Hera is the Greek goddess of the hearth and marriage. Hera - the ancient Greek goddess Myths about the ancient Greek goddess Hera

Retelling of Graves' Myths of Ancient Greece

Hera, the daughter of Cronus and Rhea, was born on the island of Samos, or, as some say, in Argos. She was brought up by her son Pelasgian Temen in Arcadia. The Seasons were her nannies. After the overthrow of Cronus, her twin brother Zeus began to solicit her love at Knossos in Crete, or, as some say, on Mount Fornax, now called Mount Cuckoo in the Argolis, where he courted her at first unsuccessfully. Hera took pity on Zeus only when he took the form of a motley cuckoo, which Hera gently pressed to her chest. But as soon as she did, Zeus took on his true form and took possession of her. Humiliated Hera was forced to marry him.
At their wedding, all the gods sent their gifts. Mother Earth gave Hera a tree with golden apples, which was later guarded by the Hesperides in Hera's garden on Mount Atlas. They spent their wedding night with Zeus on the island of Samos, and it lasted for three hundred years. Hera often bathed in the Cana stream near Argos and thus regained her virginity.
Hera and Zeus had children - the gods Ares, Hephaestus and Hebe, although some say that Ares and his sister Eris were conceived when Hera touched a flower, and Hebe when she touched lettuce leaves, and that Hephaestus was also her a parthenogenic child, and Hephaestus did not believe in such a miracle until Hera was cunningly chained to the throne and was forced to swear by the River Styx that she was not lying. Others say Hephaestus was her son by Talos, Daedalus' nephew.

Only Zeus - the father of heaven - was subject to lightning, and only the fear of her deadly power made obedient his quarrelsome and absurd family, located on Mount Olympus. Zeus determined the paths of heavenly bodies, established laws, took oaths and prophesied. When his mother Rhea, foreseeing the troubles that might arise from his lustfulness, forbade him to marry, Zeus, angry, threatened to take possession of her. And although she immediately turned into a terrible snake, Zeus was not afraid and, turning into a snake himself and forming one tight knot with her, fulfilled his threat. It was from this that his endless love affairs began. From Themis he had the Seasons and three goddesses of fate, from Eurynome - Charita, from Mnemosyne - three muses, and with Mnemosyne he spent nine nights on the bed; some even claim that the nymph Styx bore him Persephone, the queen underworld, whom the brother of Zeus Hades married by force. Therefore, he did not suffer from a lack of power either above or below the earth, and his wife Hera was not inferior to him in only one thing: she could reward any person or beast with the gift of prophecy if she wished.

Zeus and Hera constantly quarreled. In retaliation for his frequent adultery, Hera often humiliated Zeus, resorting to deceit. And although he could tell her his secrets and sometimes even used her advice, Zeus did not have full confidence in Hera. Hera knew well that if she offended her husband too seriously, he would not fail to fire lightning at her, so she preferred evil intrigues in connection, for example, with the birth of Hercules, and sometimes she borrowed a belt from Aphrodite to kindle passion in her husband and thereby weaken his will.
However, the day came when the arrogance and capriciousness of Zeus became so unbearable that Hera, Poseidon, Apollo and other Olympians, except for Hestia, suddenly surrounded him, sleeping, and “bound” hundreds of knots with rawhide belts so that he could not move. He threatened them with immediate death, but in response the gods, who prudently hid his lightning away, only laughed insultingly. When they were already celebrating their victory and zealously discussing who should become the successor of Zeus, a Nereid named Thetis, foreseeing civil strife on Olympus, rushed in search of the hundred-armed Briareus, who, acting with all his hands at once, quickly untied the belts and freed his master. Since Hera was at the head of the conspiracy, Zeus, using golden bracelets, hung her by the wrists to the sky, and tied anvils to her feet. Although all the gods were deeply outraged by such an act of Zeus, none of them dared to come to the aid of Hera, despite her plaintive cries. Zeus eventually promised to free her if all the gods swore an oath not to rebel against him again. With great reluctance, each of the gods made such an oath. Zeus punished Poseidon and Apollo by sending them as slaves to King Laomedon, for whom they built the city of Troy. The rest of the gods were pardoned as acting under duress.

Hera is the goddess of the Greek Olympus, embodying a woman worthy of Zeus the Thunderer. In Roman mythology, she acted as her counterpart. Homemaker, patroness of the family and marriage, Hera stood for monogamy, while being a symbol of polygamy.

Character history

Artists sang the image of Hera in their work. described her as a big-eyed beauty with amazing hair. Polikleitos gave her preference, creating sculptures. The image of the goddess adorned frescoes, paintings and mosaics. On them, a tall woman with a proud posture appeared in a toga that covered her stately body.

The image of Hera was symbolic. Ancient Greece was not famous for order and a clear power structure. Lawlessness and chaos reigned everywhere. Polygamy was preferred by most residents of the policies. Hera took it upon herself to establish the norms of life that would become habitual. The creation of the institution of marriage belongs to her. Gradually, she brought up in the minds of the Greeks respect for the family and love for the values ​​of each family name.

Hera had extensive functionality. On her shoulders lay the responsibility for the union of spouses and the punishment of traitor husbands. The goddess personifies femininity and patronizes pregnant women, mothers and those who need help in childbirth. In addition to protection family values, Hera had authority in the field of natural phenomena. The goddess controlled lightning, guarded the lunar and solar light, as well as the Milky Way. Hera was worshiped, asking for fruit and fertility.

Each character of mythology has attributes that accompany him on life path. Being an authoritative ruler, Hera kept order on Olympus and among mere mortals. She was accompanied by a veil, in which she wrapped herself, emphasizing chastity, and a diadem, emphasizing her status among other representatives of the divine host. A silver chariot drawn by peacocks served as a means of transportation for a woman, and a cuckoo scepter foreshadowed love for those whom Hera blessed.

Mythology

The biography of Hera consists entirely of myths and legends. Her name is present in almost all the legends of the ancient Greeks. In the Iliad, Homer described the goddess as a quarrelsome, quarrelsome woman, treacherous and arrogant. She often contradicted Zeus and showed cunning. Deciding to conquer Olympus, the woman persuaded her husband to be chained. But Thetis saved him by calling the giant Briareus for help. Zeus hung his wife on a chain between earth and sky and fixed an anvil on his feet. Such was the punishment that the artist Correggio captured in the picture.

During the Trojan War, Hera tried to help the Greeks. Noticing that fortune was on the side of the Trojans, the goddess wanted to stand up for her people, but Zeus forbade the gods to take part in the battle. Hera asked for a belt of love, which gave the owner unsurpassed beauty. Putting it on, the woman appeared before her husband and charmed him. A couple of moments was enough for Hera to help the Greeks out while Zeus was inattentive. Waking up, Zeus realized what had happened and was angry, but it was impossible to save the situation.

Family

Hera is the legal wife of Zeus and his sister. The daughter of Rhea, she was saved by her mother from the lustful gazes of Zeus. As a girl, she was hidden at the edge of the Earth in order to prevent a discrediting union. The nymph was the teacher of the young goddess. Zeus met Hera by chance as an adult and fell in love without looking back. Courtship did not melt the girl's heart. Zeus went to tricks and turned into a cuckoo. Noticing the frozen bird, Hera warmed it on her chest. Having reincarnated, Zeus made it clear that he would go to any action for the sake of his beloved, and this won her heart.

According to the legend, Honeymoon gods lasted 300 years. All this time, Zeus was faithful to his wife. Hera bore him a son and daughters Hebe and Ilithyia. The habit of seducing did not leave Zeus, and over time he lost interest in his wife. He began to look at the young beauties, and Hera took revenge on her husband's new chosen ones. The goddess showed intolerance and could not stand intrigues.

It was she who almost killed Hercules, the illegitimate son of Zeus. The birth was a blow to the mother of Olympus. She decided to cheat and gave birth. The boy was born handicapped, and this humiliated Hera even more.

Tired of her husband's infidelity, Hera often traveled and rarely visited Olympus. On the road, she shrouded herself in darkness in order to become invisible to others and her husband. One day the goddess decided not to return home. Enraged, Zeus started gossip about plans to marry again. Deciding to act on his wife through jealousy, he played wedding ceremony with a statue. Hera relented and, having mercy on her husband, returned to Olympus.

Temples decorated with images of Hera were not uncommon in Ancient Greece. People praised her and relied on the mercy of the wise goddess, who could make the land fertile, marriage happy, and healthy offspring.

For the guardian of marriage and the hearth of Hera, there are no competitors in terms of power and authority. Only Hera dares to argue with Zeus the Thunderer, and sometimes deceive him.

The Greek goddess Hera is distinguished by her noble, majestic beauty. Among the Olympians, she sits in the very center, next to her husband. Its obligatory attribute - like power - is a diadem or a crown.

Next to the throne of Zeus is her throne, as the one that spouses are equal to each other. The Greek goddess Hera, like her husband, rules over thunder and lightning, and she is also subject to storms and fogs.

family patroness

The Greek goddess Hera was the patroness of family and marriage. Her business was to take care of the inviolability of the bonds of marriage, of the bonds between spouses, she also sends offspring to the human race and helps women in childbirth. According to legends and, the pomegranate fruit was dedicated to Hera as fertility. The Greek goddess Hera was the mistress of the starry sky, and one of her sacred birds, often depicted near her, was a peacock, whose numerous “eyes” on the tail just symbolized the sky.

Hera was worshiped as the protector of women. Her cult was popular on the Greek mainland, as well as on the islands of Samos and Crete. It is possible that the Greek goddess Hera was the first in whose name a closed enclosed sanctuary was built. Later, Heraion, one of the largest Greek temples in general, was erected in its place.

Hera is wayward and jealous. Because of what she constantly has conflicts with her husband. However, she knows how to achieve her goal not only in quarrels and scandals. The beautiful Hera, when other methods fail, uses her charm. Sometimes she "takes abuse" of Aphrodite's magic belt, and becomes especially irresistible. She appears before the eyes of her husband, and the Thunderer recalls the old days of matchmaking, when he tried to achieve the love of a proud goddess, and the night of their sacred marriage. Zeus recalls his irresistible love for his wife, and hours of solitude are unable to refuse her anything.

cuckoo

Hera was wayward and proud. According to, for a long time she did not respond to the courtship and persuasion of Zeus. Finally, the ruler of Olympus could not stand it and went to the trick. On a walk behind the Hero, a beautiful motley cuckoo began to curl up. The goddess liked her, and she tried to catch her. Surprisingly, the bird fell into her hands surprisingly easily, but when Hera pressed the cuckoo to her chest, she suddenly turned into Zeus - now it was not the goddess who was clutching the bird to herself, but Zeus - the beautiful Hera. Once in the arms of the Thunderer, Hera could not refuse. After that, the cuckoo also became one of her sacred symbols and has adorned her scepter ever since. The marriage of Zeus and Hera was solemnly celebrated by all the gods.

Alas, Hera often has to endure insults from her husband. The Greek goddess Hera keeps the bonds of marriage and their inviolability on earth, and on Olympus she notices that her own husband often runs “to the left”, to mortal women. Hera is angry, offended by her husband terribly, but she cannot do anything about it. The only thing left for the goddess is to be content with revenge on those women whom her loving husband endowed with his favor.

Conspiracy and payback

One day, even Hera's endless patience came to an end. She persuaded the other gods of Olympus to go against the auspicious spouse, everyone promised her support. They crept up to the sleeping Thunderer and tied him up. Despite all his power, Zeus could not break the shackles. Hera triumphed. But, as they say, a heavy step was heard, and Olympus shuddered when a huge hundred-armed monster stepped on him - the giant Briares, sent by the goddess Thetis. Easily freed Briares Zeus from the chains. And for Hera, it's payback time.

The angry Jupiter was merciless! He hung his wife on golden chains between heaven and earth, and tied heavy copper anvils to his feet. No one dared to intercede for the queen of heaven. Except for Hephaestus, for which he was thrown to the ground by an angry Zeus. Only then did Hera free herself from the chains when, by the waters of the Styx - the river of the dead - she swore that she would never again encroach on the power of her husband. She kept her word, but this did not stop her from reproaching her husband for his countless betrayals.

Powerful and domineering, with a jealous character and cruel goddess Hera - the mythology of Greece describes the personality of the wife and blood sister of Zeus (Jupiter) in this way. In her silver chariot, the queen of the gods, exhaling a divine aroma, descends from - everyone bows before her in respectful respect and reverence.

Goddess Hera in Greek mythology

Ancient Greek history inhabits Mount Olympus with a pantheon of 12 major deities, led by Zeus the Thunderer. His wife, the goddess Hera, is no less important, and sometimes more influential figure than her husband, who is in power. Sometimes, Hera makes attempts to overthrow Zeus, for which she is mercilessly punished. The goddess is resourceful and cunning, but her strong temper does not prevent her from being a favorite of people and nature. The daughter of the titan Kronos and Rhea sacredly honors marriage and family traditions, patronizes women in marriage, protects them in childbirth. Hera suffers from the betrayals of Zeus and sends misfortune to his illegitimate children and mistresses.

What does the goddess Hera look like?

Homer, the famous ancient Greek poet who wrote the Iliad, describes the ruler of Olympus as a “hair-eyed” (with big cow eyes) mistress with long luxurious hair. Hera, the goddess of Ancient Greece, appears in ancient statues and frescoes as tall, stately and covering her entire body, except for her arms and neck. Polikleitos, an ancient Greek sculptor, created a statue of the goddess for the temple in Argos - his majestic Hera Juno, is considered the greatest masterpiece in world art.

What did the goddess Hera do?

The ancient world was plunged into a state of chaos and lawlessness. Polygamous relationships were considered the norm. Hera decided to destroy such a habitual course of existence of things for that time and established the institution of marriage. Gradually, monogamous relationships and the responsibility of a man for the family became a priority among the ancient Greeks. There are many functions at the top of Olympus and in the skies, for which the goddess Hera is responsible:

• patronizes married couples;
• punishes unfaithful husbands;
• personifies the feminine;
• protects women in pregnancy, childbirth;
• responsible for natural phenomena, together with Zeus, the Greek goddess Hera can throw lightning;
• guardian of the moon and heavenly light, the Milky Way;
• the fertility of the earth depends on her grace.

Goddess Hera - attributes

Symbols of power are inherent in all deities, each item can be a clue to the direction of activity of a particular god for modern researchers. How did the goddess Hera rule? Together with her husband, the Thunderer, the ancient goddess Hera personified authoritative power and, in addition to ruling on Olympus, established social order on the earth, among people. Unchanging attributes and symbols of Hera:

• cover- envelops the whole figure, a symbol of chastity and fidelity in marriage;
• diadem- a symbol of supremacy among other goddesses;
• silver chariot with gold spokes in the wheels, harnessed by two peacocks. In it, the goddess travels around her possessions and creates the weather;
• scepter with cuckoo- a symbol of Zeus, a messenger of spring, love;
• lilies– according to legend, drops of milk from Hera’s breasts fell to the ground and wonderful snow-white flowers bloomed;
• cow- a symbol of fertility and the Great Mother, with whom the ancient Greeks personified the goddess.

Zeus and Hera

The goddess Hera, the wife of Zeus is also his sister. Mother Rhea, knowing about the lustful nature of her son Zeus, hid Hera at the edge of the earth, near the Ocean. She was raised by the sea nymph Thetis. Zeus accidentally saw an already adult goddess and fell in love. The Thunderer courted his beloved for a long time, but Hera was adamant. Then Zeus turned into a small cuckoo, which froze from the cold. Hera, filled with pity for the bird and put it on her chest to warm, and then Zeus returned to his appearance. The goddess was touched by such a desire to conquer her.

The wedding of Hera and Zeus lasted several days, all the gods brought them luxurious gifts. , according to ancient legends, lasted 300 years, during which the god of thunder was an attentive and faithful spouse. Happy Hera gave birth to Zeus son Ares and daughters Ilithyia and Hebe. Zeus, connoisseur female beauty became bored in the arms of his wife, and his nature of a seducer, including other people's wives, took over. Hera, burning with jealousy, took revenge on her mistresses and tried to kill her husband's illegitimate children.

Goddess Hera - myths

Goddess Hera - Greek mythology talks about her mainly as a jealous woman who tries to eliminate her rivals and quarrels with Zeus. One of the stories tells how Zeus fell in love with the nymph Callisto. The Thunderer turned into the goddess of hunting Artemis and took possession of the beauty by deceit. Hera, the goddess of ancient Greece, turned Callisto into a bear and wanted to force her son to kill his mother out of ignorance. Zeus learned about the impending revenge and placed the nymph with her son in the sky in the form of the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.