Zeus & Hera

Ruler of the Olympian family & of wretched mortals, Zeus is primarily a weather god & he was ruled by his stormy temperment. He felt no obligation to protect the mortals, but he was quick to punish them when they failed to honor him. Zeus ruled supreme over his court, creating heroes & destroying them according to his mood. He would send monsters after others either for revenge or amusement, seduced women through deceit or force, was nagged by his wife Hera & would launch thunderbolts at anyone who displeased him.

This god had no need of humankind, except as a source of lowbrow entertainment. Homer stated this beautifully in his writing of theTrojan tragedies: Helen's passion for Paris, she had no control over.....Aphrodite pulled those puppet strings, with Zeus' approval. Take a look at Odysseus.....his epic voyage back home involved being pitted against Poseidon & a hodge-podge of demi-gods & monsters. Sure, Athena & Zeus granted him favors.....but Zeus always upped the ante with new challenges. Odysseus' whole ordeal was masterminded as a kind of celestial soap opera, or if you'd rather, the ultimate
Survivor show.

There were many loves in Zeus' life. but the most enduring was with Hera. It is she who soothes & rebukes him, stands by him, plots behind his back & essentially has a rather entertaining & surprisingly human relationship with him.She did nag him, but what with his catting around, who could fault her? Zeus changed Io into a
heifer in order to hide her, but Hera sent a stinging gadly to torture her. One mortal lover, Semele, was coaxed by Hera to ask Zeus to appear in his full glory before her. He reluctantly agreed & Semele was killed instantly, just as Hera had known she would. Her mortal frame was too fragile for that sudden rush of divinity.

Countless affairs made Zeus rich in children. He fathered hundreds of young Olympians & demi-gods & thus ensured himself of an enthusiastic following. He ruled over them all & blessed them with power.