Saturday, October 27, 2007

Zeus


Zeus was the supreme god, the master of all gods and men. Zeus was the god of light, of the sky and of atmospheric phenomena: winds, clouds, rain, thunder. But Zeus not only presided over celestial manifestations causing rain, thunder and lightning. Above all he maintained order and justice in the world. To mortals he dispensed good and evil from the jars that were placed at the gate of his palace. Zeus was the youngest son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea (Cybele). When he was born, his father Cronus intended to swallow him as he had all of Zeus's siblings: Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Hera. But Rhea hid the newborn in a cave on Mount Dicte in Crete. When he had grown up, Zeus caused Cronus to vomit up his sisters and brothers, and these gods joined him in fighting to wrest control of the universe from the Titans and Cronus, their king. Having vanquished his father and the other Titans, Zeus imprisoned most of them in the underworld of Tartarus. Then he and his brothers Poseidon and Hades divided up creation. Poseidon received the sea as his domain, Hades got the Underworld and Zeus took the sky. Zeus also was accorded supreme authority on earth and on Mount Olympus.


2 comments:

Sam Grace said...

Actually, according to the Theogony, it was Gaia who tricked Cronos into vomiting up the other five gods. Nonnus says it was actually Rhea giving Cronos the stone instead of Zeus that made him throw up. If you don't like either of those versions (even though it's the Theogony is the most common), try the one where Zeus asked Metis what to do, and it was SHE who gave Cronos the ipecac. Zeus does become all powerful, but it is a crucial part of the story that the secret machinations of women - mother, grandmother and wife - are what got him there.

You might be interested in checking out my blog on Women in Greek Myths: blog.paleothea.com

Peace,
Ailia

P.S. Please conceal my email address.

Bhathiya99 said...

After watch the "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" films i got a great idea about the God Zeus's family tree. Hades, Persidon and all the demigods of Zeus. thanks for this, Follow you from Credit Myths