Zeus (Diy), Greek, Lat. Jupiter is the son of Kronos and Rhea, the supreme deity of the ancient Greeks.

Zeus was not always the supreme god and did not rule forever: he achieved power over gods and people by rebelling against his father Kronos, who had previously overthrown his father Uranus, the first ruler of the world after the initial Chaos, from the throne. Unlike the highest (or only) gods of many religions, Zeus had his own individual biography; he did not embody only highest virtues and did not freeze in numb immutability. The Greeks created it in their own image and likeness and in the image of the then earthly rulers. Therefore, Zeus has human properties and human character traits - naturally, exaggerated and exalted, as befits the ruler of earthly rulers and immortal gods.

Zeus was born in a cave on Mount Dikta on the island of Crete. The birth was surrounded by mystery, because his mother Rhea was afraid that her husband Kronos would swallow the baby, true to his custom, borrowed from his father Uranus. This time, Kronos swallowed an oblong stone, wrapped in swaddling clothes and slipped to him by Rhea. Thus, Zeus avoided the fate of his older brothers and sisters - Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades (Hades) and Poseidon, who continued to exist in the womb of their father. Rhea could not stay with Zeus, so she entrusted him to the care of the nymphs, who fed him with the milk of the divine goat Amalthea and honey from bees. Zeus's safety was ensured by the mountain demons Kureta. When Zeus cried, they hit their shields with their swords and danced to wild screams, so Kronos did not hear him. On Mount Dikta and even more high mountain Ida Zeus grew up, matured and came to the decision to overthrow Kronos.

The first thing Zeus did was make Kronos disgorge his sisters and brothers by giving him a sickening potion. He sent Hestia, Demeter and Hera to the ends of the world, and called Hades and Poseidon to join him, and they immediately launched an attack on Kronos with their joint forces. He called for help from his brothers and sisters, the titans, and although not all of them came, the attack of the young people was repelled and they were gradually pushed back to the very top of Mount Olympus. But, as they say, at five minutes to twelve Zeus was rescued by the one-eyed giants Cyclops. They forged lightning and thunder for him, with the help of which he fought back and then launched a counterattack. Zeus' chances increased significantly when tensions arose between the Titans. Ocean, Styx, Prometheus and some others, dissatisfied with the dictates of Kronos, went over to the side of Zeus. However, for ten whole years, a fierce struggle could not lead to victory for either side. With the help of his allies, Zeus eventually won, overthrew Kronos and his allied Titans into the eternal darkness of Tartarus and proclaimed himself the ruler of all that exists and will exist.

However, declaring oneself a ruler and becoming one are far from the same thing, and Zeus soon had to be convinced of this. Firstly, there remained his older brothers Hades and Poseidon, who, thanks to their origin and merits in the fight against Kronos, could lay claim to their share of power. However, the emergence of a new enemy united the brothers. The earth goddess Gaia was angry with Zeus for the severe punishment of the Titans, entered into an alliance with the god of the dark underground depths Tartarus and gave birth to the hundred-headed monster Typhon - specifically to destroy Zeus. Typhon was so huge that the earth caved in under him, he howled with the voices of all wild animals and spewed flames from his dragon mouths. However, Zeus, in a difficult battle, defeated Typhon with his thunder and lightning and also threw him into Tartarus. Then he invited the brothers to divide their spheres of influence by lot, and they agreed. Here Zeus tried to make him lucky: as a result, Poseidon got the sea, Hades - afterworld, and to Zeus - heaven and earth.

At first, Zeus ruled as a tyrant and even tried to destroy the human race twice. The first time he wanted to do this because people seemed too weak and helpless to him. But he was prevented by the titan Prometheus, the creator of people.

Taking care of his creations, Prometheus brought fire and knowledge to people. The second time, Zeus decided to destroy all people because, after receiving the gifts of Prometheus, they seemed too powerful to him. He sent a flood to the world, but Prometheus gave his son Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha the opportunity to escape, and they then populated the world with people again. And Zeus strengthened his power, felt confident and loosened the reins of his rule - and even released some of his former enemies. However, he still retained absolute power not only thanks to his leadership of the victorious uprising and lucky lot, but mainly due to his power.

The gods were aware of the power of Zeus and therefore obeyed him, although not always willingly, and sometimes even tried to rebel. Once they even tried to overthrow him from the throne, but the hundred-armed giant Briareus rescued Zeus. Only one uprising during the entire reign of Zeus posed a serious threat - it was the rebellion of the hairy giants, but Zeus mercilessly suppressed it with the help of the other gods and his earthly son Hercules. But in general, the gods believed that it was better to live on good terms with the supreme god; Most people were of the same opinion. In the era of heroes, Zeus almost no longer abused power and might, and although he had many human weaknesses, he was still much better than all the previous rulers of the world.

Zeus was an absolute, but not omnipotent, ruler. In this he differed from the gods of other religions, without whose will not even a hair could fall from a person’s head. Something higher, inscrutable and inviolable reigned over him, as well as over the rest of the gods and people: fate. It was believed, however, that Zeus was the ruler of destinies; but this was just a metaphor: just like any other god or man, Zeus could command fate only insofar as he acted in accordance with its destiny. Zeus could not go against fate, even if he wanted to. He was not the master of fate, but only its guardian and executor. Let us remember the duel between Achilles and Hector: at the decisive moment, Zeus cast the heroes' lots on the golden scales of fate, Hector's lot fell down - and his fate was decided, he was doomed, and Zeus could only state this.

As the supreme ruler of gods and men, Zeus was the creator and guardian of divine and human orders. He brought kings into possession, protected public assemblies, strengthened order and law, was a witness and keeper of the oath, punished violations of justice, protected everyone who turned to him for help (although he was not always consistent). He saw everything, heard everything, knew everything (if not immediately, then at least retroactively). And he knew the future, and sometimes he made people aware of it through various signs: natural phenomena, dreams and predictions (especially if people asked him about it by making appropriate sacrifices). Zeus distributed good and evil to people, choosing these gifts at his discretion from two large vessels installed in his palace. His most destructive weapons were thunder and lightning. He himself had an indestructible shield (egis - “goatskin”), made from the skin of the Amalthea goat.

The main residence of Zeus was the forked peak of Mount Olympus in Greek Thessaly, lost in the clouds and reaching into the sky. There stood his magnificent golden palace, built by Hephaestus. In addition, Zeus willingly spent time on the Cretan Mount Ida, on another Ida - in Troas, on the Phokian Parnassus, the Boeotian Kiferon and on other mountains. When Zeus, under the name of Jupiter, also became the god of the Romans, one of his places of residence was the Roman Capitol. Zeus made his trips from Olympus in a golden chariot, but he could also resort to more modest methods of transportation. In practice, he was omnipresent, and one could call on him for help not only in his temple, but anywhere. Sometimes Zeus came into the world, changing his likeness; he could appear in the form of a man, an animal, or a natural phenomenon - however, any god had this privilege.

Zeus did not burden himself too much with his leadership functions. He mostly spent his time at magnificent feasts in the company of the other Olympian gods, where ambrosia was served as the main dish and nectar as a drink. These delicacies, the recipe of which, alas, is unknown to us, provided the gods with immortality and eternal freshness of strength, without which there would be little joy in immortality. At feasts, which were also meetings of the gods, Zeus sat on a golden throne. He was served by the cupbearer of the gods, Ganymede, and the goddess of youth, Hebe; the lovely Charites and the goddess of the arts, the Muses, entertained him with dances and songs. When Zeus exercised his sovereign functions, he was accompanied by the gods and goddesses Kratos, Zelos, Bia and Nike, personifying power, zeal, strength and victory. When Zeus acted as the supreme judge, Themis, the goddess of legal order, and Dike, the goddess of justice, stood at his throne. The goddesses of the seasons, the Mountains, helped him ensure order in nature. The inseparable companions of Zeus were also Tikha - the goddess of a happy occasion, the goddess of peace Eirene and the goddess of the rainbow Iris, who at the same time served as the messenger of Zeus, as well as Hermes.

Zeus's wife was his sister, the beautiful and majestic Hera. She bore Zeus three children: the god of war Ares, the blacksmith and gunsmith of the gods Hephaestus, and the goddess of eternal youth Hebe. Zeus gave Hera all kinds of honors and highly valued her. But this did not stop him from sometimes looking at other women. To be honest, “sometimes” is not the right word: Zeus was a terrible lover and with equal willingness chose his lovers among goddesses and among mortal women. The goddess Demeter gave birth to Persephone, Mnemosyne - the Muses, Eurynome - Charit, Themis - Horus and Moira, Maya - Hermes, Leto - the twins Apollo and Artemis; Dione is said to have given birth to Aphrodite. He was not always able to immediately achieve reciprocity; even mortal women sometimes shied away from such a high honor. In such cases, Zeus did not hesitate to turn into their spouses, into a bull, a swan, rain - into anything in order to achieve his goal. The list of Zeus's descendants from mortal women looks very solid: Alcmene gave birth to Hercules, Semele - Dionysus, Danae - Perseus, Europa - Minos, Sarpedon and Radamanthos, Antiope - the twins Amphion and Zetas, Leda - Polydeuces and Helen. We don’t really know about many of his descendants - what immortal or mortal woman is their mother? But there were also cases when women attributed paternity to Zeus in order to boast or get out of a sticky situation. But Zeus created his most beloved daughter, Athena, without women's aid: he gave birth to her himself, from his head, from where she immediately jumped out in full armor. Zeus took good care of all his children, in many cases better than he took care of his beloved ones. All of them also played an important role in the world of myths (this is discussed in the corresponding articles).

It is clear that Hera disapproved of Zeus' hobbies. She pursued his mistresses and their children and staged such scenes of jealousy for him that Olympus shook and storms arose on earth. However, Zeus managed to calm her down: after all, he was not only a husband, but also a god. In addition to his weakness for women (if you can call it that), Zeus was not without other shortcomings. Sometimes he was short-sighted, especially under the influence of the goddess of delusion and clouding of the mind Ata; several times his vigilance was literally lulled by the god of sleep Hypnos; in addition, Zeus loved to brag, although he had absolutely no need for it. The other gods skillfully used these shortcomings of his, as well as his affection and aversion to quarrels. The greatest master in this area was, of course, Hera.

However, Zeus was the most powerful and noble of the gods. He owned titles and epithets that sound much better in ancient Greek than in translation: “all-powerful”, “all-wise”, “cloud-catcher”, “thunderer”, “high-thundering”, “clearly shining”, etc. But most often people just they called him “Olympian” or “Almighty”, and on especially solemn occasions - “Father of gods and kings”. His symbol was thunder and lightning, of birds - mainly the eagle, of trees - oak. The Greeks (and Romans) imagined him as a majestic man with a thick, wavy beard and mustache; his calm gaze reflected the proud consciousness of indestructible strength.

On modern level According to research, Zeus is considered an ancient god of Indo-European origin, a relative of the Indian Dyaus, the Etruscan Tina (Tinia) and the Roman Jupiter. The Greeks brought Zeus with them from their previous places of residence. Initially they revered him as the god of the sky and celestial phenomena, the lord of the weather. He became the supreme god only in the process of anthropomorphizing the ancient gods, i.e., their transformation into creatures similar to people in their own way appearance and properties. At the same time (obviously under the influence of the ancient population of Greece) Zeus acquired a variety of new functions, which were designated by individualizing attributes. Ultimately, the Greeks integrated Zeus, along with the other gods, into a clan system that corresponded to the ideas of clan society, and gave him the appearance of an earthly ruler of those times, only more powerful in all respects. We meet Zeus under his own name already on tablets written in the Cretan-Mycenaean linear letter “B” (14-13 centuries BC). As we know Zeus today, he was first described by Homer in the Iliad and Odyssey, and then by Hesiod in his Theogony.

The Greeks revered Zeus above all their other gods, despite the weaknesses and shortcomings that are attributed to him in myth. They built temples, altars and statues for him throughout their world, which was not limited to the territory of present-day Greece, but included the coastal regions of modern Turkey and southern Italy with nearby islands, and in some places reached the mouth of the Don in the north, to the Lower Nile in the south, to the river Ebro in the west, in the east its branches went far beyond the Tigris.

All the temples dedicated to Zeus lie in ruins today. The most significant of these were the temples at Olympia, Athens and Akragante in Sicily. The first was built in 460-450. BC e. designed by Libo of Elis. The Athenian Temple of Olympion was the largest in what is now Greece (108 x 41 m in plan, 104 columns 17.5 m high - fifteen of them still stand). The foundations of this temple were laid by the Pisistratids ca. 515 BC e., and it was completed only under Emperor Hadrian in 132 AD. e. An even larger temple was built by the Sicilian Greeks in Akraganta at the beginning of the 5th century. BC e.: its area in plan was 113 x 56 m, and in the façade the columns alternated with telamons. Of the altars of Zeus, the most famous is the Pergamon altar (180-160 BC); After it was discovered by Humann, the altar was transported to Berlin, reconstructed and housed in the specially built Pergamon Museum, which is now part of the State Museums in Berlin.

Of the statues of Zeus, perhaps the most famous is “Zeus of Otricoli” - a Roman copy of a Greek original attributed to Briaxis (4th century BC). The most valuable is the bronze “Zeus of Artemisium”, attributed to the Athenian sculptor Kalamis (5th century BC) and caught from the sea in 1926-1928. off Cape Artemisia in northern Euboea; it was found among the wreckage of an antique ship transporting looted works of Greek art to Italy. Some art historians saw Poseidon in him; but anyway this is one of the best works antique plastic. The original is in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, and exact copy decorates the lobby of the UN building in New York, next to a model of the first Soviet satellite. However, the most famous was the statue of Zeus at Olympia, made by Phidias from gold and Ivory OK. 430 BC e. The ancients considered it one of the “seven wonders of the world,” but at the beginning of the 5th century. n. e. By order of Emperor Theodosius II, she was taken as a pagan idol to Constantinople, where she subsequently disappeared without a trace. She was written off as a victim of the fire of 475.

If we decided to list the European artists who depicted Zeus, we would actually get a list of almost all the masters of the Renaissance, Baroque, Classicism and many artists of a later time. In all the paintings depicting the host greek gods, Zeus occupies a central place - for example, in Rubens's painting "The Assembly of the Olympian Gods" (c. 1602, Prague Castle Picture Gallery).

And people.

With the blow of the scepter he caused storms and hurricanes, but could also calm the forces of nature and clear the sky of clouds.

The attributes of Zeus were: a shield and a double-sided ax (labrys), sometimes an eagle.

Zeus is thought of as “fire”, a “hot substance”, inhabiting the ether, owning the sky, the organizing center of cosmic and social life.

Zeus distributes good and evil on earth, he put shame and conscience in people.

Zeus is a formidable punitive force, sometimes associated with fate.

Zeus announces the destinies of fate with the help of dreams, as well as thunder and lightning.

The entire social order was built by Zeus, he protects the family and home, the protector of the offended and the patron of those praying, the patron of city life, he gave laws to people, established the power of kings, and monitors the observance of traditions and customs.

Other gods obey him.

Changeable, like the sky over which it rules, He constantly shows His different face.

He envelops the earth in ermines of snow, he sends rain.

In storms and thunderstorms the power of the ruler is manifested, who with a hurricane raises the lead waves of the sea, piles up black swirling clouds, sweeps up the sand of earthly roads and, opening the outlets of heavenly waters, lights long-maned fires on the tops of mountains.

At the bottom of smoking volcanoes, day and night, the Cyclopes forge lightning for Zeus.

This is truly a powerful god. If a golden rope were attached to the top of the heavens, and all the gods and goddesses pulled on it, they could not pull Zeus down to earth. But if Zeus grabbed the rope, he would lift up all the gods along with the earth and sea and tie them to the rocks of Olympus. In any case, that’s what he himself boasted.

Since Kronos had once overthrown his father Uranus, he was afraid that one of his children would do the same, so he swallowed all the babies born. Rhea the mother suffered greatly from this. When her sixth child was born, she wrapped a stone in swaddling clothes instead and gave it to her husband. Unsuspecting Kronos swallowed the stone, thinking it was his next child.
Rhea and the child came down to earth. She wanted to wash her son, but could not find a source anywhere. The Mother Goddess prayed to Gaia and struck the rock with her staff. A light stream of water splashed from the hard stone. Rhea, having bathed the child, named him Zeus. She went to Crete and laid the golden cradle of her son in the Idai grotto. Shiny shoots of ivy curled along its walls, and the entrance was obscured by a dense forest. Fed by the milk of the goat Amalthea, Zeus grew up under the care of mountain nymphs. The boy loved the goat very much. When she broke the horn, Zeus took the horn into his divine hands and blessed it. This is how the cornucopia appeared, which gave everyone who was in their hands everything they wanted.
All nature surrounded the golden cradle of the new god with love. From the shores of the ocean, pigeons brought him ambrosia; the bees collected the sweetest honey for him, every evening an eagle flew in, carrying a cup of nectar in its talons. To prevent the cries of baby Zeus from reaching the ears of the sensitive Kronos, the priests of Rhea performed war dances near his cradle to the sounds of tambourines and squeaks.

Power struggle

Finally, Zeus grew up. To live further, he had to fight with his father. First of all, it was necessary to return the swallowed brothers and sisters. He persuaded his mother to give Kronos an emetic. In terrible agony, the titan vomited out all his swallowed children - Hades, Poseidon, Hera, Hestia and Demeter. From the skin of the goat Amalthea, who died at that time, he made an indestructible defense for himself - a shield called the aegis. No weapon could penetrate the Aegis, and Zeus never parted with it. This is how a catchphrase from the myths of Ancient Greece appeared: to be “under the auspices” means to be under the protection of someone or something.
Most of the titans sided with Kronos. Next to Zeus stood his brothers and sisters. The war lasted ten years and was called the "Titanomachy". Zeus won it only with the help of the hundred-armed giants - hecantocheires and one-eyed cyclops.
Then Zeus faced another war - this time with the giants - the sons of Gaia-Earth. This was also a terrible battle. And its outcome was decided by a mortal hero - the son of Zeus Hercules. It was he who defeated the last of the remaining giants - Alcyoneus.

Nothing could take this giant. Being the son of Gaia, that is, a product of the earth, he instantly healed any wounds as soon as he touched the earth. Touching the earth gave him more and more strength. To defeat Alcyoneus, Hercules tore him off the ground, carried him outside his country and killed him there.
To take revenge on the young gods for their children, the destroyed giants, the goddess Gaia gave birth to the most terrible monster that the sun has ever seen. His name was Typhon.
When the gods saw this monster at the gates of heaven, they were seized with panic. They fled to Egypt, where they turned into so that Typhon could not recognize them. Zeus alone entered into a fight with Typhon and defeated him.

Battle of Zeus with Typhon

Hundred-headed monster - Typhon,

Born of the earth. For all the gods

He rose up: a thorn and a whistle from his jaws

He threatened the throne of Zeus, and from his eyes

The fire of the frantic Gorgon sparkled,

But Zeus's never-ending arrow -

Blazing lightning struck

Him for this boast. To the heart

He was incinerated and thunder killed

All the power is in him. Now a powerless body

He is spread out under the roots of Etna,

Not far from the blue strait,

And the mountains crush his chest; on them

Hephaestus sits, forging his iron,

But it will break out from the black depths

A stream of consuming flames

And destroy the wide fields

Sicily, beautifully fruitful...

Wives of Zeas

The first wife of Zeus was the oceanid Metis. It was she who at one time helped Zeus return to the world the children swallowed by Kronos. The goddess Gaia predicted that Metis would give birth to his daughter Athena, and after this a son who would deprive his father of power. Therefore, Zeus, following the persuasion of Gaia and Uranus, swallowed Metis.

The consequence of such a crime was the miraculous birth of Zeus’s daughter, Athena. Athena emerged directly from the “sacred” head of the “much-wise” Zeus.

Finally, Zeus enters into a third legal marriage with his sister Hera, a goddess who protects the foundations of a monogamous patriarchal family, vigilantly monitoring the fidelity of a man and the correctness of the relationship between parents and children.

Beloved and Children of Zeus

Zeus often cheats on his wife Hera. He passionately falls in love with both goddesses and earthly beauties. A long list of Zeus' lovers is given by the poet Hesiod. Zeus has significantly more beautiful lovers and illustrious descendants than any of the Greek gods. And this should not be surprising. Every clan, every city tried to bring its origin as close as possible to the highest God. Zeus is a great inventor and prankster in love affairs. So he seduced Leda, turning into a swan, Danae - a golden shower, Hera - a cuckoo, Europa - a snow-white bull, Persephone - a serpent, Antiope - a satyr. For the beautiful Io, he turned into a foggy cloud.

Let's start the story about Zeus' lovers with this funny poem, the author of which, unfortunately, I could not find.

Zeus may have a hundred wives.

Hera is jealous like no one else.

Hating all other wives,

Raging in rage. Smitten

With that wild passion the god-husband:

Zeus is omnipotent, but if suddenly,

Jealous, Hera destroys everything,

And the Almighty will tremble.

But how to overcome nature.

If there is strength? What is day and what is night -

And the wives of Zeus lead into sin.

And he has strength for everyone...

Supreme god, ruler of gods and men; the son of the titans Kronos and Rhea, hence one of his names - Kronid. Having overthrown the dominance of Cronus and the gods of the older generation - the Titans, Zeus ceded power over the sea and the underworld to his brothers Poseidon and Hades. Zeus left himself supreme power over the world and control of all celestial phenomena, primarily thunder and lightning, hence his epithets Zeus the Thunderer, Zeus the Cloud Chaser.

J. Jordaens. Zeus's childhood

Zeus was revered as the guardian of social order and family; he was credited with establishing laws and customs. Olympus was considered the permanent residence of Zeus, hence the epithet Zeus the Olympian. The attributes of Zeus were an aegis, a scepter, and sometimes an eagle. As the giver of victory in wars and competitions, Zeus was depicted with the goddess of victory Nike (Roman Victoria) in his hand. Zeus was considered the father of the younger generation of Olympic gods: Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Athena, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hephaestus, Dionysus, Hebe, Iris, Persephone, as well as muses, charites and a number of heroes: Hercules, Perseus. The noble families of Ancient Greece traced their origins to Zeus. The most important places of the cult of Znus were Dodona (Epirus) and Olympia (Elis), where the Olympic Games were held in honor of Zeus. Individual episodes of the myths about Zeus are given in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, in Hesiod's Theogony, and Apollodorus's Mythological Library. In ancient Roman mythology, Zeus corresponded to Jupiter.

Initially, in each region of Greece a special deity was revered, in charge of celestial phenomena - thunder and lightning. When pan-Greek culture emerged, the local gods merged into the image of Zevs, who was in charge of the change of seasons, sent a fair wind and granted clear days. When he shook his aegis, storms and rains came. Sometimes Zeus is identified with fate, sometimes he himself was subject to the moiras - the goddesses of fate. Zeus announced the destinies of fate through dreams, lightning and thunder, with the help of the flight of birds and the rustling of leaves of sacred trees. He gave people laws, established state power, patronized public meetings. Zevs protected the family and home, monitored the implementation of customs and rituals.

The main sanctuary of 3eus was Olympia in Elis, where the temple of 3eus was located and the Olympic Games were held in his honor. According to the main version of the myth, Zevs was saved by his mother from Cronus, who swallowed his children, and was hidden by her in a safe shelter. When Zevs grew up and matured, he rebelled against his father and overthrew his rule over the world. Zevs forced Kronus to vomit the swallowed children - his brothers and sisters.
Having overthrown the Titans into Tartarus, Zeus shared dominion over the world with his brothers Poseidon and Hades. Hera became the wife of 3eus, who gave birth to Ares, Hebe and, according to some versions, Hephaestus. In addition, 3eus had many children from other goddesses: from Lethe - Apollo and Artemis, from Demeter - Persephone, from Maya - Hermes, from Dione - Aphrodite, from Themis - Ora and Moira, from Eurynome - Charita. Zeus also had children from mortal women: Semele gave birth to Dionysus from Zeus, Alcmene - Hercules, Leda - Helen and Polydeuces, Danae - Perseus. In Dodona, 3eus was revered as the god of fertility, the lord of the ether, who revealed his will by the rustling of the leaves of the sacred oak. Here Dione was considered the wife of 3eus.

In Crete, 3evs was revered as the god of the secret forces of nature. The Cretans believed that 3eus was born by Rhea in secret from Cronus on Crete. Rhea hid Zeus in Crete, the nymphs Adrastea and Ida fed him with the milk of the goat Amalthea. In Crete, the grave of 3eus was shown; he was honored in orgies as the dying and resurrecting god of vegetation. In Rome, the cult of 3eus merged with the cult of Jupiter. IN ancient art 3evs was depicted as an omnipotent ruler, seated on a throne with a scepter and Nike in his hands, with an eagle near the throne.

The religion of Ancient Greece belongs to pagan polytheism. The gods were playing important roles in the structure of the world, each performing its own function. The immortal deities were similar to people and behaved quite humanly: they were sad and happy, quarreled and reconciled, betrayed and sacrificed their interests, were cunning and were sincere, loved and hated, forgave and took revenge, punished and had mercy.

The behavior, as well as the commands of gods and goddesses, was used by the ancient Greeks to explain natural phenomena, the origin of man, moral principles, public relations. Mythology reflected the Greeks' ideas about the world around them. Myths originated in different regions of Hellas and over time merged into an orderly system of beliefs.

Ancient Greek gods and goddesses

The gods and goddesses belonging to the younger generation were considered the main ones. Older generation, who embodied the forces of the universe and natural elements, lost dominance over the world, unable to withstand the onslaught of the younger ones. Having won, the young gods chose Mount Olympus as their home. The ancient Greeks identified 12 main Olympian gods among all the deities. So, the gods of Ancient Greece, list and description:

Zeus - god of Ancient Greece- in mythology called the father of the gods, Zeus the Thunderer, lord of lightning and clouds. It is he who has the powerful power to create life, resist chaos, establish order and fair justice on earth. Legends tell about the deity as a noble and kind creature. The Lord of Lightning gave birth to the goddesses Or and the Muses. The Or govern time and the seasons of the year. Muses bring inspiration and joy to people.

The wife of the Thunderer was Hera. The Greeks considered her the quarrelsome goddess of the atmosphere. Hera is the keeper of the home, the patroness of wives who remain faithful to their husbands. With her daughter Ilithia, Hera eased the pain of childbirth. Zeus was famous for his passion. After three hundred years of marriage, the lord of lightning began to visit ordinary women who gave birth to heroes - demigods. Zeus appeared to his chosen ones in different guises. Before the beautiful Europa, the father of the gods appeared like a bull with golden horns. Zeus visited Danae like a shower of gold.

Poseidon

Sea god - ruler of the oceans and seas, patron saint of sailors and fishermen. The Greeks considered Poseidon a just god, all of whose punishments were deservedly sent to people. Preparing for the voyage, the sailors offered prayers not to Zeus, but to the ruler of the seas. Before going to sea, incense was offered on altars to please sea ​​deity.

The Greeks believed that Poseidon could be seen during a strong storm on the open sea. His magnificent golden chariot emerged from the sea foam, drawn by fleet-footed horses. The ruler of the ocean received dashing horses as a gift from his brother Hades. Poseidon's wife is the goddess of the roaring sea, Amphthrita. The trident is a symbol of power, giving the deity absolute power over deep sea. Poseidon had a gentle character and tried to avoid quarrels. His loyalty to Zeus was not questioned - unlike Hades, the ruler of the seas did not challenge the primacy of the Thunderer.

Hades

Master of the Underworld. Hades and his wife Persephone ruled the kingdom of the dead. The inhabitants of Hellas feared Hades more than Zeus himself. It is impossible to get into the underworld - and even more so, to return - without the will of the gloomy deity. Hades traveled across the surface of the earth in a chariot drawn by horses. The horses' eyes glowed with hellish fire. People prayed in fear so that the gloomy god would not take them to his abodes. Hades' favorite three-headed dog Cerberus guarded the entrance to the kingdom of the dead.

According to legends, when the gods divided power and Hades gained dominion over the kingdom of the dead, the celestial being was dissatisfied. He considered himself humiliated and harbored a grudge against Zeus. Hades never openly opposed the power of the Thunderer, but constantly tried to harm the father of the gods as much as possible.

Hades kidnapped the beautiful Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and the fertility goddess Demeter, by force making her his wife and ruler of the underworld. Zeus did not have power over the kingdom of the dead, so he refused Demeter’s request to return her daughter to Olympus. The distressed goddess of fertility stopped caring for the earth, there was a drought, then famine came. The Lord of Thunder and Lightning had to conclude an agreement with Hades, according to which Persephone would spend two thirds of the year in heaven, and a third of the year in underground world.

Pallas Athena and Ares

Athena is probably the most beloved goddess of the ancient Greeks. Daughter of Zeus, born from his head, she embodied three virtues:

• wisdom;
• calm;
• insight.

The goddess of victorious energy, Athena was depicted as a powerful warrior with a spear and shield. She was also the deity of clear skies and had the power to disperse dark clouds with her weapons. The daughter of Zeus traveled with the goddess of victory Nike. Athena was called upon as the protector of cities and fortresses. It was she who sent down fair state laws to Ancient Greece.

Ares - deity of stormy skies, Athena's eternal rival. The son of Hera and Zeus, he was revered as the god of war. A warrior filled with rage, with a sword or spear - this is how the ancient Greeks imagined Ares. The God of War enjoyed the noise of battle and bloodshed. Unlike Athena, who fought battles judiciously and honestly, Ares preferred fierce fights. The God of War approved a tribunal - a special trial of especially cruel murderers. The hill where the courts took place was named after the warlike deity Areopagus.

Hephaestus

God of blacksmithing and fire. According to legend, Hephaestus was cruel to people, frightening and destroying them with volcanic eruptions. People lived without fire on the surface of the earth, suffering and dying in the eternal cold. Hephaestus, like Zeus, did not want to help mortals and give them fire. Prometheus - Titan, the last of the older generation of gods, was an assistant to Zeus and lived on Olympus. Filled with compassion, he brought fire to earth. For stealing fire, the Thunderer doomed the titan to eternal torment.

Prometheus managed to escape punishment. Possessing prophetic abilities, the titan knew that Zeus was in danger of death at the hands of his own son in the future. Thanks to Prometheus's hint, the lord of lightning did not unite in marriage with the one who would give birth to a patricidal son, and strengthened his rule forever. For the secret of maintaining power, Zeus granted the titan freedom.

In Hellas there was a running festival. Participants competed with lit torches in their hands. Athena, Hephaestus and Prometheus were symbols of the celebration that served as the birth of the Olympic Games.

Hermes

The deities of Olympus were not only characterized by noble impulses, lies and deceit often guided their actions. God Hermes is a rogue and thief, the patron of trade and banking, magic, alchemy, and astrology. Born by Zeus from the Mayan galaxy. His mission was to convey the will of the gods to people through dreams. From the name of Hermes comes the name of the science of hermeneutics - the art and theory of interpretation of texts, including ancient ones.

Hermes invented writing, was young, handsome, energetic. Antique images depict him as a handsome young man in a winged hat and sandals. According to legend, Aphrodite rejected the advances of the god of trade. Gremes is not married, although he has many children, as well as many lovers.

The first theft of Hermes was 50 cows of Apollo, he committed it at a very young age. Zeus gave the kid a good beating and he returned the stolen goods. Subsequently, the Thunderer more than once turned to his resourceful son to solve sensitive problems. For example, at the request of Zeus, Hermes stole a cow from Hera, into which the beloved of the lord of lightning turned.

Apollo and Artemis

Apollo is the sun god of the Greeks. Being the son of Zeus, Apollo winter time spent in the lands of the Hyperboreans. God returned to Greece in the spring, bringing awakening to nature, immersed in winter hibernation. Apollo patronized the arts and was also the deity of music and singing. After all, along with spring, the desire to create returned to people. Apollo was credited with the ability to heal. Just as the sun drives out darkness, so the celestial being drove out illnesses. The sun god was depicted as an extremely handsome young man holding a harp.

Artemis is the goddess of hunting and the moon, patroness of animals. The Greeks believed that Artemis took night walks with the naiads - the patroness of the waters - and shed dew on the grass. At a certain period in history, Artemis was considered a cruel goddess who destroys sailors. Human sacrifices were made to the deity to gain favor.

At one time, girls worshiped Artemis as the organizer strong marriage. Artemis of Ephesus began to be considered the goddess of fertility. Sculptures and pictures of Artemis depicted a woman with many breasts on her chest to emphasize the goddess's generosity.

Soon the sun god Helios and the moon goddess Selene appeared in legends. Apollo remained the deity of music and art, Artemis - goddess of the hunt.

Aphrodite

Aphrodite the Beautiful was worshiped as the patroness of lovers. The Phoenician goddess Aphrodite combined two principles:

• femininity when the goddess enjoyed love young man Adonis and the singing of birds, the sounds of nature;
• militancy, when the goddess was portrayed as a cruel warrior who obliged her followers to take a vow of chastity, and was also a zealous guardian of fidelity in marriage.

The ancient Greeks managed to harmoniously combine femininity and belligerence, creating a perfect image of female beauty. The embodiment of the ideal was Aphrodite, bringing pure, immaculate love. The goddess was depicted as a beautiful naked woman emerging from the foam of the sea. Aphrodite is the most revered muse of poets, sculptors, and artists of that time.

The son of the beautiful goddess Eros (Eros) was her faithful messenger and assistant. The main task of the god of love was to connect the life lines of lovers. According to legend, Eros looked like a well-fed baby with wings.

Demeter

Demeter is the patron goddess of farmers and winemakers. Mother Earth, that’s what they called her. Demeter was the embodiment of nature, which gives people fruits and grains, absorbing sunlight and rain. They depicted the goddess of fertility with light brown, wheat-colored hair. Demeter gave people the science of arable farming and crops grown with hard work. The daughter of the goddess of wine, Persephone, becoming the queen of the underworld, connected the world of the living with the kingdom of the dead.

Along with Demeter, Dionysus, the deity of winemaking, was revered. Dionysus was portrayed as a cheerful young man. Usually his body was entwined with a vine, and in his hands the god held a jug filled with wine. Dionysus taught people to care for grapevines, singing riotous songs that later formed the basis of ancient Greek drama.

Hestia

Goddess family well-being, unity and peace. The altar of Hestia stood in every house near the family hearth. The inhabitants of Hellas perceived urban communities as large families, therefore in the prytaneans ( administrative buildings in Greek cities) sanctuaries of Hestia were always present. They were a symbol of civil unity and peace. There was a sign that if you take coals from the prytanean altar on a long journey, the goddess will provide her protection along the way. The goddess also protected foreigners and the afflicted.

Temples to Hestia were not built, because she was worshiped in every home. Fire was considered a pure, cleansing natural phenomenon, so Hestia was perceived as the patroness of chastity. The goddess asked Zeus for permission not to marry, although Poseidon and Apollo sought her favor.

Myths and legends have evolved over decades. With each retelling, the stories acquired new details, and previously unknown characters emerged. The list of gods grew, making it possible to explain natural phenomena the essence of which ancient people could not understand. Myths passed on the wisdom of older generations to young ones, explained government structure, affirmed the moral principles of society.

The mythology of Ancient Greece gave humanity many stories and images that were reflected in the masterpieces of world art. For centuries, artists, sculptors, poets and architects have drawn inspiration from the legends of Hellas.

In terms of the number of gods, the ancient Greeks cannot compare with any people on our planet. The inhabitants of Hellas were guided at almost every step by the advice of some deity. However, the most important among them was Zeus. Who is this character? This is the god of lightning and thunder, as well as the ruler of the whole world.

Who was Zeus, according to ancient myths?

The chief of all gods was considered the third son of Rhea and the titan Kronos (Homer described him as the eldest son). In addition, he was the brother of Demeter, Aida, Poseidon, Hestia and Hera. The attributes of the main deity were a double ax (labrys) and a shield. Sometimes an eagle was depicted next to Zeus. And Olympus was considered the residence of the Thunderer.

What did the god of thunder and lightning identify?

So, Zeus. Who is this almighty ruler of the world? It was believed that he was able to distribute evil and good throughout the earth. In some myths it is associated with fate itself. In some legends, the main one, on the contrary, acts as a creature that is in the power of fate. Mythology gives Zeus the ability to foresee the future. At the same time, he announces the destiny of fate through lightning, thunder, and dreams.

They believed that the creation of social order was the direct merit of Zeus. It was he, in their opinion, who gave laws to people and power to kings. It was believed that the main deity ensures that all the customs and traditions of the people are strictly observed, and that the home and family are preserved.

Birth

Zeus - who is this main god? This is a representative of the third generation of deities who overthrew their predecessors.

The post of the main deity was not so easy for Zeus. His father, the cunning and treacherous Kronos, was most afraid that power over the world would be taken away from him by his own children. And he decided to destroy them. To do this, Kronos began to swallow his offspring alive. When Zeus's turn came, Rhea hid her son on the island of Crete in one of the deep caves. At the same time, she gave her husband a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes, which he swallowed, mistaking it for a baby. Only after this did Kronos calm down, believing that no one else could threaten his throne.

Childhood

Meanwhile, in the cave of Crete, the hidden Zeus was slowly growing up. The mythology of ancient Greece assigns a large role in his upbringing to the goat Amalthea and the nymph Melissa. The first fed the divine child with her milk. goats provided Zeus with everything he needed. The nymph Melissa also showed great care for the baby. She provided him with everything he might need. The nymph gave him nutritious honey, which helps rapid growth. According to legend, faithful guards guarded the cave in which the divine offspring was located. When the baby cried, they loudly knocked on their shields with spears so that Kronos would not hear anything.

Clash of the Titans

Years have passed. Zeus grew up and matured. In the end, events unfolded exactly as promised to Kronos. The son overthrew his cruel father, forcing him to bring all the swallowed children back to life. The six of them defeated the tyrant.

The most powerful Zeus began to reign in the sky. His brother Hades inherited the underworld, and Poseidon the sea. At the same time, they decided that they would manage the land together.

Kingdom of the Gods

Olympus and Zeus in the mythology of Ancient Greece are inseparable concepts. On this high mountain, a powerful ruler ruled the destinies of people and all life on earth, surrounded by other gods who unquestioningly obeyed him.

The gates of Olympus were closed by a thick, lush cloud. Near him were the goddesses of the Mountain. Their duties were to remove the cloud, allowing the golden chariots to pass through.
The kingdom of Zeus was distinguished by the fact that a gentle and warm summer constantly reigned in it. On earth, on the contrary, thunderstorms and heavy rains were quite common. People believed that the Greek god Zeus was angry with them for some reason. That's why he sends lightning and thunder as punishment. It is not for nothing that in ancient Greek myths and legends the main ruler of Olympus was called the cloud suppressor and the thunderer.

Zeus in Olympia lived in a luxurious palace, at the gate of which there were certainly two vessels. One of them contained the gifts of Good, and the other - Evil. At times, Zeus drew the contents of these vessels, sending them to people.

Ancient Greek myths gave a special place to the Moirai. Despite the omnipotence of Zeus, it was these three goddesses who determined the destinies of both people and gods.

Reign period

Ancient Greek mythology names people and gods. However, it also says that his power over the gods of Olympus is weak, and fateful paths are often unknown to him. On the advice of Uranus-Heaven and Gaia-Earth, Zeus swallowed Metis, his first wife. By this he avoided the birth of a son, who was supposed to become stronger than his father.

Gaia's daughter, Themis, revealed a secret to Zeus: Thetis would give birth to exactly the same son. Then the ruler of all gods refused to marry her and married the goddess to the hero Peleus.
And so Themis, the goddess of justice, became the second wife of Zeus. Their daughters are Ora. Thanks to them, there is order and regularity in the lives of people and gods.

The third legal wife of Zeus is Hera. But in fact, it was this goddess, who patronizes marriage, who became the first wife in terms of her importance.
The reign of Zeus significantly changes the world of all the Olympians. Thanks to the daughters of the main deity from Eurynome - Charitam - grace, joy and fun are brought into life. From Mnemosyne, Zeus gives birth to nine Muses. This fact predetermines that the Thunderer in Greek mythology is called the source that inspires servants of science and art.

This is how Zeus gradually transforms the whole world. He gives birth to gods who bring order and law, and science, art, etc. into people's lives.

The importance of Zeus in the mythology of Ancient Greece is enormous. The main Olympian deity in the texts that have reached us is identified with the patron of city life and community of people, and also acts as a protector of the offended.

Olympic Games

Answering the question: “Who is Zeus?”, it is impossible not to mention Olympic Games. After all, it was he who was the founder of this spectacle, he lit the first Olympic flame, and it was in his honor that competitions began to be held in 776 BC, in which ancient Greek men demonstrated their strength, dexterity and beauty. The significance of these games for people was so great that wars stopped during the period they were held. The city-states that participated in the hostilities concluded a temporary truce.

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