, had Zeus as a father and a mortal woman as a mother. This happens often in real life, when an ambitious man marries a woman from a wealthy family and gets status and wealth from this relationship. It was really interesting for me to read about Greek Myth from the view of a psychologist. The more tough lessons early on, the fewer errors you make later. Later, while Europa and her girl companions were frolicking by the sea, Zeus was smitten with the princess and changed himself into a marvelous bull of great handsomeness. The Earth and Mt. Their efforts to sabotage one another was the Greeks explanation for the natural phenomena of the world and the complexity of human affairs. But most Zeus men have no time for their wives once the courtship and honeymoon are over. Olympus were supposed to be under the jurisdiction of all three brothers, but Zeus dominated from his lofty position in the sky and ruled everything. Immediately, Zeus shed his disguise, and tried to seduce her, but Hera prevailed and insisted that he marry her. Zeuss name shares a similar origin with the sky god Dyaus of Hinduism, mentioned in the Rigveda. He is bright, but not overly intellectual or introspective, making him an emotionally shallow person. It's lots of work, but I hope it will be worth it. In fact, Zeus was unfaithful to an extreme, which became a major theme in his mythological stories. He then renders decisions on acceptable behavior. When Dionysuss mother died pregnant with him, Zeus sewed the fetus into his thigh, and carried him in this way until his birth. This 1815 sketch by French archaeologist Quatmere de Quincy depicts what the Statue of Zeus at Olympia may have looked like. (Gross, but true.). But the topic was Greek archetypes. Consequently, Zeus punished Prometheus by sentencing him to Tartarus, where he was chained to a boulder and his liver was eternally eaten by an eagle (the symbol of Zeus). Olympus, so it's appropriate that his name should be given to a bright object that is forever in Jupiter's orbit. 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. There are many myths about Zeus. up and awesome. 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. (Carole Raddato/Flickr). When Zeus kidnapped the most beautiful of mortals, the Trojan prince Ganymede, from Mt. It was also decreed that earth, and Olympus in particular, would be common to all three. He was the son of Kronos and his sister Rhea, the eldest of six: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus. 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. People should never let themselves think they matter personally to a Zeus, because they do not. As a general rule Zeus's mortal children were distinguished for one reason or another. After Zeus grew to manhood he led a revolt against the Titans and succeeded in dethroning Cronus, perhaps with the assistance of his brothers Hades and Poseidon, with whom he then divided dominion over the world. Zeus is well-known for having a quick temper, too. Zeus on Facebook. Zeus name seems to date all the way back to Indo-European roots (the ancient language family from which most Western languages descend). After deposing Cronus, Zeus and his brothers drew lots to see which portion of the world would be ruled by each. Well, then this 700-page 1955 tome is the book for you. You see, Briareus had one hundred hands, so he could untie all the knots at the same time. However, in some folklore stories it is believed that . You could show him in the sky in the poster, and decide if you want him to help or hurt the planet. She then laid two eggs, from which four children were born. Zeuss tendency to live in his head forces him to cut off his bodily experiences or his sensual self. His third wife was Eurynome, an ocean nymph, and she bore the three Graces. When he got old enough, Zeus confronted Cronus and fed him a potion given to him by his grandmother Gaia (the Titan goddess of the Earth). Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Zeus freed his brothers, Poseidon and Hades, then he and others helped overthrow Cronus and the Titans, who ruled from Mount Olympus after a ten year battle. Summary and Analysis: Greek Mythology Growth can only happen after they experience humility and vulnerability. Zeus is a sky god with control over weather, especially of rain and lightning. Part of what makes Zeus king of the gods is his willingness to take whatever he wantsor whoever he wantswhenever he wants. Of course, mythological stories are a way for people to better understand the world around themand themselves. Zeus is the king of the Greek gods, which makes him one of the most important members of the Greek Pantheon. "What You Need to Know About the Greek God Zeus." Rated up! 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. Aphrodite was, in fact, widely worshipped as a goddess of the sea and of . The choice of a wife who will aid his climb up the social ladder may be a calculated one, or an unconscious one. Whenever a stranger was treated badly in ancient Greece, their host could soon expect a nasty visit from Zeus. She requested the full manuscript and I'm hopeing to hear back by the end of the year. Who Is Zeus? In a rage Zeus hurled his ugly son down from Olympus to the isle of Lemnos, crippling him forever. But he still has the authority in the family. The Olympic Games were initially held to honor Zeus. The two girls would grow up to have important roles during the Trojan War, whereas Castor and Polluxtwins despite having different fathers and hatching from separate eggswould be leaders of the Spartan army in the war against Athens. Her reputation did not suffer from Zeuss indiscretions however, and Hera was worshipped and greatly revered as the Goddess of Marriage. Their children, the Titans (Prometheus who gave fire to man is probably . 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. At the direction of Hera, the infant Zagreus/Dionysus was torn to pieces, cooked, and eaten by the evil Titans. Gill, N.S. Zeus is depicted holding a figure of the Nike (Victory) in his right hand and his scepter in his left, and he is seated on a massive throne. You can use dozens of filters and search criteria to find the perfect person for your needs. But how can modern readers figure out what myths are about? And Europa gave her name to a continent. His liaison with Metis, of course, produced the warrior goddess of wisdom and courage, Athena. First, lets discuss what is meant by the Greek Pantheon. tysm. (2020, August 26). He is often associated with an oak tree, and in illustrations he is always a stately figure in the prime of life, bearing a scepter or thunderbolt, and accompanied by an eagle. He was called the father (i.e., the ruler and protector) of both gods and men. This archetype normally wants to get married and have children so his kingdom will be handed down to another generation. Hermes, Greek god, son of Zeus and the Pleiad Maia; often identified with the Roman Mercury and with Casmilus or Cadmilus, one of the Cabeiri. The Greeks had a driving passion for order. Take care, Jean, Your excellent article has confirmed what I've always believedZeus is the most fascinating mythological God of all. Cronus got wind of this prophecy, but he was unsure of which of his children would overtake him. So if you want to sound like a literary expert when someone asks you a question about mythology and you just break out a few lines by Tennyson or Lord Byron, this is the book for you! To learn more about all of them and their mythological backgrounds, check out this expert overview. The almighty Zeus is known to have seven immortal wives. Zeus took mercy on her, so long as she swore never again to rebel against him. He may come out of this period more humbled, and reconstruct or try to live his life differently now. But he can bide his time and cooperate, as he has good strategy skills and will not engage in power struggles he cannot win. Though regarded by Greek religionists everywhere as omnipotent and the head of the pantheon, Zeuss very universality tended to reduce his importance compared with that of powerful local divinities like Athena and Hera. He could be either generous or mean spirited, an example of the saying, Absolute power, corrupts absolutely. People in our times become like Zeus when they crave power and have a desire to rule over others, so they will be both feared and respected, and people will be forced to depend on them. Zeus was the husband of Hera, but he had many affairs with other goddesses, mortal women, and female animals. Take care, Jean. When hes upset, hes known to hurl thunderbolts from his home on Mount Olympus down onto humanity as punishment for its actions. Theres a chance that the myths weve included below dont sound exactly like the version youve heard. 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. Hera was so ashamed that she married Zeus rather than admit that she had been raped. In order to seduce, he sometimes changed his shape into that of an animal or bird. Zeus was a philanderer, and had a long series of affairs with women deities, nymphs, and mortals, through which he fathered divine qualities, most of the second generation of the Olympians. Leda took pity on and rescued the swan, which then turned into Zeus, who raped her. I am getting a book I wrote on the Tarot published. The Beginnings Loves of Zeus, The Beginnings Prometheus and Man, and The Five Ages of Man and the Flood, The Beginnings Poseidon, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, Hermes, Demeter, and Dionysus, Summary and Analysis: Babylonian Mythology, The Heroes Perseus, Bellerophon, and Heracles, The Tragic Dynasties Crete: The House Of Minos, The Tragic Dynasties Mycenae: The House Of Atreus, The Tragic Dynasties Thebes: The House of Cadmus, The Tragic Dynasties Athens: The House of Erichthonius, The Trojan War The Preliminaries, The Course of the War, The Fall of Troy, and The Returns, Patriotic Legends Aeneas and Romulus and Remus, Love Tales Pyramus and Thisbe, Baucis and Philemon, Pygmalion, Vertumnus and Pomona, Hero and Leander, Cupid and Psyche, The Norse Gods Odin, Thor, Balder, Frey, Freya, and Loki, Merlin, King Arthur, Gawain, Launcelot, Geraint, Tristram, Percivale, the Grail Quest, and the Passing of Arthur's Realm. However, the deed was done. Zeus and Hera have distinct personalities and a realistic family situation. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on May 13, 2013: Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on May 03, 2013: Thank you for taking the time to write to me, and I am glad you enjoyed my piece. His second wife, Themis (Divine Justice), gave birth to the Seasons, to Wise Laws, to Human Justice, to Peace, and to the Fates. He needs to be taught fairness and justice at home and school. Make all of your mistakes early in life. This isnt much of a starting place, but it is the most exhaustive (and exhausting) overview of all the myths for a general audience, as well as containing Gravess commentaries about each one. Everything they do has an understandable motive. Olympus, Classic Greek Mythology: Stories from Ovid's Metamorphoses, M.A., Linguistics, University of Minnesota. Its more thorough than Hamiltons and the DAulairess versions, but the prose is a lot more old-fashioned and somewhat difficult for a modern reader to follow. Now, without further ado, here are six more mythological stories about Zeus. On occasion their mothers were notable for something besides merely attracting Zeus with their beauty. Jupiter/Zeus sometimes takes on the characteristics of a supreme deity. ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score, How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League, Is the ACT easier than the SAT? Zeus, the king of the gods and the god of thunder, ruled over the Olympians. In addition, Zeus is the god of hospitality and fair treatment of guests. She has been featured by NPR and National Geographic for her ancient history expertise. This only means that he reaches a personally set, meaningful goal and finds that it satisfies him. 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. Zeus is the king of the gods in the Greek pantheon. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Circe was a sorceress who was the daughter of Helios (the Sun) and Hecate (the goddess of witchcraft). Zeus is the Olympian god of the sky and the thunder, the king of all other gods and men, and, consequently, the chief figure in Greek mythology. Since Zeus is so concerned with achieving power, other facets of his personality often become stunted. Nice to see you! This 2018 novel retells the myth of Circe. 6 Key Myths About the King of the Greek Gods, Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Score, Learn more about the nine literary elements that youll find in every story, 31 most useful literary devices of all time. Gill, N.S. Best wishes. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/profile-of-the-greek-god-zeus-111915. 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. She has been featured by NPR and National Geographic for her ancient history expertise. In the Roman pantheon, Zeus is known as Jupiter. However, polygamy was foreign to the Greeks and unacceptable, so they had to make him promiscuous. Omissions? After Metiss demise, their first child Athena was born when Hephaestus cleaved Zeuss head open and the goddess of war emerged, fully grown and armed. A Zeus is a natural leader in high school, usually dating popular girls and becoming sexually active at a young age. Europa then realized that the bull was a god in disguise and she begged Zeus not to desert her. Hands-on. This was Dionysus, the vine god of ecstasy, who was never granted Olympian status. https://www.thoughtco.com/profile-of-the-greek-god-zeus-111915 (accessed March 4, 2023). Persephone, Latin Proserpina or Proserpine, in Greek religion, daughter of Zeus, the chief god, and Demeter, the goddess of agriculture; she was the wife of Hades, king of the underworld. 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. In wars, for example, Zeus men are the ones who send the younger men into battle to die, while they sit in a safe room making plans, and are in no physical danger themselves. A Zeus son of an emotionally distant father will admire Dad if he helps him get ahead in the world as he gets older. 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. An excellent question! Just as Cronus caught wind that his son was going to overthrow him, Zeus likewise received a similar prophecy that one of his children would usurp him. Upon learning of the abduction . They were: Youve probably noticed that were missing one god on our list. It's a fantasy/paranormal and I was able to pitch it to a well respected publisher at a writers conference. bookmarked pages associated with this title. 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. He could squeeze a cloud and make some gentle rain to help the crops grow. Rose has pointed out, the Greeks had a choice of making Zeus either polygamous or promiscuous because the role of All-Father was indispensable to him. In previous sections we have seen Zeus's power as king of the gods and a dispenser of justice to men, but here we see him as a procreator. Zeus is a hard worker or alpha male, even from the time he has his first part time job. The arguments between Zeus and Hera were fairly frequent As Zeus continued to have one affair after another, Hera could not punish him because he was much stronger than she was. (2020, August 26). If Hera was diligent about punishing lo, Europa escaped her wrath scotfree. At one point she came across Prometheus chained to his rock in the Caucasus, and the two victims of divine injustice discussed her plight. 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. Prometheus, who happened to be Deucalions father, had convinced him to build and ark and ride out the storm. So I'm able to be very enthused, as I am with any good new author I find! 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. His choice of partners reflects this lack, and as he grows older, his partners may get younger and younger, a classic example of an aging man who carries on with a series of young, compliant girls. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. Each of them has their own unique story as to why . N.S. Advertisement. Maybe you want something more modern? 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. Greek gods had human faults, they aren't like religious Gods we have today. Its up to historians to try and make sense of it alland sometimes that means acknowledging the differences. - Zeus was the youngest child of his siblings, even though sometimes people reckon him as the oldest. Leto was said to be one of Zeus's consorts. He then renders decisions on acceptable behavior. Hera, daughter of Cronus and Rhea, is Zeuss full sister. (There aretwelveOlympians, after all.) They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. I like how you described certain people in today's times with his characteristics. With a pedigree like that, you know he was born for power. hbspt.cta.load(360031, '4efd5fbd-40d7-4b12-8674-6c4f312edd05', {}); Have any questions about this article or other topics? The battled raged for 10 years, but finally Zeus and his siblings won out. Don't think I ever felt that excited again after the 2 weeks was done. These are men who play King of the Mountain as boys, and succeed at it as men. But they remain pretty popular. Zeus thus gained the mastery of the sky, Poseidon of the seas, and Hades of the underworld. And when he took Leto as his consort he must have been married to Hera, for Hera persecuted Leto by condemning her to bear her children in a land of complete darkness.

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