Zeus (Jupiter) and His Children

Special Topic: Zeus (Jupiter) and his children



A. Child born from Zeus’ head


Athena (Minerva): the Goddess of war and wisdom,






B. Children by marriage with Hera


Vulcan


Mars


Ilithyia


Hebe, the original wine bearer, married Hercules (Heracles)






C. Children by extramarital affairs


1. by Leda, Queen of Sparta


Castor and Pollux = the Dioscuri, the Gemini


Helen


Clytemnestra


2. by Europa, Princess of Phoenicia, sister to Cadmus (founder of Thebes)


Minos and Rhadamanthus = Judges of the Underworld


3. by Danae, Princess of Argos


Perseus, the great hero who killed Medusa and saved Andromeda


4. by Callisto, nymph in Arcadia, companion to Diana,


Arcas = Ursa Major and Ursa Minor


5. by Io, Princess of Argo, Priestess at Hera’s Temple, becoming Goddess Isis in Egypt


-famous offspring Hercules (Heracles) after many generations


6. by Alcmena


Heracles: The hero saved Prometheus.


The Greek allusions: Herculean tasks, the Milky Way


7. by Antiope


The twin Amphion and Zethus = saving mother and restoring the City of Thebes


8. by Semele, daughter to Cadmus and Harmonia (daughter to Venus and Mars),


Bacchus (Dionysus): the God of Wine, going to the Hades to save his mother who was transformed into the star Thyone