Lovers of Zeus in Greek Mythology - Europa According to ancient Greek mythology Europa was the beautiful daughter of Agenor, the king of Phoenicia, or some say, the primordial gods Oceanus and Tethys. She was one day gathering flowers with her companions in a meadow near the sea-shore, when Zeus, charmed with her great beauty, and wishing to win her love, transformed himself into a beautiful white bull, and trotted quietly up to the princess, so as not to alarm her. Surprised at the gentleness of the animal, and admiring its beauty, as it lay placidly on the grass, she caressed it, crowned it with flowers, and, at last, playfully seated herself on its back. The disguised god bounded away with his lovely burden, and swam across the sea with her to the island of Crete. Zeus later re-created the shape of the white bull in the stars, which is now known as the constellation Taurus. Europa was the mother of Minos, Aeacus, and Rhadamanthus by Zeus. Minos, along with his brothers, Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon, was raised by king Asterion of Crete. Minos, who became king of Crete, was celebrated for his justice and moderation, and after death he was created one of the judges of the Underworld, which office he held in conjunction with his brothers. Picture of Zeus (as a swan) and Leda Lovers of Zeus in Greek Mythology - Callisto According to ancient Greek mythology Callisto was the daughter of Lycaon, king of Arcadia. Callisto was a huntress in the retinue of Artemis, devoted to the pleasures of the chase, who had made a vow never to marry. However, Zeus, under the form of the huntress-goddess, succeeded in obtaining her affections. Hera, being extremely jealous of her, changed her into a bear, and caused Artemis (who failed to recognize her attendant under this form) to hunt her in the chase, and put an end to her existence. After her death she was placed by Zeus among the stars as a constellation, under the name of the bear. Lovers of Zeus in Greek Mythology - Alceme According to ancient Greek mythology Alceme was the daughter of Electryon, king of Mycenae, was betrothed to her cousin Amphytrion; but, during his absence on a perilous undertaking, Zeus assumed his form, and obtained her affections. Heracles, or Hercules, whose world-renowned exploits will be related among the legends, was the son of Alcmene and Zeus refer to the Myth of Hercules. Lovers of Zeus in Greek Mythology - Semele According to ancient Greek mythology Semele was a beautiful princess, the daughter of Cadmus, who became the mother of Dionysus by Zeus. Semele was hated by Hera, the jealous wife of Zeus. Hera tricked Semele in asking Zeus to swear by the Styx (which was to the gods an irrevocable oath) to accede to her request whatsoever it might be. Semele, begged Zeus to appear to her in all the glory of his divine power and majesty. As he had sworn to grant whatever she asked of him, he was compelled to comply with her wish and revealed himself as the mighty lord of the universe, accompanied by thunder and lightning and she was instantly consumed in the flames. Lovers of Zeus in Greek Mythology - Io According to ancient Greek mythology Io was the daughter of Inachus, king of Argos, and was a priestess of Hera. Io was very beautiful, and Zeus transformed her into a white cow, in order to defeat the jealous intrigues of Hera. Hera placed Io in the guise of the white cow under the watchful care of a man called Argus Panoptes, who fastened her to an olive-tree in the grove of Hera. Argus Panoptes had a hundred eyes, of which, when asleep, he never closed more than two at a time; being thus always on the watch making him useful in keeping guard over Io. Hermes, however, by the command of Zeus, succeeded in putting all his eyes to sleep with the sound of his magic lyre, and then, taking advantage of his helpless condition, killed him. In commemoration of the services which Argus had rendered her, Hera placed his eyes on the tail of a peacock, as a lasting memorial of her gratitude.
Hera with her symbol of the peacock Lovers of Zeus in Greek Mythology - Danae According to ancient Greek mythology Zeus appeared to Danae in the form of a shower of gold. Her father was Acrisius, the King of Argos, who was told by an oracle that he would be killed by his grandson. So he locked his daughter Danae in a tower to prevent her from ever meeting a man or having children. However, Zeus transformed into a shower of gold in order to enter the tower and have his way with an unsuspecting Danae. She bore him a son, the Demigod and hero Perseus. King Acrisius sets Danae and her son Perseus adrift on the sea in a wooden casket, but Zeus protected them and brought them to an island, where Perseus grew up before he started his quest told in the Myth of Perseus and Medusa. |