网站打包apk价格-TG:@apk2bot💥自助打包APK多少钱靠谱.tls

Zeus is the supreme god of the ancient Greek pantheon. He is often referred to as the “Father of Gods and Men” and is known as the god of the skythunderlightninglaworderand justice.

Zeus is one of the twelve Olympian godswho resided on Mount Olympusand as the ruler of the godsZeus held immense power and authority. He was often depicted with a thunderboltsymbolizing his control over lightningand an eaglesymbolizing his mastery over the skies.

Zeus was not only known for his might but also for his many romantic affairs. He had numerous consorts and offspringboth divine and mortalwhich often led to various adventures and conflicts in Greek mythology.

What Was Zeus the God Of?

As a god of stormsZeus was closely associated with lightningthunderand swelling storm clouds. Comparativelyhis role as the de facto ruler of all Greek gods and goddesses also meant that Zeus was a god of laworderand justicedespite the many kerfuffles he had caused himself. In practiceZeus’ approach to the rule of the Heavens could best be narrowed down to lawful chaos.

Zeus Within Indo-European Religion

Zeus followed the trend of many father-like Indo-European deities of his dayclosely aligning his steps with a similarProto-Indo-European godknown as “Sky Father.” This sky god was called Dyēusand he was known to be a wiseall-knowing figure attributed to his celestial nature.

Thanks to developing linguisticshis association with a radiant sky was also applicable to stormsthough unlike other gods that would take his placeDyēus was not considered to be a “King of the Gods,” or a supreme deity by any means.

SoZeus and select other Indo-European gods were worshiped as all-aware storm gods in that respectbecause of their relation to Proto-Indo-European religious practices. Like Yahweh in the Jewish religionZeus was first and foremost a storm god before being recognized as a chief god.

Zeus’ Symbols

As with all other Greek godsZeus also had a collection of symbols that were unique to his worshipand implemented by his cult during various sacred rituals. These symbols also were present in many of the artworks that are related to Zeusespecially in his many statues and Baroque paintings.

The Oak Tree

At the Oracle of Zeus in DodonaEpirusthere was a sacred oak tree at the heart of the sanctuary. Priests of Zeus’ cult would interpret the wind rustling as messages from the god of the sky himself. Traditionallyoak trees are believed to hold wisdomin addition to being strong and resilient. Other gods associated with the tree include Thora god of storm among the Norse gods and goddesses Jupiterhead of the Roman gods and goddessesand Dagdaan important Celtic god. In some artistic depictionsZeus wears a crown of oak.

A Lightning Bolt

This symbol is sort of a given. Zeusas a storm godhad a naturally close association with the lightning boltand the radiant arches were his favorite weapon. The Cyclopes are responsible for forging the first lightning for Zeus to wield.

Bulls

In many ancient civilizationsbulls were the symbol of powermasculinitydeterminationand fertility. Zeus was known to have disguised himself as a tamed white bull in one of the myths to spare his new love from Hera’s jealous rage.

Eagles

The bird was a famous favorite of Zeus into which he would transform himselfas told in the abduction tales of Aegina and Ganymedes. Some accounts claim that eagles would ferry lightning bolts for the god of the sky. Eagle statues were commonplace in temples and sanctuaries dedicated to Zeus.

A Scepter

The scepterwhen held by Zeusembodies his unquestionable authority. He is a kingafter alland he has the final say in many decisions made in classical Greek myths. The only deity shown to bear a scepter besides Zeus is Hadesthe Greek god of death and the underworld.

The Portrayal of Zeus in Greek Mythology

Both a sky god and the god of justice in classical Greek mythologyZeus has the final say in most famous myths. A leading example of this is in the Homeric Hymn to Demeterwhere the abduction of Persephonegoddess of Springis greatly detailed. According to Homerit is Zeus that permitted Hades to take Persephone as her motherDemeterwould never allow them to be together. Likewiseit is Zeus who had to be made to buckle before Persephone was returned.

The Primordial Greek Gods

In ancient Greek religious beliefsthe primordial gods were embodiments of various aspects of the world. They were the “first generation,” and so all gods thereafter came from them. Although a crucial god to the GreeksZeus was not actually considered to be a primordial deity – he didn’t really earn the identity of a major god until after the events of the Titan WarTitanomachy.

In the Greek poet Hesiod’s poem Theogonythere were eight primordial gods: Chaos Gaia UranusTartarusEros Erebus Hemeraand Nyx. From the union of Gaia and Uranus – the Earth and the Skyrespectively – the twelve almighty Titans were born. Of the TitansCronus and his sister Rhea gave birth to Zeus and his divine siblings.

Zeus During the Titanomachy

Nowthe Titanomachy is alternatively known as the Titan War: a bloody 10-year period marked by a series of battles between the younger Olympian gods and their predecessorsthe older Titans. The events came after Cronus usurped the throne of his tyrannical fatherUranusand became a tyrant himself.

Convinced by the paranoid delusion that he would likewise be overthrownhe ate his five childrenHadesPoseidonthe Greek god of the sea Hestia Heraand Demeter as they were born. He would have also consumed the youngestZeusif not for Rhea giving Cronus a rock in swaddling clothes to crunch on instead and hiding the infant Zeus away in a Cretan cave.

In Cretethe divine child would be primarily raised by a nymph named Amaltheaand the ash tree nymphsthe Meliae. Zeus grew into a young god in no time and masqueraded as a cupbearer for Cronus.

As awkward as that must have been for Zeusthe other gods were now full-grown as welland they wanted out of their father. SoZeus – with the help of the OceanidMetis – had Cronus throw up the other five gods after he drank a mustard-wine concoction.

This would be the start of the Olympian gods’ rise to power.

Zeus eventually freed the Hecatonchires and the Cyclopes from their earthen prison. Whereas the many-limbed Hecatonchires threw stonesthe Cyclopes would forge Zeus’ famous thunderbolts. AdditionallyThemisand her sonPrometheus were the only Titans to ally with the Olympians.

The Titanomachy lasted 10 gruesome yearsbut Zeus and his siblings came out on top. As for punishmentthe Titan Atlas was forced to hold the skyand Zeus imprisoned the remaining Titans in Tartarus.

Zeus married his sisterHerasplit the world between himself and the other Greek gods and goddessesand for a time the Earth knew peace.

As King of the Gods

The first few millennia of Zeus being the King of the Gods were a trial run at best. Life was not good in Paradise. He faced a nearly successful overthrow at the hands of three of his closest family members and had to deal with the tense aftermath of the Titanomachy.

Upset that her grandson imprisoned her childrenGaia sent giants to meddle in business on Mount Olympus and ultimately kill Zeus. When this failedshe gave birth to Typhona serpentine beastto try and get Zeus’ head instead. As beforethis didn’t work out in favor of Mother Earth. Zeus used his lightning bolts to defeat his unclecoming out on top of an insane battle. According to PindarTyphon was trapped inside of the west-layingvolcanic Mount Etna.

In other iterationsTyphon was born from Zeus’ wifeHeraalone. The monstrosity’s birth came following a jealous rage that was triggered when Zeus bore Athena from his head.

Otherwisethere is a myth surrounding an attempt by HeraAthenaand Poseidon to overthrow Zeus when the three collectively agreed that his rule was less than ideal. When Zeus was freed from his bindings by a loyal Hecatonchirehe used his iconic lightning bolt to threaten the treacherous gods with death.

The Myth of Pegasus

The fantastical creature called Pegasus was believed to be an all-white winged horsecharged with carrying Zeus’ thunderbolts by chariot.

As the myth goesPegasus sprang forth from the blood of Medusa as she was decapitated by the famed championPerseus. With the aid of Athenaanother Greek heroBellerophonwas able to ride the horse into battle against the notorious Chimera – a hybrid monster that breathed fire and terrorized the Lycia region in modern-day Anatolia. Howeverwhen Bellerophon attempted to fly on the back of Pegasushe fell and became gravely injured. Pegasus instead ascended to the Heavens riderlesswhere he was discovered and stabled by Zeus.

Zeus’ (Close) Family

When granted the time to consider Zeus for all he isone seldom thinks of him being a family guy. It can be said that he was a decent ruler and a fine guardianbut not really a presentdynamic figure in his family life.

Of his siblings and childrenthose close to him are far and few between.

Zeus’ Siblings

As the baby of the familysome could argue that Zeus was a little spoiled. He evaded the bowels of his father and claimed the Heavens as his own realm in the aftermath of a decade-long war that signified him as a war hero and made him king.

Honestlywho could blame them for being a little…envious of Zeus?

This envy was the heart of many sibling disputes in the pantheonalong with Zeus’ habit of overriding the wishes of others. He persistently undermines Heraas both an older sister and as a wifewhich leads to suffering for anyone involved; he insults and offends Demeter by letting Hades whisk Persephone away to the Underworldcausing a global environmental crisis and famine; he clashed heads with Poseidon oftenas seen in their disagreement over the events Trojan War.

As for Hestia’s and Hades’ relationship with Zeusone could conclude that things were cordial. Hades didn’t regularly attend to business at Olympus unless things were diremaking his relationship with his youngest sibling plausibly strained.

MeanwhileHestia was the goddess of family and the hearth of the home. She was revered for her kindness and compassionwhich makes it unlikely that there was any tension between the two – save for a rejected proposalbut then Poseidon got the cold shoulder as wellso it works out.

Zeus and Hera

From some of the most well-known of Greek mythsZeus was notably unfaithful to his wife. He had a taste for debaucheryand an affinity for mortal women – orany woman that wasn’t Hera. As a goddessHera was notorious for being dangerously vengeful. Even the gods feared heras her ability to hold a grudge was unmatched.

Their relationship was unquestionably toxic and rife with discordwith both taking a tit-for-tat approach to most of their marital issues.

In the IliadZeus suggests that their marriage was an elopementwhich suggests that at some point they were a happyand very in lovecouple. As told by the librarianCallimachustheir wedding feast lasted more than three thousand years.

On the other handthe 2nd-century geographer Pausanias tells of how Zeus disguised himself as an injured cuckoo bird to woo Hera after an initial rejectionwhich worked. It is speculated that as the goddess of marriageHera would have chosen her potential partner carefullyand when Zeus proposedshe likely already knew it wasn’t going to work out.

The couple shares four children together: Aresthe Greek war godHebeHephaestusand Eileithyia.

According to Hesiod…

Besides his sisterHerathe poet Hesiod claims that Zeus had a total of seven other wives. In factHera was his final wife.

The first wife of Zeus was an Oceanid named Metis. The two got on greatand Metis was soon expecting until Zeus swallowed her in fear of her bearing a son strong enough to overthrow him. Thenhe got a killer headacheand out came Athena.

After MetisZeus sought the hand of his auntThemisthe mother of Prometheus. She gave birth to the Seasons and the Fates. Then he married Eurynomeanother Oceanidand she gave birth to the Graces. He also married Demeterwho in turn had Persephoneand then Zeus mated with the Titaness Mnemosynewho bore him the Muses.

Zeus’ second to last wife was Titaness Letodaughter of Coeus and Phoebewho gave birth to the divine twinsApollo and Artemis.

Zeus’ Children

It is well known that Zeus fathered a ton of children from his many affairssuch as Dionysusthe child of Zeus and Persephone. Howeveras a fatherZeus routinely did the bare minimum – even for the famousdashingdemi-god legends that won the affections of people around the worldZeus only ever popped in to give an occasional blessing.

Meanwhilehis wife had a bloodlust for the children of Zeus’ affairs.

Apollo and Artemis

The children of LetoApollo and Artemis were crowd favorites from their conception. As the god of the sun and the goddess of the moonthey had a lot of responsibility early on.

Following the story recounting their birthHera – in her rage at discovering her husband to be (again) adulterous – forbade Leto from giving birth on any terra firmaor solid earth.

Eventuallythe Titaness did find a piece of land floating at sea and was able to give birth to Artemiswho then helped her mother give birth to Apollo. The whole affair took four arduous daysafter which Leto faded into obscurity.

The Dioscuri: Pollux and Castor

Zeus fell in love with a mortal woman and Spartan queen named Ledawho became the mother of the twinsCastor and Pollux. Both were known as dedicated horsemen and athletes and the brothers of Helen of Troy and her lesser-known sisterClymnestra.

As deitiesThe Dioscuri were guardians of travelers and would be known to save sailors from shipwrecks. The title the twins hold“Dioscuri,” translates to “Sons of Zeus.” They are immortalized as the constellationGemini.

Hercules

Perhaps the most famous of the Grecian demi-gods thanks to DisneyHercules struggled for his father’s affection as much as his other countless siblings. His mother was a mortal princess named Alcmene. Besides being renowned for beautyheightand wisdomAlcmene was also the granddaughter of the famed demi-god Perseusand so a great-granddaughter of Zeus.

As the conception of Hercules is described by HesiodZeus disguised himself as Alcmene’s husbandAmphytrionand wooed the princess. After being tormented his entire life by Zeus’ wifeHeraHercules’ spirit ascended as a full-blown god to the Heavensfixed things up with Heraand married his half-sisterHebe.

Zeus: God of the Sky and Some of His Many Epithets

Besides being known as the King of all the godsZeus was also a venerated patron god throughout the Greek world. On top of thishe held regional titles in locations where he played a significant role in a local myth.

Olympian Zeus

Olympian Zeus is simply Zeus being identified as the chief of the Greek pantheon. He was the supreme godwith divine authority over gods and mortals alike.

It was likely that Olympian Zeus was honored throughout all of Greeceespecially at his cult center of Olympiathough the Athenian tyrants that ruled from the city-state during the 6th century BC sought glory through displays of power and fortune.

The Temple of Olympian Zeus

Athens holds the remains of the largest temple known to be attributed to Zeus. Known also as the Olympieionthe temple is measured to be 96 meters long and 40 meters wide! It took 638 years to build in allcompleted during the time of Emperor Hadrian’s rule in the second century AD. Unfortunatelyit fell into a period of disuse only a hundred years after it was completed.

To honor Hadrian (who took credit for the temple’s completion as a publicity stunt and as a Roman triumph)the Athenians constructed the Arch of Hadrian that would lead into Zeus’ sanctuary. Two ancient inscriptions discovered mark the west and the east facades of the gateway.

The west-facing inscription stated“This is Athensthe ancient city of Theseus,” while the east-facing inscription declares: “This is the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus.”

Cretan Zeus

Remember Zeus being raised in a Cretan cave by Amalthea and the nymphs? Wellthis is where the worship of Cretan Zeus originatedand the establishment of his cult in the region.

During the Aegean Bronze Agethe Minoan civilization prospered on the island of Crete. They were known for their construction of large palace complexeslike the palace at Knossosand the palace at Phaistos.

More specificallythe Minoans were believed to have worshiped Cretan Zeus – a young god that was born and died yearly – at his speculated cult centerthe Palace of Minos. Therehis cult would sacrifice bulls to honor his yearly death.

Cretan Zeus embodied the vegetation cycle and the effects of the changing seasons on the landand likely has little ties to the matured god of storms of wider-spread Greek mythology since on CreteZeus remained identified as an annual youth.

Arcadian Zeus

Arcadiaa mountainous region with bountiful farmlands, was one of the many cult centers of Zeus. The tale surrounding the development of Zeus’ worship in the region begins with the archaic kingLykaonwho assigned Zeus the epithet of Lykaioswhich means “of the Wolf.”

Lykaon had wronged Zeus by feeding him human flesh – either by the cannibalism of his own sonNyctimus or by sacrificing an unnamed infant on an altar – to test out if the god was truly all-knowingas he was claimed to be. After the deed was doneKing Lykaon was transformed into a wolf as punishment.

It is believed that this particular myth grants insight into a widespread Greek opinion on the act of cannibalism: for the most partancient Greeks did not think cannibalism was a good thing.

On top of being disrespectful to the deadit shamed the gods.

That being saidthere are historical accounts of cannibalistic tribes recorded by Greeks and Romans across the ancient world. Generallythose that participated in cannibalism did not share the same cultural beliefs surrounding the dead as the Greeks did.

Zeus Xenios

When worshiped as Zeus XeniosZeus is regarded as the patron of strangers. This practice encouraged hospitality towards foreignersguestsand refugees in ancient Greece.

In addition to thisas Zeus Xeniosthe god is closely tied to the goddess Hestiawho oversees the hearth of the home and family matters.

Zeus Horkios

Worship of Zeus Horkios permits Zeus to be the guardian of oaths and pacts. Breaking an oath thus meant wronging Zeuswhich was an act that no one wanted to commit. The role echoes back to the Proto-Indo-European godDyēuswhose wisdom likewise supervised the formation of treaties.

As it turns outtreaties are much more effective if a deity has something to do with enforcing it.

Zeus Herkeios

The role of Zeus Herkeios was to be the guardian of the housewith many ancient Greeks storing effigies of him in their cupboards and closets. He was closely associated with domesticity and familial wealthmaking him largely integrated with the role of Hera.

Zeus Aegiduchos

Zeus Aegiduchos identifies Zeus as the bearer of the Aegis shieldwhich is mounted with Medusa’s head. The Aegis is used by both Athena and Zeus in the Iliad to terrorize their enemies.

Zeus Serapis

Zeus Serapis is an aspect of Serapisa Graeco-Egyptian deity with Roman influences. As Zeus Serapisthe god is closely associated with the sun. Now under the guise of SerapisZeusthe sun godbecame an important god throughout the vast Roman Empire.

Did Zeus Have a Roman Equivalent?

Zeus did have a Roman counterpart. Jupiter was Zeus’ Roman nameand the two were very similar gods. They are both gods of the sky and of stormsand both share the same transparent Indo-European etymology with their names in connection with the Proto-Indo-European Sky FatherDyēus.

What holds Jupiter apart from Zeus is his closer associations with the radiant diurnal skyas opposed to raging storms. He has an epithetLucetiuswhich identifies Jupiter as being the “Light-Bringer.”

Zeus in Art and Greek Classical Literature

As the all-important god of the sky and head of the Greek pantheonZeus has been historically immortalized time and time again by Greek artists. His visage has been minted on coinscaptured in statuesetched in muralsand repeated in various other pieces of ancient Greek art while his personality has been embodied in countless poetries and literatures spanning centuries.

In artZeus is shown as a bearded man thatmore often than notwears a crown of oak leaves or olive sprigs. He is usually seated on an impressive thronegrasping a scepter and lightning bolt – two of his most recognizable symbols. Some art shows him accompanied by an eagle or has an eagle perched on his scepter.

Meanwhilewritings prove Zeus to be a practitioner of lawful chaosemboldened by his untouchable position and enduring confidenceweak only to the affections of his innumerable lovers.

The Role of Zeus in the Iliad and the Trojan War

In one of the most significant pieces of literature from the Western worldthe Iliadwritten in the 8th Century BCEZeus played a multitude of key roles. Not only was he the speculated father of Helen of Troybut Zeus decided he was fed up with the Greeks.

Apparentlythe god of the sky viewed the war as a means to depopulate the Earth and eliminate the veritable demi-gods after he grew increasingly concerned with the possibility of a coup – a fact that is supported by Hesiod.

FurthermoreZeus was the one to assign Paris the task to decide which goddess – AthenaHeraor Aphrodite – was the fairest after they quarreled over the golden Apple of Discordwhich was sent by Eris after she was denied access to the wedding of Thetis and King Peleus. None of the godsZeus especiallywanted to be the one to vote in fear of the actions of the two that were not selected.

Other actions Zeus took in the Iliad include promising Thetis to make Achillesher sona glorious heroand entertaining the idea of ending the war and sparing Troy after nine yearsthough ultimately deciding against it when Hera objects.

Ohand he decided that for Achilles to really get involved in the fightingthen his companion Patroclus had to die at the hands of the Trojan heroHektor (who was Zeus’ personal favorite throughout the entire war).

Zeus Olympios: The Statue of Zeus at Olympia

Of the most acclaimed of Zeus-centric artsZeus Olympios takes the cake. Known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient Worldthis Zeus statue towered 43’ and was known to be a lavish display of power.

The most thorough description of the statue of Olympian Zeus is by Pausaniaswho noted that the seated figure donned a gilded robe of finely carved glass and gold. HereZeus held a scepter containing many rare metalsand a figurine of Nikethe goddess of victory. An eagle sat atop this polished scepterwhile his gold-sandaled feet rested on a footrest that depicted battle with the fearsome Amazons of legend. As if that wasn’t already impressivethe cedarwood throne was inlaid with precious stonesebonyivoryand more gold.

The statue was located at a temple dedicated to Olympian Zeus in the religious sanctuary of Olympia. It is not known what happened to Zeus Olympiosthough it likely was lost or destroyed during the spread of Christianity.

ZeusThunderbearer

Made by an unknown artistthis bronze statuette is known to be one of the most finely crafted depictions of Zeus from Greece’s early Classical Period (510-323 BCE). A nude Zeus is shown to be striding forwardready to throw a lightning bolt: a reoccurring pose in otheralbeit largerstatues of the thunder god. As with other depictionshe is beardedand his face is shown to be framed with thick hair.

Unearthed in Dodonathe center for the court of the Oracle of Zeusthe statuette itself would have been a treasured possession. It speaks not only to the magnitude of Zeus’ divine power but also to his physical might and determination through his stance.

Paintings of Zeus

Paintings of Zeus usually capture a pivotal scene from one of his myths. Most of these are images that show the abduction of a loverwith Zeus oftentimes disguised as an animal; the union of him and one of his many love interests; or the aftermath of one of his punishmentsas seen in Prometheus Bound by Flemish painterPeter Paul Rubens.

Many paintings depicting Zeus and gods from the Greek and Roman pantheons were originally constructed during the Baroque Period that spanned between the 17th and 18th centuries when there was a revitalization of interest in Western European mythologies.