A Greek God

Cronus was the ruler above all and had acquired the throne by overthrowing his father and banishing his own brothers to a dungeon in Tartarus.

Cronus had six children with Rhea (his sister) but because of a threat Cronus had heard that he to would be overthrown by a son of his own, swallowed the babies after their birth. Cronus had success with the first five but Rhea wanted to protect her sixth born child so fled to Crete and gave birth to a baby son in a cave on mount Ida. So as to fool Cronus she wrapped a stone in swaddling clothes and gave it to Cronus which he quickly swallowed along with his threat, or so he thought.

The child was given the name of Zeus and grew up in the cave.
As the baby was growing he had many attendants, one bing a goat that gave him milk, and there where also kouretes (soldiers), or small gods that danced outside the cave. They sung and banged the shields and drums so Cronus would not hear the baby crying. There where two nymphs Adamanthea and Cynosura, Milissa who nursed him as a baby with goats milk and honey and also a shepherd family that raised the baby Zeus in return had the promise that their sheep would not be harmed by wolves.

As Zeus grew to manhood he gained his powers and so he made his father disgorge the stone which he later set down at Pytho to be a signal to mortal men. Then came the babies after which Zeus set about freeing Cronus's brothers from their imprisonment in Tartarus.
Zeus with his own brothers and his uncles, the Gigantes, the Hecatonchires and the Cyclopes along with his many followers set about overthrowing Cronus and his Titans.
After the victory Zeus shared the earth with his brothers by drawing lots. Zeus got the Sky and Air the most powerful, Poseidon got the waters with Hades becoming the world of the dead, thus meaning the underworld. Zeus was now on the throne and “King of the Gods”

Zeus married Hera with whom it is said he fathered, Ares, Hebe and Hephaestus who she bore with out the help of Zeus. His many erotic escapades ended with him being the father of Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Heracles, Helen of Troy, and Minos to name but a few. He is also the father of Aphrodite.
Hera was his permanent companion, but among his other wives where Metos, Themis, Titaness and Leto. All-in-all he was what we would call today a Casanova.
Hera was not only the long standing wife of Zeus but also his sister and at another time he was a companion to his daughter Demeter with whom he had the baby Persephone. There was another relationship with Alcmene that brought Hercules among us.

The symbol’s belonging to Zeus where the Thunderbolt or Lightning, his Eagle, the Bull and the Oak tree. Zeus was symbolized as the “King or Father of the Gods” through the Sky and Air by the Greeks and Romans. But to the Germanic Tribes “Odin” held this title as the absolute ruler, this being the view in Norse mythology.
The thunderbolt or lightning is his power of control, The eagle's eyes are his eyes that see all, the bull is a depiction of Zeus raping Europa and the Oak is a discription of Zeus whispering as the branches and leaves rustle.

While Zeus and the description of Zeus and his being all be long to Greek mythology, we have many variations of his story. This all happened thousands of years ago and we should be careful how we read it. It's a cross between a fisherman's tale and an old wives tale with a bit of truth thrown in, but then what is mythology and life.


© Copyright J. S. White January 2012 (Ghaelach)