And the young Kurete demigods They guarded him, hitting their shields with spears, so that Kronos would not hear when the baby cried.

When Zeus grew up and matured, with the help of Metis, he gave Kronos a potion to drink, and the mighty Kronus vomited out his children, as well as the stone that Zeus left near Parnassus as a symbol of beneficent deception.
Then Zeus began a fight with his father and the Titans, a titanomachy that lasted ten years. They helped him Hecatonchires (“hundred-handed”) and the Cyclopes, who forged thunder, lightning and Perun for Zeus. But the struggle did not end there. Gaia, the goddess of the Earth, sends her other children, giants, and the monstrous Typhon to Zeus. Started gigantomachy , 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, science and art flourish, patronized by himself or his children Apollo, Athena, and the muses.
There is no rain, no snow, no storms on Olympus. High above Olympus the blue endless sky stretches, golden light shines, here there is constant summer. It is below, on earth, that the seasons alternate, happiness and joy alternate with grief and illness. On Olympus everything is different. Sometimes Olympians quarrel, cheat on each other, they also know sorrow, but more often than not, Olympic calm reigns here. The gods often feast in golden palaces, their food is ambrosia and nectar, at feasts the affairs of the world are decided, and 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.
Zeus is the father not only of many gods: Apollo, Athena, Artemis, Dionysus, Persephone, but also of many heroes: Hercules, Perseus, Dioscuri, etc. The main sanctuary of Zeus was Olympia, there was a famous temple here and celebrations were performed in honor of Zeus Olympic Games. Homer dedicated a short hymn to Zeus: Zeus, greatest and best among the gods, my song to you!
Thunder-rolling, sovereign lord, laying judge,
You love to have conversations with Themis, sitting bent over.
Be merciful, loud Kronid, the great and glorious one!

Zeus also has the name Dius, the head of the Olympian family of gods. Zeus is a native Greek deity; his name is of purely Indo-European origin and means “bright sky” (cf. Indo-European deiuo - “daytime shining sky”, Old Indian deva - “god”, dyaus - “sky” (Dyaus), Greek “Zeus, god of the clear sky", lat. deus - “god”, dies - “day”; ancient Ind. Dyaus pitar, lat. In antiquity, the etymology of the word “Z.” associated with the roots of the Greek. words “life”, “boiling”, “irrigation”, “that through which everything exists”. Z. is the son of Kronos (hence the names Z. Kronid, Kronion) and Rhea (Hes. Theog. 457), he belongs to the third generation of gods who overthrew the second generation - the Titans. Father Z., fearing to be deposed by his children, swallowed every time the child just born to Rhea. Rhea deceived her husband by letting him swallow a wrapped stone instead of the born Z., and the baby, secretly from his father, was sent to Crete on Mount Dikta (453-491). According to another version, Rhea gave birth to Z. in the cave of Mount Dikta and entrusted his upbringing to the Curetes and Corybantes, who fed him with the milk of the Amalthea goat (Apollod. I 1, 5-7). It was in Crete that the most ancient fetishistic symbols of the veneration of Z. Cretan were preserved: 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 objects between the horns of a bull, which in Crete was also a zoomorphic embodiment of Z. (in the form of a bull Z. kidnapped Europe). The main residence of Z. Labrys, or Z. Labrandsky, was considered to be a labyrinth (cf. the etymological relationship of the names labrys - labyrinth); the monstrous mixanthropic Minotaur is an inhabitant of the labyrinth and is one of the incarnations of Z. Cretan. The image of archaic Z. is close to Zagreus, who was later thought of as the son of Z.
In the system of myths about Z. Olympus, his stay in Crete is one of the archaic rudiments and is usually associated with the motive of the secret upbringing of the baby Z. In Delphi, the archaic fetish omphalos (“navel of the earth”) was revered - a stone swallowed by Cronus, or a stone like a baby’s navel Z. (Paus. X 16, 3; Strab. IX 3, 6). Omphalus was erected by Z. in Python near Parnassus as a monument to the wonder of all mortals (Hes. Theog. 497-500).
The mature Z. brought his brothers and sisters out of Cronus’s womb (493-496, 501 next), giving him a potion on the advice of Metis (Apollod. I 2, 1). For this they gave thunder and lightning into the possession of Z. (Hes. Theog. 504 next). Then Z. began a struggle for power with Kron and other titans. In the titanomachy, which lasted ten years, Z. was helped by the hundred-armed; The Cyclopes forged thunder, lightning and Perun for him. The defeated titans were thrown into Tartarus (Hes. Theog. 674-735; Apollod. I 2, 1).
The three brothers Z., Poseidon and Hades, divided power among themselves. Z. got dominance in the sky, Poseidon - the sea, Hades - the kingdom of the dead (Apollod. I 2, 1). In ancient times, Z. combined the functions of life and death. He ruled over the earth and under it, and administered judgment over the dead (Aeschyl. Suppl. 231). Hence one of Z.'s epithets is Chthonius (“underground”) (Hes. Orp. 465; Hom. II. IX 457). Z. Chthonius was revered in Corinth (Paus. II 2, 8). However, later Z. began to personify only the bright side of life. During the period of patriarchy, Z. was localized on Mount Olympus and was called Olympian (or Thessalian).
Z.'s approval occurs with great difficulty. Gaia rebels against Z. and sends her offspring, Typhon, to him, but Z. defeats this wild teratomorphic creature with fiery lightning. According to one of the options (Hes. Theog. 820-868), Z. threw Typhon into Tartarus, according to another, he dumped Etna on him (Aeschyl. Prom. 351-372). But the fight against chthonic monsters continued. Gaia gave birth to new children - giants and gigantomachy broke out. According to Apollodorus, Gigantomachy occurred before Typhonia, so Typhon is considered an even more terrible monster than the giants (Apollod. I 6, 1-3).
The struggle of Z. and the Olympians with the world of monsters leads to another change of generations of gods (before this, Uranus was overthrown by Cronus, and now Cronus is overthrown by Z.). T.n. Orphic theogony considered the most ancient rulers of the world, who were even before Cronus and Rhea, Eurynome and Ophion - apparently serpentine creatures who owned Olympus, who also succumbed to violence and were cast into the depths of the ocean (Apoll. Rhod. I 496-511, cf. Eurynome on the bottom of the ocean saves Hephaestus, thrown from Olympus). But Z. himself is also threatened by the loss of power from his son. Z. has to fight for power even with his closest relatives; Hera, Poseidon and Pallas Athena (according to another version, Apollo) rebel against him, but Thetis (daughter of Nereus, sister of the overthrown mistress of Olympus Eurynoma) helps him, calling the hundred-handed men to Olympus, who frighten the conspirators (Hom. II. I 396-406). 3. - the new Olympian deity turns for help to monsters born of the Earth and fights with the same creatures of the Earth. Olympic Z. is considered the father of gods and people, but his power over the Olympic family is not very firm, and the dictates of fate are often unknown to him, and he recognizes them by weighing the fate of heroes on golden (maybe heavenly, solar) scales (XXII 209- 214). It is on the advice of Gaia - the earth and Uranus - the sky that Z. swallows his first wife Metis in order to avoid the birth of a son from her, who will be stronger than his father (Hes. Theog. 889-900). Themis, the daughter of Gaia, reveals to Z. a secret, known to Prometheus (Aeschyl. Prom. 167-177), that the same son will be born from Thetis (Apoll. Rhod. IV 791-804). By refusing to marry Thetis and marrying her to the hero Peleus (IV 805-809), Z. contributed to the outbreak of the Trojan War, fulfilling the request of Mother Earth (Hom. Il. I 5, cf. XIX 273 next). Z.'s second wife is the goddess of justice Themis. Their daughters, the mountains, impart regularity and order to the lives of gods and people, and the moiras, the goddess of fate, on which Z. himself no longer depends, seem to continue his will. The world of the Olympians, controlled by Z., is changing noticeably. Charites, Z.’s daughter from Eurynoma, bring joy, fun, and grace into life. Demeter, as the wife of Z., is no longer the earth that gives birth to monsters, but the goddess of cultivated fields. Even Hades kidnaps Persephone, Z.’s daughter, with his permission. Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory, gives birth to Z. nine muses (thus, Z. becomes a source of inspiration, sciences and arts). From Leto at Z. - Apollo and Artemis. The third in a row, but the first in importance, the wife of Hera is the goddess of legal marriage and the patroness of marriage laws (Hes. Theog. 901-923). So 3. gradually transforms the world, giving birth to gods who introduce law, order, science, art, morality, etc. into this world. However, in many myths the ancient pre-Olympic connections of Z are noticeable. He marries the muse Calliope, who gives birth to the ecstatic Corybantes (Strab. X 3, 19), demonic servants of the chthonic Great Mother Cybele, who guarded the baby Z in Crete. Z. still uses his ancient weapons - thunder and lightning, suppressing resistance or punishing with brute force. In Homer, he is the “thunderer”, “highly thundering”, “cloud suppressor”, sender of winds, rains and downpours (Hom. II. I 354; IV 30; V 672; XIV 54; XVI 297-300), Hesiod mentions Zeus’s downpours ( Hes. Opp. 626), 3. “will rain,” according to Alcaeus (frg. 34). Pausanias notes that in Athens there was a statue of Gaia the earth, praying 3. for the sending of rain (Paus. I 24, 3), the Athenians asked 3. for rain to fall over the arable lands (Marc. Aurel. V 7). In the form of an oak tree, the roots of which were washed by a stream, Z. Dodonsky was revered in Dodona; his wife was considered the oceanid Dione (Hes. Theog. 353).
Z. Olympian is the patron of the community of people, city life, the defender of the offended and the patron of those who pray, other gods obey him (Hom. II. V 877 next). He gives laws to people (Deinosth. 25, 16, Eur. Hippol. 97; Soph. 0. R. 865 next). Z. in general turns out to be the principle of life, the originator of all living things (Mach. Tug. 41, 2), “the giver of life,” “the all-generator” (Hymn. Orph. LXXIII 2). Z. patronizes the tribal community of people, hence Z. “tribal” (Pind. O1. VIII 16; Pyth. IV 167). Aeschylus's "The Supplicators" presents the majestic figure of the great god, the just protector and helper of people. Beneficial functions are reflected in his epithets: “helper in trouble” (Aeschyl. Sept. 8), “savior” (Paus. IX 26, 7; Soph. frg. 392), “savior of the city,” “founder” (Aeschyl. Suppl. 445), “protector” (Soph. Antig. 487; Eur. Troad. 17), Polyeus - “urban” (Paus. I 24, 4), Polyukh - “ruler of the state” (Plat. Legg. XI 921 trace .). Z. Philius (patron of friendly alliances) (Plat. Phaedr. 234 f), “fatherly”, “father” (Aristoph. Acharn. 223; Nub. 1468), “fatherly” (Soph. Trach. 288; Plat. R. P. Ill 391 e). He monitors the observance of oaths (Paus. V 24, 9; Soph. O. R. 1767). 3. - assistant to warriors (Hom. N. IV 84; Xenoph. Lac. pol. XIII 2) and the strategist himself, commander (inscriptions on coins, cf. Cic. In Verr. II 4, 58; 129 - Imperator), “ military" (Hero-dot. V 119), "bearer of victory" (Soph. Antig. 143; Eur. Heracl. 867, 937). Known is Z. Buley (Paus. I 3, 5), patron of the national assembly (Aeschyl. Eum. 972; Aristoph. Equ, 410), scepter holder (Hymp. Orph. XV 6), king (Aristoph. Ran. 1278), “ lord of lords, the most perfect power of the blessed and perfect" (Aeschyl. Suppl. 525), "all-king" (Hymn. Orph. LXXIII 4), "Hellenic" (Aristoph. Equ. 1253) and even "panhellenic", to which a special cult (Paus. I 18, 9).
Z. Olympiysky is the father of many heroes who carry out his divine will and good intentions. His sons: Hercules, Perseus, Dioscuri, Sarpedon, the famous kings and sages Minos, Radamanthos and Aeacus. Patronizing heroes who destroy chthonic monsters, Z. condemns bloodshed and natural disasters war in the person of Ares (Hom. P. V 888-898). However, in the myths about the birth of heroes, ancient fetishistic motives are noticeable. Z. appears to Danae in the form of a golden shower (Apollod. II 4, 1), to Semele - with lightning and thunder, he abducts Europe, turning into a bull (Apollod. Ill I, 1), to Leda he appears as a swan (III 10, 7) , Persephone - a serpent. Ancient zoomorphic motifs are also noticeable in the fact that Z. turns his lovers into animals, wanting to hide them from the wrath of Hera (Io into a cow, Callisto into a bear). Being the “father of men and gods,” Z. is at the same time a formidable punitive force. By order of Z., Prometheus is chained to a rock, having stolen the spark of Hephaestus’s fire in order to help people doomed by Z. to a miserable fate (Aeschylus, “Chained Prometheus”). Several times Z. destroyed the human race, trying to create a perfect man. He sent a flood to the earth, from which only Deucalion, the son of Prometheus, and his wife of Pyrrhus (Ovid. Met. I 246-380). Z. wants to destroy the pitiful race of people and “plant” a new one (Aeschyl. Prom. 231-233). The Trojan War is also a consequence of Z.’s decision to punish people for their wickedness (Hom. P. I 5, XIX 263 seq.). Z. destroys the clan of the Atlanteans, who have forgotten about the veneration of the gods, and Plato calls this Z. “guardian of the laws” (Plat. Critias 121 b-c). Z. sends curses that are terribly realized on individual heroes and a number of generations (Tantalus, Sisyphus, Atrides, Cadmides). Thus, the ancient archaic law takes on more and more obvious moral features, although it asserts its principles with the help of force. The beginnings of statehood, order and morality among people are connected, according to the legends of the Greeks, not with the gifts of Prometheus, because of which people became proud, but with the activities of Z. (Hes. Theog. 96; Opp. 256-264), who invested in people have shame and conscience, qualities necessary in social communication(Plat. Prot. 320d -322d). Z., who was thought of as “fire”, “hot substance” (Tertull. Adv. Marc. I 13) and lived in the ether (Eur. frg. 487), owning the sky as his home (Callim. Hymn. Ill 141), becomes the organizing center of cosmic and social life on Olympus, where the earth meets the sky and where the sky turns into the fiery subtlest ether. The mythology of Z. Olympian reflects the strengthening of the patriarchal power of the Basileans, especially the Mycenaean kings, although it does not reach the absolute centralization of this power (according to Hesiod, Z. was elected to the kingdom by the gods, Theog. 881-885). Only in the Hellenistic era did Zeus take on the image of the world almighty and arbiter of world destinies, that “all-king” and “pan-Hellenic” ruler who was sung in the later Orphic hymns and in the hymn “To Zeus” by the Stoic Cleanthes (3rd century BC). , where universalism and cosmism of Z. take on monotheistic features.
Z.'s attributes are an aegis, a scepter, and sometimes a hammer. Cult holidays in honor of Z. are few in number, since a number of his functions were assigned to other gods - executors of Z.'s will, who were in a much closer relationship with man: Apollo - prophecy, Demeter - agriculture, Athena - wisdom and arts. In honor of Z. Olympian, the Panhellenic Olympic Games were held in Olympia - as a symbol of unity and mutual consent of the Greek city-states. Z. corresponds to the Roman Jupiter.

God Zeus

Zeus with a cornucopia. Fountain sculpture 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 ruler of the winds and clouds, rain, thunder and lightning, caused storms and hurricanes with a blow of the scepter, but could also calm the forces of nature and clear the sky of clouds. Kronos, afraid of being overthrown by his children, swallowed all of Zeus's older siblings immediately after their birth, but Rhea instead youngest son gave Kropos a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes, and the baby was secretly taken out and raised on the island of Crete. The matured Zeus sought to settle accounts with his father. His first wife, the wise Metis (“thought”), daughter of Ocean, advised him to give his father a potion that would make him vomit all the children he had swallowed. Having defeated Kronos, who gave birth to them, Zeus and the brothers divided the world among themselves. Zeus chose the sky, Hades - the underground kingdom of the dead, and Poseidon - the sea. They decided to consider the earth and Mount Olympus, where the palace of the gods was located, to be common.

The influence of Zeus extended to all spheres; True, he did not have power over fate. Therefore, the Nereid Thetis, who at one time called upon the hundred-armed giants to help Zeus, begged him in vain to save her son Achilles from death in the Trojan War. Being the “father of men and gods,” Zeus was a formidable punitive force. At his command, Prometheus was chained to a rock, having stolen 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 the Olympians changes and becomes less cruel. The Oras, daughters of Zeus from Themis, his second wife, brought order into the lives of gods and people, and the 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 they took their place place law, science, art and moral standards. Zeus was also the father of famous heroes - Hercules, Dioscuri, Perseus, Sarpedon, glorious kings and sages - Minos, Radamanthos and Aeacus. True, Zeus’s love affairs 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 marriage. Some of Zeus' children born out of wedlock, such as Hercules, were severely persecuted by the goddess. In Roman mythology, Zeus corresponds to the omnipotent Jupiter.

- (Ζεύς, Jupiter). Lord of the sky, greatest of the Olympian gods, son of Kronos and Rhea, brother of Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Hera and husband of Hera. He cast down Kronos and the Titans from heaven and acquired supreme power over gods and people. He dominates... Encyclopedia of Mythology

- (Greek myphos legend and logos story) type of functioning cultural programs, presupposing their uncritical perception by individual and mass consciousness, the sacralization of their content and the rigor of execution. There are: classic M... The latest philosophical dictionary

The word "Zeus" has other meanings: see Zeus (meanings). Zeus ... Wikipedia

- (Greek mythología, from mýthos tradition, legend and lógos word, story, teaching) a fantastic idea of ​​the world, characteristic of a person of a primitive communal formation, as a rule, transmitted in the form of oral narratives of myths, and science ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

- (from the Greek mutos legend, legend and logos word, story) 1) Fantastic. the idea of ​​the world characteristic of a person of a primitive communal formation. 2) In the narrow sense of the word, a type of oral vernacular. creativity. 3) Science that studies myths and their corresponding... ... Soviet historical encyclopedia

The most ancient elements. Greek mythology, like Greek culture as a whole, is a fusion various elements. These elements were introduced gradually over a period of more than a thousand years. Around 19th century BC the first carriers known to us... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

Usually gods simply personify some kind of impersonal supernatural force. In mythological tales the supernatural is given a name and an image, so that the anonymous miraculous intervention becomes a god with a name and a role... Collier's Encyclopedia

Zeus- (Greek Zeus) in Greek mythology king of gods and men, son of Rhea and Cronus. Having deprived the power of his father and the gods of the older generation of titans, Z. shared power with his brothers: over the sea with Poseidon, over the underworld with Hades, leaving for himself... ...

Mythology ancient- a set of ideas of the ancients, Greeks and Romans about the origin of the world and societies, structure, as well as memories of their past. As one of the forms of societies, consciousness, M. a. is closely connected with religion, ritual, folklore, so holding... ... Ancient world. Dictionary-reference book.

Mostly Western world classical mythology is familiar primarily in its Roman garb: Zeus is Jupiter, Hera Juno, Athena Minerva, Cronus Saturn, Odysseus Ulysses, etc. Of course, this was not always the case. Under the layer of Greek culture it is clear... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

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Zeus was the supreme god of all gods Ancient Greece. According to legend, he lived on Mount Olympus, where all the other gods lived. Zeus commanded the heavens, lightning and thunder, therefore all the other gods feared him and obeyed him. The gods themselves, who obeyed his will, were afraid of the wrath of the god Zeus.

All the gods on Olympus had a husband or wife, with rare exceptions. So the lame god of volcanoes, patron of blacksmiths, Hephaestus, was married to the beauty, patroness of lovers, Aphrodite, a flighty and unfaithful lady.

Zeus himself married the goddess Hera, the patroness of marriage and family, mothers and babies. But he was not faithful to his wife and had many illegitimate children. Jealous Hera was angry and came up with ways to harass her rivals and their children.

The goddess Athena, one of the strongest goddesses of Olympus, decided to remain a girl and not get married. The goddess Artemis was just as pure. The flighty god Apollo, who often fell in love and also had many, was not married. illegitimate sons and daughters.

Option 2

Zeus – supreme god ancient Greeks. He commanded the heavenly powers. Thunderstorms and bad weather, as the ancient Greeks believed, are the anger or bad mood of the god Zeus.

All gods, according to Greek belief, lived on high mountain Olympus (this mountain is real, it is located in the mountains of Greece). Also, each god or goddess was responsible for some part of people’s life sphere. Hermes patronized travelers and traders, as well as artisans. Nike was the goddess of victory, and Ares, the warlike god, instigated wars. Artemis patronized animals and was the goddess of the hunt.

In ancient Greece, people were pagans and believed in the existence large quantity gods and their assistants. Thus, the main god of the ancient pantheon was Zeus, nicknamed the Thunderer. He was credited with controlling thunder, lightning and the entire sky.

Zeus and the other 12 main gods lived on the top of Mount Olympus, which is why they were also called “Olympians.” Many ancient Greek kings and military leaders claimed that they were descendants of the god Zeus. This god was fair and always sought to maintain the balance of things in the world. In addition, Zeus controlled the weather and created it depending on his mood. When he was in high spirits, he blessed the world with good weather. In a bad spirit, he caused rain, wind, lightning and could even cause some kind of climate disaster.

Zeus was the supreme god of all Greeks. In Roman culture it received the name Jupiter. His symbols were the eagle, the oak tree, the royal scepter, and thunder. He was originally the god of the sky and heavenly powers. People in those days believed that Zeus was the only god who was concerned with the well-being of the entire universe constantly throughout the day. Later, the Greeks began to associate Zeus with justice. He punished me a lot evil people and ill-wishers and rewarded people who do good.

Zeus was the sixth child born to the Titans Cronus and Rhea. Since his father Kronus was at one time afraid that one of his own children would take away his power, he simply swallowed them immediately after birth. But Zeus’s mother saved him by hiding him from his father on the island of Crete, where baby Zeus grew up and overthrew his father’s power, freeing his older five brothers and sisters. The Supreme God of Thunder was considered the strongest of all the Olympians. Zeus could not control only the goddesses of Fate. In addition, Zeus was a very loving man and had a lot extramarital affairs, from whom children demigods appeared, who later became heroes of Hellas. These romances provoked conflicts between Zeus and his wife, the goddess Hera.

The ancient Greeks depicted Zeus as a strong, handsome, mature man with wavy locks that fell to his shoulders, sitting on a golden throne with a scepter in one hand and striking lightning in the other. Zeus' lightning bolts were a gift from the Cyclops, whom he freed from captivity after defeating his father. The eagle was considered the sacred animal of Zeus. In addition, if the Thunderer was depicted in battle garb, instead of a scepter, he had a powerful shield called the Aegis.

Option 2

In the mythology of Ancient Greece, the main god of Olympus was Zeus. He was rightfully considered the father of all gods and people, because he was the strongest of them. He was called the Thunderer, because his weapons were thunder and lightning. During wars, he sent storms, supporting the army by instilling confidence and courage in their souls. The enemy army, on the contrary, felt horror and depression, and therefore lost. For this, God was nicknamed Zeus the Victorious.

Birth of Zeus

The lineage of the supreme god leads to the god Kronos and the Titanide Rhea. According to mythology, Zeus's father Kronos ate all his children because of a prediction that the god would be defeated by his own child. But at some point, Zeus’s mother Rhea deceived her husband by giving him a stone instead of a child, and she hid her son on the island of Crete, giving him to be raised by the Curetes and Corybantes.

Coming to power

Time passed, Zeus grew up and decided to oppose his father. First of all, he forced Kronos to spit out his brothers and sisters: Hades, Poseidon, Hera, Hestia, Demeter. In gratitude for freedom, they gave Zeus thunder and lightning. And then it began great war, which lasted 10 years and ended with the victory of Zeus over his father. All together, the gods cast him into Tartarus.

Division of spheres of influence

After defeating their father, the three brothers, after consulting, decided to divide their spheres of influence. Zeus chose to rule the sky, Poseidon - the sea, Hades - the kingdom of the dead.

Helpers of the Supreme God

Zeus had three assistants who maintained order in the world of people and gods:

1. Themis punished lawbreakers.
2. Dike administered justice if it was violated.
3. Nemesis carried out retribution and punished criminals.

Thanks to such control, rulers used their power wisely and wisely, and crafts, agriculture and art developed on the earth.

Zeus the consort

Zeus had three wives:

1. Metis is the first wife of the supreme god. It was she who helped Zeus free the brothers and sisters by brewing a potion for Kronos. Unfortunately, she suffered a sad fate. There was a prophecy according to which their son would outshine Zeus in everything. Upon learning of his wife's pregnancy, Zeus swallowed her.
2. Themis - the goddess of justice, was the 2nd wife of the supreme god. They had 3 daughters and 3 sons.
3. Hera is the goddess who patronizes marriage and motherhood, 3rd wife.

Children of Zeus

Hera gave birth to Zeus' son Hephaestus, the Titanide Leto - Apollo. Athena, according to mythology, was created by Zeus himself, since she appeared from his head. The gods Hermes, Persephone, Dionysus and Eros are also children of the supreme god. On earth, Zeus also had beloved women who gave birth to such heroes as Hercules, Harmony, Helen, and Perseus.

Zeus is famous for his wise rule. Majestic temples were erected in his honor. All of them were without a roof. It was believed that since Zeus is the god of the sky, this is how he will hear and see a person asking during prayer or sacrifice.

Report Zeus - the god of Ancient Greece and his history

Zeus is the ancient Greek mythological immortal dominant god over all gods and people, mortal and immortal, the lord of the sky, thunder and lightning, living on Olympus.

The requisites of Zeus were a shield, a scepter, a chariot drawn by eagles, a double-sided ax called in Greek as labrys, the eagle itself, but in most mythology Zeus reincarnated into it, as well as into many other animals.

Zeus was always accompanied by his three servants - Power, Strength and Victory (Nike).

The most powerful god was so strong that all the gods together, united, could not overthrow him.

Commanding over people and gods, Zeus distributed good and evil with the help of two bowls standing near his throne, founded shame and conscience, punished people, could look into the future, founded legislation, established kings, guarded the poor and sick, honored traditions and watched, so that people follow the customs. In addition, thanks to Zeus, people and gods began to live better than ever before. Zeus fed on the prayers and worship of people.

Zeus was born in the third generation of gods, from the titans Kronos and Rhea. According to the prophecy, Kronos was to be killed by his own child, and fearing this, he swallowed newborn babies. But Rhea, wanting to deceive her husband, secretly gave birth to another child and named him Zeus, and allowed Kronos to swallow a stone in a diaper. According to the legends, Zeus was raised in the deepest secrecy and was protected in every possible way so that Kronos would not find out about him.

Having matured, Zeus took out a potion that made Kronos spit out his children. Thus, Zeus had two brothers - Hades and Paseidon, and two sisters - Hestia and Demeter. After a long war that lasted 10 years, Zeus won over the titans, becoming the main one among all.

Having drawn lots, Zeus got dominance in the sky, Paseidon got the sea, Hades went to the kingdom of the dead underground. Hestia became the goddess of the family hearth and sacrificial fire, Demeter gained honor among the gods in the person of the goddess of fertility and agriculture.

Zeus was popular among women, of whom he had quite a few, and had many children. The first wife was Metis, the goddess of wisdom, whom Zeus, in order not to repeat the mistakes of his father, swallowed while pregnant because of a prophecy according to which the child born by her was supposed to overthrow Zeus. The second is the goddess of justice Themis, the third official wife was Hera, she is also the goddess of marriage, in other words, his sister Hestia.

Zeus did not recognize his equals, nevertheless from different women He gave birth to: Hephaestus, a miracle blacksmith; Apollo (the most beautiful of men) and Artemis (goddess of hunting and chastity); Athena – goddess of courage and wisdom; Hermes – god of trade; Dionysus - god of winemaking; Eros is the god of love, heroes are Hercules, Perseus, Helen, etc.

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