Zeus: The King of The Gods

By: Kyle Murray

ROMAN NAME: Jupiter

Birth

     Zeus is the youngest son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. He was given birth by his mother, and he was hidden in a mountain in Crete to hide him from his father. His father planned on eating him, but instead ate a bundle filled with rocks, which he thought to be his son. Zeus was very lucky to survive through to his childhood, because all of his other siblings were eaten! Zeus was raised by two nymphs, whereupon he grew up wanting to take revenge on his father.

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Role as a God

     Zeus, after dethroning his father, became supreme ruler of the gods. He was also god of the light, the sky, and atmospheric phenomena: rain, wind, clouds an thunder storms. He gave his two brothers jurisdiction in their own areas; Poseidon in the sea and Hades in the underworld. Zeus's symbol is the thunder bolt. Thunder and lightning were given to him by Cyclops when fighting the Titans. He uses the thunderbolt as a weapon and it also suits him because he is the god of the heavens, where thunderstorms take place.^[2]

  Major Story

     One major story that Zeus has a role in is his conquest to become the ruler of the gods. In this story he finds Metis, who gives Cronus a drug. Cronus immeaditaley vomited the rock which he thought to be Zeus and then vomitted out each of Zeus's brothers and sisters. Afterwards, Zeus and his siblings attacked Cronus and the Titans. This raging battle lasted over ten years. Zeus then snuck into Tartarus and released Cyclops and the Hecatoncheires. Cyclops gives Zeus thunder and lightning, Hades a magic helmet which made him invisible, and Poseidon a trident. They defeated the Titans using these powers, and locked them in Tartarus. Zeus became the new ruler of the world along with his two brothers.^[3]

Life Story

     Zeus was born in cave on a mountain in Crete. His mother Rhea, did not want Cronus, his father, to eat him like he swallowed his other siblings. Zeus was raised very graciously by the Cretians, protecting him from ever being found by Cronus. Zeus grew up, and when he returned home, he fought a war with the Titans after saving his siblings. Ten years later, Zeus and his two brothers, Poseidon and Hades defeated the Titans where they were put in Tarturus. Zeus became the supreme god in all of the world.^[4]

     Zeus had many relationships in his life. He married his sister Hera, and had children with many other women. Hera was very jealous of Zeus's relationships with other women. Zeus may have been in the form of an animal, or in a different form while he was with these women. Zeus's child Hercules, who was thought to be his favorite, was born by a mortal mother. There was a temple built for Zeus in Olympia, from 470 BC to 456 BC. This temple, the big temple, was built in honor of Zeus. ^[5]