Zeus
by CTCWeb Editors
Zeus the Great Philanderer
Despite his marriage to the most beautiful of the goddesses, Zeus continuously had affairs with mortals and lesser deities. These affairs often worked to the detriment of the females involved as Hera sought revenge that often resulted in death.
Students should examine the affairs of Zeus and should question why he had so many. What were the Greeks saying about extra-marital affairs for men versus ones for women? How was Zeus punished for his affairs? What children resulted from these affairs and why were some of them so powerful as gods and mortals? And, how did Hera seek to avenge Zeus’ indiscretions?
Notable Affairs With Semele
London E 313 - This vase shows Zeus on one side wielding a thunderbolt and Semele on the opposite side looking back as if she were afraid.
Euripides, Bacchae lines 287-297 - Zeus hid the truth about Dionysos from Hera as the baby Dionysos gestated in his father’s thigh. Hera wanted to banish Dionysos from Olympus because he was a result of one of Zeus’ affairs.
Homeric Hymn 1: To Dionysos, et al. - Semele and Zeus conceive Dionysos but Hera’s revenge on Semele forces Zeus to sew the baby in his thigh to complete the gestation.
Berlin F 2537 - The birth of Athena.
Berlin F 1704 - The birth of Athena.
Florence 4209 - The birth of Athena.
Louvre CA 616 - The birth of Athena.
Philadelphia MS3440 - The birth of Athena.
Philadelphia MS3441 - The birth of Athena.
Apollodorus 1.3.6 - Zeus sires Athena by Metis in the following way: “Zeus had intercourse with Metis, who turned into many shapes in order to avoid his embraces. When she was with child, Zeus, taking time by the forelock, swallowed her, because Earth said that, after giving birth to the maiden who was then in her womb, Metis would bear a son who should be the lord of heaven.”
Palermo, FR Pl. 59 - Leto appears on this vase with her children.
Apollodorus, 1.4.1 - Zeus consorts with Latona who is willing to meet his advances and together they conceive Apollo and Artemis.
Pausanias, Guide to Greece, 1.18.5 - Leto gives birth to Apollo and Artemis with help of Ilithyia on the island of Delos.
Apollodorus, 2.4.5 - Zeus lays with Alcmena, the wife of Amphitryon, and she conceives Herakles. Hera, in a jealous rage, sends Ilithyia, the goddess of childbirth, to delay Alcmena’s delivery.
Homer Odyssey 11.267 - Herakles is refereed to as the son of Zeus and Alcmena.
Vase Description, Malibu 72.AE.128 - This vase depicts the transformation of Kallisto into a bear. Her transformation is the result of Hera’s jealousy. One myth says that Hera turned Kallisto into a bear in a jealous rage and another says that Zeus changed Kallisto into a bear to avoid Hera’s wrath.
Apollodorus vol. 2.1.3 - Hera sends a gadfly after one of Zeus’s consorts, Io. Io has been turned into a cow and wanders the Earth feeling Hera’s contempt in the sting of the fly. Apollodorus 2.4.5 - Alcmena is ready to give birth to Artemis and Apollo, her children by Zeus. In a jealous rage Hera persuades the Ilithyias to retard Alcmena’s delivery to cause her great discomfort. Apollodorus 3.4.3 - Hera deceives Semele causing her to ask Zeus to reveal his true self to her. When Zeus must compile, Semele is burned. Apollodorus 3.4.3 - Hera drives Athamas mad and causes him to hunt and kill his son as a deer. Apollodorus 3.5.1 - Hera drives Dionysos mad since he is the offspring of Zeus and Semele. Apollodorus 3.8.2 - Here the story of Hera and Callisto is told. Zeus had an affair with Callisto so Hera turns Callisto into a bear and then has Artemis shoot her down.
Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound lines 582, 600, 900 - The author mentions Hera as the one who sent Io on her wanderings for revenge. Prometheus hears the cries of Io who is tormented by the gadfly. Aeschylus, Suppliant Maidens lines 291 ff. - The king tells the chorus of the vengeful plan of Hera to torment Io with the gadfly because of Zeus’ affair with the mortal.
Euripides, Bacchae lines 9, 89-104 - As a result of Hera’s trickery, a pregnant Semele was destroyed by Zeus’ brilliance. To save the child in Semele’s womb, Zeus sewed him into his thigh. Euripides, Cyclops line 4 - Silenus speaks of how Hera drove Dionysos mad probably for revenge due to Zeus’ infidelity with Dionysos’ mother.
Hesiod Theogony 925 - “But Hera without union with Zeus—for she was very angry and quarreled with her mate—bare famous Hephaestus, who is skilled in crafts more than all the sons of Heaven.”
Homer Iliad Book 1 line 560 - Zeus speaks to Hera saying that she is a strange one who is always suspicious. He tells her that her acts of jealousy will only drive her further from his heart.
Homeric Hymn 3b: To Pythian Apollo, lines 311 ff. - Hera complains to the gods that Zeus dishonors her by having children with other goddesses and mortals.
Pausanias 9.3.1 - Zeus and Cithaeron, the despot in Plataea, contrive a plan to trick Hera into giving up her anger towards Zeus. Zeus made a wooden image and dressed it in bridal clothing. He announced his wedding to Plataea, the wooden image and put it in a wagon. Hera came o investigate the marriage and upon seeing the that the bride was wood forgave Zeus. Pausanias 8.3.5 - Here again the story of Hera and Callisto is told. Hera turns Callisto into a bear and then has Artemis shoot her down. Pausanias 9.11.3 - “The Thebans call them Witches, adding that they were sent by Hera to hinder the birth-pangs of Alcmena. So these kept Alcmena from bringing forth her child.”
