Zeus is the youngest son of Kronos and the Titaness Rhea. Zeus is the most powerful of the Olympian gods, he is as strong as all the other gods of Olympus put together.

Only his daughters, the Moiras, have any idea of ​​him, as they inevitably embody his destiny. Zeus is usually depicted with a thunderbolt and a scepter. Often he sits on a throne, which emphasizes his special role as God.

Description of Zeus

The liberated god did not hesitate for a long time and went to Olympus to take the lightning again and prepare for the next battle. He could strike the giant himself on Mount Heim, where he badly wounded him.

Zeus laid him on the ground and threw the volcano Etna at him, which buried the giant Typhon under a massive rock. It is believed that the wrath of Zeus still causes Etna to shake and explode even today.

Lovers and children of Zeus

Zeus's wife is Hera, who was also his sister, and Metis was her first lover. father god. However, there are numerous female characters who played a role in Zeus' life and for whom he had a passion.

It was often extremely difficult for him to win the favor of his lovers and thus defeat them. For example, he turned into a bull to communicate with Europe or a swan to seduce Leda.

The wives of Zeus were:

• Metis (swallowed by Zeus)
• Themis
• Hera (the last "official" wife of Zeus). When Kronos ruled the world, Zeus and 300 years hid their marriage.

Zeus had many lovers:

• Eurynome
• Mnemosyne
• Summer (Latona)
• Europe
• Leda
  And others.

The future father of Zeus Kronos, or otherwise - Kronos, was a difficult child as a child. He began with the fact that he castrated his own father Uranus with a sickle. True, he did this at the instigation of his mother, Gaia, exhausted by her husband's indefatigable fertility. Such a radical measure had an effect, and since then the titans, to which Kron belonged, have become absolute masters of the cosmos.

Difficult children

It should be noted that Uranus was generally unlucky with offspring. In the beginning, from his marriage to Gaia, terrible monsters who terrified their parents. Among them were such monsters as hundred-armed and fifty-headed hecatoncheirs and one-eyed giants - cyclops. We will talk about those and others later, they will still show what they are capable of. Uranus was so terrified of their ever-increasing strength and power that he considered it good to tie his children and throw them into Tartarus. Then things got even worse. Seven titanid sisters and six titan brothers were born, among whom the youngest was the future father of Zeus and Hades - Cronus.

The unfortunate Gaia, shedding tears for her hundred-armed children languishing underground, decided to take revenge on Uranus and for this purpose prepared an uprising of the titans and titanides. They, following the will of their mother, treacherously attacked their father. The only exception was one of them, named Ocean. A special role was assigned to Kron. Gaia handed him a sickle made of some particularly durable material (perhaps even a diamond), and with it he deprived his father of further opportunities to produce offspring. By the way, historians say that this was quite consistent with the mores ancient world- it was customary to cut off the genitals of enemies and save them as a trophy. Having fulfilled the instructions of his mother, Kronus reigned in the world.

Gracious times of Hellas

According to the testimony of the first historically reliable poet of ancient Greece, Hesiod, the period when the future father of Zeus ruled the world was the happiest time, the like of which all mythological history did not know. According to him, people were like gods and knew neither grief, nor sadness, nor everyday labors. Since I didn’t have to work, but I still wanted to occupy myself with something, the sons Ancient Hellas divided into poets, painters and sculptors. Thus, the fertile era gave humanity countless masterpieces of art.

Eater of own children

Having taken a place on the throne, the future father of the god Zeus Kronos thought about the heirs of his power and got married. He took as his wife sister- Titanide Ray, but this marriage can hardly be called happy, and not at all because he was consanguineous - in mythology this is an everyday thing. His mother Gaia, a wise and far-sighted woman, warned that one of his future sons would do with him the same way he did with his father Uranus: if he didn’t castrate, then he would certainly deprive him of power. Nothing could be worse for Kron, and he thought hard about how to help grief.

Perhaps a modern ruler would have chosen a different path, but the ancient gods had their own ideas about what was right and what was wrong. Kron did not think for a long time, but simply devoured all the babies that Rhea produced in abundance. "O times, o manners!" - this is how the Roman philosopher Cicero will exclaim after many centuries. But what does Kron have to do with some kind of Romans, the main thing is strength state power, and to achieve it, all paths are good.

Zeus' father is deceived by his own wife

But only a man, moreover, blinded by the brilliance of glory, could argue like that. His wife did not at all approve of such views, and one day, having resolved in again from the burden, decided to save her child. Instead of another victim, she slipped Krona a stone wrapped in diapers. Either the fear generated by the mother's prediction turned out to be so great, or the ruler of the world was already very undiscriminating in food, but he only swallowed this cobblestone like a sweet bun and calmed down.

Meanwhile, Rhea, inwardly triumphant, hid her baby in a cave on the island of Crete, where she raised him, despite all the deceit of her husband. She named her son Zeus and entrusted his protection to the Kurets - terrible, demonic, but completely domesticated creatures. Hesiod, already mentioned in the story, tells that they drowned out the cries and cries of the baby with their roar, which helped to keep the place where he was hidden secret. Under their vigilant care, young Zeus grew up powerful, beautiful and extremely smart. Affected, apparently, heredity and upbringing.

The trick of the wife of young Zeus

Having reached the proper age, the young man married the beautiful Metis. I must say that his chosen one was from birth prone to all kinds of intrigues and really wanted to help her husband achieve supreme power. At this time, Kronos - the father of Zeus - ruled without suspecting anything, and was absolutely sure of his complete safety. It was this delusion of his that Metis took advantage of.

She got miracle drink with which Zeus secretly drugged his father. It was not a banal poison, it was something exceptional. Having tasted it, the bloodthirsty father of Zeus suddenly felt nauseous and, to the great joy of those around him, vomited out of himself all his former children, swallowed by him during the entire time of his marriage. Needless to say, they were alive, healthy and full of strength... History has preserved their names: Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter and Hestia.

Ten Years' War

The brothers and sisters liberated in such a miraculous way, led by Zeus, declared war on the titans - their relatives, born of Gaia and Uranus before the latter was castrated. Since Zeus's father, Cronus, was their younger brother, then, therefore, they themselves accounted for the saved rebels uncles and aunts. There were six titans and six titanides. The war with them lasted ten years and went on with varying success.

Zeus had a secret weapon - the Cyclopes, whom he brought out of the gloomy depths of Tartarus on the occasion of the war. These ferocious one-eyed creatures fought with fury and desperation, but could not overcome those whom Zeus's father set against them. Witnesses of this battle speak of terrible lightning that fell from the sky on the titans, and of thunder that shook the earth, but everything was in vain. And here came the long-awaited turning point in the course of the battle.

When the titans were ready to celebrate the victory, the hundred-armed creatures of the hecatoncheira suddenly appeared from the bowels of the earth, which Zeus saved there in the most extreme case. In addition to a hundred arms, each of them had another fifty heads. These monsters lifted entire rocks into the air and threw them at their opponents when they got close enough. Ancient authors do not skimp on the description of the horror that their appearance produced among the army of the unlucky father Kron. The intervention of these creatures decided the outcome of the case - the enemy was defeated, and justice prevailed.

Poetry of Ancient Greece

Today, some skeptics, who are not inclined to trust the testimonies of Hesiod, Homer and other poets who described the events of that era in their works, see in this ten-year war only a reflection natural disasters that once raged on the planet. Let's not dissuade them - they are deprived of the ability to enjoy the play of poetic fantasy. It seems that the ancient authors themselves did not claim to be documentary of what they set forth, but with their poems they made the hearts of many generations of people freeze sweetly.

Celebration of the winners

But let us return to the foot of Mount Olympus, where until recently everything was burning and shuddering, engulfed in a crazy battle. A long-awaited peace reigned there. The titans, horrified at the sight of the hundred-armed creatures, trembled and fled, but soon they were thrown into the depths, bound in chains. earth's interior. The god-titan, the father of Zeus, shared the common fate and became a prisoner of Tartarus. The dominance of wild and impersonal cosmic forces has come to an end. They were replaced by humanoid deities - the Olympians.

As follows from a number of sources, the father of Zeus, Poseidon and Hades - the old man Kron - was forgiven, reconciled with his children and went to reign over the Ocean - that was the name of the greatest of the rivers of the ancient world, separating the kingdom of the living from the world of shadows. He showed himself there as a wise and generous ruler, which is why the time of his reign is considered to be happy and blessed. Leaving for the kingdom of the dead, the frivolous father of Poseidon and Zeus left behind, in addition to legitimate children, also those that were the fruit of his momentary hobbies. The most famous of them is Chiron, a wise centaur born of the young nymph Filira.

immortal time

It should be noted that according to the consonance of names in the generally accepted etymology, the name Kronos is often identified with the name of the god of time - Chronos. Many researchers see the symbolism of the change of generations in the children who were born and devoured by Kron. This was the reason that in the mythology of the ancient Romans, the father of Zeus Kron received a new incarnation in the image of Saturn, symbolizing the inexorability and transience of time.

Celebrations were dedicated to him, at which servants and gentlemen changed roles, as if illustrating the inconstancy and variability of the age. In general, such holidays were in the nature of fun carnival activities. What was the name of the father of Zeus the ancient Greeks - Kronos or Kronos, it is now difficult to say, but in modern language there are words in the roots of which his name is preserved, for example: chronometer, chronology, timing, and so on. All of them are connected in one way or another with the concept of "time". It was in them that the titan, the father of Zeus, found his true immortality.

God Zeus

Zeus with a cornucopia. Sculpture of the fountain in Petrodvorets.

Zeus("bright sky"), in Greek mythology, the supreme deity, the son of the titans Kronos and Rhea. The almighty father of the gods, the lord of the winds and clouds, rain, thunder and lightning caused storms and hurricanes with a blow of the scepter, but he could also calm the forces of nature and clear the sky of clouds. Kronos, fearing to be overthrown by his children, swallowed all the older brothers and sisters of Zeus immediately after their birth, but Rhea, instead of her youngest son, gave Kropos a stone wrapped in diapers, and the baby was secretly taken out and raised on the island of Crete. The matured Zeus sought to pay off his father. His first wife, the wise Metis ("thought"), the daughter of the Ocean, advised him to give his father a potion, from which he would vomit all swallowed children. Having defeated the Kronos who gave birth to them, Zeus and the brothers divided the world among themselves. Zeus chose the sky, Hades - the underworld of the dead, and Poseidon - the sea. The land and Mount Olympus, where the palace of the gods was located, were decided to be considered common.

The influence of Zeus extended to all spheres; True, he had no power over fate. Therefore, in vain the Nereid Thetis, who at one time called upon the hundred-armed giants to help Zeus, prayed in vain to save her son Achilles from death in the Trojan War. Being the "father of men and gods", Zeus was a formidable punishing force. At his command, Prometheus was chained to a rock, stealing the divine fire for people; he sent a flood to the earth and unleashed the Trojan War, punishing the human race for wickedness. But over time, the world of Olympians changes and becomes less cruel. Ores, daughters of Zeus from Themis, his second wife, brought order into the life of gods and people, and Charites, daughters from Eurynome, the former mistress of Olympus, brought joy and grace; the goddess Mnemosyne gave birth to Zeus 9 muses. Thus, in human society law, sciences, arts and moral norms have taken their place. Zeus was also the father of famous heroes - Hercules, Dioscuri, Perseus, Sarpedon, glorious kings and sages - Minos, Radamanth and Aeacus. Truth, love affairs Zeus with both mortal women and immortal goddesses, which formed the basis of many myths, caused constant antagonism between him and his third wife Hera, the goddess of legal matrimony. Some children of Zeus born out of wedlock, such as Hercules, were severely persecuted by the goddess. In Roman mythology, Zeus corresponds to the omnipotent Jupiter.

God Zeus

Chain of Zeus. Zeus reigns over the whole world and Olympus, the father of gods and people, immortals and mortals. He is the strongest of the gods. With which his servants are inseparable - Power, Strength and Victory-Nika. None of the gods can compare with his power. If you lower a strong golden chain from Olympus, give one end to the hands of Zeus, the other to all the gods, then even then they would not only be able to throw Zeus to Earth, but even slightly shake him on the golden throne. But if Zeus pulled the chain, he would lift all the gods on it along with the earth and the sea, wrap the chain around the top of Olympus and leave the whole world suspended among the expanses of heaven.

Aegis of Zeus. Zeus is the owner of the aegis, therefore he is called "Aegioh", "Aegis holder". But what is the aegis, no one knows for sure. Some say that it is a goat-skin shield, others that it is a cloak, but all agree that the terrifying head of the Gorgon Medusa is attached to the aegis. When Zeus shakes his aegis over two troops that have converged in battle, the sky is shrouded in heavy clouds, lightning flashes, thunder rumbles, instilling fear in the souls of one army, filling the hearts of another with vigor and courage. In this way, Zeus brings victory in battle, so one of his names is Zeus the Victorious.

Zeus and people. As the owner of thunder and lightning, the god who sends a thunderstorm, Zeus is called the Thunderer, the Cloudbreaker, the High-Thunderer. With his lightning, he incinerates the wicked, people who violate the laws he has established in the world. The punishment of Zeus is terrible for people, but Zeus is merciful to those who honor the gods. He is a "Help in need", "Guardian", "Savior", "Friendly". He is a deity that was honored by all the Hellenes, so he was called Zeus All-Hellenic.

God Zeus on the throne. Fragment of a Greek crater

Zeus is the king of the universe. Zeus is honored by both gods and people. When he enters his palace on Olympus, all the gods and goddesses stand respectfully before him. Speaking his will, Zeus shifts his blue-black eyebrows and confirms his words with a nod of his head. From the foot to the top, Olympus oscillates at this moment. The word given by Zeus in this way is unbreakable.

Zeus is subject to all people living on earth, from him their troubles and good luck, happiness and misfortune. As the Greek poet Hesiod wrote:

Give strength to the powerless and plunge the strong into insignificance, Take away happiness from the lucky, suddenly exalt the unknown, Straighten the hunched camp or hunch the back of the haughty - It is very easy for the thunderer who lives in the highest.

Vessels of good and evil. At the throne of Zeus are two large vessels: in one of them are the gifts of good, in the other - evil. Zeus draws good and evil from them and sends them to people. If a person is very dear to him, he receives only gifts of goodness, his life passes happily and serenely. [But the Greeks understood that there is no life without sorrows,” as the Greek tragedian Sophocles said, “both in the future and in the past, only one law is omnipotent - it does not pass without sorrow human life!»] Sadness is a sign of Zeus's discontent. Fall on the one who angers the Thunderer, his evil gifts: misfortunes, illnesses, poverty, hunger! Therefore, it is best that in life it be like most people have: that good and evil are approximately equal, joy and sorrow alternate in life.

Themis, assistant of Zeus. Great severe deities help Zeus to manage the destinies of the world: Themis, the keeper of the laws, the daughter of Uranus and Gaia, watches that the laws are not violated either on earth or on Olympus.

She was depicted with scales and a sword in her hands, and sometimes blindfolded. The meaning of these symbols was as follows: the scales served to weigh the guilt of the defendant, the sword - to punish the guilty, and the eyes were blindfolded because the just judge should not succumb to sympathy for the one whom he judges, as if he should not “see” him, but only listen to what is said for and against the defendant.

Dike and Nemesis. If Themis made sure that everything was according to the law, then the daughter of her and Zeus Dike - "Justice" - watched that everything was in fairness. She was a defender of truth and an enemy of deceit. [It is no coincidence that in one of the images she was shown beating Adikia - "Injustice".]

Nemesis, the formidable goddess of just retribution with a punishing sword in her hand, observes that the measure of good and evil is never violated in the world. No criminal will escape punishment; even if the crime is committed in secret and there are no witnesses, Nemesis will take care of retribution.

Revenge for the poet Ivik. Here is how, for example, the murder of the poet Ivik was avenged. When Ivik was heading for a singing competition in the city of Corinth, where the Isthmian games were celebrated in honor of Poseidon, he was robbed and killed on a deserted road. No one saw the atrocity, not a single person was around, only a crane wedge flew across the sky. The dying poet addressed the cranes with his last request: let them help expose the killers. Ivik was never expected at the festival, and soon his body was found, and no one could say who was responsible for his death. And so, when a performance was going on in the theater in Corinth [Greek theaters were under open sky and accommodated tens of thousands of people], the cranes flew low over the theater, cooing their sad songs. Then all the people heard a cry full of horror: “Look at the sky! The accursed Ivik called the cranes!” It was one of the killers who turned to his accomplice, remembering the dying words of his victim. Both of them were immediately captured, confessed to their crime and suffered a well-deserved punishment. At the same time, not a single Greek would doubt that the murderers were identified and punished by Nemesis herself.

Moira goddesses. The fate of people and gods, according to the ideas of the ancient Greeks, is determined by three inexorable goddesses, the sisters of Moira [their name has the same origin as the Russian word "measure"]. Moira named Clotho ("Spinner") spins the thread of a person's life: the thread breaks - and life is over. Her sister Lachesis ("Measuring the lot") takes out, without looking, the lot that is intended for a person in life. The third moira, Atropos ("Inevitable"), cuts the thread of life spun by Clotho; no one can avoid death, nothing can avert it, which is why Atropos received such a name. Moira are harsh and inexorable, even Zeus himself is subject to them, and nothing in the world can escape the fate that they appointed him.

Oracle of Zeus at Dodona and Olympic Games. As the ruler of the world, who himself is subject to Fate, but has power over the destinies of people, Zeus knows the future, and if asked about it, he can give an answer.

In the city of Dodona, there was the temple of Zeus, famous throughout Greece, with an oracle, to which people turned for predictions. They received the answer in the form of rustling leaves on the sacred oak of Zeus or the murmur of a stream that flowed under this oak.

Once every four years, all the Hellenes were going to honor Zeus in the city dedicated to him, located in southern Greece - Olympia. The Olympic Games, the most famous of all Greek holidays, were held here. For a while, a sacred truce was declared in Greece, wars stopped, and no one dared to interfere with people going to Olympia - they were under the protection of Zeus. The holiday lasted five days, and the winners in the Olympic competitions were considered people marked by the grace of Zeus himself. They were rewarded not with any valuables, but with an olive wreath, and there was nothing more honorable than this award.

Statue of Zeus

Temple of Zeus and his figure.

Here, in Olympia, one could also see the image supreme god, which was known throughout Hellas and was considered one of the seven wonders of the world. In the temple of Zeus was his statue, made of gold and ivory by the great sculptor Phidias. God was depicted seated on a throne made of gold, ivory and ebony. Zeus calmly looks ahead of him, his figure is full of grandeur, golden hair falls on his shoulders. AT right hand he held an ivory figurine of the goddess Nike, and in his left hand a scepter, a sign of his power. The hair, clothes and shoes of the god were made of gold, and his body was made of ivory.

Phidias' question.

In the twilight of the temple, this statue made a stunning impression. Greek legend tells that Phidias, having finished his work, said looking at the statue: “Well, Zeus, are you satisfied?” - and at the same moment thunder boomed, and lightning struck the floor of the temple next to the statue: Zeus expressed his approval. Expressing admiration for the work of Phidias, one of the Greek poets wrote:

Did Zeus come down to earth to show you, Phidias, his image, Or did you ascend to heaven yourself to see God?

Unfortunately, time did not spare the statue of Olympian Zeus, and we know it only from descriptions made by ancient authors.

One thing is clear - they feared and revered him, he was the arbiter of destinies on earth and in heaven. How many wives and children did Zeus have? How many lovers did he deceive? How many victories did Zeus win before he became the supreme deity? His father, titans, giants - all were overthrown ...

Zeus, in Greek mythology, the supreme deity, the father of gods and people, the head of the Olympian family of gods. Zeus also has the name Diy. Zeus is a native Greek deity; his name is of Indo-European origin and means "bright sky". In antiquity, the etymology of the word "Zeus" was associated with the roots of the Greek word "life", "boiling", "irrigation", "that through which everything exists."

Zeus is the son of Kronos (hence another name for Zeus - Kronid, Kronion) and Rhea, he belongs to the third generation of gods who overthrew the second generation - the titans. Zeus's father, fearing to be deposed by his children, each time swallowed the child just born to Rhea. Rhea deceived her husband by letting him swallow a wrapped stone instead of the born Zeus, and the baby, secretly from his father, was sent to Crete on Mount Dikta. According to another version, Rhea gave birth to Zeus in a cave of Mount Dikta and entrusted his upbringing to the Curetes and Corybantes, who fed him with the milk of the goat Amalthea.

According to one of the myths, Zeus, having been born, laughed continuously for 7 days, which is why the number 7 is sacred.

It was on Crete that they preserved ancient symbols worship of Zeus of Crete: 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 things between the horns of a bull, which in Crete was also a zoomorphic incarnation of Zeus (in the form of a bull, Zeus kidnapped Europa). The main residence of Zeus Labrys (Zeus of Labrand) was considered a labyrinth; the monstrous mixanthropic Minotaur is the inhabitant of the labyrinth and is one of the incarnations of Zeus of Crete. The image of the archaic Zeus was close to Zagreus, who was later thought of as the son of Zeus.

When Rhea, instead of the baby Zeus, gave Kronos a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes, Kronos realized that he had been deceived. He looked for the child in heaven, on earth and in the sea. But the nymph who courted Zeus outwitted Kronos by hanging the cradle with the baby on a tree branch.

In the system of myths about Olympian Zeus, his stay in Crete is one of the archaic vestiges and is usually associated with the motive of the secret upbringing of the infant Zeus. In Delphi, the archaic fetish omfal (“navel of the earth”) was revered - a stone swallowed by Kronos, or a stone like the navel of the baby Zeus. Omphalus would have been erected by Zeus in Python near Parnassus as a monument to marvel at all mortals. The matured Zeus brought his brothers and sisters out of the womb of Kronos, giving him a potion to drink on the advice of Metis. For this, they gave thunder and lightning into the possession of Zeus. Zeus then began a power struggle with Kronos and the other Titans. In the titanomachy, which lasted ten years, Zeus was assisted by the hundred-armed (hekatoncheirs); the Cyclopes forged thunder, lightning and perun for him. The defeated titans were thrown into Tartarus.

All those who came to honor Zeus at Olympia were struck by the “living” face of the statue of Zeus. At the foot of the statue was a pool into which oil was poured over the water. The light from the doors reflected off the oily surface, enveloping the face and shoulders of Zeus. A radiance emanated from the face of the deity, and the eyes "threw lightning."

But the fight didn't end there. Gaia, the goddess of the Earth, sends her other children, giants, and the monstrous Typhon, to Zeus. Gigantomachy began, 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, sciences and arts flourish, which he himself or his children Apollo, Athena, and the Muses patronize.

There is no rain on Olympus - no snow, no storms. High above Olympus stretched blue endless sky, golden light shines, here is a permanent summer. It is below, on earth, the seasons alternate, happiness and joy replace grief and illness. On the Olympus, things are different. Sometimes Olympians quarrel, cheat on each other, they also know sorrows, but most often Olympian calm reigns here. The gods often feast in golden halls, their food is ambrosia and nectar, the affairs of the world are decided at feasts, 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 (Rock).

Emperor Caligula, having heard about the grandiose statue of Zeus, decided to move it to Rome and sent workers to Olympia to dismantle it. When they began to decide where to start, Zeus laughed out loud, and they all fled in fear.

Zeus is the father of not only many gods: Apollo, Athena, Artemis, Dionysus, Persephone, but also many heroes: Hercules, Perseus, Dioscuri, etc. The main sanctuary of Zeus was Olympia, here was famous temple and the Olympic Games were held in honor of Zeus. Olympian Zeus is the patron of humanity, urban life, the protector of the offended and the patron of those who pray, other gods obey him. He gives laws to people. He oversees the observance of oaths. He is an assistant to warriors and a strategist himself, a warrior, a commander. He is the father of many heroes. His sons are Hercules, Perseus, Dioscuri and others.

Being the father of people and gods, Zeus is also a formidable punishing force. At the behest of Zeus, Prometheus is chained to a rock. Several times Zeus destroyed the human race, trying to create perfect man. He sent a flood to the earth. He contributed to the outbreak of the Trojan War to punish the people for their wickedness. In honor of Olympian Zeus, the pan-Hellenic Olympic Games were held in Olympia as a symbol of unity and mutual consent of the Greek policies. The Romans correspond to Zeus with Jupiter.

Zeus is traditionally portrayed as a man middle age with noble features framed by thick curls. In the works of later artists, especially the masters of the New Age, he is a character love stories who deceives women and assumes many forms. The wives of Zeus were: Metis (swallowed by Zeus), Themis, Hera (the last "official" wife of Zeus). According to Callimachus, when Kronos ruled the world, Zeus and Hera hid their marriage for 300 years.

According to one of the myths, the wedding night of Zeus and Hera lasted 300 years.

Zeus had many lovers: Eurynomus, Demeter, Mnemosyne, Leto (Laton), Io, Europe and many others. The beloved of Zeus is also called Kalliroea, the mother of Amphoterus and Acarnanus, as well as Thebe and Phthia. Some myths claim that Zeus wanted to leave Hera for Thetis, but did not do this because of a prophecy - a nereid would give birth to a son who would surpass his father in everything. Thetis married King Peleus, and Achilles was born to them. Sinope and Medea rejected Zeus. Also, the young man of Aytos and Ganymede is called his beloved.

In the guise of a snake, he seduced Demeter, and then Persephone, in the guise of a bull and a bird - Europe, in the guise of a bull - Io, in the guise of an eagle - Ganymede, in the guise of a swan - Nemesis (who became a goose) or Leda, in the guise of a quail - Summer, in in the guise of an ant - Eurymedus, in the guise of a dove - Phthia, in the fiery guise - Aegina, in the form of a golden rain - Danae, in the guise of a satyr - Antiope, in the guise of a shepherd - Mnemosin. His lovers usually retain their human appearance, but he turns Callisto into a bear, Io into a cow. Sometimes Zeus was revered in the form of a beetle.