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Chapter Six

Chapter Six. Myths of the Immortals : Zeus and Hera. Zeus and Hera. Cronos’ myth contradictory: a tyran or wise ruler of the Golden Age Six children of Cronos and Rhea are the first Olympians: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, Hades

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Chapter Six

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  1. Chapter Six Myths of the Immortals : Zeus and Hera

  2. Zeus and Hera • Cronos’ myth contradictory: • a tyran or wise ruler of the Golden Age • Six children of Cronos and Rhea are the first Olympians: • Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, Hades • (Aphrodite born of his severed genitals in one version of her birth)

  3. Zeus and Hera • All except Hades lived on Olympus • There will be a total of 12 – or 13 or 14 – Olympians • Zeus is the great father/king of this court of gods and goddesses

  4. Zeus and Hera

  5. Zeus, Lord of the Sky • Indo-European sky god (di-) • Like Tiu (Germanic) in Tuesday; Dyspater - Jupiter • Lived in the mountains (Olympus, Mt. Ida near Troy) and brought storms (his thunderbolt) • By far the most powerful of the gods

  6. Zeus, Lord of the Sky • Symbol of his power is the aigis • Animals are the bull and the eagle • Guardian of justice (the way) • Protector of xenia • But was not more powerful than fate (?) • Sarpedon

  7. Zeus, Lord of the Sky • Zeus the sky-god acquires features of the male, fertility consort of the earth-mother • Crete – the tomb of Zeus? • Hera, an original earth-mother, is “demoted” to be his wife. • Original wife (Dione from north)? • Through sexual generation, he structures the world

  8. Zeus, Lord of the Sky • Metis “cleverness” – Athena • strength and judgment • Themis “established law”– • Horae (Eirenê, Eunomiê, Dikê) • Moerae (fates) (Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos) • Mnemosyne “memory”– 9 Muses • Dione “shinning one” -- Aphrodite

  9. Zeus, Lord of the Sky • Zeus and Ganymede • Zeus takes on many aspects of a Greek aristocrat, such as pederasty

  10. Hera, Queen of Heaven

  11. Hera, Queen of Heaven • Marriage, sexuality, fertility • Her children with Zeus • Eileithyia, Hebe, Ares • Mother of Hephaestus (?) • Other versions of Hephaestus’s birth • Hera alone • born or made lame?

  12. Hera, Queen of Heaven • Some of the most magnificent temples are to her (a Heraeum) • Argos (Argives) • Persecuted Zeus’s paramours and sometimes their offspring • Heracles “glory of Hera” • Join a temporary rebellion with Poseidon and Athena

  13. Zeus and Hera at Home on Olympus • A tempestuous marriage • The scene between Thetis at Zeus from the Iliad shows Zeus walked on egg shells to avoid irritating Hera • Hephaestus, their children intervenes to stop the fight

  14. Anthropomorphism • Gods are humanshaped and humanlike, an inheritance perhaps from Mesopotamian traditions • They eat and drink (special divine substances to be sure).

  15. Anthropomorphism • They laugh, get angry and jealous, and can even be wounded. • Anthropomorphism makes interesting narrative and great myths

  16. Anthropomorphism • Hundreds of other minor deities flesh out the world • Nymphs, Nereids, Oceanids, etc.

  17. End

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