Zeus

ZEUS

     Zeus is the most powerful of all the Olympians. Zeus serves many functions in Greek Mythology including judge, jury, and executioner but is most commonly symbolized by the sky or great lightning bolt.  The Titan Cronus was his father, and the Titan Rhea was his mother. Zeus and his siblings were devoured by their father in an attempt to foil a prophecy. The prophecy stated that Cronus, like his father Uranus, would be destroyed by one of his children. Rhea did not want the last of her children, Zeus, to be eaten, so she tricked Cronus into swallowing a rock wrapped up like the infant. Zeus was hidden away until maturity, and Rhea and her mother, Gaea, conspired with Zeus to avenge his siblings, the Cyclops, and the Hundred Handed Giant. Together, they fed Cronus a poison, so he would vomit up Rhea's other children. Then, all the Olympians as they would later be known, fought for ten years until, finally, they overthrew the Titans and became the rulers of the universe and freeing the Cyclops and Hundred Handed Giant. Shortly there after, Zeus, pictured in the caricature above, was forced to defend his reign from the mighty Typhon. Typhon was created by Gaea in order to kill Zeus, and he was, in fact, almost defeated by his foe, if it were not for the fleet footed Hermes and the shepherd deity, Pan, who assisted him from a most undesirable predicament. Zeus had no foe after this and ruled with impunity. Zeus was probably known as the first Casanova, for his various exploits with women. One of his first desires was to marry Hera, one of the many mother goddesses. Hera, however, did not desire the great Zeus, no matter how powerful he was. So, in response, Zeus turned himself into a cuckoo, in order to seduce Hera into marriage. This would not be the first, or the last, time Zeus would transform himself to woo the affections of another, much to Hera's chagrin. Even though there was animosity between both Hera and Zeus, they ruled together as the most powerful God and Goddess of the Olympians.