Gods of Ancient Greece - Hestia. Love affairs of heroes of ancient Greek myths

And people.

With the blow of the scepter he caused storms and hurricanes, but could also calm the forces of nature and clear the sky of clouds.

The attributes of Zeus were: a shield and a double-sided ax (labrys), sometimes an eagle.

Zeus is thought of as “fire”, a “hot substance”, inhabiting the ether, owning the sky, the organizing center of cosmic and social life.

Zeus distributes good and evil on earth, he put shame and conscience in people.

Zeus is a formidable punitive force, sometimes associated with fate.

Zeus announces the destinies of fate with the help of dreams, as well as thunder and lightning.

The entire social order was built by Zeus, he protects the family and home, the protector of the offended and the patron of those praying, the patron of city life, he gave laws to people, established the power of kings, and monitors the observance of traditions and customs.

Other gods obey him.

Changeable, like the sky over which it rules, He constantly shows His different face.

He envelops the earth in ermines of snow, he sends rain.

In storms and thunderstorms the power of the ruler is manifested, who with a hurricane raises the lead waves of the sea, piles up black swirling clouds, sweeps up the sand of earthly roads and, opening the outlets of heavenly waters, lights long-maned fires on the tops of mountains.

At the bottom of smoking volcanoes, day and night, the Cyclopes forge lightning for Zeus.

This is truly a powerful god. If a golden rope were attached to the top of the heavens, and all the gods and goddesses pulled on it, they could not pull Zeus down to earth. But if Zeus grabbed the rope, he would lift up all the gods along with the earth and sea and tie them to the rocks of Olympus. In any case, that’s what he himself boasted.

Since Kronos had once overthrown his father Uranus, he was afraid that one of his children would do the same, so he swallowed all the babies born. Rhea the mother suffered greatly from this. When her sixth child was born, she wrapped a stone in swaddling clothes instead and gave it to her husband. Unsuspecting Kronos swallowed the stone, thinking it was his next child.
Rhea and the child came down to earth. She wanted to wash her son, but could not find a source anywhere. The Mother Goddess prayed to Gaia and struck the rock with her staff. A light stream of water splashed from the hard stone. Rhea, having bathed the child, named him Zeus. She went to Crete and laid the golden cradle of her son in the Idai grotto. Shiny shoots of ivy curled along its walls, and the entrance was obscured by a dense forest. Fed by the milk of the goat Amalthea, Zeus grew up under the care of mountain nymphs. The boy loved the goat very much. When she broke the horn, Zeus took the horn into his divine hands and blessed it. This is how the cornucopia appeared, which gave everyone who was in their hands everything they wanted.
All nature surrounded the golden cradle of the new god with love. From the shores of the ocean, pigeons brought him ambrosia; the bees collected the sweetest honey for him, every evening an eagle flew in, carrying a cup of nectar in its talons. To prevent the cries of baby Zeus from reaching the ears of the sensitive Kronos, the priests of Rhea performed war dances near his cradle to the sounds of tambourines and squeaks.

Power struggle

Finally, Zeus grew up. To live further, he had to fight with his father. First of all, it was necessary to return the swallowed brothers and sisters. He persuaded his mother to give Kronos an emetic. In terrible agony, the titan vomited out all his swallowed children - Hades, Poseidon, Hera, Hestia and Demeter. From the skin of the goat Amalthea, who died at that time, he made an indestructible defense for himself - a shield called the aegis. No weapon could penetrate the Aegis, and Zeus never parted with it. This is how a catchphrase from the myths of Ancient Greece appeared: to be “under the auspices” means to be under the protection of someone or something.
Most of the titans sided with Kronos. Next to Zeus stood his brothers and sisters. The war lasted ten years and was called the "Titanomachy". Zeus won it only with the help of the hundred-armed giants - hecantocheires and one-eyed cyclops.
Then Zeus faced another war - this time with the giants - the sons of Gaia-Earth. This was also a terrible battle. And its outcome was decided by a mortal hero - the son of Zeus Hercules. It was he who defeated the last of the remaining giants - Alcyoneus.

Nothing could take this giant. Being the son of Gaia, that is, a product of the earth, he instantly healed any wounds as soon as he touched the earth. Touching the earth gave him more and more strength. To defeat Alkyoneus, Hercules tore him off the ground, carried him outside his country and killed him there.
To take revenge on the young gods for their children, the destroyed giants, the goddess Gaia gave birth to the most terrible monster that the sun has ever seen. His name was Typhon.
When the gods saw this monster at the gates of heaven, they were seized with panic. They fled to Egypt, where they turned into so that Typhon could not recognize them. Zeus alone entered into a fight with Typhon and defeated him.

Battle of Zeus with Typhon

Hundred-headed monster - Typhon,

Born of the earth. For all the gods

He rose up: a thorn and a whistle from his jaws

He threatened the throne of Zeus, and from his eyes

The fire of the frantic Gorgon sparkled,

But Zeus's never-ending arrow -

Blazing lightning struck

Him for this boast. To the heart

He was incinerated and thunder killed

All the power is in him. Now a powerless body

He is spread out under the roots of Etna,

Not far from the blue strait,

And the mountains crush his chest; on them

Hephaestus sits, forging his iron,

But it will break out from the black depths

A stream of consuming flames

And destroy the wide fields

Sicily, beautifully fruitful...

Wives of Zeas

The first wife of Zeus was the oceanid Metis. It was she who at one time helped Zeus return to the world the children swallowed by Kronos. The goddess Gaia predicted that Metis would give birth to his daughter Athena, and after this a son who would deprive his father of power. Therefore, Zeus, following the persuasion of Gaia and Uranus, swallowed Metis.

The consequence of such a crime was the miraculous birth of Zeus’s daughter, Athena. Athena emerged directly from the “sacred” head of the “much-wise” Zeus.

Finally, Zeus enters into a third legal marriage with his sister Hera, a goddess who protects the foundations of a monogamous patriarchal family, vigilantly monitoring the fidelity of a man and the correctness of the relationship between parents and children.

Beloved and Children of Zeus

Zeus often cheats on his wife Hera. He passionately falls in love with both goddesses and earthly beauties. A long list of Zeus' lovers is given by the poet Hesiod. Zeus has significantly more beautiful lovers and illustrious descendants than any of the Greek gods. And this should not be surprising. Every clan, every city tried to bring its origin as close as possible to the highest God. Zeus is a great inventor and prankster in love affairs. So he seduced Leda, turning into a swan, Danae - a golden shower, Hera - a cuckoo, Europa - a snow-white bull, Persephone - a serpent, Antiope - a satyr. For the beautiful Io, he turned into a foggy cloud.

Let's start the story about Zeus' lovers with this funny poem, the author of which, unfortunately, I could not find.

Zeus may have a hundred wives.

Hera is jealous like no one else.

Hating all other wives,

Raging in rage. Smitten

With that wild passion the god-husband:

Zeus is omnipotent, but what if suddenly

Jealous, Hera destroys everything,

And the Almighty will tremble.

But how to overcome nature.

If there is strength? What is day and what is night -

And the wives of Zeus lead into sin.

And he has strength for everyone...

Zeus was considered the main deity of the ancient Greek pantheon. He was “in charge” not only of thunder and lightning, but also of the entire Olympus and the human world.

Birth

Zeus's parents were Kronos and Rhea. The father knew about a prophecy that said that one of his sons would overthrow him. Kronos was very afraid of this. He himself at one time destroyed his father Uranus, the very first god. The myth of Zeus says that Kronos ordered Rhea to bring him newborn children, which he swallowed without any pity. This fate has already befallen Hestia, Poseidon, Demeter, Hades and Hera.

Rhea, fearful for her youngest son, decided to give birth to him in a cave on the island of Crete. She gave Kronos a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes, which he swallowed, unaware of the trick.

The myth of the birth of Zeus also tells about the Curetes - the mysterious companions of Rhea. They were the ones who guarded the child while he was growing up in Crete. The guards clanged their armor and shields loudly if the baby began to cry. This was done so that Kronos would not hear these screams. The myth of the birth of Zeus was later adopted from the Greeks by the Romans. They called this

Childhood in a cave

Zeus ate honey from local bees, which they themselves brought to him from the hives on Mount Dikti. One of the caves at its foot is still considered the “Cave of Zeus”. When archaeologists carried out the first excavations here, they discovered a huge number of altars and figurines dedicated to the Thunderer. The myth of Zeus was known to every inhabitant of Hellas. The baby was also fed the milk of the Amalthea goat. This animal was brought into the cave by two nymphs: Adrastea and Idea. When Amalthea died, her horn was turned into and the skin was used by Zeus to make a shield with which he went to war against the Titans.

War with the Titans

When Zeus grew up and matured, he openly opposed his father, who was unaware of the existence of his son. He forced Kronos to bring back the children he had swallowed many years ago. Then they started a war against their father for power over the whole world. The myth of Zeus says that the altar on which they swore to fight Kronos was turned into a constellation.

The war with the titans lasted nine years. At first, it did not reveal the winners due to the equal strength of the opponents. The children of Kronos made their place of residence from where they led the war. In addition to Kronos, there were other titans in the second generation of gods, and some of them went over to the side of Zeus. The main one was the Ocean, which could control the seas and rivers.

Cyclops and Hecatonchires

Finally, Zeus decided to take extreme measures and resorted to the help of the Cyclops. They were the children of Uranus and Gaia. From birth they found themselves in Tartarus, where they languished until the Olympians freed them. These one-eyed giants forged lightning bolts for Zeus, which the Thunderer threw at his enemies during battles. They gave a helmet to Hades, and a trident to Poseidon. Athena and Hephaestus learned crafts from the Cyclops.

The myth of Zeus also mentions the Hecatoncheires. These were giants with 50 heads and a hundred arms, imprisoned in the bowels of the earth. They also became allies of Zeus. These giants tore whole pieces from the mountains and threw them straight at the titans who tried to take Olympus by storm. A colossal battle shook the whole world, even underground Tartarus.

The Olympians' union bore fruit. They defeated the Titans and cast them straight into Tartarus, where they were chained. The Hecatoncheires began to guard the prisoners so that they could never be freed. From that moment on, the Olympian gods began to rule the world. The war with the titans became known as the Titanomachy. According to myths, it took place many centuries before the appearance of the human race.

New order

Power over the world was divided between three brothers. Zeus gained dominance over the sky. Poseidon became the ruler of the sea. Hades inherited the kingdom of the dead. The land was recognized as common property. At the same time, Zeus was called the eldest of the gods. He commanded the entire human world.

However, not everyone was happy with the new order of things. Gaia did not like the way the Olympians treated her titan children. The short myth about Zeus, which includes this conflict, tells that the Earth goddess entered into marriage with the terrible Tartarus. From this connection Typhon, a mighty giant, was born. He personified all the fiery forces of the earth. The new god tried to overthrow Zeus.

The seas boiled at the mere approach of Typhon, and many Olympian gods awaited his invasion in horror. The myth of Zeus tells about all this. A summary of this new war is found in some ancient Greek sources, for example, in Theogony. Zeus again took up the lightning, with which he struck Typhon. The giant was defeated and thrown back into Tartarus. However, there he still disturbs the earthly world. From his connection with Echidna, many monsters appeared, for example, the three-headed dog Cerberus, hydras and Chimera.

Life on Olympus

Zeus reigned at the top of Olympus, where he was constantly surrounded by a host of younger gods. The gates to his halls are shrouded in a cloud controlled by the Oras. These goddesses of the seasons allowed visitors to Olympus and opened the entrance for the gods who descended to earth.

In the kingdom of Zeus, eternal summer reigns - there is no snow, rain or natural disasters. The son of the thunderer Hephaestus built magnificent palaces in which the gods feasted and spent their free time from worries. The myth of Zeus (5th graders study this topic in the program) also mentions his wife Hera. She became the patroness of human marriage and bore her husband many children. The most famous of them was the daughter of Hebe, who became the goddess of youth and cupbearer on Olympus.

In Ancient Greece, people were pagans and believed in the existence of a large number of gods and their helpers. Thus, the main god of the ancient pantheon was Zeus, nicknamed the Thunderer. He was credited with controlling thunder, lightning and the entire sky.

Zeus and the other 12 main gods lived on the top of Mount Olympus, which is why they were also called “Olympians.” Many ancient Greek kings and military leaders claimed that they were descendants of the god Zeus. This god was fair and always sought to maintain the balance of things in the world. In addition, Zeus controlled the weather and created it depending on his mood. When he was in high spirits, he blessed the world with good weather. In a bad spirit, he caused rain, wind, lightning and could even cause some kind of climate disaster.

Zeus was the supreme god of all Greeks. In Roman culture it received the name Jupiter. His symbols were the eagle, the oak tree, the royal scepter, and thunder. Originally he was the god of the sky and heavenly powers. People in those days believed that Zeus was the only god who was concerned with the well-being of the entire universe constantly throughout the day. Later, the Greeks began to associate Zeus with justice. He severely punished evil people and ill-wishers and rewarded people who did good.

Zeus was the sixth child born to the Titans Cronus and Rhea. Since his father Kronus was at one time afraid that one of his own children would take away his power, he simply swallowed them immediately after birth. But Zeus’s mother saved him by hiding him from his father on the island of Crete, where baby Zeus grew up and overthrew his father’s power, freeing his older five brothers and sisters. The Supreme God of Thunder was considered the strongest of all the Olympians. Zeus could not control only the goddesses of Fate. In addition, Zeus was a very loving man and had many extramarital affairs, from which demigod children appeared, who later became heroes of Hellas. These romances provoked conflicts between Zeus and his wife, the goddess Hera.

The ancient Greeks depicted Zeus as a strong, handsome, mature man with wavy locks that fell to his shoulders, sitting on a golden throne with a scepter in one hand and striking lightning in the other. Zeus' lightning bolts were a gift from the Cyclops, whom he freed from captivity after defeating his father. The eagle was considered the sacred animal of Zeus. In addition, if the Thunderer was depicted in battle garb, instead of a scepter, he had a powerful shield called the Aegis.

Option 2

In the mythology of Ancient Greece, the main god of Olympus was Zeus. He was rightfully considered the father of all gods and people, because he was the strongest of them. He was called the Thunderer, because his weapons were thunder and lightning. During wars, he sent storms, supporting the army by instilling confidence and courage in their souls. The enemy army, on the contrary, felt horror and depression, and therefore lost. For this, God was nicknamed Zeus the Victorious.

Birth of Zeus

The lineage of the supreme god leads to the god Kronos and the Titanide Rhea. According to mythology, Zeus's father Kronos ate all his children because of a prediction that the god would be defeated by his own child. But at some point, Zeus’s mother Rhea deceived her husband by giving him a stone instead of a child, and she hid her son on the island of Crete, giving him to be raised by the Curetes and Corybantes.

Rise to power

Time passed, Zeus grew up and decided to oppose his father. First of all, he forced Kronos to spit out his brothers and sisters: Hades, Poseidon, Hera, Hestia, Demeter. In gratitude for freedom, they gave Zeus thunder and lightning. And then a great war began, which lasted 10 years and ended with the victory of Zeus over his father. All together, the gods cast him into Tartarus.

Division of spheres of influence

After defeating their father, the three brothers, after consulting, decided to divide their spheres of influence. Zeus chose to rule the sky, Poseidon - the sea, Hades - the kingdom of the dead.

Helpers of the Supreme God

Zeus had three assistants who maintained order in the world of people and gods:

Themis punished lawbreakers.
Dike administered justice if it was violated.
Nemesis carried out retribution and punished criminals.

Thanks to such control, rulers used their power wisely and wisely, and crafts, agriculture and art developed on the earth.

Zeus the consort

Zeus had three wives:

Metis is the first wife of the supreme god. It was she who helped Zeus free the brothers and sisters by brewing a potion for Kronos. Unfortunately, she suffered a sad fate. There was a prophecy according to which their son would outshine Zeus in everything. Upon learning of his wife's pregnancy, Zeus swallowed her.
Themis - the goddess of justice, was the 2nd wife of the supreme god. They had 3 daughters and 3 sons.
Hera is the goddess who patronizes marriage and motherhood, 3rd wife.

Children of Zeus

Hera gave birth to Zeus' son Hephaestus, the Titanide Leto - Apollo. Athena, according to mythology, was created by Zeus himself, since she appeared from his head. The gods Hermes, Persephone, Dionysus and Eros are also children of the supreme god. On earth, Zeus also had beloved women who gave birth to such heroes as Hercules, Harmony, Helen, and Perseus.

Zeus is known for his wise rule. Majestic temples were erected in his honor. All of them were without a roof. It was believed that since Zeus is the god of the sky, this is how he will hear and see a person asking during prayer or sacrifice.

Report Zeus - the god of Ancient Greece and his history

Zeus is the ancient Greek mythological immortal dominant god over all gods and people, mortal and immortal, the lord of the sky, thunder and lightning, living on Olympus.

The requisites of Zeus were a shield, a scepter, a chariot drawn by eagles, a double-sided ax called in Greek as labrys, the eagle itself, but in most mythology Zeus reincarnated into it, as well as into many other animals.

Zeus was always accompanied by his three servants - Power, Strength and Victory (Nike).

The most powerful god was so strong that all the gods together, united, could not overthrow him.

Commanding over people and gods, Zeus distributed good and evil with the help of two bowls standing near his throne, founded shame and conscience, punished people, could look into the future, founded legislation, established kings, guarded the poor and sick, honored traditions and watched, so that people follow the customs. In addition, thanks to Zeus, people and gods began to live better than ever before. Zeus fed on the prayers and worship of people.

Zeus was born in the third generation of gods, from the titans Kronos and Rhea. According to the prophecy, Kronos was to be killed by his own child, and fearing this, he swallowed newborn babies. But Rhea, wanting to deceive her husband, secretly gave birth to another child and named him Zeus, and allowed Kronos to swallow a stone in a diaper. According to the legends, Zeus was raised in the deepest secrecy and was protected in every possible way so that Kronos would not find out about him.

Having matured, Zeus took out a potion that made Kronos spit out his children. Thus, Zeus had two brothers - Hades and Paseidon, and two sisters - Hestia and Demeter. After a long war that lasted 10 years, Zeus won over the titans, becoming the main one among all.

Having drawn lots, Zeus got dominance in the sky, Paseidon got the sea, Hades went to the kingdom of the dead underground. Hestia became the goddess of the family hearth and sacrificial fire, Demeter gained honor among the gods in the person of the goddess of fertility and agriculture.

Zeus was popular among women, of whom he had quite a few, and had many children. The first wife was Metis, the goddess of wisdom, whom Zeus, in order not to repeat the mistakes of his father, swallowed while pregnant because of a prophecy according to which the child she bore was supposed to overthrow Zeus. The second is the goddess of justice Themis, the third official wife was Hera, she is also the goddess of marriage, in other words, his sister Hestia.

Zeus did not recognize his equals, nevertheless, he was born from different women: Hephaestus, a miracle blacksmith; Apollo (the most beautiful of men) and Artemis (goddess of hunting and chastity); Athena – goddess of courage and wisdom; Hermes – god of trade; Dionysus - god of winemaking; Eros is the god of love, heroes are Hercules, Perseus, Helen, etc.

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Zeus is the ruler of Olympus, the father of gods and people, the god of sky, thunder and lightning.

Zeus's father was Kronos, and his mother was Rhea. Since Kronos was predicted that he would die at the hands of his own son, in order to avoid this, he swallowed the child born to Rhea every time. Rhea decided to use a trick and, secretly from her husband, gave birth to Zeus, and instead of a newborn, she gave birth to a swaddled stone to Kronos. According to different versions of the myth, Zeus was born in Crete or Phrygia, and he was bathed in the river Lusius in Arcadia. The Cretan version of the myth tells that Zeus was given to be raised by the Curetes and Corybantes, who fed him with the milk of the goat Amalthea. In Crete, the baby also tasted bee honey. The cave where Zeus was hidden was guarded by guards. When little Zeus began to cry, the guards banged their spears on their shields so that Kronos would not hear the baby’s cry.

Olympian Zeus, statue by Phidias, one of the 7 wonders of the world.

Finally, Zeus grew up. He came to his father and brought his brothers and sisters out of the womb of Kronos, giving his father a potion on the advice of Metis. As a sign of gratitude, the brothers and sisters of Zeus gave him thunder and lightning, after which his war for power with Kronos and the Titans began. The Titanomachy lasted for ten whole years. In this war, Zeus' assistants were the hundred-armed, and the Cyclopes forged thunder, lightning and Perun for him. In the end, Zeus was victorious and overthrew the Titans into Tartarus.

Three brothers - Zeus, Poseidon and Hades - divided power among themselves. Zeus began to rule in the sky, Poseidon in the sea, Hades in the kingdom of the dead. The establishment of Zeus on Olympus occurred with great difficulty, for example, Gaia rebelled against him and sent Typhon. However, Zeus defeated this creature with fiery lightning. According to one version of the myth, Zeus sent Typhon to Tartarus, and according to another, he dumped Etna on him. However, the war did not end there, Gaia gave birth to new children - giants, and Gigantomachy broke out. Zeus even fought for power with his closest relatives; for example, Hera, Poseidon and Pallas Athena (according to another version, Apollo) rebelled against him. However, with the help of Thetis, Zeus summoned the hundred-handed men to Olympus, who tamed the conspirators.

Zeus's first wife was Metis, who was swallowed by him. Soon the ruler of Olympus married Themis, who was the goddess of justice. Their daughters were Ora and Moira - goddesses of fate. The daughters of Zeus from Eurynome, the Charites, brought joy, fun and grace into life. Demeter was also the wife of Zeus. Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory, gave birth to nine muses. From Leto to Zeus - Apollo and Artemis. The third but first most important wife of Zeus was Hera, the goddess of marriage and patroness of marriage laws.

Interesting to know: in the guise of a snake, Zeus seduced Demeter, and then Persephone, in the guise of a bull and a bird - Europa, in the guise of a bull - Io, in the guise of an eagle - Ganymede, in the guise of a swan - Nemesis or Leda, in the guise of a quail - Leto, in the guise of an ant - Eurymedus , in the guise of a dove - Phthia, in the guise of fire - Aegina, in the form of golden rain - Danae, in the guise of a satyr - Antiope, in the guise of a shepherd - Mnemosyne.

Zeus was the father of many heroes who carried out his divine will and good intentions. His sons are Hercules, Perseus, Dioscuri, Sarpedon, famous kings and sages: Minos, Radamanthos and Aeacus.

Despite the fact that Zeus is the “father of men and gods,” he is a formidable punitive force. It was on his orders that Prometheus was chained to a rock, who stole the spark of Hephaestus's fire to help people doomed by Zeus to a miserable fate. Several times Zeus destroyed the entire human race, so he tried to create a perfect man. The flood is his doing. Only Deucalion, the son of Prometheus, and his wife Pyrrha escaped. The Trojan War is also a kind of punishment of people for their wickedness.

The attributes of Zeus were an aegis (shield), a scepter, a double ax, and sometimes an eagle.

And the young Kurete demigods They guarded him, hitting their shields with spears so that Kronos would not hear when the baby cried.

When Zeus grew up and matured, with the help of Metis, he gave Cronus a potion, and the mighty Cronus vomited out his children, as well as the stone that Zeus left near Parnassus as a symbol of beneficent deception.
Then Zeus began a fight with his father and the Titans, a titanomachy that lasted ten years. They helped him Hecatonchires (“hundred-handed”) and the Cyclopes, who forged thunder, lightning and Perun for Zeus. But the struggle did not end there. Gaia, the goddess of the Earth, sends her other children, giants, and the monstrous Typhon to Zeus. Started gigantomachy , in which the Thunderer also won.
After the victory, he divided power between himself and his brothers, he himself gets the sky, Poseidon - the sea, Hades - the underworld; then he settles on Mount Olympus with his relatives, his third wife, but the first in importance - Hero and children. Relative order also reigns on earth, crafts, trade, science and art flourish, patronized by himself or his children Apollo, Athena, and the muses.
There is no rain, no snow, no storms on Olympus. High above Olympus the blue endless sky stretches, golden light shines, here there is constant summer. It is below, on earth, that the seasons alternate, happiness and joy alternate with grief and illness. On Olympus everything is different. Sometimes Olympians quarrel, cheat on each other, they also know sorrow, but more often than not, Olympic calm reigns here. The gods often feast in golden palaces, their food is ambrosia and nectar, at feasts the affairs of the world are decided, and the fate of people is determined. But the fate of the gods is not always in their own hands. Sometimes Zeus is subject to Moira.
Zeus is the father not only of many gods: Apollo, Athena, Artemis, Dionysus, Persephone, but also of many heroes: Hercules, Perseus, Dioscuri, etc. The main sanctuary of Zeus was Olympia, there was a famous temple here and the Olympic Games were held in honor of Zeus. Homer dedicated a short hymn to Zeus: Zeus, greatest and best among the gods, my song to you!
Thunder-rolling, sovereign lord, laying judge,
You love to have conversations with Themis, sitting bent over.
Be merciful, loud Kronid, the great and glorious one!

Zeus also has the name Dius, the head of the Olympian family of gods. Zeus is a native Greek deity; his name is of purely Indo-European origin and means “bright sky” (cf. Indo-European deiuo - “daytime shining sky”, Old Indian deva - “god”, dyaus - “sky” (Dyaus), Greek “Zeus, god of the clear sky", Latin deus - "god", dies - "day"; Old Indian Dyaus pitar, Old Greek - Latin Jup(p)iter, Diespiter). In antiquity, the etymology of the word “Z.” associated with the roots of the Greek. words “life”, “boiling”, “irrigation”, “that through which everything exists”. Z. is the son of Kronos (hence the names Z. Kronid, Kronion) and Rhea (Hes. Theog. 457), he belongs to the third generation of gods who overthrew the second generation - the Titans. Father Z., fearing to be deposed by his children, swallowed every time the child just born to Rhea. Rhea deceived her husband by letting him swallow a wrapped stone instead of the born Z., and the baby, secretly from his father, was sent to Crete on Mount Dikta (453-491). According to another version, Rhea gave birth to Z. in the cave of Mount Dikta and entrusted his upbringing to the Curetes and Corybantes, who fed him with the milk of the Amalthea goat (Apollod. I 1, 5-7). It was in Crete that the most ancient fetishistic symbols of the veneration of Z. Cretan were preserved: a double ax (labrys), a magical weapon that kills and gives life, destructive and creative power. The image of this double ax is found on ritual objects between the horns of a bull, which in Crete was also a zoomorphic embodiment of Z. (in the form of a bull Z. kidnapped Europe). The main residence of Z. Labrys, or Z. Labrandsky, was considered to be a labyrinth (cf. the etymological relationship of the names labrys - labyrinth); the monstrous mixanthropic Minotaur is an inhabitant of the labyrinth and is one of the incarnations of Z. Cretan. The image of archaic Z. is close to Zagreus, who was later thought of as the son of Z.
In the system of myths about Z. Olympus, his stay in Crete is one of the archaic rudiments and is usually associated with the motive of the secret upbringing of the baby Z. In Delphi, the archaic fetish omphalos (“navel of the earth”) was revered - a stone swallowed by Cronus, or a stone like a baby’s navel Z. (Paus. X 16, 3; Strab. IX 3, 6). Omphalus was erected by Z. in Python near Parnassus as a monument to the wonder of all mortals (Hes. Theog. 497-500).
The mature Z. brought his brothers and sisters out of Cronus’s womb (493-496, 501 next), giving him a potion on the advice of Metis (Apollod. I 2, 1). For this they gave thunder and lightning into the possession of Z. (Hes. Theog. 504 next). Then Z. began a struggle for power with Kron and other titans. In the titanomachy, which lasted ten years, Z. was helped by the hundred-armed; The Cyclopes forged thunder, lightning and Perun for him. The defeated titans were thrown into Tartarus (Hes. Theog. 674-735; Apollod. I 2, 1).
Three brothers Z., Poseidon and Hades, divided power among themselves. Z. got dominance in the sky, Poseidon - the sea, Hades - the kingdom of the dead (Apollod. I 2, 1). In ancient times, Z. combined the functions of life and death. He ruled over the earth and under it, and administered judgment over the dead (Aeschyl. Suppl. 231). Hence one of Z.'s epithets is Chthonius (“underground”) (Hes. Orp. 465; Hom. II. IX 457). Z. Chthonius was revered in Corinth (Paus. II 2, 8). However, later Z. began to personify only the bright side of life. During the period of patriarchy, Z. was localized on Mount Olympus and was called Olympian (or Thessalian).
Z.'s approval comes with great difficulty. Gaia rebels against Z. and sends her offspring, Typhon, to him, but Z. defeats this wild teratomorphic creature with fiery lightning. According to one version (Hes. Theog. 820-868), Z. threw Typhon into Tartarus, according to another, he dumped Etna on him (Aeschyl. Prom. 351-372). But the fight against chthonic monsters continued. Gaia gave birth to new children - giants and gigantomachy broke out. According to Apollodorus, Gigantomachy occurred before Typhonia, so Typhon is considered an even more terrible monster than the giants (Apollod. I 6, 1-3).
The struggle of Z. and the Olympians with the world of monsters leads to another change of generations of gods (before this, Uranus was overthrown by Cronus, and now Cronus is overthrown by Z.). T.n. Orphic theogony considered the most ancient rulers of the world, who were even before Cronus and Rhea, Eurynome and Ophion - apparently serpentine creatures who owned Olympus, who also succumbed to violence and were cast into the depths of the ocean (Apoll. Rhod. I 496-511, cf. Eurynome on the bottom of the ocean saves Hephaestus, thrown from Olympus). But Z. himself is also threatened by the loss of power from his son. Z. has to fight for power even with his closest relatives; Hera, Poseidon and Pallas Athena (according to another version, Apollo) rebel against him, but Thetis (daughter of Nereus, sister of the overthrown mistress of Olympus Eurynoma) helps him, calling the hundred-handed men to Olympus, who frighten the conspirators (Hom. II. I 396-406). 3. - the new Olympian deity turns for help to monsters born of the Earth and fights with the same creatures of the Earth. Olympic Z. is considered the father of gods and people, but his power over the Olympic family is not very firm, and the dictates of fate are often unknown to him, and he recognizes them by weighing the fate of heroes on golden (maybe heavenly, solar) scales (XXII 209- 214). It is on the advice of Gaia - the earth and Uranus - the sky that Z. swallows his first wife Metis in order to avoid the birth of a son from her, who will be stronger than his father (Hes. Theog. 889-900). Themis, the daughter of Gaia, reveals to Z. a secret, known to Prometheus (Aeschyl. Prom. 167-177), that the same son will be born from Thetis (Apoll. Rhod. IV 791-804). By refusing to marry Thetis and marrying her to the hero Peleus (IV 805-809), Z. contributed to the outbreak of the Trojan War, fulfilling the request of Mother Earth (Hom. Il. I 5, cf. XIX 273 next). Z.'s second wife is the goddess of justice Themis. Their daughters, the mountains, impart regularity and order to the lives of gods and people, and the moiras, the goddess of fate, on which Z. himself no longer depends, seem to continue his will. The world of the Olympians, controlled by Z., is changing noticeably. Charites, Z.’s daughter from Eurynoma, bring joy, fun, and grace into life. Demeter, as the wife of Z., is no longer the earth that gives birth to monsters, but the goddess of cultivated fields. Even Hades kidnaps Persephone, Z.’s daughter, with his permission. Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory, gives birth to Z. nine muses (thus, Z. becomes a source of inspiration, sciences and arts). From Leto at Z. - Apollo and Artemis. The third in a row, but the first in importance, the wife of Hera is the goddess of legal marriage and the patroness of marriage laws (Hes. Theog. 901-923). So 3. gradually transforms the world, giving birth to gods who introduce law, order, science, art, morality, etc. into this world. However, in many myths the ancient pre-Olympic connections of Z are noticeable. He marries the muse Calliope, who gives birth to the ecstatic Corybantes (Strab. X 3, 19), demonic servants of the chthonic Great Mother Cybele, who guarded the baby Z in Crete. Z. still uses his ancient weapons - thunder and lightning, suppressing resistance or punishing with brute force. In Homer, he is the “thunderer”, “highly thundering”, “cloud suppressor”, sender of winds, rains and downpours (Hom. II. I 354; IV 30; V 672; XIV 54; XVI 297-300), Hesiod mentions Zeus’s downpours ( Hes. Opp. 626), 3. “it will rain,” according to Alcaeus (frg. 34). Pausanias notes that in Athens there was a statue of Gaia the earth, praying 3. for the sending of rain (Paus. I 24, 3), the Athenians asked 3. for rain to fall over the arable lands (Marc. Aurel. V 7). In the form of an oak tree, the roots of which were washed by a stream, Z. Dodonsky was revered in Dodona; his wife was considered the oceanid Dione (Hes. Theog. 353).
Z. Olympian is the patron of the community of people, city life, the defender of the offended and the patron of those who pray, other gods obey him (Hom. II. V 877 next). He gives laws to people (Deinosth. 25, 16, Eur. Hippol. 97; Soph. 0. R. 865 next). Z. in general turns out to be the principle of life, the originator of all living things (Mach. Tug. 41, 2), “the giver of life,” “the all-generator” (Hymn. Orph. LXXIII 2). Z. patronizes the tribal community of people, hence Z. “tribal” (Pind. O1. VIII 16; Pyth. IV 167). Aeschylus's "Supplants" presents the majestic figure of the great god, the just protector and helper of people. Beneficial functions are reflected in his epithets: “helper in trouble” (Aeschyl. Sept. 8), “savior” (Paus. IX 26, 7; Soph. frg. 392), “savior of the city,” “founder” (Aeschyl. Suppl. 445), “protector” (Soph. Antig. 487; Eur. Troad. 17), Polyei - “urban” (Paus. I 24, 4), Polyukh - “ruler of the state” (Plat. Legg. XI 921 trace .). Z. Philius (patron of friendly alliances) (Plat. Phaedr. 234 f), “fatherly”, “father” (Aristoph. Acharn. 223; Nub. 1468), “fatherly” (Soph. Trach. 288; Plat. R. P. Ill 391 e). He monitors the observance of oaths (Paus. V 24, 9; Soph. O. R. 1767). 3. - assistant to warriors (Hom. N. IV 84; Xenoph. Lac. pol. XIII 2) and the strategist himself, commander (inscriptions on coins, cf. Cic. In Verr. II 4, 58; 129 - Imperator), “ military" (Hero-dot. V 119), "bearer of victory" (Soph. Antig. 143; Eur. Heracl. 867, 937). Known is Z. Buley (Paus. I 3, 5), patron of the national assembly (Aeschyl. Eum. 972; Aristoph. Equ, 410), scepter holder (Hymp. Orph. XV 6), king (Aristoph. Ran. 1278), “ lord of lords, the most perfect power of the blessed and perfect" (Aeschyl. Suppl. 525), "all-king" (Hymn. Orph. LXXIII 4), "Hellenic" (Aristoph. Equ. 1253) and even "panhellenic", to which a special cult (Paus. I 18, 9).
Z. Olympiysky is the father of many heroes who carry out his divine will and good intentions. His sons: Hercules, Perseus, Dioscuri, Sarpedon, the famous kings and sages Minos, Radamanthos and Aeacus. Patronizing the heroes who destroy chthonic monsters, Z. condemns the bloodshed and natural disasters of war in the person of Ares (Hom. P. V 888-898). However, in the myths about the birth of heroes, ancient fetishistic motives are noticeable. Z. appears to Danae in the form of a golden shower (Apollod. II 4, 1), to Semele - with lightning and thunder, he abducts Europe, turning into a bull (Apollod. Ill I, 1), to Leda he appears as a swan (III 10, 7) , Persephone - a serpent. Ancient zoomorphic motifs are also noticeable in the fact that Z. turns his lovers into animals, wanting to hide them from the wrath of Hera (Io into a cow, Callisto into a bear). Being the “father of men and gods,” Z. is at the same time a formidable punitive force. By order of Z., Prometheus is chained to a rock, having stolen the spark of Hephaestus’s fire in order to help people doomed to Z.’s miserable fate (Aeschylus, “Chained Prometheus”). Several times Z. destroyed the human race, trying to create a perfect man. He sent a flood to the earth, from which only Deucalion, the son of Prometheus, and his wife of Pyrrhus (Ovid. Met. I 246-380). Z. wants to destroy the pitiful race of people and “plant” a new one (Aeschyl. Prom. 231-233). The Trojan War is also a consequence of Z.’s decision to punish people for their wickedness (Hom. P. I 5, XIX 263 seq.). Z. destroys the clan of the Atlanteans, who have forgotten about the veneration of the gods, and Plato calls this Z. “guardian of the laws” (Plat. Critias 121 b-c). Z. sends curses that are terribly realized on individual heroes and a number of generations (Tantalus, Sisyphus, Atrides, Cadmides). Thus, the ancient archaic law takes on more and more obvious moral features, although it asserts its principles with the help of force. The beginnings of statehood, order and morality among people are connected, according to the legends of the Greeks, not with the gifts of Prometheus, because of which people became proud, but with the activities of Z. (Hes. Theog. 96; Opp. 256-264), who invested in people have shame and conscience, qualities necessary in social communication (Plat. Prot. 320d -322d). Z., who was thought of as “fire”, “hot substance” (Tertull. Adv. Marc. I 13) and lived in the ether (Eur. frg. 487), owning the sky as his home (Callim. Hymn. Ill 141), becomes the organizing focus of cosmic and social life on Olympus, where the earth meets the sky and where the sky turns into the fiery subtlest ether. The mythology of Z. Olympian reflects the strengthening of the patriarchal power of the Basileans, especially the Mycenaean kings, although it does not reach the absolute centralization of this power (according to Hesiod, Z. was elected to the kingdom by the gods, Theog. 881-885). Only in the Hellenistic era did Zeus take on the image of the world almighty and arbiter of world destinies, that “all-king” and “pan-Hellenic” ruler who was sung in the later Orphic hymns and in the hymn “To Zeus” by the Stoic Cleanthes (3rd century BC). , where universalism and cosmism of Z. take on monotheistic features.
Z.'s attributes are an aegis, a scepter, and sometimes a hammer. Cult holidays in honor of Z. are few in number, since a number of his functions were assigned to other gods - executors of Z.'s will, who were in a much closer relationship with man: Apollo - prophecy, Demeter - agriculture, Athena - wisdom and arts. In honor of Z. Olympian, the Panhellenic Olympic Games were held in Olympia - as a symbol of unity and mutual consent of the Greek city-states. Z. corresponds to the Roman Jupiter.