Zeus, also known as Jove(Father), Zen, All-wise, Cloud-gatherer, son of Cronos and in latin term as Jupiter

• Apollodorus
• Apollonius Rhodius
• Callimachus
• Clement
• Diodorus Siculus
• Hesiod
• Homer
• Homeric hymns
• Hyginus
• Ovid
• Pausanias
• Strabo

APOLLODORUS, LIBRARY, Book 1, translated by J. G. FRAZER

[1.1.5] But he again bound and shut them up in Tartarus, and wedded his sister Rhea; and since both Earth and Sky foretold him that he would be dethroned by his own son, he used to swallow his offspring at birth. His firstborn Hestia he swallowed, then Demeter and Hera, and after them Pluto and Poseidon.

[1.1.6] Enraged at this, Rhea repaired to Crete, when she was big with Zeus, and brought him forth in a cave of Dicte. She gave him to the Curetes and to the nymphs Adrastia and Ida, daughters of Melisseus, to nurse.

[1.1.7] So these nymphs fed the child on the milk of Amalthea; and the Curetes in arms guarded the babe in the cave, clashing their spears on their shields in order that Cronus might not hear the child's voice. But Rhea wrapped a stone in swaddling clothes and gave it to Cronus to swallow, as if it were the newborn child.

[1.2.1] But when Zeus was full-grown, he took Metis, daughter of Ocean, to help him, and she gave Cronus a drug to swallow, which forced him to disgorge first the stone and then the children whom he had swallowed, and with their aid Zeus waged the war against Cronus and the Titans. They fought for ten years, and Earth prophesied victory to Zeus if he should have as allies those who had been hurled down to Tartarus. So he slew their jailoress Campe, and loosed their bonds. And the Cyclopes then gave Zeus thunder and lightning and a thunderbolt, and on Pluto they bestowed a helmet and on Poseidon a trident. Armed with these weapons the gods overcame the Titans, shut them up in Tartarus, and appointed the Hundred-handers their guards; but they themselves cast lots for the sovereignty, and to Zeus was allotted the dominion of the sky, to Poseidon the dominion of the sea, and to Pluto the dominion in Hades.

[1.2.3] to Iapetus and Asia was born Atlas, who has the sky on his shoulders, and Prometheus, and Epimetheus, and Menoetius, he whom Zeus in the battle with the Titans smote with a thunderbolt and hurled down to Tartarus.

[1.2.5] But Zeus caused oaths to be sworn by the water of Styx, which flows from a rock in Hades, bestowing this honor on her because she and her children had fought on his side against the Titans.

[1.3.1] Now Zeus wedded Hera and begat Hebe, Ilithyia, and Ares, but he had intercourse with many women, both mortals and immortals. By Themis, daughter of Sky, he had daughters, the Seasons, to wit, Peace, Order, and Justice; also the Fates, to wit, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropus; by Dione he had Aphrodite; by Eurynome, daughter of Ocean, he had the Graces, to wit, Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia; by Styx he had Persephone; and by Memory (Mnemosyne) he had the Muses, first Calliope, then Clio, Melpomene, Euterpe, Erato, Terpsichore, Urania, Thalia, and Polymnia.

[1.3.5] Hera gave birth to Hephaestus without intercourse with the other sex, but according to Homer he was one of her children by Zeus. Him Zeus cast out of heaven, because he came to the rescue of Hera in her bonds. For when Hercules had taken Troy and was at sea, Hera sent a storm after him; so Zeus hung her from Olympus...

[1.3.6] 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. From fear of that Zeus swallowed her. And when the time came for the birth to take place, Prometheus or, as others say, Hephaestus, smote the head of Zeus with an axe, and Athena, fully armed, leaped up from the top of his head at the river Triton.

[1.4.1] Of the daughters of Coeus, Asteria in the likeness of a quail flung herself into the sea in order to escape the amorous advances of Zeus, and a city was formerly called after her Asteria, but afterwards it was named Delos. But Latona for her intrigue with Zeus was hunted by Hera over the whole earth, till she came to Delos and brought forth first Artemis, by the help of whose midwifery she afterwards gave birth to Apollo...Now Artemis devoted herself to the chase and remained a maid; but Apollo learned the art of prophecy from Pan, the son of Zeus and Hybris...Not long afterwards he slew also Tityus, who was a son of Zeus and Elare, daughter of Orchomenus; for her, after he had debauched her, Zeus hid under the earth for fear of Hera, and brought forth to the light the son Tityus, of monstrous size, whom she had borne in her womb....

[1.5.1] Pluto fell in love with Persephone and with the help of Zeus carried her off secretly...

[1.5.3] But when Zeus ordered Pluto to send up the Maid, Pluto gave her a seed of a pomegranate to eat, in order that she might not tarry long with her mother.

[1.6.1] ...Learning of this, Earth sought for a simple to prevent the giants from being destroyed even by a mortal. But Zeus forbade the Dawn and the Moon and the Sun to shine, and then, before anybody else could get it, he culled the simple himself, and by means of Athena summoned Hercules to his help.(Gigantomachy)

[1.6.2] But in the battle Porphyrion attacked Hercules and Hera. Nevertheless Zeus inspired him with lust for Hera, and when he tore her robes and would have forced her, she called for help, and Zeus smote him with a thunderbolt, and Hercules shot him dead with an arrow...The other giants Zeus smote and destroyed with thunderbolts and all of them Hercules shot with arrows as they were dying.(Gigantomachy)

[1.6.3] ...Such and so great was Typhon when, hurling kindled rocks, he made for the very heaven with hissings and shouts, spouting a great jet of fire from his mouth. But when the gods saw him rushing at heaven, they made for Egypt in flight, and being pursued they changed their forms into those of animals. However Zeus pelted Typhon at a distance with thunderbolts, and at close quarters struck him down with an adamantine sickle, and as he fled pursued him closely as far as Mount Casius, which overhangs Syria. There, seeing the monster sore wounded, he grappled with him. But Typhon twined about him and gripped him in his coils, and wresting the sickle from him severed the sinews of his hands and feet, and lifting him on his shoulders carried him through the sea to Cilicia and deposited him on arrival in the Corycian cave. Likewise he put away the sinews there also, hidden in a bearskin, and he set to guard them the she-dragon Delphyne, who was a half-bestial maiden. But Hermes and Aegipan stole the sinews and fitted them unobserved to Zeus. And having recovered his strength Zeus suddenly from heaven, riding in a chariot of winged horses, pelted Typhon with thunderbolts and pursued him to the mountain called Nysa, where the Fates beguiled the fugitive; for he tasted of the ephemeral fruits in the persuasion that he would be strengthened thereby. So being again pursued he came to Thrace, and in fighting at Mount Haemus he heaved whole mountains. But when these recoiled on him through the force of the thunderbolt, a stream of blood gushed out on the mountain, and they say that from that circumstance the mountain was called Haemus. And when he started to flee through the Sicilian sea, Zeus cast Mount Etna in Sicily upon him. That is a huge mountain, from which down to this day they say that blasts of fire issue from the thunderbolts that were thrown. So much for that subject.

[1.7.1] Prometheus moulded men out of water and earth and gave them also fire, which, unknown to Zeus, he had hidden in a stalk of fennel. But when Zeus learned of it, he ordered Hephaestus to nail his body to Mount Caucasus, which is a Scythian mountain.

[1.7.2] And Prometheus had a son Deucalion. He reigning in the regions about Phthia, married Pyrrha, the daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora, the first woman fashioned by the gods. And when Zeus would destroy the men of the Bronze Age, Deucalion by the advice of Prometheus constructed a chest, and having stored it with provisions he embarked in it with Pyrrha. But Zeus by pouring heavy rain from heaven flooded the greater part of Greece, so that all men were destroyed, except a few who fled to the high mountains in the neighborhood. It was then that the mountains in Thessaly parted, and that all the world outside the Isthmus and Peloponnese was overwhelmed. But Deucalion, floating in the chest over the sea for nine days and as many nights, drifted to Parnassus, and there, when the rain ceased, he landed and sacrificed to Zeus, the god of Escape. And Zeus sent Hermes to him and allowed him to choose what he would, and he chose to get men. And at the bidding of Zeus he took up stones and threw them over his head, and the stones which Deucalion threw became men, and the stones which Pyrrha threw became women. Hence people were called metaphorically people (laos) from laas, “a stone.” And Deucalion had children by Pyrrha, first Hellen, whose father some say was Zeus, and second Amphictyon, who reigned over Attica after Cranaus; and third a daughter Protogenia, who became the mother of Aethlius by Zeus.

[1.7.4] Alcyone was married by Ceyx, son of Lucifer. These perished by reason of their pride; for he said that his wife was Hera, and she said that her husband was Zeus. But Zeus turned them into birds; her he made a kingfisher (alcyon) and him a gannet (ceyx).

[1.7.5] Calyce and Aethlius had a son Endymion who led Aeolians from Thessaly and founded Elis. But some say that he was a son of Zeus. As he was of surpassing beauty, the Moon fell in love with him, and Zeus allowed him to choose what he would, and he chose to sleep for ever, remaining deathless and ageless.

[1.7.9] But Idas came to Messene, and Apollo, falling in with him, would have robbed him of the damsel. As they fought for the girl's hand, Zeus parted them and allowed the maiden herself to choose which of the two she would marry;

[1.9.1] ...And Phrixus sacrificed the ram with the golden fleece to Zeus the god of Escape, and the fleece he gave to Aeetes, who nailed it to an oak in a grove of Ares...

[1.9.7] Salmoneus at first dwelt in Thessaly, but afterwards he came to Elis and there founded a city. And being arrogant and wishful to put himself on an equality with Zeus, he was punished for his impiety; for he said that he was himself Zeus, and he took away the sacrifices of the god and ordered them to be offered to himself; and by dragging dried hides, with bronze kettles, at his chariot, he said that he thundered, and by flinging lighted torches at the sky he said that he lightened. But Zeus struck him with a thunderbolt, and wiped out the city he had founded with all its inhabitants.

[1.9.16] ...Castor and Pollux, sons of Zeus...Hercules, son of Zeus...(Argonauts)

[1.9.24] ...When the Argonauts were already sailing past the Eridanus river, Zeus sent a furious storm upon them, and drove them out of their course, because he was angry at the murder of Apsyrtus. And as they were sailing past the Apsyrtides Islands, the ship spoke, saying that the wrath of Zeus would not cease unless they journeyed to Ausonia and were purified by Circe for the murder of Apsyrtus...

APOLLODORUS, LIBRARY, Book 2, translated by J. G. FRAZER

[2.1.1] ... But Niobe had by Zeus (and she was the first mortal woman with whom Zeus cohabited) a son Argus, and also, so says Acusilaus, a son Pelasgus, after whom the inhabitants of the Peloponnese were called Pelasgians...

[2.1.3] Argus and Ismene, daughter of Asopus, had a son Iasus, who is said to have been the father of Io. But the annalist Castor and many of the tragedians allege that Io was a daughter of Inachus; and Hesiod and Acusilaus say that she was a daughter of Piren. Zeus seduced her while she held the priesthood of Hera, but being detected by Hera he by a touch turned Io into a white cow and swore that he had not known her; wherefore Hesiod remarks that lover's oaths do not draw down the anger of the gods. But Hera requested the cow from Zeus for herself and set Argus the All-seeing to guard it...But Zeus ordered Hermes to steal the cow, and as Hermes could not do it secretly because Hierax had blabbed, he killed Argus by the cast of a stone; whence he was called Argiphontes...And having gone away to Scythia and the Cimmerian land she wandered over great tracts of land and swam wide stretches of sea both in Europe and Asia until at last she came to Egypt, where she recovered her original form and gave birth to a son Epaphus beside the river Nile. Him Hera besought the Curetes to make away with, and make away with him they did. When Zeus learned of it, he slew the Curetes; but Io set out in search of the child...

[2.1.5] ...But the rest of the daugters of Danaus buried the heads of their bridegrooms in Lerna and paid funeral honors to their bodies in front of the city; and Athena and Hermes purified them at the command of Zeus...

[2.4.1] When Acrisius inquired of the oracle how he should get male children, the god said that his daughter would give birth to a son who would kill him. Fearing that, Acrisius built a brazen chamber under ground and there guarded Danae. However, she was seduced, as some say, by Proetus, whence arose the quarrel between them; but some say that Zeus had intercourse with her in the shape of a stream of gold which poured through the roof into Danae's lap. When Acrisius afterwards learned that she had got a child Perseus, he would not believe that she had been seduced by Zeus, and putting his daughter with the child in a chest, he cast it into the sea. The chest was washed ashore on Seriphus, and Dictys took up the boy and reared him.

[2.4.5] ...For when Hercules was about to be born, Zeus declared among the gods that the descendant of Perseus then about to be born would reign over Mycenae, and Hera out of jealousy persuaded the Ilithyias to retard Alcmena's delivery, and contrived that Eurystheus, son of Sthenelus, should be born a seven-month child.

[2.4.7] As the country suffered thereby, the Thebans every month exposed a son of one of the citizens to the brute, which would have carried off many if that were not done. So Amphitryon betook him to Cephalus, son of Deioneus, at Athens, and persuaded him, in return for a share of the Teleboan spoils, to bring to the chase the dog which Procris had brought from Crete as a gift from Minos; for that dog was destined to catch whatever it pursued. So then, when the vixen was chased by the dog, Zeus turned both of them into stone.

[2.4.8] But before Amphitryon reached Thebes, Zeus came by night and prolonging the one night threefold he assumed the likeness of Amphitryon and bedded with Alcmena and related what had happened concerning the Teleboans. But when Amphitryon arrived and saw that he was not welcomed by his wife, he inquired the cause; and when she told him that he had come the night before and slept with her, he learned from Tiresias how Zeus had enjoyed her. And Alcmena bore two sons, to wit, Hercules, whom she had by Zeus and who was the elder by one night, and Iphicles, whom she had by Amphitryon.

[2.4.11] ...And Rhadamanthys, son of Zeus, married Alcmena after the death of Amphitryon, and dwelt as an exile at Ocaleae in Boeotia.

[2.6.2] ...As the Pythian priestess answered him not by oracles, he was fain to plunder the temple, and, carrying off the tripod, to institute an oracle of his own. But Apollo fought him, and Zeus threw a thunderbolt between them. When they had thus been parted, Hercules received an oracle, which declared that the remedy for his disease was for him to be sold, and to serve for three years, and to pay compensation for the murder to Eurytus.

[2.7.1] When Hercules was sailing from Troy, Hera sent grievous storms, which so vexed Zeus that he hung her from Olympus...And Hercules was wounded in the battle by Chalcedon; but Zeus snatched him away, so that he took no harm...

[2.8.4] When they had made themselves masters of Peloponnese, they set up three altars of Paternal Zeus, and sacrificed upon them, and cast lots for the cities.

APOLLODORUS, LIBRARY, Book 3, translated by J. G. FRAZER

[3.1.1] ...But some say that Europa was a daughter not of Agenor but of Phoenix. Zeus loved her, and turning himself into a tame bull, he mounted her on his back and conveyed her through the sea to Crete. There Zeus bedded with her, and she bore Minos, Sarpedon, and Rhadamanthys; but according to Homer, Sarpedon was a son of Zeus by Laodamia, daughter of Bellerophon. On the disappearance of Europa her father Agenor sent out his sons in search of her...

[3.1.2] ...Sarpedon allied himself with Cilix, who was at war with the Lycians, and having stipulated for a share of the country, he became king of Lycia. And Zeus granted him to live for three generations. But some say that they loved Atymnius, the son of Zeus and Cassiepea, and that it was about him that they quarrelled...

[3.4.2] But Cadmus, to atone for the slaughter, served Ares for an eternal year; and the year was then equivalent to eight years of our reckoning. After his servitude Athena procured for him the kingdom, and Zeus gave him to wife Harmonia, daughter of Aphrodite and Ares. And all the gods quitted the sky, and feasting in the Cadmea celebrated the marriage with hymns. Cadmus gave her a robe and the necklace wrought by Hephaestus, which some say was given to Cadmus by Hephaestus, but Pherecydes says that it was given by Europa, who had received it from Zeus.

[3.4.3] But Zeus loved Semele and bedded with her unknown to Hera. Now Zeus had agreed to do for her whatever she asked, and deceived by Hera she asked that he would come to her as he came when he was wooing Hera. Unable to refuse, Zeus came to her bridal chamber in a chariot, with lightnings and thunderings, and launched a thunderbolt. But Semele expired of fright, and Zeus, snatching the sixth-month abortive child from the fire, sewed it in his thigh. On the death of Semele the other daughters of Cadmus spread a report that Semele had bedded with a mortal man, and had falsely accused Zeus, and that therefore she had been blasted by thunder. But at the proper time Zeus undid the stitches and gave birth to Dionysus, and entrusted him to Hermes. And he conveyed him to Ino and Athamas, and persuaded them to rear him as a girl. But Hera indignantly drove them mad, and Athamas hunted his elder son Learchus as a deer and killed him, and Ino threw Melicertes into a boiling cauldron, then carrying it with the dead child she sprang into the deep. And she herself is called Leucothea, and the boy is called Palaemon, such being the names they get from sailors; for they succour storm-tossed mariners. And the Isthmian games were instituted by Sisyphus in honor of Melicertes. But Zeus eluded the wrath of Hera by turning Dionysus into a kid, and Hermes took him and brought him to the nymphs who dwelt at Nysa in Asia, whom Zeus afterwards changed into stars and named them the Hyades.

[3.4.4] Autonoe and Aristaeus had a son Actaeon, who was bred by Chiron to be a hunter and then afterwards was devoured on Cithaeron by his own dogs. He perished in that way, according to Acusilaus, because Zeus was angry at him for wooing Semele; but according to the more general opinion, it was because he saw Artemis bathing...And then Actaeon perished at the instigation of Zeus. For the first that drank their master's black blood were Spartus and Omargus and Bores, the swift on the track. These first ate of Actaeon and lapped his blood. And after them others rushed on him eagerly . . . to be a remedy for grievous pains to men.]

[3.5.4] ...And Cadmus reigned over the Illyrians, and a son Illyrius was born to him. But afterwards he was, along with Harmonia, turned into a serpent and sent away by Zeus to the Elysian Fields.

[3.5.5] ...Antiope was a daughter of Nycteus, and Zeus had intercourse with her...

[3.5.6] ...and Amphion also was shot by them(Artemis and Apollo). But Niobe herself quitted Thebes and went to her father Tantalus at Sipylus, and there, on praying to Zeus, she was transformed into a stone, and tears flow night and day from the stone.

[3.6.7] ...But Hesiod says that he(Tiresias) beheld snakes copulating on Cyllene, and that having wounded them he was turned from a man into a woman, but that on observing the same snakes copulating again, he became a man. Hence, when Hera and Zeus disputed whether the pleasures of love are felt more by women or by men, they referred to him for a decision. He said that if the pleasures of love be reckoned at ten, men enjoy one and women nine. Wherefore Hera blinded him, but Zeus bestowed on him the art of soothsaying. The saying of Tiresias to Zeus and Hera: "Of ten parts a man enjoys one only; but a woman enjoys the full ten parts in her heart." He also lived to a great age...But a battle having taken place, the Cadmeans were chased in a crowd as far as the walls, and Capaneus, seizing a ladder, was climbing up it to the walls, when Zeus smote him with a thunderbolt.

[3.6.8] ...And Melanippus, the remaining one of the sons of Astacus, wounded Tydeus in the belly. As he lay half dead, Athena brought a medicine which she had begged of Zeus, and by which she intended to make him immortal. But Amphiaraus hated Tydeus for thwarting him by persuading the Argives to march to Thebes; so when he perceived the intention of the goddess he cut off the head of Melanippus and gave it to Tydeus, who, wounded though he was, had killed him. And Tydeus split open the head and gulped up the brains. But when Athena saw that, in disgust she grudged and withheld the intended benefit. Amphiaraus fled beside the river Ismenus, and before Periclymenus could wound him in the back, Zeus cleft the earth by throwing a thunderbolt, and Amphiaraus vanished with his chariot and his charioteer Baton, or, as some say, Elato; and Zeus made him immortal...

[3.8.1] Let us now return to Pelasgus, who, Acusilaus says, was a son of Zeus and Niobe..., had a son Lycaon by Meliboea, daughter of Ocean or, as others say, by a nymph Cyllene; and Lycaon, reigning over the Arcadians, begat by many wives fifty sons...These exceeded all men in pride and impiety; and Zeus, desirous of putting their impiety to the proof, came to them in the likeness of a day-laborer. They offered him hospitality and having slaughtered a male child of the natives, they mixed his bowels with the sacrifices, and set them before him, at the instigation of the elder brother Maenalus. But Zeus in disgust upset the table at the place which is still called Trapezus, and blasted Lycaon and his sons by thunderbolts, all but Nyctimus, the youngest; for Earth was quick enough to lay hold of the right hand of Zeus and so appease his wrath.

[3.8.2] ...But Eumelus and some others say that Lycaon had also a daughter Callisto; though Hesiod says she was one of the nymphs, Asius that she was a daughter of Nycteus, and Pherecydes that she was a daughter of Ceteus. She was a companion of Artemis in the chase, wore the same garb, and swore to her to remain a maid. Now Zeus loved her and, having assumed the likeness, as some say, of Artemis, or, as others say, of Apollo, he shared her bed against her will, and wishing to escape the notice of Hera, he turned her into a bear. But Hera persuaded Artemis to shoot her down as a wild beast. Some say, however, that Artemis shot her down because she did not keep her maidenhood. When Callisto perished, Zeus snatched the babe, named it Arcas, and gave it to Maia to bring up in Arcadia; and Callisto he turned into a star and called it the Bear.

[3.10.1] ...and Antiope had Zethus and Amphion by Zeus. And Zeus consorted with the other daughters of Atlas.

[3.10.2] Maia, the eldest, as the fruit of her intercourse with Zeus, gave birth to Hermes in a cave of Cyllene...Apollo came to Maia at Cyllene and accused Hermes. But she showed him the child in his swaddling-bands. So Apollo brought him to Zeus, and claimed the kine; and when Zeus bade him restore them, Hermes denied that he had them, but not being believed he led Apollo to Pylus and restored the kine. Howbeit, when Apollo heard the lyre, he gave the kine in exchange for it. And while Hermes pastured them, he again made himself a shepherd's pipe and piped on it. And wishing to get the pipe also, Apollo offered to give him the golden wand which he owned while he herded cattle. But Hermes wished both to get the wand for the pipe and to acquire the art of divination. So he gave the pipe and learned the art of divining by pebbles. And Zeus appointed him herald to himself and to the infernal gods.

[3.10.3] Taygete had by Zeus a son Lacedaemon, after whom the country of Lacedaemon is called...

[3.10.4] But Zeus, fearing that men might acquire the healing art from him and so come to the rescue of each other, smote him(Asclepius) with a thunderbolt. Angry on that account, Apollo slew the Cyclopes who had fashioned the thunderbolt for Zeus. But Zeus would have hurled him to Tartarus; however, at the intercession of Latona he ordered him to serve as a thrall to a man for a year. So he went to Admetus, son of Pheres, at Pherae, and served him as a herdsman, and caused all the cows to drop twins.

[3.10.7] But Zeus in the form of a swan consorted with Leda, and on the same night Tyndareus cohabited with her; and she bore Pollux and Helen to Zeus, and Castor and Clytaemnestra to Tyndareus. But some say that Helen was a daughter of Nemesis and Zeus; for that she, flying from the arms of Zeus, changed herself into a goose, but Zeus in his turn took the likeness of a swan and so enjoyed her; and as the fruit of their loves she laid an egg, and a certain shepherd found it in the groves and brought and gave it to Leda; and she put it in a chest and kept it; and when Helen was hatched in due time, Leda brought her up as her own daughter...

[3.11.2] ...But Lynceus spied Castor and discovered him to Idas, who killed him. Pollux chased them and slew Lynceus by throwing his spear, but in pursuing Lynceus he was wounded in the head with a stone thrown by him, and fell down in a swoon. And Zeus smote Idas with a thunderbolt, but Pollux he carried up to heaven. Nevertheless, as Pollux refused to accept immortality while his brother Castor was dead, Zeus permitted them both to be every other day among the gods and among mortals. And when the Dioscuri were translated to the gods...

[3.12.1] Electra, daughter of Atlas, had two sons, Iasion and Dardanus, by Zeus. Now Iasion loved Demeter, and in an attempt to defile the goddess he was killed by a thunderbolt...

[3.12.2] ...Tros called the country Troy after himself, and marrying Callirrhoe, daughter of Scamander, he begat a daughter Cleopatra, and sons, Ilus, Assaracus, and Ganymede. This Ganymede, for the sake of his beauty, Zeus caught up on an eagle and appointed him cupbearer of the gods in heaven...

[3.12.3] ...And having prayed to Zeus that a sign might be shown to him, he beheld by day the Palladium, fallen from heaven, lying before his tent. It was three cubits in height, its feet joined together; in its right hand it held a spear aloft, and in the other hand a distaff and spindle. The story told about the Palladium is as follows: They say that when Athena was born she was brought up by Triton, who had a daughter Pallas; and that both girls practised the arts of war, but that once on a time they fell out; and when Pallas was about to strike a blow, Zeus in fear interposed the aegis, and Pallas, being startled, looked up, and so fell wounded by Athena. And being exceedingly grieved for her, Athena made a wooden image in her likeness, and wrapped the aegis, which she had feared, about the breast of it, and set it up beside Zeus and honored it. But afterwards Electra, at the time of her violation, took refuge at the image, and Zeus threw the Palladium along with Ate into the Ilian country; and Ilus built a temple for it, and honored it. Such is the legend of the Palladium.

[3.12.6] ...The Asopus river was a son of Ocean and Tethys, or, as Acusilaus says, of Pero and Poseidon, or, according to some, of Zeus and Eurynome. Him Metope, herself a daughter of the river Ladon, married and bore two sons, Ismenus and Pelagon, and twenty daughters, of whom one, Aegina, was carried off by Zeus. In search of her Asopus came to Corinth, and learned from Sisyphus that the ravisher was Zeus. Asopus pursued him, but Zeus, by hurling thunderbolts, sent him away back to his own streams; hence coals are fetched to this day from the streams of that river. And having conveyed Aegina to the island then named Oenone, but now called Aegina after her, Zeus cohabited with her and begot a son Aeacus on her. As Aeacus was alone in the island, Zeus made the ants into men for him.

[3.13.5] Afterwards he married Thetis, daughter of Nereus, for whose hand Zeus and Poseidon had been rivals; but when Themis prophesied that the son born of Thetis would be mightier than his father, they withdrew. But some say that when Zeus was bent on gratifying his passion for her, Prometheus declared that the son borne to him by her would be lord of heaven; and others affirm that Thetis would not consort with Zeus because she had been brought up by Hera, and that Zeus in anger would marry her to a mortal...

[3.14.1] ...So Poseidon was the first that came to Attica, and with a blow of his trident on the middle of the acropolis, he produced a sea which they now call Erechtheis. After him came Athena, and, having called on Cecrops to witness her act of taking possession, she planted an olive tree, which is still shown in the Pandrosium. But when the two strove for possession of the country, Zeus parted them and appointed arbiters, not, as some have affirmed, Cecrops and Cranaus, nor yet Erysichthon, but the twelve gods...

[3.14.4] ...Ten months afterwards the tree burst and Adonis, as he is called, was born, whom for the sake of his beauty, while he was still an infant, Aphrodite hid in a chest unknown to the gods and entrusted to Persephone. But when Persephone beheld him, she would not give him back. The case being tried before Zeus, the year was divided into three parts, and the god ordained that Adonis should stay by himself for one part of the year, with Persephone for one part, and with Aphrodite for the remainder. However Adonis made over to Aphrodite his own share in addition; but afterwards in hunting he was gored and killed by a boar.

APOLLONIUS RHODIUS, ARGONAUTICA, Book 1, translated by R. C. SEATON

[502] And he sang how first of all Ophion and Eurynome, daughter of Ocean, held the sway of snowy Olympus, and how through strength of arm one yielded his prerogative to Cronos and the other to Rhea, and how they fell into the waves of Ocean; but the other two meanwhile ruled over the blessed Titan-gods, while Zeus, still a child and with the thoughts of a child, dwelt in the Dictaean cave; and the earthborn Cyclopes had not yet armed him with the bolt, with thunder and lightning; for these things give renown to Zeus.

[730] In it were the Cyclops seated at their imperishable work, forging a thunderbolt for King Zeus; by now it was almost finished in its brightness and still it wanted but one ray, which they were beating out with their iron hammers as it spurted forth a breath of raging flame.

[996] For these dread monsters too, I ween, the goddess Hera, bride of Zeus, had nurtured to be a trial for Heracles.

[1072] Most terrible came that day from Zeus upon the Doliones, women and men; for no one of them dared even to taste food, nor for a long time by reason of grief did they take thought for the toil of the cornmill, but they dragged on their lives eating their food as it was, untouched by fire.

[1344] He spake, and they sat down, united as of old. But of those two, by the counsel of Zeus, one, Polyphemus son of Eilatus, was destined to found and build a city among the Mysians bearing the river's name, and the other, Heracles, to return and toil at the labours of Eurystheus. And he threatened to lay waste the Mysian land at once, should they not discover for him the doom of Hylas, whether living or dead.

APOLLONIUS RHODIUS, ARGONAUTICA, Book 2, translated by R. C. SEATON

[178] There Phineus, son of Agenor, had his home by the sea, Phineus who above all men endured most bitter woes because of the gift of prophecy which Leto's son had granted him aforetime. And he reverenced not a whit even Zeus himself, for he foretold unerringly to men his sacred will. Wherefore Zeus sent upon him a lingering old age, and took from his eyes the pleasant light, and suffered him not to have joy of the dainties untold that the dwellers around ever brought to his house, when they came to enquire the will of heaven.

[272] And behind them the two sons of Boreas raising their swords rushed in pursuit. For Zeus imparted to them tireless strength; but without Zeus they could not have followed, for the Harpies used ever to outstrip the blasts of the west wind when they came to Phineus and when they left him.

[312] "Listen then. Not everything is it lawful for you to know clearly; but whatever is heaven's will, I will not hide. I was infatuated aforetime, when in my folly I declared the will of Zeus in order and to the end. For he himself wishes to deliver to men the utterances of the prophetic art incomplete, in order that they may still have some need to know the will of heaven."

[498] And at dawn the Etesian winds blew strongly, which by the command of Zeus blow over every land equally.

[521] And by his father's command he left Phthia and made his home in Ceos, and gathered together the Parrhasian people who are of the lineage of Lycaon, and he built a great altar to Zeus Icmaeus, and duly offered sacrifices upon the mountains to that star Sirius, and to Zeus son of Cronos himself. And on this account it is that Etesian winds from Zeus cool the land for forty days, and in Ceos even now the priests offer sacrifices before the rising of the Dog-star.

[946] And straightway they landed on the Assyrian shore where Zeus himself gave a home to Sinope, daughter of Asopus, and granted her virginity, beguiled by his own promises. For he longed for her love, and he promised to grant her whatever her hearts desire might be. And she in her craftiness asked of him virginity. And in like manner she deceived Apollo too who longed to wed her, and besides them the river Halys, and no man ever subdued her in love's embrace.

[1207] Nay, to seize the fleece in spite of Aeetes is no easy task; so huge a serpent keeps guard round and about it, deathless and sleepless, which Earth herself brought forth on the sides of Caucasus, by the rock of Typhaon, where Typhaon, they say, smitten by the bolt of Zeus, son of Cronos, when he lifted against the god his sturdy hands, dropped from his head hot gore; and in such plight he reached the mountains and plain of Nysa, where to this day he lies whelmed beneath the waters of the Serbonian lake

[1231] And at nightfall they came to the island of Philyra, where Cronos, son of Uranus, what time in Olympus he reigned over the Titans, and Zeus was yet being nurtured in a Cretan cave by the Curetes of Ida, lay beside Philyra, when he had deceived Rhea

APOLLONIUS RHODIUS, ARGONAUTICA, Book 3, translated by R. C. SEATON

[36] So she said, and starting forth they came to the mighty palace of Cypris, which her husband, the halt-footed god, had built for her when first he brought her from Zeus to be his wife.

[111] She spake, and left her seat, and Athena accompanied her and they went forth both hastening back. And Cypris went on her way through the glens of Olympus to find her boy. And she found him apart, in the blooming orchard of Zeus, not alone, but with him Ganymedes, whom once Zeus had set to dwell among the immortal gods, being enamoured of his beauty.

[361] And here, if thou hast heard at all of the seed of Helios, thou dost behold Augeias; and this is Telamon sprung from famous Aeacus; and Zeus himself begat Aeacus. ...

[576] But straightway Aeetes held an assembly of the Colchians far aloof from his palace at a spot where they sat in times before, to devise against the Minyae grim treachery and troubles...For never would he have welcomed the Aeolid Phrixus as a guest in his halls, in spite of his sore need, Phrixus, who surpassed all strangers in gentleness and fear of the gods, had not Zeus himself sent Hermes his messenger down from heaven, so that he might meet with a friendly host; much less would pirates coming to his land be let go scatheless for long

[919] Never yet had there been such a man in the days of old, neither of all the heroes of the lineage of Zeus himself, nor of those who sprung from the blood of the other gods, as on that day the bride of Zeus made Jason, both to look upon and to hold converse with.

[984] I implore thee by Hecate herself, by thy parents, and by Zeus who holds his guardian hand over strangers and suppliants; I come here to thee both a suppliant and a stranger, bending the knee in my sore need.

APOLLONIUS RHODIUS, ARGONAUTICA, Book 4, translated by R. C. SEATON

[1] Now do thou thyself, goddess Muse, daughter of Zeus, tell of the labour and wiles of the Colchian maiden.

[109] Now at the hour when men have cast sleep from their eyes~huntsmen, who, trusting to their bounds, never slumber away the end of night, but avoid the light of dawn lest, smiting with its white beams, it efface the track and scent of the quarry -- then did Aeson's son and the maiden step forth from the ship over a grassy spot, the "Ram's couch" as men call it, where it first bent its wearied knees in rest, bearing on its back the Minyan son of Athamas. And close by, all smirched with soot, was the base of the altar, which the Aeolid Phrixus once set up to Zeus, the alder of fugitives, when he sacrificed the golden wonder at the bidding of Hermes who graciously met him on the way. There by the counsels of Argus the chieftains put them ashore.

[507] But when the Colchians learnt the death of their prince, verily they were eager to pursue Argo and the Minyans through all the Cronian sea. But Hera restrained them by terrible lightnings from the sky. And at last they loathed their own homes in the Cytaean land, quailing before Aeetes' fierce wrath; so they landed and made abiding homes there, scattered far and wide. Some set foot on those very islands where the heroes had stayed, and they still dwell there, bearing a name derived from Apsyrtus; and others built a fenced city by the dark deep Illyrian river, where is the tomb of Harmonia and Cadmus, dwelling among the Encheleans; and others live amid the mountains which are called the Thunderers, from the day when the thunders of Zeus, son of Cronos, prevented them from crossing over to the island opposite.

[557] When Apsyrtus had fallen in mighty overthrow Zeus himself, king of gods, was seized with wrath at what they had done. And he ordained that by the counsels of Aeaean Circe they should cleanse themselves from the terrible stain of blood and suffer countless woes before their return.

[649] And so, sailing through the midmost mouth, they reached the Stoechades islands in safety by the aid of the sons of Zeus; wherefore altars and sacred rites are established in their honour for ever; and not that sea-faring alone did they attend to succour; but Zeus granted to them the ships of future sailors too. Then leaving the Stoechades they passed on to the island Aethalia, where after their toil they wiped away with pebbles sweat in abundance

CALLIMACHUS, Hymn to Zeus, translated by A. W. MAIR

[1] At libations to Zeus what else should rather be sung than the god himself, mighty for ever, king for evermore, router of the Pelagonians, dealer of justice to the sons of Heaven? How shall we sing of him – as lord of Dicte or of Lycaeum? My soul is all in doubt, since debated is his birth. O Zeus, some say that thou wert born on the hills of Ida; others, O Zeus, say in Arcadia; did these or those, O Father lie? “Cretans are ever liars.”4 Yea, a tomb, O Lord, for thee the Cretans builded; but thou didst not die, for thou art for ever.

[10] In Parrhasia it was that Rheia bare thee, where was a hill sheltered with thickest brush. Thence is the place holy, and no fourfooted thing that hath need of Eileithyia nor any woman approacheth thereto, but the Apidanians call it the primeval childbed of Rheia. There when thy mother had laid thee down from her mighty lap, straightway she sought a stream of water, wherewith she might purge her of the soilure of birth and wash thy body therein. But mighty Ladon flowed not yet, nor Erymanthus, clearest of rivers; waterless was all Arcadia; yet was it anon to be called well-watered. For all that time when Rhea loosed her girdle, full many a hollow oak did water Iaon bear aloft, and many a wain did Melas carry and many a serpent above Carnion, wet though it now be, cast its lair; and a man would fare on foot over Crathis and many-pebbled Metope, athirst: while that abundant water lay beneath his feet.

[28] And holden in distress the lady Rheia said, "Dear Earth, give birth thou also! They birthpangs are light." So spake the goddess, and lifting her great arm aloft she smote the mountain with her staff; and it was greatly rent in twain for her and poured forth a mighty flood. Therein, O Lord, she cleansed they body; and swaddled thee, and gave thee to Neda to carry within the Cretan covert, that thou mightst be reared secretly: Neda, eldest of the nymphs who then were about her bed, earliest birth after Styx and Philyra. And no idle favour did the goddess repay her, but named that stream Neda; which, I ween, in great flood by the very city of the Cauconians, which is called Lepreion, mingles its stream with Nereus, and its primeval water do the son’s son of the Bear, Lycaon’s daughter, drink.

[42] When the nymph, carrying thee, O Father Zeus, towards Cnosus, was leaving Thenae– for Thenae as nigh to Cnosus – even then, O God, thy navel fell away: hence that plain the Cydonians call the Plain of the Navel. But thee, O Zeus, the companions of the Cyrbantes took to their arms, even the Dictaean Meliae, and Adrasteia laid thee to rest in a cradle of gold, and thou didst suck the rich teat of the she-goat Amaltheia, and thereto eat the sweet honey-comb. For suddenly on the hills of Ida, which men call Panacra, appeared the works of the Panacrian bee. And lustily round thee danced the Curetes a war-dance, beating their armour, that Cronus might hear with his ears the din of the shield, but not thine infant noise.

[54] Fairly didst thou wax, O heavenly Zeus, and fairly wert thou nurtured, and swiftly thou didst grow to manhood, and speedily came the down upon thy cheek. But, while yet a child, thou didst devise all the deeds of perfect stature. Wherefore thy kindred, though an earlier generation, grudged not that thou shouldst have heaven for thine appointed habitation. For they said that the lot assigned to the sons of Cronus their three several abodes. But who would draw lots for Olympos and for Hades – save a very fool? For equal chances should one cast lots; but these are the wide world apart. When I speak fiction, be it such fiction as persuades the listener’s ear! Thou wert made sovereign of the gods not by casting of lots by the deeds of thy hands, thy might and that strength which thou hast set beside thy throne. And the most excellent of birds didst thou make the messenger of thy sings; favourable to my friends be the sings thou showest! And thou didst choose that which is most excellent among men – not thou the skilled in ships, nor the wielder of the shield, nor the minstrel: these didst thou straightway renounce to lesser gods, other cares to others. But thou didst choose the rulers of cities themselves, beneath whose hand is the lord of the soil, the skilled in spearmanship, the oarsman, yea, all things that are: what is there that is not under the ruler’s sway? Thus, smith, we say, belong to Hephaestus; to Ares, warriors; to Artemis of the Tunic, huntsmen; to Phoebus they that know well the strains of the lyre. But from Zeus come kings; for nothing is diviner than the kings of Zeus. Wherefore thou didst choose them for thine own lot, and gavest them cities to guard. And thou didst seat thyself in the high places of the cities, watching who rule their people with crooked judgements, and who rule otherwise. And thou hast bestowed upon them wealth and prosperity abundantly; unto all, but not in equal measure. One may well judge by our Ruler, for he hath clean outstripped all others. At evening he accomplisheth what whereon he thinketh in the morning; yea, at evening the greatest things, but the lesser soon as he thinketh on them. But the others accomplish some things in a year, and some things not in one; of others, again, thou thyself dost utterly frustrate the accomplishing and thwartest their desire.

[90] Hail! greatly hail! most high Son of Cronus, giver of good things, giver of safety. Thy works who could sing? There hath not been, there shall not be, who shall sing the works of Zeus. Hail! Father, hail again! And grant us goodness and prosperity. Without goodness wealth cannot bless men, nor goodness without prosperity. Give us goodness and weal.

CLEMENT, RECOGNITIONS, translated by REV. T. SMITH

"But enough of the old wife's fables and genealogy of the Gentiles; for it were endless if I should set forth all the generations of those whom they call gods, and their wicked doings. But by way of example, omitting the rest, I shall detail the wicked deeds of him only whom they hold to be the greatest and the chief, and whom they call Jupiter. For they say that he possesses heaven, as being superior to the rest; and he, as soon as he grew up, married his own sister, whom they call Juno, in which truly he at once becomes like a beast. Juno bears Vulcan; but, as they relate, Jupiter was not his father. However, by Jupiter himself she became mother of Medea [Hebe]; and Jupiter having received a response that one who should be born of her should be more powerful than himself, and should expel him from his kingdom, took her and devoured her. Again Jupiter produced Minerva from his brain, and Bacchus from his thigh. After this, when he had fallen in love with Thetis, they say that Prometheus informed him that, if he lay with her, he who should be born of her should be more powerful than his father; and for fear of this, he gave her in marriage to one Peleus. Subsequently he had intercourse with Persephone, who was his own daughter by Ceres and by her be begot Dionysius, who was torn in pieces by the Titans. But calling to mind, it is said, that perhaps his own father Saturn might beget another son, who might be more powerful than himself, and might expel him from the kingdom, he went to war with his father, along with his brothers the Titans; and having beaten them, he at last threw his father into prison, and cut off his genitals, and threw them into the sea. But the blood which flowed from the wound, being mixed with the waves, and turned into foam by the constant churning, produced her whom they call Aphrodite, and whom with us they call Venus. From his intercourse with her who was thus his own sister, they say that this same Jupiter begot Cypris, who, they say, was the mother of Cupid.

DIODORUS SICULUS, LIBRARY OF HISTORY, Book 4, translated by C. H. OLDFATHER

[4.2.1] The Greek account of Dionysus runs like this: Cadmus, the son of Agenor, was sent forth from Phoenicia by the king to seek out Europê, under orders either to bring him the maiden or never to come back to Phoenicia. After Cadmus had traversed a wide territory without being able to find her, he despaired of ever returning to his home; and when he had arrived in Boeotia, in obedience to the oracle which he had received he founded the city of Thebes. Here he made his home and marrying Harmonia, the daughter of Aphroditê, he begat by her Semelê, Ino, Autonoê, Agavê, and Polydorus.

[4.2.2] Semelê was loved by Zeus because of her beauty, but since he had his intercourse with her secretly and without speech she thought that the god despised her; consequently she made the request of him that he come to her embraces in the same manner as in his approaches to Hera.

[4.2.3] Accordingly, Zeus visited her in a way befitting a god, accompanied by thundering and lightning, revealing himself to her as he embraced her; but Semelê, who was pregnant and unable to endure the majesty of the divine presence, brought forth the babe untimely and was herself slain by the fire. Thereupon Zeus, taking up the child, handed it over to the care of Hermes, and ordered him to take it to the cave in Nysa, which lay between Phoenicia and the Nile, where he should deliver it to the nymphs that they should rear it and with great solicitude bestow upon it the best of care.

[4.2.4] Consequently, since Dionysus was reared in Nysa, he received the name he bears from Zeus and Nysa. And Homer bears witness to this in his Hymns, when he says: "There is a certain Nysa, mountain high, with forests thick, In Phoenicê afar, close to Aegyptus’ streams."

[4.4.1] Some writers of myths, however, relate that there was a second Dionysus who was much earlier in time than the one we have just mentioned. For according to them there was born of Zeus and Persephonê a Dionysus who is called by some Sabazius and whose birth and sacrifices and honours are celebrated at night and in secret, because of the disgrace resulting from the intercourse of the sexes.

[4.7.1] As for the Muses, since we have referred to them in connection with the deeds of Dionysus, it may be appropriate to give the facts about them in summary. For the majority of writers of myths and those who enjoy the greatest reputation say that they were daughters of Zeus and Mnemosynê; but a few poets, among whose number is Alcman, sate that they were daughters of Uranus and Gê.

[4.9.1] This, then, is the story as it has been given us: Perseus was the son of Danaê, the daughter of Acrisius, and Zeus. Now Andromeda, the daughter of Cepheus, lay with him and bore Electryon, and then Eurydicê, the daughter of Pelops, married him and gave birth to Alcmenê, who in turn was wooed by Zeus, who deceived her, and bore Heracles.

[4.9.2] Consequently the sources of this descent, in their entirety, lead back, as is claimed, through both his parents to the greatest of the gods, in the manner we have shown. The prowess which was found in him was not only to be seen in his deeds, but was also recognized even before his birth. For when Zeus lay with Alcmenê he made the night three times its normal length and by the magnitude of the time expended on the procreation he presaged the exceptional might of the child which would be begotten.

[4.9.3] And, in general, he did not effect this union from the desire of love, as he did in the case of other women, but rather only for the sake of procreation. Consequently, desiring to give legality to his embraces, he did not choose to offer violence to Alcmenê, and yet he could not hope to persuade her because of her chastity; and so, deciding to use deception, he deceived Alcmenê by assuming in every respect the shape of Amphitryon.

[4.9.4] When the natural time of pregnancy had passed, Zeus, whose mind was fixed upon the birth of Heracles, announced in advance in the presence of all the gods that it was his intention to make the child who should be born that day king over the descendants of Perseus; whereupon Hera, who was filled with jealousy, using as her helper Eileithyia her daughter, checked the birth-pains of Alcmenê and brought Eurystheus forth to the light before his full time.

[4.9.5] Zeus, however, though he had been outgeneralled, wished both to fulfill his promise and to take thought for the future fame of Heracles; consequently, they say, he persuaded Hera to agree that Eurystheus should be king as he had promised, but that Heracles should serve Eurystheus and perform twelve Labours, these to be whatever Eursytheus should prescribe, and that after he had done so he should receive the gift of immortality.

[4.14.4] A peculiar thing also came to pass in connection with the birth of this god. The first mortal woman, for instance, with whom Zeus lay was Niobê, the daughter of Phoroneus, and the last was Alcmenê, who, as writers of myths state in their genealogies, was the sixteenth lineal descendant from Niobê. It appears, then, that Zeus began to beget human beings with the ancestors of this Alcmenê and ceased with her; that is, he stopped with her his intercourse with mortal women, since he had no hope that he would beget in after times one who would be worthy of his former children and was unwilling to have the better followed by the worse.

[4.15.1] After this, when the Giants about Pallenê chose to begin the war against the immortals, Heracles fought on the side of the gods, and slaying many of the Sons of Earth he received the highest approbation. For Zeus gave the name of “Olympian” only to those gods who had fought by his side, in order that the courageous, by being adorned by so honourable a title, might be distinguished by this designation from the coward; and of those who were born of mortal women he considered only Dionysus and Heracles worthy of this name, not only because they had Zeus for their father, but also because they had avowed the same plan of life as he and conferred great benefits upon the life of men.

[4.15.2] And Zeus, when Prometheus had taken fire and given it to men, put him in chains and set an eagle at his side which devoured hi liver. But when Heracles saw him suffering such punishment because of the benefit which he had conferred upon men, he killed the eagle with an arrow, and then persuading Zeus to cease from his anger he rescued him who had been the benefactor of all.

[4.39.2] We should add to what has been said about Heracles, that after his apotheosis Zeus persuaded Hera to adopt him s her son and henceforth for all time to cherish him with a mother’s love, and this adoption, they say, took place in the following manner...

[4.39.4] They report of Heracles further that Zeus enrolled him among the twelve gods but that he would not accept this honour; for it was impossible for him thus to be enrolled unless one of the twelve gods were first cast out; hence in his eyes it would be monstrous for him to accept an honour which involved depriving another god of his honour.

[4.48.6] But when Orpheus, as on the former occasion, offered up prayers to the deities of Samothrace, the winds ceased and there appeared near the ship Glaucus the Sea-god, as he is called. The god accompanied the ship in its voyage without ceasing for two days and night and foretold to Heracles his Labours and immortality, and to the Tyndaridae that they should be called Dioscori (“Sons of Zeus”) and receive at the hands of all mankind honour like that offered to the gods.

[4.60.2] Tectamus, the son of Dorus, the son of Hellen, the son of Deucalion, sailed to Crete with Aeolians and Pelasgians and became king of the island, and marrying the daughter of Cretheus he begat Asterius. And during the time when he was king in Crete Zeus, as they say, carried Europê from Phoenicia, and carrying her across to Crete upon the back of a bull, he lay with her and begat three sons, Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Sarpedon.

[4.61.1] Minos, when he learned of the fate which had befallen his son, came to Athens and demanded satisfaction for the murder of Androgeos. And when no one paid any attention to him, he declared war against the Athenians and uttered imprecations to Zeus, calling down drought and famine throughout the state of the Athenians. And when drought quickly prevailed about Attica and Greece and the crops were destroyed, the heads of the communities gathered together and inquired of the god what steps they could take to rid themselves of their present evils. The god made answer to them that they should go to Aeacus, the son of Zeus and Aeginê, the daughter of Asopus, and ask him to offer up prayers on their behalf.

[4.63.2] And finding on his arrival that Phaedra, the wife of Theseus was dead, he persuaded him to seize and carry off Helen, the daughter of Leda and Zeus, who was only ten years of age, but excelled all women in beauty...

[4.68.2] When his wife Alcidicê died Salmoneus took for a second wife Sidero, as she was called, who treated Tyro unkindly, as a step-mother would. Afterwards Salmoneus, being an overbearing man and impious, came to be hated by his subjects and because of his impiety was slain by Zeus with a bolt of lightning.

[4.69.4] But when afterward Ixion would not pay over the gifts of wooing to his wife, Eïoneus took as security for these his mares. Ixion thereupon summoned Eïoneus to come to him, assuring him that he would comply in every respect, but when Eïoneus arrived he cast him into a pit which he had filled with fire. Because of the enormity of this crime no man, we are informed, was willing to purify him of the murder. The myths recount, however, that in the end he was purified by Zeus, but that he became enamoured of Hera and had the temerity to make advances to her.

[4.69.5] Thereupon, men say, Zeus formed a figure of Hera out of a cloud and sent it to him, and Ixion, lying with the cloud (Nephelê) begat the Centaurs, as they are called, which have the shapes of men. But the myths relate that in the end Ixion, because of the enormity of his misdeeds, was bound by Zeus upon a wheel and after death had to suffer punishment for all eternity.

[4.71.2] Consequently, the myth goes on to say, Hades brought accusation against Asclepius, charging him before Zeus of acting to the detriment of his own province, for, he said, the number of the dead was steadily diminishing, now that men were being healed by Asclepius.

[4.71.3] So Zeus, in indignation, slew Asclepius with his thunderbolt, but Apollo, indignant at the slaying of Asclepius, murdered the Cyclopes who had forged the thunderbolt for Zeus; but at the death of the Cyclopes Zeus was again indignant and laid a command upon Apollo that he should serve as a labourer for a human being and that this should be the punishment he should receive fro him for his crimes.

[4.72.5] Aegina was seized by Zeus and taken off by him from Phlius to the island which was named Aegina after her, and lying with Zeus on this island she gave birth to Aeacus, who became its king.

[4.74.1] And since we have made mention of Pelops, we must also relate the story concerning his father Tantalus, in order that we may omit nothing which deserves to be made known. Tantalus was a son of Zeus, and he possessed surpassing wealth and renown, dwelling in that part of Asia which is now called Paphlagonia. And because of his noble descent from Zeus his father he became, as men say, a very especial friend of the gods.

[4.75.1] ... To Teucrus was born a daughter Bateia, whom Dardanus, the son of Zeus married, and when Dardanus succeeded to the throne he called the people of the land Dardanians after his own name, and founding a city on the shore of the sea he called it also Dardanus after himself.

[4.75.5] Assaracus became king of the Dardanians and begat Capys, whose son was Anchises, who by Aphroditê begat Aeneas, the most renowned man among the Trojans. And Ganymedes, who excelled all men in beauty, was snatched up by the gods to serve as the cupbearer of Zeus.

[4.80.1] The account which the myths preserve of the Mothers runs like this: They nurtured Zeus of old without the knowledge of his Cronus, in return for which Zeus translated them into the heavens and designated them as a constellation which he named the Bears.

[4.80.2] And Aratus agrees with this account when he states in his poem on the stars: "Turned backwards then upon their shoulders are the Bears; if true it be that they from Crete into the heavens mounted by the will of mighty Zeus, for that when he was babe in fragrant Dicton near th’ Idaean mount they set him in a cave and nurtured him a year, the while Curetes Dictaean practised deceit on Cronus."

DIODORUS SICULUS, LIBRARY OF HISTORY, Book 5, translated by C. H. OLDFATHER

[5.2.3] The Siceliotae who dwell in the island have received the tradition from their ancestors, the report having ever been handed down successively from earliest time by one generation to the next, that the island is sacred to Demeter and Corê; although there are certain poets who recount the myth that at the marriage of Pluton and Persephonê Zeus gave this island as a wedding present to the bride.

[5.46.3] According to the myth which the priests give, the gods had their origin in Crete, and were led by Zeus to Panchaea at the time when he sojourned among men and was king of the inhabited earth. In proof of this they cite their language, pointing out that most of the things they have about them still retain their Cretan names; and they add that the kinship which they have with the Cretans and the kindly regard they feel towards them are traditions they received from their ancestors, since this report is ever handed down from one generation to another. And it has been their practice, in corroboration of these claims, to point to inscriptions which, they said, were made by Zeus during the time he still sojourned among men and founded the temple.

[5.48.2] And while the Samothracians were living under a government of this kind, they say that there were born in that land to Zeus and Electra, who was one of the Atlantides, Dardanus and Iasion and Harmonia.

[5.48.4] But Zeus desired that the other(Iasion) of his two sons might also attain to honour, and so he instructed him in the initiatory rites of the mysteries, which had existed on the island since ancient times but was at that time, so to speak, put in his hands; it is not lawful, however, for any but the initiated to hear about the mysteries.

[5.52.2] For according to the myth which has been handed down to us, Zeus, on the occasion when Semelê had been slain by his lightning before the time for bearing the child, took the babe and sewed it up within his thigh, and when the appointed time came for its birth, wishing to keep the matter concealed from Hera, he took the babe from his thigh in what is now Naxos and gave it to the Nymphs of the island, Philia, Coronis, and Cleidê, to be reared. The reason Zeus slew Semelê with his lightning before she could give birth to her child was his desire that the babe should be born, not of a mortal woman but of two immortals, and thus should be immortal from its very birth.

[5.55.5] And at this period in the eastern parts of the island there sprung up the Giants, as they were called; and at the time when Zeus is said to have subdued the Titans, he became enamoured of one of the nymphs, Himalia by name, and begat by her three sons, Spartaeus, Cronius, and Cytus.

[5.60.2] The account runs like this: Not long after Cherronesus had ruled, five Curetes passed over to it from Crete, and these were descendants of those who had received Zeus from his mother Rhea and had nurtured him in the mountains of Idê in Crete.

[5.65.4] The Curetes also invented swords and helmets and the war-dance, by means of which they raised a great alarum and deceived Cronus. And we are told that, when Rhea, the mother of Zeus, entrusted him to them unbeknown to Cronus his father, they took him under their care and saw to his nurture; but since we purpose to set forth this affair in detail, we must take up the account at a little earlier point.

[5.68.1] To Cronus and Rhea, we are told, were born Hestia, Demeter, and Hera, and Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades...

[5.68.2] Now she(Demeter) had discovered the corn before she gave birth to her daughter Persephonê, but after the birth of her daughter and the rape of her by Pluton, she burned all the fruit of the corn, both because of her anger at Zeus and because of her grief over her daughter. After she had found Persephonê, however, she became reconciled with Zeus and gave Triptolemus the corn to sow, instructing him both to share the gift with men everywhere and to teach them everything concerned with the labour of sowing.

[5.70.1] Regarding the birth of Zeus and the manner in which he came to be king, there is no agreement. Some say that he succeeded to the kingship after Cronus passed from among men into the company of the gods, not by overcoming his father with violence, but in the manner prescribed by custom and justly, having been judged worthy of that honour. But others recount a myth which runs as follows: There was delivered to Cronus an oracle regarding the birth of Zeus which stated that the son who would be born to him would wrest the kingship from him by force.

[5.70.2] Consequently Cronus time and again did away with the children whom he begot; but Rhea, grieved as she was, and yet lacking the power to change her husband’s purpose, when she had given birth to Zeus, concealed him in Idê, as it is called, and, without the knowledge of Cronus, entrusted the rearing of him to the Curetes who dwelt in the neighbourhood of Mount Idê. The Curetes bore him off to a certain cave where they gave him over to the Nymphs, with the command that they should minister to his every need.

[5.70.3] And the Nymphs nurtured the child on a mixture of honey and milk and gave him upbringing at the udder of the goat which was named Amaltheia. And many evidences o the birth and upbringing of this god remain to this day on the island.

[5.70.4] For instance, when he was being carried away, while still an infant, by the Curetes, they say that the umbilical cord (omphalos) fell from him near the river known as Triton, and that this spot has been made sacred and has been called Omphalus after that incident, while in like manner the plain about it is known as Omphaleium. And on Mount Idê, where the god was nurtured, both the cave in which he spent his days has been made sacred to him, and the meadows round about it, which lie upon the ridges of the mountain., have in like manner been consecrated to him.

[5.70.5] But the most astonishing of all that which the myth relates has to do with the bees, and we should not omit to mention it: The god, they say, wishing to preserve an immortal memorial of his close association with the bees, changed the colour of them, making it like copper with the gleam of gold, and since the region lay at a very great altitude, where fierce winds blew about it and heavy snows fell, he made the bees insensible to such things and unaffected by them, since they must range over the most wintry stretches.

[5.70.6] To the goat (aeg-) which suckled him Zeus also accorded certain honours, and in particular took from it a surname, being called Aegiochus. And when he had attained to manhood he founded a city in Dicta, where indeed the myth states that he was born; in later times this city was abandoned, but some stone blocks of its foundations are still preserved.

[5.71.1] Now Zeus, the myth goes on to say, surpassed all others in manly spirit and wisdom and justice and in the other virtues one and all, and, as a consequence, when he took over the kingly power from Cronus, he conferred benefactions of the greatest number and importance upon the life of mankind. He was the first of all, for instance, to lay down rules regarding acts of injustice and to teach men to deal justly one with another, to refrain from deeds of violence, and to settle their differences by appeals to men and to courts of justice. In short, he contributed in abundance to the practices which are concerned with obedience to law and with peace, prevailing upon good men by persuasion and intimidating evil men by threat of punishment and by their fear.

[5.71.2] He also visited practically the entire inhabited earth, putting to death robbers and impious men and introducing equality and democracy; and it was in this connection, they say, that he slew the Giants and their followers, Mylinus in Crete and Typhon in Phrygia.

[5.71.3] Before the battle against the Giants in Crete, we are told, Zeus sacrificed a bull to Helius and to Uranus and to Gê; and in connection with each of the rites there was revealed to him what was the will of the gods in the affair, the omens indicating the victory of the gods and a defection to them of the enemy. And the outcome of the war accorded with the omens; for Musaeus deserted to him from the enemy, for which he was accorded peculiar honours, and all who opposed them were cut down by the gods.

[5.71.4] Zeus also had other wars against the Giants, we are told, in Macedonia near Pallenê and in Italy on the plain which of old was named Phlegraean (“fiery”) after the region about it which had been burned, but which in later times men called Cumaean.

[5.71.5] Now the Giants were punished by Zeus because they had treated the rest of mankind in a lawless fashion and, confiding in their bodily superiority and strength, had enslaved their neighbours, and because they were also disobeying the rules of justice which he was laying down and were raising up war against those whom mankind considered to be gods because of the benefactions they were conferring upon men generally.

[5.71.6] Zeus, then, we are told, not only totally eradicated the impious and evil-doers from among mankind, but he also distributed honours as they were merited among the noblest of the gods and heroes and men. And because of the magnitude of his benefactions and his superior power all men accorded to him as with one voice both the everlasting kingship which he possesses and his dwelling upon Mount Olympus.

[5.72.1] And it was ordained, the myth continues, that sacrifices should be offered to Zeus surpassing those offered to all the other gods, and that, after he passed from earth into the heavens, a just belief should spring up in the souls of all who had received his benefactions that he is lord of all the phenomena of heaven, that is, both of rain and of thunder and of lightning and of everything else of that nature.

[5.72.2] It is for this reason also that names have been given him: Zên, because in the opinion of mankind he is the cause of life (zên), bringing as he does the fruits to maturity by tempering the atmosphere; Father, because of the concern and goodwill he manifests toward all mankind, as well as because he is considered to be the first cause of the race of men; Most High and King, because of the preëminence of his rule; Good Counsellor and All-wise, because of the sagacity he manifests in the giving of wise counsel.

[5.72.3] Athena, the myths relate, was likewise begotten of Zeus in Crete, at the sources of the river Triton, this being the reason why she has been given the name Tritogeneia. And there stands, even to this day, at these sources a temple which is sacred to this goddess, at the spot where the myth relates that her birth took place.

[5.72.4] Men say also that the marriage of Zeus and Hera was held in the territory of the Cnosians, at a place near the river Theren, where now a temple stands in which the natives of the place annually offer holy sacrifices and imitate the ceremony of the marriage, in the manner in which tradition tells it was originally performed.

[5.72.5] To Zeus also were born, they say, the goddesses Aphroditê and the Graces, Eileithyia and her helper Artemis, the Hours, as they are called, Eunomia and Dikê and Eirenê, and Athena and the Muses, and the gods Hephaestus and Ares and Apollo, and Hermes and Dionysus and Heracles.

[5.73.1] To each one of the deities we have named, the myth goes on to relate, Zeus imparted the knowledge of the things which he had discovered and was perfecting, and likewise assigned to them the honour of their discovery, wishing in this way to endow them with immortal fame among all mankind.

[5.74.1] To the Muses, we are further told, it was given by their father Zeus to discover the letters and to combine words in the way which is designated poetry...

[5.75.4] As for Dionysus, the myths state that he discovered the vine and its cultivation, and also how to make wine and to store away many of the autumn fruits and thus to provide mankind with the use of them as food over a long time. This god was born in Crete, men say, of Zeus and Persephonê...

[5.76.3] Britomartis, who is also called Dictynna, the myths relate, was born at Caeno in Crete of Zeus and Carmê, the daughter of Eubulus who was the son of Demeter; she invented the nets (dictya) which are used in hunting, whence she has been called Dictynna, and she passed her time in the company of Artemis, this being the reason why some men think Dictynna and Artemis are one and the same goddess; and the Cretans have instituted sacrifices and built temples in honour of this goddess.

[5.78.1] Many generations after the birth of the gods, the Cretans go on to say, not a few heroes were to be found in Crete, the most renowned of whom were Minos and Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon. These men, their myth states, were born of Zeus and Europê, the daughter of Agenor, who, men say, was brought across to Crete upon the back of a bull by the design of the gods.

[5.78.3] And Minos established not a few laws for the Cretans, claiming that he had received them from his father Zeus when conversing with him in a certain cave...

HESIOD, THEOGONY, translated by H. G. EVELYN-WHITE

[51] Then, next, the goddesses sing of Zeus, the father of gods and men, as they begin and end their strain, how much he is the most excellent among the gods and supreme in power. And again, they chant the race of men and strong giants, and gladden the heart of Zeus within Olympus, -- the Olympian Muses, daughters of Zeus the aegis-holder. Them in Pieria did Mnemosyne (Memory), who reigns over the hills of Eleuther, bear of union with the father, the son of Cronos, a forgetting of ills and a rest from sorrow. For nine nights did wise Zeus lie with her, entering her holy bed remote from the immortals. And when a year was passed and the seasons came round as the months waned, and many days were accomplished, she bare nine daughters, all of one mind, whose hearts are set upon song and their spirit free from care, a little way from the topmost peak of snowy Olympus.

[72] And he(Zeus) was reigning in heaven, himself holding the lightning and glowing thunderbolt, when he had overcome by might his father Cronos; and he distributed fairly to the immortals their portions and declared their privileges.

[139] And again, she(Gaea) bare the Cyclopes, overbearing in spirit, Brontes, and Steropes and stubborn-hearted Arges, who gave Zeus the thunder and made the thunderbolt...

[346] Also she(Tethys) brought forth a holy company of daughters who with the lord Apollo and the Rivers have youths in their keeping -- to this charge Zeus appointed them...

[383] And Styx the daughter of Ocean was joined to Pallas and bare Zelus (Emulation) and trim-ankled Nike (Victory) in the house. Also she brought forth Cratos (Strength) and Bia (Force), wonderful children. These have no house apart from Zeus, nor any dwelling nor path except that wherein God leads them, but they dwell always with Zeus the loud-thunderer.

[398] So deathless Styx came first to Olympus with her children through the wit of her dear father. And Zeus honoured her, and gave her very great gifts, for her he appointed to be the great oath of the gods, and her children to live with him always. And as he promised, so he performed fully unto them all. But he himself mightily reigns and rules.

[410] And she conceived and bare Hecate whom Zeus the son of Cronos honoured above all. He gave her splendid gifts, to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea. She received honour also in starry heaven, and is honoured exceedingly by the deathless gods.

[453] But Rhea was subject in love to Cronos and bare splendid children, Hestia, Demeter, and gold-shod Hera and strong Hades, pitiless in heart, who dwells under the earth, and the loud-crashing Earth-Shaker, and wise Zeus, father of gods and men, by whose thunder the wide earth is shaken. These great Cronos swallowed as each came forth from the womb to his mother's knees with this intent, that no other of the proud sons of Heaven should hold the kingly office amongst the deathless gods. For he learned from Earth and starry Heaven that he was destined to be overcome by his own son, strong though he was, through the contriving of great Zeus. Therefore he kept no blind outlook, but watched and swallowed down his children: and unceasing grief seized Rhea. But when she was about to bear Zeus, the father of gods and men, then she besought her own dear parents, Earth and starry Heaven, to devise some plan with her that the birth of her dear child might be concealed, and that retribution might overtake great, crafty Cronos for his own father and also for the children whom he had swallowed down. And they readily heard and obeyed their dear daughter, and told her all that was destined to happen touching Cronos the king and his stout-hearted son. So they sent her to Lyetus, to the rich land of Crete, when she was ready to bear great Zeus, the youngest of her children. Him did vast Earth receive from Rhea in wide Crete to nourish and to bring up. Thither came Earth carrying him swiftly through the black night to Lyctus first, and took him in her arms and hid him in a remote cave beneath the secret places of the holy earth on thick-wooded Mount Aegeum; but to the mightily ruling son of Heaven, the earlier king of the gods, she gave a great stone wrapped in swaddling clothes. Then he took it in his hands and thrust it down into his belly: wretch! he knew not in his heart that in place of the stone his son was left behind, unconquered and untroubled, and that he was soon to overcome him by force and might and drive him from his honours, himself to reign over the deathless gods.

[492] After that, the strength and glorious limbs of the prince increased quickly, and as the years rolled on, great Cronos the wily was beguiled by the deep suggestions of Earth, and brought up again his offspring, vanquished by the arts and might of his own son, and he vomited up first the stone which he had swallowed last. And Zeus set it fast in the wide-pathed earth at goodly Pytho under the glens of Parnassus, to be a sign thenceforth and a marvel to mortal men. And he set free from their deadly bonds the brothers of his father, sons of Heaven whom his father in his foolishness had bound. And they remembered to be grateful to him for his kindness, and gave him thunder and the glowing thunderbolt and lightening: for before that, huge Earth had hidden these. In them he trusts and rules over mortals and immortals.

[507] Now Iapetus took to wife the neat-ankled mad Clymene, daughter of Ocean, and went up with her into one bed. And she bare him a stout-hearted son, Atlas: also she bare very glorious Menoetius and clever Prometheus, full of various wiles, and scatter-brained Epimetheus who from the first was a mischief to men who eat bread; for it was he who first took of Zeus the woman, the maiden whom he had formed. But Menoetius was outrageous, and far-seeing Zeus struck him with a lurid thunderbolt and sent him down to Erebus because of his mad presumption and exceeding pride. And Atlas through hard constraint upholds the wide heaven with unwearying head and arms, standing at the borders of the earth before the clear-voiced Hesperides; for this lot wise Zeus assigned to him. And ready-witted Prometheus he bound with inextricable bonds, cruel chains, and drove a shaft through his middle, and set on him a long-winged eagle, which used to eat his immortal liver; but by night the liver grew as much again everyway as the long-winged bird devoured in the whole day. That bird Heracles, the valiant son of shapely-ankled Alcmene, slew; and delivered the son of Iapetus from the cruel plague, and released him from his affliction -- not without the will of Olympian Zeus who reigns on high, that the glory of Heracles the Theban-born might be yet greater than it was before over the plenteous earth. This, then, he regarded, and honoured his famous son; though he was angry, he ceased from the wrath which he had before because Prometheus matched himself in wit with the almighty son of Cronos.

[560] So spake Zeus in anger, whose wisdom is everlasting; and from that time he was always mindful of the trick, and would not give the power of unwearying fire to the Melian race of mortal men who live on the earth. But the noble son of Iapetus outwitted him and stole the far-seen gleam of unwearying fire in a hollow fennel stalk. And Zeus who thunders on high was stung in spirit, and his dear heart was angered when he saw amongst men the far-seen ray of fire. Forthwith he made an evil thing for men as the price of fire; for the very famous Limping God formed of earth the likeness of a shy maiden as the son of Cronos willed. And the goddess bright-eyed Athene girded and clothed her with silvery raiment, and down from her head she spread with her hands a broidered veil, a wonder to see; and she, Pallas Athene, put about her head lovely garlands, flowers of new-grown herbs. Also she put upon her head a crown of gold which the very famous Limping God made himself and worked with his own hands as a favour to Zeus his father. On it was much curious work, wonderful to see; for of the many creatures which the land and sea rear up, he put most upon it, wonderful things, like living beings with voices: and great beauty shone out from it.

[585] But when he had made the beautiful evil to be the price for the blessing, he brought her out, delighting in the finery which the bright-eyed daughter of a mighty father had given her, to the place where the other gods and men were. And wonder took hold of the deathless gods and mortal men when they saw that which was sheer guile, not to be withstood by men. For from her is the race of women and female kind: of her is the deadly race and tribe of women who live amongst mortal men to their great trouble, no helpmeets in hateful poverty, but only in wealth. And as in thatched hives bees feed the drones whose nature is to do mischief -- by day and throughout the day until the sun goes down the bees are busy and lay the white combs, while the drones stay at home in the covered skeps and reap the toil of others into their own bellies – even so Zeus who thunders on high made women to be an evil to mortal men, with a nature to do evil. And he gave them a second evil to be the price for the good they had: whoever avoids marriage and the sorrows that women cause, and will not wed, reaches deadly old age without anyone to tend his years, and though he at least has no lack of livelihood while he lives, yet, when he is dead, his kinsfolk divide his possessions amongst them. And as for the man who chooses the lot of marriage and takes a good wife suited to his mind, evil continually contends with good; for whoever happens to have mischievous children, lives always with unceasing grief in his spirit and heart within him; and this evil cannot be healed. So it is not possible to deceive or go beyond the will of Zeus; for not even the son of Iapetus, kindly Prometheus, escaped his heavy anger, but of necessity strong bands confined him, although he knew many a wile.

[654] So he said. And blameless Cottus answered him again: “Divine one, you speak that which we know well: nay, even of ourselves we know that your wisdom and understanding is exceeding, and that you became a defender of the deathless ones from chill doom. And through your devising we are come back again from the murky gloom and from our merciless bonds, enjoying what we looked not for, O lord, son of Cronos. And so now with fixed purpose and deliberate counsel we will aid your power in dreadful strife and will fight against the Titans in hard battle.”

[664] So he said: and the gods, givers of good things, applauded when they heard his word, and their spirit longed for war even more than before, and they all, both male and female, stirred up hated battle that day, the Titan gods, and all that were born of Cronos together with those dread, mighty ones of overwhelming strength whom Zeus brought up to the light from Erebus beneath the earth. An hundred arms sprang from the shoulders of all alike, and each had fifty heads growing upon his shoulders upon stout limbs. These, then, stood against the Titans in grim strife, holding huge rocks in their strong hands. And on the other part the Titans eagerly strengthened their ranks, and both sides at one time showed the work of their hands and their might. The boundless sea rang terribly around, and the earth crashed loudly: wide Heaven was shaken and groaned, and high Olympus reeled from its foundation under the charge of the undying gods, and a heavy quaking reached dim Tartarus and the deep sound of their feet in the fearful onset and of their hard missiles. So, then, they launched their grievous shafts upon one another, and the cry of both armies as they shouted reached to starry heaven; and they met together with a great battle-cry.

[687] Then Zeus no longer held back his might; but straight his heart was filled with fury and he showed forth all his strength. From Heaven and from Olympus he came forthwith, hurling his lightning: the bold flew thick and fast from his strong hand together with thunder and lightning, whirling an awesome flame. The life-giving earth crashed around in burning, and the vast wood crackled loud with fire all about. All the land seethed, and Ocean's streams and the unfruitful sea. The hot vapour lapped round the earthborn Titans: flame unspeakable rose to the bright upper air: the flashing glare of the thunder- stone and lightning blinded their eyes for all that there were strong. Astounding heat seized Chaos: and to see with eyes and to hear the sound with ears it seemed even as if Earth and wide Heaven above came together; for such a mighty crash would have arisen if Earth were being hurled to ruin, and Heaven from on high were hurling her down; so great a crash was there while the gods were meeting together in strife. Also the winds brought rumbling earthquake and duststorm, thunder and lightning and the lurid thunderbolt, which are the shafts of great Zeus, and carried the clangour and the warcry into the midst of the two hosts. An horrible uproar of terrible strife arose: mighty deeds were shown and the battle inclined. But until then, they kept at one another and fought continually in cruel war.

[713] And amongst the foremost Cottus and Briareos and Gyes insatiate for war raised fierce fighting: three hundred rocks, one upon another, they launched from their strong hands and overshadowed the Titans with their missiles, and buried them beneath the wide-pathed earth, and bound them in bitter chains when they had conquered them by their strength for all their great spirit, as far beneath the earth to Tartarus. For a brazen anvil falling down from heaven nine nights and days would reach the earth upon the tenth: and again, a brazen anvil falling from earth nine nights and days would reach Tartarus upon the tenth. Round it runs a fence of bronze, and night spreads in triple line all about it like a neck-circlet, while above grow the roots of the earth and unfruitful sea. There by the counsel of Zeus who drives the clouds the Titan gods are hidden under misty gloom, in a dank place where are the ends of the huge earth. And they may not go out; for Poseidon fixed gates of bronze upon it, and a wall runs all round it on every side. There Gyes and Cottus and great-souled Obriareus live, trusty warders of Zeus who holds the aegis.

[820] But when Zeus had driven the Titans from heaven, huge Earth bare her youngest child Typhoeus of the love of Tartarus, by the aid of golden Aphrodite. Strength was with his hands in all that he did and the feet of the strong god were untiring. From his shoulders grew an hundred heads of a snake, a fearful dragon, with dark, flickering tongues, and from under the brows of his eyes in his marvellous heads flashed fire, and fire burned from his heads as he glared. And there were voices in all his dreadful heads which uttered every kind of sound unspeakable; for at one time they made sounds such that the gods understood, but at another, the noise of a bull bellowing aloud in proud ungovernable fury; and at another, the sound of a lion, relentless of heart; and at anothers, sounds like whelps, wonderful to hear; and again, at another, he would hiss, so that the high mountains re-echoed. And truly a thing past help would have happened on that day, and he would have come to reign over mortals and immortals, had not the father of men and gods been quick to perceive it. But he thundered hard and mightily: and the earth around resounded terribly and the wide heaven above, and the sea and Ocean's streams and the nether parts of the earth. Great Olympus reeled beneath the divine feet of the king as he arose and earth groaned thereat. And through the two of them heat took hold on the dark-blue sea, through the thunder and lightning, and through the fire from the monster, and the scorching winds and blazing thunderbolt. The whole earth seethed, and sky and sea: and the long waves raged along the beaches round and about, at the rush of the deathless gods: and there arose an endless shaking. Hades trembled where he rules over the dead below, and the Titans under Tartarus who live with Cronos, because of the unending clamour and the fearful strife. So when Zeus had raised up his might and seized his arms, thunder and lightning and lurid thunderbolt, he leaped form Olympus and struck him, and burned all the marvellous heads of the monster about him. But when Zeus had conquered him and lashed him with strokes, Typhoeus was hurled down, a maimed wreck, so that the huge earth groaned. And flame shot forth from the thunder- stricken lord in the dim rugged glens of the mount, when he was smitten. A great part of huge earth was scorched by the terrible vapour and melted as tin melts when heated by men's art in channelled crucibles; or as iron, which is hardest of all things, is softened by glowing fire in mountain glens and melts in the divine earth through the strength of Hephaestus. Even so, then, the earth melted in the glow of the blazing fire. And in the bitterness of his anger Zeus cast him into wide Tartarus.

[869] And from Typhoeus come boisterous winds which blow damply, except Notus and Boreas and clear Zephyr. These are a god-sent kind, and a great blessing to men; but the others blow fitfully upon the seas. Some rush upon the misty sea and work great havoc among men with their evil, raging blasts; for varying with the season they blow, scattering ships and destroying sailors. And men who meet these upon the sea have no help against the mischief. Others again over the boundless, flowering earth spoil the fair fields of men who dwell below, filling them with dust and cruel uproar.

[881] But when the blessed gods had finished their toil, and settled by force their struggle for honours with the Titans, they pressed far-seeing Olympian Zeus to reign and to rule over them, by Earth's prompting. So he divided their dignities amongst them.

[886] Now Zeus, king of the gods, made Metis his wife first, and she was wisest among gods and mortal men. But when she was about to bring forth the goddess bright-eyed Athene, Zeus craftily deceived her with cunning words and put her in his own belly, as Earth and starry Heaven advised. For they advised him so, to the end that no other should hold royal sway over the eternal gods in place of Zeus; for very wise children were destined to be born of her, first the maiden bright-eyed Tritogeneia, equal to her father in strength and in wise understanding; but afterwards she was to bear a son of overbearing spirit, king of gods and men. But Zeus put her into his own belly first, that the goddess might devise for him both good and evil.

[901] Next he married bright Themis who bare the Horae (Hours), and Eunomia (Order), Dike (Justice), and blooming Eirene (Peace), who mind the works of mortal men, and the Moerae (Fates) to whom wise Zeus gave the greatest honour, Clotho, and Lachesis, and Atropos who give mortal men evil and good to have.

[907] And Eurynome, the daughter of Ocean, beautiful in form, bare him three fair-cheeked Charites (Graces), Aglaea, and Euphrosyne, and lovely Thaleia, from whose eyes as they glanced flowed love that unnerves the limbs: and beautiful is their glance beneath their brows.

[912] Also he came to the bed of all-nourishing Demeter, and she bare white-armed Persephone whom Aidoneus carried off from her mother; but wise Zeus gave her to him.

[915] And again, he loved Mnemosyne with the beautiful hair: and of her the nine gold-crowned Muses were born who delight in feasts and the pleasures of song.

[918] And Leto was joined in love with Zeus who holds the aegis, and bare Apollo and Artemis delighting in arrows, children lovely above all the sons of Heaven.

[921] Lastly, he made Hera his blooming wife: and she was joined in love with the king of gods and men, and brought forth Hebe and Ares and Eileithyia.

[924] But Zeus himself gave birth from his own head to bright-eyed Tritogeneia, the awful, the strife-stirring, the host-leader, the unwearying, the queen, who delights in tumults and wars and battles. But Hera without union with Zeus -- for she was very angry and quarrelled with her mate -- bare famous Hephaestus, who is skilled in crafts more than all the sons of Heaven.

[929a-t] But Hera was very angry and quarrelled with her mate. And because of this strife she bare without union with Zeus who holds the aegis a glorious son, Hephaestus, who excelled all the sons of Heaven in crafts. But Zeus lay with the fair- cheeked daughter of Ocean and Tethys apart from Hera . . . ((lacuna)) deceiving Metis (Thought) although she was full wise. But he seized her with his hands and put her in his belly, for fear that she might bring forth something stronger than his thunderbolt: therefore did Zeus, who sits on high and dwells in the aether, swallow her down suddenly. But she straightway conceived Pallas Athene: and the father of men and gods gave her birth by way of his head on the banks of the river Trito. And she remained hidden beneath the inward parts of Zeus, even Metis, Athena's mother, worker of righteousness, who was wiser than gods and mortal men. There the goddess (Athena) received that whereby she excelled in strength all the deathless ones who dwell in Olympus, she who made the host-scaring weapon of Athena. And with it (Zeus) gave her birth, arrayed in arms of war.

[938] And Maia, the daughter of Atlas, bare to Zeus glorious Hermes, the herald of the deathless gods, for she went up into his holy bed.

[940] And Semele, daughter of Cadmus was joined with him in love and bare him a splendid son, joyous Dionysus, -- a mortal woman an immortal son. And now they both are gods.

[943] And Alemena was joined in love with Zeus who drives the clouds and bare mighty Heracles.

HESIOD, WORKS AND DAYS, translated by H. G. EVELYN-WHITE

[1] Muses of Pieria who give glory through song, come hither, tell of Zeus your father and chant his praise. Through him mortal men are famed or unfamed, sung or unsung alike, as great Zeus wills. For easily he makes strong, and easily he brings the strong man low; easily he humbles the proud and raises the obscure, and easily he straightens the crooked and blasts the proud, -- Zeus who thunders aloft and has his dwelling most high. Attend thou with eye and ear, and make judgements straight with righteousness. And I, Perses, would tell of true things.

[225] But they who give straight judgements to strangers and to the men of the land, and go not aside from what is just, their city flourishes, and the people prosper in it: Peace, the nurse of children, is abroad in their land, and all-seeing Zeus never decrees cruel war against them. Neither famine nor disaster ever haunt men who do true justice; but light-heartedly they tend the fields which are all their care. The earth bears them victual in plenty, and on the mountains the oak bears acorns upon the top and bees in the midst.

[238] But for those who practise violence and cruel deeds far-seeing Zeus, the son of Cronos, ordains a punishment. Often even a whole city suffers for a bad man who sins and devises presumptuous deeds, and the son of Cronos lays great trouble upon the people, famine and plague together, so that the men perish away, and their women do not bear children, and their houses become few, through the contriving of Olympian Zeus.

[248] You princes, mark well this punishment you also; for the deathless gods are near among men and mark all those who oppress their fellows with crooked judgements, and reck not the anger of the gods. For upon the bounteous earth Zeus has thrice ten thousand spirits, watchers of mortal men, and these keep watch on judgements and deeds of wrong as they roam, clothed in mist, all over the earth. And there is virgin Justice, the daughter of Zeus, who is honoured and reverenced among the gods who dwell on Olympus, and whenever anyone hurts her with lying slander, she sits beside her father, Zeus the son of Cronos, and tells him of men's wicked heart, until the people pay for the mad folly of their princes who, evilly minded, pervert judgement and give sentence crookedly. Keep watch against this, you princes, and make straight your judgements, you who devour bribes; put crooked judgements altogether from your thoughts.

[724] Never pour a libation of sparkling wine to Zeus after dawn with unwashen hands, nor to others of the deathless gods; else they do not hear your prayers but spit them back.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 1, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[440] For often I(Achilles) have heard you(Thetis) boast in father's house that you alone of all the deathless gods saved Zeus of the dark clouds from disgraceful ruin, when other Olympians came to tie him up, Hera, Pallas Athena, and Poseidon. But you, goddess(Thetis), came and set him free, by quickly calling up to high Olympus that hundred-handed monster gods call Briareos, and men all name Aigaion, a creature whose strength was greater than his father's. He sat down beside the son of Cronos, exulting in his glory. The sacred gods, afraid, stopped tying up Zeus.

[468] But I'll(Thetis) tell these things to thunder-loving Zeus. I'll go myself to snow-topped Mount Olympus, to see if he will undertake all this. Meanwhile, you should sit by your swift ships, angry at Achaeans. Take no part in war. For yesterday Zeus went to Oceanus, to banquet with the worthy Ethiopians. The gods all journeyed with him. In twelve days, when he returns and comes home to Olympus, I'll go to Zeus' bronze-floored house, clasp his knee. I think I'll get him to consent.

[550] Twelve days later, the company of gods came back together to Olympus, with Zeus in the lead. Thetis did not forget the promise to her son. She rose up through the ocean waves at daybreak, then moved high up to great Olympus. She found Zeus, wide-seeing son of Cronos, some distance from the rest, seated on the highest peak of many-ridged Olympus. She sat down right in front of him. With her left hand, she clutched his knees, with her right she cupped his chin, in supplication to lord Zeus, son of Cronos: “Father Zeus, if, among the deathless gods, I've ever served you well in word or deed, then grant my prayer will be fulfilled. Bring honour to my son, who, of all men will be fate's quickest victim. For just now, Agamemnon, king of men, has shamed him. He seized his prize, robbing him in person, and kept it for himself. But honour him, Zeus, all-wise Olympian. Give the Trojans the upper hand, until Achaeans respect my son, until they multiply his honours.” Thetis finished. Cloud gatherer Zeus did not respond. He sat a long time silent. Thetis held his knees, clinging close, repeating her request once more: “Promise me truly, nod your head, or deny me— since there's nothing here for you to fear— so I'll clearly see how among all gods I enjoy the least respect.”

[578] Cloud gatherer Zeus, greatly troubled, said: “A nasty business. What you say will set Hera against me. She provokes me so with her abuse. Even now, in the assembly of immortal gods, she's always insulting me, accusing me of favouring the Trojans in the war. But go away for now, in case Hera catches on. I'll take care of this, make sure it comes to pass. Come, to convince you, I'll nod my head. Among gods that's the strongest pledge I make. Once I nod my assent, nothing I say can be revoked, denied, or unfulfilled.” Zeus, son of Cronos, nodded his dark brows.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 2, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[1] Gods and warriors slept through the entire night. But sweet Sleep did not visit Zeus, tossing and turning over in his mind some way to honour Achilles, by slaughtering many soldiers by the Achaean ships. In Zeus' heart the best idea seemed to be to send out a wicked Dream to Agamemnon. Calling the Dream, Zeus said these winged words to him: “Evil Dream, fly quickly to Achaea's men, by their swift ships. Go to Agamemnon's hut, Atreus' son. Report my words precisely. Bid him quickly arm long-haired Achaean troops, for now they'll capture Troy, city of wide streets. Immortal gods who dwell on Mount Olympus no longer disagree about all this. Hera's entreaties have persuaded them. Trojans can expect more sorrows, more disasters.” Zeus spoke. With these instructions, Dream set off, quickly reaching Achaea's fast ships and Atreus's son.

[116] King Agamemnon stood up, hands gripping his staff, one fashioned by Hephaestus' careful craftsmanship. That god had given it to lord Zeus, son of Cronos. Later Zeus had presented it to Hermes, the guide, killer of Argus. Hermes, in his turn, gave it to king Pelops, the chariot racer, who passed the staff to Atreus, the people's leader. This man, as he lay dying, left it for Thyestes, who owned many flocks. Thyestes, in his turn, passed it onto Agamemnon, who held it as ruler of all Argos and many islands.

[813] Men from Argissa, Gyrtone, Orthe, Elone, the white city Oloösson—these troops were led by Polypoetes, a steadfast soldier, son of Perithous, himself son to immortal Zeus.

[861] The soldiers, like a fire consuming all the land, moved on out. Earth groaned under them, just as it does when Zeus, who loves thunder, in his anger lashes the land around Typhoeus, among the Arimi, where people say Typhoeus has his lair. That's how the earth groaned loudly under marching feet.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 3, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[416] At that point Menelaus would've hauled back Paris and won unending fame, if Aphrodite, Zeus' daughter, had not had sharp eyes.

[477] She placed it facing Paris. Helen, child of Zeus, who bears the aegis, sat down.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 4, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[61] Ox-eyed Hera then said in reply to Zeus: “The three cities I love the best by far are Argos, Sparta, and Mycenae, city of wide streets. Destroy them utterly, if you ever hate them in your heart. I won't deny you or get in your way. If I tried disagreeing with such destruction, my hostile stance would be quite useless. For you are far more powerful than me. But my own work must not be wasted, worth nothing. I'm a god, the same race as you— I'm crooked-minded Cronos' eldest daughter. Another thing—in addition to my birth— I'm called your wife, and you rule all immortals. In this matter, then, let's both support each other's wishes—you mine, I yours. Other gods will follow our example. Instruct Athena to go immediately where Trojans and Achaeans carry on their bitter conflict. There she should try to get the Trojans to break their oaths first, by harming the glorious Achaeans.” Hera spoke. The father of gods and men agreed. He spoke up to Athena—his words had wings. “Go quickly to the Trojan and Achaean troops. Try to get the Trojans to break their oaths first, by injuring the glorious Achaeans.” Zeus' words stirred up Athena's earlier desires. She darted from Olympus summit, sped off, like a comet sent by crooked-minded Cronos' son, a beacon for sailors and the wide race of men, showering sparks behind her as she flew.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 5, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[732] As these men toiled in frantic battle, powerful fate drove strong, brave Tlepolemus, son of Hercules, against godlike Sarpedon. These two men approached, facing each other at close quarters, son and grandson of cloud-gathering Zeus.

[765] Sarpedon's spear hit Tlepolemus right in the neck. The cruel point kept going. Dark night covered up his eyes. Tlepolemus' long spear struck Sarpedon in his left thigh. Its bloodthirsty point pierced him, aiming for the bone. On this occasion, Father Zeus held off his fate. His brave companions carried off godlike Sarpedon, pulled down by the long spear's weight, as it dragged behind.

[862] Hera, white-armed goddess, reined in the horses, then spoke to Zeus, most high son of Cronos: “Father Zeus, aren't you angry with Ares for killing off those warriors? He's wiped out so many Achaean men, good ones, too, and so rashly. It's not right. It pains me. Meanwhile, Aphrodite and Apollo, with his silver bow, are enjoying themselves, happy about this madman they've unleashed, who has no sense of what's appropriate. Father Zeus, would I annoy you very much if I hurt Ares and chased him from this fight?” Cloud gatherer Zeus smiled and then said in reply: “All right, then, do that. But set Athena, goddess of the battle spoils, against him. For she's the one who's most accustomed to inflicting nasty pains on Ares.” White-armed goddess Hera agreed with what Zeus said. She whipped the horses on. They flew off willingly, mid-way between the starry heaven and earth.

[992] Ares, in a rush, went to the gods' home, steep Olympus, sat by Zeus, distressed at heart. He showed Zeus where he'd been wounded, dripping with immortal blood, then made his complaint. His words had wings. “Father Zeus, aren't you incensed at this barbarity? We gods are always suffering dreadfully at each other's hands, when we bring men help. We all lay the blame for this on you. For you gave birth to that insane young girl, your destructive daughter, always busy with some nastiness. All the other gods, all those on Mount Olympus, do what you say. And each of us is subject to your will. But you never punish her in word or deed. You do nothing, because you gave birth to her yourself, to Athena, your vicious daughter. Just now she urged proud Diomedes, son of Tydeus, to charge insanely against deathless gods. First he attacked Aphrodite and struck her on the wrist. Then he charged me, even me, like a god. But my quick feet took me away. If not, I'd be in lasting pain with the fearful dead, or have barely lived, wounded by bronze spears.” Scowling at him, cloud-gatherer Zeus replied: “You hypocrite, don't sit there whining at me. Among the gods who live on Mount Olympus, you're the one I hate the most. For you love war, constant strife and battle. Your mother, Hera, has an implacable, unyielding spirit. It's hard for me to control how she reacts to what I say. You're suffering because of her, through her conniving, that's what I think. But I'll leave you in pain no longer. You're my child—your mother and I made you. But if you'd been born from any other god, by now you'd be lower than the sons of Ouranos—you're so destructive.” Zeus spoke. He instructed Paeëon to heal Ares.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 6, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[196] But Proetus, in his heart, plotted against him, driving him from Argos, being much stronger, for Zeus had given royal power to Proetus.

[253] The king's daughter bore him three children— Isander, Hippolochus, and Laodamia. Counselor Zeus then had sex with the girl. She bore great Sarpedon, bronze-armed warrior.

[394] Hector, loved by Zeus, went in the house, holding his spear, sixteen feet long, bronze point glittering in front of him, a gold band running round it.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 7, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[515] As long-haired Achaeans worked, gods sitting beside Zeus, lord of lightning, gazed down on the huge construction, the project undertaken by bronze-armed Achaeans. Earthshaker Poseidon was the first to speak: “Father Zeus, will any mortal man on boundless earth, after this event, inform gods of his plans, of his intentions? Don't you see that long-haired Achaeans have built a new wall to protect their ships, dug a ditch around it, and yet have made no splendid sacrifice to us, the gods? The fame of this wall will reach everywhere, as far as light of dawn. People will forget that wall which Phoebus Apollo and myself worked hard to build for heroic Laomedon.” Cloud-gatherer Zeus, quite irked, answered Poseidon: “Such talk from you, mighty Earthshaker, is silly. Another god might well fear this design, some god with a far less powerful hand, a weaker spirit than your own. Your fame will reach as far as the shining light of dawn. Come now, when the long-haired Achaeans leave, sailing their ships to their dear native land, you can smash their wall, take it out to sea, bury the great shore under sand, and so erase that great Achaean wall completely.” As the gods discussed these things amongst themselves, the sun went down and Achaeans finished working. They slaughtered oxen by their huts and ate their dinner.

[552] Long-haired Achaeans feasted all night long, as did Trojans and their allies in the city, while throughout the night, Counselor Zeus, thundering ominously, plotted bad things for them. Pale fear gripped men. They kept pouring wine from goblets onto the ground. No one dared to drink before he made an offering to Zeus, almighty son of Cronos. Then they went to bed, to receive the gift of sleep.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 8, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[1] As Dawn first spread her yellow robe across the earth, thunder-loving Zeus summoned an assembly of the gods on the highest crest of many-ridged Olympus. Zeus himself addressed them. The other deities, those ranked below him, listened carefully. “Hear me, all you gods and goddesses, I'll speak what the spirit in my chest prompts. And let no female god, no male one either, seek to thwart my plan. Let's get agreement from all of you to end this matter quickly. If I see any of you breaking ranks of gods, keen to assist the Trojans or Danaans, that god I'll beat up ignominiously and send back to Olympus. Or I'll seize him and pitch him into black Tartarus, way down, into the deepest pit below the earth, where the gates are iron, the threshold bronze, as far below Hades as heaven lies above the earth. Then he'll acknowledge just how strong I am, the strongest of all gods. Come on, try it—then everyone will know. Take a golden cord, hang it from heaven. Let gods and goddesses, all together, grab hold of one end of it and pull. You'd not drag Zeus, the highest counselor, down from heaven to the ground, never, no matter how hard you tried to do it. But when I wished to pull in earnest, I'd yank up earth itself, the sea as well. I'd loop that cord round some Olympian peak and hang it in mid-air—the whole of it. I’m that much stronger than the gods and men.” Zeus finished. All the gods were speechless, shocked at what Zeus had said, at the power of his tone.

[35] At last Athena, the bright-eyed goddess, spoke up: “Son of Cronos, you're the father of us all, highest ruling force. We well know your strength. It's invincible. Still, we're sorry for the troops, Danaan spearmen dying, suffering dreadful fates. But we'll stand apart from battle, as you wish, although we'll give the Argives our advice, help them, to prevent destruction of them all, just to answer your displeasure.” Cloud-gatherer Zeus, smiling at Athena, said: “My dear child Tritogeneia, have no fears. I wasn't speaking all that seriously. I want to treat you in a friendly way.” Zeus harnessed his two horses, swift-flying animals, with hooves of bronze and flowing golden manes. He encased his body all in gold, took up his whip, a gold one, finely crafted, climbed in his chariot, then lashed the horses onward. They flew off eagerly. Midway between the earth and starry heaven, Zeus reached Mount Ida with its many springs, mother of wild beasts. He reached Gargaros, site of his grove and temple, fragrant with sacrifice. There, the father of gods and men reined in his horses, untied them from the chariot, and hid them in thick cloud. Then he sat on the mountain peak, proud and splendid, gazing down on the Trojan city, the Achaean ships.

[158] Nestor let the shining reins drop from his hands. Feeling fear inside his chest, he cried: “Son of Tydeus, wheel your sure-footed horses round. Go back. Don't you see Zeus is not protecting you? Today the son of Cronos grants Hector glory. Tomorrow he'll give victory to us, if that's his will. No man stops Zeus' plans, no one, not even the mightiest warrior. Zeus' force is more powerful by far.”

[231] Then she spoke out to great god Poseidon: “Alas, great Earthshaker, don't you feel any anguish in your heart, as Danaans are destroyed? After all, they bring you presents, many pleasing gifts, to Helice and Aegae. Don't you want them to win? Now, if all those of us who protect Danaans were to agree to drive the Trojans back, we'd leave wide-seeing Zeus up there by himself, sulking where he sits alone on Ida” Mighty Earthshaker Poseidon, very angry, answered Hera: “Hera, you fearless talker, What are you saying? That's not what I want, the rest of us to war on Zeus, son of Cronos. For he is much more powerful than us.”

[264] Agamemnon, from that spot, then shouted out, making himself heard to all Danaans: “You Argives! What a shameful bunch of men! Splendid to look at, but a sour disgrace! What's happened to our sworn oaths, when we claimed we were the best, the bravest? Idle boasters! There in Lemnos, as you stuffed yourselves with meat from straight-horned cattle and drank bowls of wine, foaming to the brim, you talked of how you'd stand, each and every one of you, firm in battle against a hundred or two hundred Trojans. Now we're matched by Hector, just one man, who'll quickly set our ships alight with fire. Father Zeus, have you ever so deluded a high-minded king and stolen his glory? While sailing well-decked ships to this disaster, I say I never overlooked your lovely altars. On every one I burned fat and thighs of oxen— I was so keen to conquer Troy, its well-made walls. But Zeus, grant me now at least this prayer— let us get out of here alive, in safety. Don't let Trojans kill Achaeans off like this.” As Agamemnon spoke, tears streaming down his face, Father Zeus pitied him and nodded his assent— the army would be saved and not demolished. At once Zeus sent the surest of all bird omens, an eagle, gripping in its talons a young fawn, child of some swift deer. The eagle released the fawn, dropping it right beside that splendid altar where Achaeans sacrificed to all-knowing Zeus. Seeing that Zeus had sent the bird, men resumed the fight, attacking Trojans eagerly, their battle spirits roused.

[391] Once more Olympian Zeus put force into the Trojans. They drove Achaeans back, right back to their deep trench, Hector at the front, proudly showing off his strength.

[415] Bright-eyed goddess Athena answered Hera: “I wish Hector somehow would lose his strength and die, killed in his own native land at Argive hands. But my father, too, is in a rage, destruction on his mind. What a wretch he is, always in the way, wrecking my plans. He does not remember how many times I saved Hercules, his son, worn down by work he got from Eurystheus. If I'd had the foresight to anticipate what Zeus is doing now when Eurystheus sent Hercules down to the house of Hades, the Gate Keeper, to fetch back from Erebus Hades' dreadful hound, he'd never have escaped the deep rushing waters of the river Styx. Now Zeus dislikes me. He's carrying out what Thetis wants. She kissed his knee, cupped his chin, begged him to grant due honour to Achilles, destroyer of cities. But the day will come when Zeus calls me dear bright eyes once more. Now harness your sure-footed horses for us, while I go to aegis-bearing Zeus' home and arm myself with weapons for this battle, so I may see whether this son of Priam, this Hector of the shining helmet, is pleased when we two show up in the battle lanes, or whether some Trojan will make a meal for dogs and birds with flesh and body fat, as he falls there beside Achaean ships.” Athena finished. White-armed Hera agreed with her.

[463] Father Zeus noticed them(Athena and Hera) from Ida. In a huge rage, he sent down gold-winged Iris with a message for them. “Off with you, swift Iris. Turn them back again. Don't permit them to come into my presence. For if we come to blows, then we'll have trouble. But I do say this—and it will surely happen— I'll cripple their fast horses in their traces, throw them from the chariot, smash it in pieces. Ten revolving years won't be sufficient to cure the wounds my lightning will inflict, so the bright-eyed goddess knows what it means to fight against her father. As for Hera, I'm not so angry or upset with her, for no matter what I say, she undermines it.” Zeus spoke. Then Iris, swift as a storm, rushed off, taking his message. She came down from Mount Ida and made for high Olympus. She met the goddesses at the outer gate of many-ridged Olympus. She stopped them and reported Zeus' message: “Where are you rushing off? Have you lost your wits? The son of Cronos has forbidden anyone to assist the Argives. And he's made this threat— which he intends to carry out—he'll maim your swift horses in their traces, throw you both out of the chariot, smash it in pieces. Ten revolving years won't be sufficient to cure the wounds his lightning will inflict, so that you'll understand, bright-eyed goddess, what it means to fight against your father. With Hera's he's not so angry or upset. For no matter what he says, she undermines it. But as for you, you shameless schemer, are you daring to fight Zeus with one large spear?” Having said this, swift-footed Iris went away. Hera then said to Athena: “What a mess, child of aegis-bearing Zeus! I'm not keen, not now, that two of us should take on Zeus for the sake of mortal men. Let some die and others live, as chance will work it out. Let Zeus judge between Trojans and Achaeans, as his heart desires. That's how it should be.” With these words, she turned her sure-footed horses back.

[508] The goddesses then sat down on their golden thrones, among the other gods, with anger in their hearts. Father Zeus drove his fine-wheeled chariot and horses from Ida to Olympus, to the place where gods were all assembled. The famous Earthshaker, Poseidon, loosed his horses from their harness for him, put the chariot on its stand, and covered it with cloth. Then wide-seeing Zeus himself sat on his golden throne. Underneath his feet great Olympus trembled. Athena and Hera were sitting by themselves, away from Zeus, not saying anything to him or asking questions. Knowing what was in their hearts, Zeus spoke: “Why are you so irritated, Hera and Athena? Surely you're not tired from those fights where men win glory, exhausted after killing off the Trojans, for whom you feel such deadly hatred? Be that as it may, such is my power, the strength in my own hands, it's impossible for all the Olympian gods combined to turn me from my purposes. As for you, you both were trembling in your shining limbs even before you looked on any fight or witnessed first-hand war's destructiveness. But I'll tell you what would've taken place— neither of you would’ve come back to Olympus, the immortals' home, riding in your chariot. My lightning would have blasted both of you.” Zeus finished speaking.

[536]Hera and Athena muttered, sitting together, plotting trouble for the Trojans. Athena sat in silence, not saying anything, angry with her father, consumed with rage. But Hera couldn't hold the fury in her chest. She said: “Dread son of Cronos, what are you saying? We know well enough how strong you are— invincible. But nonetheless, we pity Danaan spearmen who are being destroyed, suffering a dreadful fate. But we'll hold back, refrain from fighting, if that's your order. We'll provide useful advice to Argives, so they don't all die from your displeasure.”

[549] In response to Hera, cloud-gatherer Zeus then said: “Ox-eyed queen Hera, if you're so inclined, tomorrow morning you can witness the exalted son of Cronos, as he kills many Achaean spearmen in their army. For warlike Hector won't stop fighting, until beside the ships he stirs to action swift Achilles, son of Peleus, on that day they fight with bloody desperation by the ships’ sterns—they'll be battling over the body of Patroclus. That's been decreed. I don't care at all if this annoys you. Even if you descend to the lowest place beneath the earth and sea, where Iapetus and Cronos live, where they get no pleasure in any sunlight from Hyperion, or any breeze, in the depths of Tartarus— even if you went as far away as that in your wandering, I'd still pay no attention to your displeasure. For you've no rival when it comes to behaving like a bitch.” Zeus spoke. White-armed Hera didn't answer him.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 9, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[112] Old Nestor, whose previous advice had seemed the best, was the first to begin explaining what he thought. Keeping in mind their common good, he spoke out: “Mighty son of Atreus, Agamemnon, king of men, I'll begin and end my speech with you, for you are lord of many men. Zeus gave you sceptre and laws to rule them.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 11, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[83] All blamed the son of Cronos, lord of the dark cloud, because he planned to give glory to the Trojans. But Father Zeus was not concerned on their account. Withdrawing some distance from them, he sat apart, exultant, glorious. He looked out at Troy, at the Achaean ships, at the flashing bronze, at warriors killing, and at warriors being killed.

[186] Zeus pulled Hector back from the flying weapons, dust, slaughter, blood, and noise, but Agamemnon, bellowing orders to his Danaans, still pursued.

[207] But just as Agamemnon was about to reach the steep walls of the city, the father of gods and men came down from heaven, sat on the peaks of Ida, with its many springs, holding a thunderbolt. He sent off gold-winged Iris with a message: “Go, swift Iris, and tell Hector this— as long as he sees Agamemnon, that shepherd of his people, rampaging at the front, mowing down rows of men, he must restrain himself, tell other troops to fight the enemy in the killing zone. But when Agamemnon, hit by a spear or wounded with an arrow, mounts his chariot, then I'll give Hector power to kill and kill, until he moves up to the well-decked ships, at sunset, when sacred darkness comes.” Zeus finished. Wind-swift Iris obeyed, going down from Ida to sacred Ilion. She found Hector, wise Priam's noble son, standing with his horses, in his well-made chariot. Coming close beside him, swift-footed Iris spoke: “Hector, son of Priam, like the gods for your wise counsel, Father Zeus has sent me to give you these instructions— for as long as you see Agamemnon, that shepherd of his people, rampaging at the front, mowing down rows of men, you must restrain yourself. Tell other troops to fight the enemy in the killing zone. But when Agamemnon, hit by a spear or wounded with an arrow, mounts his chariot, then Zeus will give you power to kill and kill, until you move up to the well-decked ships, at sunset, when sacred darkness comes.” After saying this, swift-footed Iris sped away.

[613] But he kept away from any fight with Ajax, son of Telamon. Then Father Zeus, enthroned on high, put fear in Ajax. He stood bewildered, shifted his seven-layered shield onto his back, turned, looked round at throngs of Trojans, like some wild beast, then backed off step by step, retreating, but often turning back.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 12, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[25] Phoebus Apollo merged the mouths of all these rivers, then for nine days drove the flood against the rampart. Zeus brought constant rain to wash the wall away into the sea more quickly. And Poseidon, too, the Earthshaker himself, holding his trident, led the work, his waves eroding all foundations, wood and stone Achaeans had worked so hard to set there.

[270] Thunder-loving Zeus then sent gusting storm winds down from Ida, driving dust straight at the ships, to disorient Achaeans and give glory to Hector and the Trojans.

[441] Ajax and Teucer now advanced together to attack Sarpedon. Teucer hit him with an arrow on the gleaming strap around his chest which held his protective shield. But Zeus defended his own son from deadly fates to make sure he'd not be destroyed by the ships' sterns.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 13, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[1] Thus Zeus brought Hector and the Trojans to the ships. Then he left the soldiers there to carry on their strife, their wretched endless war. He turned his shining gaze away from them, looking far off into the distance, at the land of Thracian horsemen, Mysians, men who fight hand to hand, proud Hippemolgi, who drink mare's milk, to the most righteous men of all, the Abii. Zeus no longer turned his radiant eyes toward Troy, for in his heart he did not believe a single one of the immortal gods would move to give assistance to the Trojans or Danaans.

[408] Then two mighty sons of Cronos, at cross purposes, made painful trouble for those mortal warriors. Zeus wanted victory for Hector and his Trojans, to give swift Achilles glory—not that he wished Achaea's army to be totally destroyed in front of Troy, but he did want to honour Thetis, and her great-hearted son, as well, Achilles. But Poseidon moved around among the Argives, urging action, coming out in secret from the sea, angry that Trojans were destroying Achaeans, and incensed at Zeus. Both gods had a common father— the same family, too—but Zeus was older and more wise. So Poseidon avoided giving any overt help. He did his work in secret through the army, in human form, urging men to fight.

[530] Zeus first fathered Minos to rule Crete.

[616] Loud-voiced mighty Ares was not yet aware his own son had fallen in the killing zone. He sat on the highest part of Mount Olympus, under golden clouds, confined by Zeus' will, along with the rest of the immortal gods, forbidden to participate in warfare.

[916] Those companions you just mentioned have been killed. Only Deïphobus and brave Helenus have gone back, both wounded in the arm— hit by a long spear—but Zeus saved them from death.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 14, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[191] Hera's heart was pleased. She looked across at Zeus, sitting on the highest peak on top of Ida, with its many fountains. Hatred filled her heart. So ox-eyed queen Hera then began considering how she might deceive the mind of aegis-bearing Zeus. In her heart the best course of action seemed to be to make herself look most attractive, go to Ida, then see if Zeus would want to lie down with her, embrace her, and make love. Then she could pour out on his eyelids and his crafty mind a deep warm sleep.

[201] She went off to her bedroom, which Hephaestus, her dear son, had made for her, with close-fitting doors set against their posts, secured with a secret lock, which no other god could open. She went in there, then closed the shining doors. First, with ambrosia she washed from her lovely body all the stains, then rubbed her skin with fragrant oil, divinely sweet, made specially for her. If this perfume were merely stirred inside Zeus' bronze-floored house, its scent would then diffuse throughout heaven and earth. She used this perfume all over her fair body, then arranged her hair. With her own hands she combed her shining locks in braids, a stunning style for an immortal goddess. Then she wrapped around herself a heavenly robe, which Athena made for her from silky fabric, adorning it with gorgeous embroidery. She pinned the robe around her breast with golden brooches. On her waist she put a belt with a hundred tassels. Hera then fixed earrings in her pierced ear lobes, each with three gemstones, an enchanting glitter. Next the queen of goddesses placed on her head a fine new dazzling shawl, white as the sun. She then slipped lovely sandals over her sleek feet.

[259] Aphrodite spoke, then loosened from her breasts the finely decorated, embroidered garment in which all her magic charms were fixed—for love, erotic lust, flirtation, and seduction, which steals the wits even of clear-thinking men. Aphrodite put this in Hera's hands, then said: “Take this garment. Tie it round your breasts. Everything is interwoven in the cloth. I don't think you'll come back unsuccessful in getting what it is your heart desires.” Aphrodite finished. Ox-eyed queen Hera smiled, and, as she did so, put the garment round her breasts. Then Aphrodite, Zeus' daughter, went back home. Hera sped off, leaving the crest of Mount Olympus.

[273] She touched down on Pieria, lovely Emathia, rushed by the highest mountains of Thracian horsemen— her feet did not touch ground on those snow-covered peaks. From Athos she went across the heaving sea, coming to Lemnos, city of godlike Thoas. There she met Sleep, Death's brother. Clasping his hand, she spoke to him: “Sleep, king of all men and gods, if you've ever listened to what I say, obey me now. I'll be grateful always. Lull Zeus' radiant eyes to sleep for me, when I'm stretched out for sex beside him. I'll give you as a gift a lovely throne, indestructible gold which my own son Hephaestus with his ambidextrous skills will make for you. Under it he'll set a stool, so you can rest your feet when drinking wine.”

[288] Sweet Sleep then said in reply: “Honoured goddess Hera, daughter of mighty Cronos, I could with ease bring some other immortal one to sleep, even the streams of river Ocean, the source of all of them. But I won't come near Zeus, lull him to sleep, unless he bids me, asks in person. Your request some time ago taught me my lesson, on that very day when Hercules, son of almighty Zeus, set sail from Ilion, after he'd sacked the Trojans' city. That's when I seduced the mind of aegis-bearing Zeus, pouring my sweetness over him. You then carried evil in your heart for Hercules, driving blasts of hostile winds across the sea, taking him at last to well-settled Cos, far from all his friends. When Zeus woke up, he was incensed, throwing gods around his house, looking, above all, for me. He'd have tossed me from heaven into the sea, if Night, who subdues gods and men, had not saved me. I ran away to her, and Zeus held back, though still enraged, not wishing to offend swift Night. Now here you are again, asking me to do something I simply must not do.”

[313] Ox-eyed queen Hera then answered him: “Sleep, why concern your heart about these matters? Do you think all-seeing Zeus feels for Trojans the same rage he felt then for Hercules, his own son? But come, I'll give you as your wife one of the younger Graces. You can marry Pasithea, whom you long for every day.” Hera finished. Sleep was overjoyed and said: “All right, then. Swear to me by waters of the inviolable river Styx, setting one hand on the all-nourishing earth, the other on the shimmering sea, so all may witness our agreement, even those gods underground with Cronos, that you will give me one of the Graces, Pasithea, whom I long for every day.”

[330] White-armed goddess Hera agreed to Sleep's request. She made the oath, as he had asked, invoking all the gods under Tartarus, those called the Titans. Once she'd finished saying the oath, they both set off, wrapping themselves in mist. They left behind them the cities of Lemnos and Imbros, moving quickly, then came to Mount Ida with its many springs, mother of wild creatures, and arrived at Lectum, where for the first time they left the sea. They walked on dry land, shaking treetops underneath their feet. Sleep then stopped, before Zeus' eyes could see him, climbed a high pine tree, at that time the tallest one growing on Ida. It stretched up through the lower air right into the sky. Concealed in that tree's branches, Sleep perched there, shaped like the clear-voiced mountain bird which gods call Chalcis, but people name Cymindis.

[346] Hera moved quickly on to Ida's peak, high Gargarus. Cloud-gatherer Zeus caught sight of her. As he looked, his wise heart became suffused with sexual desire, as strong as when they'd first made love together, lying on a couch without their parents' knowledge. Zeus stood up in front of her, called her, and said: “Hera, what are you looking for, coming down here from Olympus? Your chariot and your horses are not here. You should use them.”

[355] Queen Hera with her crafty mind then answered Zeus: “I'm going to visit the outer limits of this all-nourishing earth, to Oceanus, from whom gods came, and mother Tethys, who looked after me in their own home. They raised me well. I'll try to mediate their endless quarrel. For a long time now, they've stayed apart from one another, not sharing love there in the marriage bed, since anger fills their hearts. As for my horses, they're standing at the foot of Ida, with its many springs, to carry me across dry land and sea. I've come here now, down from Mount Olympus, to stop you from being angry with me afterwards, if I say nothing about going to visit deep-flowing Oceanus in his home.”

[372] Cloud-gatherer Zeus then answered: “Hera, you can go there later. But why don't we lie down and make joyful love together? I've never felt such sexual desire before for any goddess, for any mortal woman. It's flooding through me, overpowering the heart here in my chest—not even when I lusted for Ixion's wife, who bore me Peirithous, a man as wise as gods, or Danaë, with her enchanting ankles, daughter of Acrisius, who gave birth to Perseus, most illustrious of men, nor the daughter of famous Phoenix, who bore me Minos and godlike Rhadamanthus, nor Alcmene, who gave birth to Hercules in Thebes, a mighty hearted son, nor Semele, who bore that joy to mortals Dionysus, nor fair-haired lady Demeter, nor Leto, that glorious girl, not even for yourself— I felt for none of these the love I feel for you right now—such sweet desire grips me.”

[393] Queen Hera with her cunning mind then said in reply: “Most fearsome son of Cronos, what are you saying? If you now want us to make love lying here, on Ida’s peaks, where anyone can see, what if one of the immortal gods observes us, as we sleep, then goes and tells the other gods? I could not get up from this bed and go into your home. That would be scandalous. But if that's your wish, if your heart's set on it, you have that bedroom your own son Hephaestus had built for you. It has close-fitting doors fixed into posts. Let's go and lie down there, since you're so keen for us to go to bed.” Cloud-gatherer Zeus then answered her: “Hera, don't be afraid that any god or man will glimpse a thing. I'll cover you up in a golden cloud. Even sun god Helios will not see the two of us, and his rays are the most perceptive spies of all.” Zeus finished. Then Cronos' son took his wife in his arms. Underneath them divine Earth made fresh flowers grow— dew-covered clover, crocuses, and hyacinths, lush and soft, to hold the lovers off the ground. They lay together there covered with a cloud, a lovely golden mist, from which fell glistening dew. Then Zeus slumbered peacefully on Mount Gargarus, overcome with love and sleep, his wife in his embrace.

[420] Sweet Sleep rushed to the Achaean ships, to inform Poseidon, the Encircler and Shaker of the Earth. Coming up to him, Sleep spoke—his words had wings: “Poseidon, you could now assist the Argives quite readily and give them glory, if only for a while—Zeus is fast asleep. I’ve covered him with a delicious sleep. Hera has seduced him on a bed of love.”

[507] But when they reached the ford on that lovely river, the swirling Xanthus, whose father is immortal Zeus

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 15, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[1] Trojans, in full retreat, passed the wall and ditch, with many slaughtered by Danaans. Then they stopped, regrouping by their chariots, pale with fear, terrified. At that point Zeus, lying on the peaks of Ida alongside Hera of the golden throne, woke up. He stood up quickly, looked at Trojans and Achaeans, saw Trojans running off with Argives driving them from the back, among them god Poseidon. He saw Hector lying on the plain, his companions sitting round him. Hector was gagging painfully, dazed and vomiting blood. The warrior who'd struck him was not the weakest of Achaeans. Watching him, the father of gods and men pitied Hector.

[14] Trojans, in full retreat, passed the wall and ditch, with many slaughtered by Danaans. Then they stopped, regrouping by their chariots, pale with fear, terrified. At that point Zeus, lying on the peaks of Ida alongside Hera of the golden throne, woke up. He stood up quickly, looked at Trojans and Achaeans, saw Trojans running off with Argives driving them from the back, among them god Poseidon. He saw Hector lying on the plain, his companions sitting round him. Hector was gagging painfully, dazed and vomiting blood. The warrior who'd struck him was not the weakest of Achaeans. Watching him, the father of gods and men pitied Hector.

[43] Zeus spoke. Ox-eyed queen Hera trembled as she answered—her words had wings: “Let earth and wide heaven above be witnesses, with the flowing waters of the river Styx, on which the most binding, most fearful oaths are made by blessed gods—let your sacred head, our marriage bed as well, stand witnesses, things on which I'd never swear untruthfully— the harm that Earthshaker Poseidon did to Hector and the Trojans, to help Argives— in all that I had no part. His own heart pushed and drove him on. He saw Achaeans being beaten by their ships and pitied them. I'd not advise him to go against you, lord of the dark cloud, but to follow you, wherever you might lead.”

[58] The father of gods and men smiled and then replied— his words had wings: “Ox-eyed queen Hera, if from now on you and I were of one mind, as you took your seat among immortals, then, no matter how much Poseidon's views differed from our own, he'd quickly bring them into line with yours and mine. If you're being frank, speaking the truth, go now to that group of gods, and order Iris to come here with Apollo, the famous archer, so she may visit bronze-armed Achaean soldiers and instruct lord Poseidon to stop fighting and return to his own house. And Phoebus Apollo, after reviving Hector for the fight, will breathe new strength into him. He'll forget that pain which now weighs down his spirit. He'll drive Achaeans back a second time, once he's turned them into cowards. They'll run back to Achilles' ships with many oars. The son of Peleus will send out his companion, Patroclus, whom glorious Hector will then kill in a spear fight right in front of Ilion, after many other young men have gone down, killed by Patroclus, including my own son, godlike Sarpedon. Then, in his anger at Patroclus' death, godlike Achilles will slaughter Hector. From that moment on, I'll make the Trojans steadily fall back, leaving the ships, until Achaeans take steep Ilion, with Athena's guidance. Until that time, I'll not restrain my anger, nor let any other immortal god assist Achaeans here, not before Achilles' wishes have been carried out, as I first promised, nodding my assent, that day when goddess Thetis held my knee and begged me to bring honour to Achilles, destroyer of cities.” Zeus finished speaking. White-armed goddess Hera obeyed him, leaving Mount Ida for high Olympus.

[173] Hera called Apollo from the house with Iris, messenger for the immortal deities. Hera addressed them both—her words had wings: “Zeus is ordering you two to go to Ida, as fast as possible. Once you get there, look in Zeus' face, do what he commands.” Having said this, queen Hera went inside the house, sat on her throne. Flying off in a rush, the two gods reached Ida with its many springs, mother of wild beasts. They found all-seeing Zeus sitting on Gargarus, wrapped in a finely scented cloud. The two approached, came up, and stood there before cloud-gatherer Zeus.

[185] Seeing them, Zeus felt no anger in his heart. They'd been quick obeying his dear wife. Zeus spoke first to Iris— his words had wings: “Go now, swift Iris, convey to lord Poseidon these instructions, report it all precisely—he's to stop, to leave the battle strife, and go away to the group of gods or to his sacred sea. If he won't obey my orders and ignores them, he should consider in his mind and heart this point—no matter how mighty he may be, he can't stand up to me if I attack him. For I can say I'm stronger than he is, more powerful. And I'm the first born. Yet his fond heart thinks it's all right to claim equality with me, whom all others fear.” Zeus spoke. Swift Iris, with feet like wind, obeyed. She set off from Mount Ida for sacred Ilion.

[219] The famous Earthshaker, enraged, replied: “It's unjust! He may be best, but he speaks too proudly, if he restrains me by force against my will, for I'm as worthy of respect as he is. We are three brothers, sons of Cronos, born from Rhea—Zeus, myself, and Hades, third brother, ruler of the dead. The whole world was divided in three parts, and each of us received one share. Once the lots were shaken, I won the blue-gray sea as mine to live in for ever. Hades got the gloomy darkness, Zeus wide heaven, with the upper air and clouds. But earth and high Olympus still remained to all of us in common.

[266] Cloud-gatherer Zeus then spoke to Apollo: “Dear Phoebus, go down to bronze-armed Hector. Poseidon, who encircles and shakes the earth, has gone back to the sacred sea and thus avoided my harsh anger. If he'd fought it out with me, others would certainly have heard about it, even gods below, down there with Cronos. But for me this is much better, and for him, too, that before we came to blows he backed off, away from my hands, despite his anger. We'd have had to sweat it out to end it. But take this tasseled aegis in your hand and shake it well to scare Achaean warriors. And Apollo, far-shooting god, make Hector your special care. Infuse him with great strength, until Achaeans run back to their ships and reach the Hellespont. From that point on, I'll figure out how in word and deed Achaeans may get new relief from war.” Zeus spoke. Apollo did not disobey his father.

[693] Trojans attacked the ships like ravenous lions, fulfilling Zeus' will. He kept on giving them great fighting strength, while he drained Achaean hearts, denying them glory, as he drove the Trojans forward. Zeus' heart was set on glorifying Hector, son of Priam, so he might throw onto the ships a blazing tireless fire and thus fulfill completely that disastrous request from Thetis.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 16, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[272] Achilles poured libations to no god but Father Zeus. Taking this out of the chest, first he purified it with sulphur, then rinsed it out in streams of water. He washed his hands and drew some gleaming wine. Standing in the middle of the yard, he poured it out, gazing up at heaven. Thunder-loving Zeus looked on. “Zeus, king, lord of Dodona, Pelasgian, you who live far off, ruling cold Dodona, around whom live the Selli, your prophets, with unwashed feet, who sleep upon the ground, you heard me when I prayed to you before. You gave me honour then by striking hard at the Achaean army. So grant me now what I still desire. I intend to stay beside this group of ships, but I'm sending out my comrade and my many Myrmidons. Send glory with him, all-seeing Zeus. Strengthen the heart inside his chest, so Hector sees if Patroclus can fight on alone or if his hands are always conquering only when I'm with him in the raging war, in the centre of the havoc Ares brings. But when he's pushed the fight and battle noise back from the ships, let him return to me, here at my hollow ships, without a scratch, with all his weapons and companions, men who battle in the killing zone.”

[298] So Achilles prayed. Counselor Zeus heard his prayer. He granted part of it, part he denied. Father Zeus agreed that Patroclus should drive the battle fighting from the ships, but not that he'd return in safety from the war. Once Achilles had made his libation and prayed to Father Zeus, he went back into his hut, put the goblet in the chest, came out, and stood there, before his hut, still wishing in his heart to see the fatal clash of Trojans and Achaeans.

[422] Hector realized the tide of victory in that fight was changing, but he stood there, trying to save his loyal companions. Just as those times a cloud comes from Olympus, moving from the upper air across the sky, when Zeus brings on a rain storm—that's how Trojans fled yelling from the ships, crossing the ditch again in complete disorder.

[507] He spoke to Hera, his sister and his wife: “Alas—Sarpedon, dearest of all men, is fated now to die, killed by Patroclus, son of Menoetius. My heart's divided, as I think this over. Should I snatch him up while still alive and place him somewhere else, in his rich land of Lycia, far distant from this wretched fighting, or have him killed at the hands of Menoetius' son.” Ox-eyed queen Hera then replied to Zeus: “Dread son of Cronos, how can you say this? The man is mortal, doomed long ago by Fate. Now you desire to rescue him from miserable death. Do as you wish. But we other gods will not all agree with you. And I'll tell you something else—make sure you remember it. If you send Sarpedon home alive, take care some other god does not desire to send his dear son from the killing zone. Around Priam's great city, many men, sons of the immortals, are now fighting. You'll enrage those gods and make them bitter. But if Sarpedon's dear to you, if your heart feels pity for him, then let him be killed in a fierce combat at Patroclus' hands, son of Menoetius. Once his living spirit has abandoned him, send Death and sweet Sleep to carry him away, back to the spacious land of Lycia, where his brother and his kinsmen will bury him with a mound and headstone. That's what appropriate for those who die.” Hera spoke. The father of gods and men agreed. But he shed blood rain down upon the ground, tribute to his dear son Patroclus was about to kill in fertile Troy, far from his native land.

[703] Meriones killed a well-armed Trojan warrior, Laogonus, daring son of Onetor, a priest of Zeus at Ida, honoured by his people as a god.

[759] As Zeus pondered, he thought the best plan would be to let Patroclus, brave companion of Achilles, son of Peleus, drive the Trojans and bronze-armed Hector back again towards their city, destroying the lives of many men. So Zeus first took the courage out of Hector's heart, so that he jumped into his chariot and turned in flight, calling to other Trojans to run back, for he knew that Zeus' sacred scales were changing.

[775] At that moment, cloud-gatherer Zeus spoke to Apollo: “Up now, dear Phoebus, and move Sarpedon out of range. When you've cleaned the dark blood off his body, take him somewhere far away and wash him in a flowing river. Next, anoint him with ambrosia, and put immortal clothes around him. Then you must hand him over to those swift messengers Sleep and Death, twin brothers, to carry off with them. They'll quickly place him in his own rich land, wide Lycia, where his brothers and kinsmen will bury him with mound and headstone, as is appropriate for those who've died.” Zeus finished. Apollo did not disobey his father.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 17, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[256] From far away, cloud-gatherer Zeus gazed down on Hector, as he dressed himself in the battle armour of Peleus' godlike son. Shaking his head, Zeus then spoke to his own heart: “You poor wretch, you're not considering your own death at all— it's getting closer. So you're putting on the immortal armour of the finest man, who makes other men afraid. You've just killed his comrade, a kind, courageous man, and then vainly stripped the armour off his head and shoulders. But for the moment, I'll give you great power, to compensate you, since you'll not be coming back from battle, or handing over to Andromache the glorious armour of the son of Peleus.”

[339] Trojans then drove forward in a single group with Hector leading them. Just as a huge wave roars into a flowing stream at the mouth of a river fed from heaven, with headlands on both sides of the shoreline echoing the boom of salt water surf beyond— that's how Trojans roared as they came on in attack. Achaeans held firm around Menoetius' son, united by a common spirit, behind a fence of their bronze shields. The son of Cronos cast a thick mist down on their glittering helmets, for Zeus had not felt hostile to Patroclus in earlier days, when he was alive and comrade to Achilles. So Zeus did not want Patroclus to become merely a plaything for the dogs of his Trojan enemies. Thus, he encouraged Patroclus' companions to defend him there.

[764] Great-hearted Ajax and Menelaus also knew that Zeus had turned the tide of battle now, giving victory to the Trojans. The first one to speak was Telamonian Ajax: “Here's a problem. Even a fool can see that Father Zeus is now personally helping Trojans. All their flying weapons hit a target, whether a brave man throws them or a coward— Zeus makes them all fly straight. In our case, all our throws fall wasted on the ground. But come, let's sort out the best course of action, so we both can drag the corpse and then get back in person to bring joy to our companions. They must be anxious as they watch us here, thinking we can't check the fighting frenzy of man-killing Hector, his all-conquering hands, and we'll withdraw to our black ships. I wish some comrade would report back quickly to Peleus' son, for I don't think he's learned the dreadful news of his dear comrade's death. But I can't see any Argive who could do that. Men and horses are all shrouded in this mist. Father Zeus, rescue these Achaean sons from this fog, make the sky clear, let us see with our own eyes. Since it gives you pleasure, kill us, but do in the light of day.” As he finished, Ajax wept. Father Zeus pitied him. At once he dispersed the mist, scattering the haze. The sun shone down, and all the fight came into view.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 19, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[412] As he spoke, Achilles wept. The elders also mourned, each one remembering what he had left at home. As they lamented, the son of Cronos saw them. Feeling pity for them, Zeus spoke to Athena— his words had wings: “My child, here's a man you seem to be neglecting totally, a special favourite of yours—Achilles. Does your heart no longer care for him at all? There he sits in front of his beaked ships, mourning his dear companion. Other men have all gone off to dinner, but he's fasting and won't eat. Go now. Put into his chest some nectar and beautiful ambrosia, so hunger won't consume him.” With these words, Zeus spurred Athena, already eager, into action. She swooped down through the air, screaming shrilly, like a broad-winged hawk. Then as Achaeans, with all speed, armed themselves throughout the camp, she inserted nectar and beautiful ambrosia in Achilles' chest, so his limbs would not suffer pangs of hunger.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 20, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[1] Then, son of Peleus, Achaeans armed themselves around you, feeding your boundless appetite for war. On the other side, higher up the sloping plain, the Trojans did the same. At that very moment, from the summit of many-ridged Olympus, Zeus told Themis to summon gods to an assembly. She raced around, calling them to Zeus' home. None of the rivers was left out, except Oceanus, nor any nymph. All those who live in lovely woods, river springs, and grassy meadows came together at cloud-gatherer Zeus' home, seating themselves on porticoes of polished stone, built there by Hephaestus' cunning arts for his father Zeus. The gods gathered there in Zeus' house.

[14] Poseidon also answered Themis' summons, coming from the sea to join them. He sat in the middle of them all, asking about Zeus' purposes: “Lord of bright lightning, why have you called gods to this assembly? Are you concerned for Trojans and Achaeans? Right now their fight is close to flaring up into a total war.” Cloud-gatherer Zeus then said to Poseidon in reply: “You understand, Earthshaker, the plans here in my chest, the reasons why I've summoned you. Yes, I am concerned for them. Though they are being destroyed, I'll stay here, sitting on a ridge of Mount Olympus. From here I'll look on to my heart's content. But all the rest of you can go away to join Trojans and Achaeans, helping either side, as your spirits each dictate. For if we leave Achilles there alone to fight the Trojans, they'll not hold out against the swift-footed son of Peleus, not even briefly. In earlier days, if they saw him, their fear would make them shake, and now his heart's so terribly enraged for his companion, I fear he may go beyond what Fate ordains and storm the walls.”

[39] With these words, Cronos' son then launched relentless war. The gods charged off to battle, their hearts divided in two groups. Hera went to the assembled ships, with Pallas Athena and Poseidon, who shakes the earth. Helper Hermes accompanied them as well, the god with the most cunning mind of all. Hephaestus also went along with them, exulting in his power. Though he was lame, his feet moved quickly under him. Ares with the shining helmet joined the Trojans, taking with him long-haired Phoebus, archer Artemis, Leto, Xanthus, and laughter-loving Aphrodite.

[102] Aeneas then said to Apollo in reply: “Son of Priam, why are you telling me to fight the arrogant son of Peleus, when I don't wish to? This isn't the first time swift Achilles and I have come to blows. Once before he chased me away from Ida with his spear—he'd come for our cattle, when he destroyed Lyrnessus and Pedasus. But then Zeus saved me—he gave me strength and made my legs run faster. Otherwise, Athena and Achilles would have killed me...“

[275] This Erichthonius had a son Tros, who ruled the Trojans, and Tros then fathered three outstanding sons—Ilus, Assaracus, and godlike Ganymede, the handsomest man among all mortal men, so beautiful, gods kidnapped him and made him cup bearer to Zeus himself, so he'd live among immortals.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 21, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[225] The man who is my father, Peleus, son of Aeacus, rules many Myrmidons. Aeacus came from Zeus himself, and Zeus is stronger than rivers flowing to the sea, so Zeus' line is stronger than all those descended from a river.

[464] As they clashed, with a tremendous din, the wide earth cried out, and mighty heaven pealed, just like a trumpet. Sitting on Olympus, Zeus heard the sound—his heart laughed with delight to see these gods go at it in mutual conflict. They no longer stood aloof.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 22, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[198] They were competing for horse-taming Hector's life. Just as some horses, sure-footed, prize-winning creatures, make the turn around the post and race quickly as they strive to win some splendid prize—a tripod or a woman honouring a man that's died—that's how these two men raced, going three times round Priam's city on their sprinting feet. All the gods looked on. Among them the first one to speak was Zeus, father of the gods and men: “What a sight! My eyes can see a fine man being pursued around the walls. How my heart pities Hector, who's often sacrificed to me, burning many thighs of oxen on the crests of Ida with its many spurs and valleys, on the city heights, as well. And now, godlike Achilles is pursuing him on his quick feet round Priam's city. Come, you gods, think hard and offer your advice— do we wish to rescue him from death, or kill him now, for all his bravery, at the hands of Peleus' son, Achilles?” Then Athena, goddess with the glittering eyes, replied to Zeus: “Father, lord of lightning and dark clouds, what are you saying? How can you want to snatch the man back from his wretched death. He's mortal—his fate doomed him long ago. Well, do as you wish, but we other gods will not all approve your actions.” Cloud-gatherer Zeus then answered Athena: “Cheer up, Tritogeneia, my dear child, I'm not saying how my heart intends to act. I want to please you. So you can do whatever your mind tells you. Don't hold back.” Athena, who was already eager, was spurred on by Zeus' words.

[255] Godlike Achilles, with a shake of his head, prevented his own troops from shooting Hector with their lethal weapons, in case some other man hit Hector, robbed him of the glory, and left him to come too late. But when they ran past those springs the fourth time, Father Zeus raised his golden scales, setting there two fatal lots for death's long sorrow, one for Achilles, one for horse-taming Hector. Seizing it in the middle, Zeus raised his balance. Hector's fatal day sank, moving down to Hades.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 24, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[78] Cloud gatherer Zeus then answered Hera, saying: “Hera, don't get so angry with the gods. These two will not both share equal honours. Still, of all mortal men in Ilion, Hector was the favourite of the gods. At least that's what he was to me. He never failed to offer me fine gifts. At their communal feasts, my own altar never went without the proper offerings, libations and sacrificial smoke, as is our right. But we'll not let this corpse, brave Hector's body, be taken secretly. Achilles would for certain learn of it, since his mother sees him all the time, both day and night. But one of the gods should tell Thetis to come here before me, so I can put a useful plan to her, how Achilles can get gifts from Priam and then give Hector back to him.” Once Zeus had spoken, storm-swift Iris rushed away, bearing Zeus' message.

[124] Once Athena had made room for her, Thetis sat with Father Zeus. Hera placed a gold cup in her hand, with words of welcome. She drank, then handed back the cup. The father of the gods and men spoke first: “You've come here to Olympus, goddess Thetis, though you're grieving, with endless sorrows in your heart. I know that. But even so, I'll tell you the reason why I've called you here. For nine days immortals have been quarreling about Achilles, sacker of cities, and Hector's corpse. They keep urging Hermes, keen-eyed killer of Argus, to steal the body. But I want to give honour to Achilles, maintain my respect for you in future, and keep our friendship. So you must leave quickly. Go to the army. Tell your son what I say. Tell him the gods are annoyed at him, that of all immortals I'm especially angry, because, in his heartfelt fury, he keeps Hector at his beaked ships, won't give him back. Through fear of me, he may hand Hector over. I'll also send Iris to great-hearted Priam, telling him to go to the Achaean ships, to beg for his dear son, bearing presents for Achilles to delight his heart.” Silver-footed Thetis did not disagree with Zeus.

[178] Meanwhile, Cronos' son urged Iris to be off to sacred Ilion: “You must go right away, swift Iris. Leave your home here on Olympus. Take this message to great-hearted Priam, inside Ilion—tell him he must visit Achaean ships to ransom his dear son, taking gifts to please Achilles' heart. He must go alone. No other Trojan man is to accompany him. One herald, an older man, can make the journey with him, to drive the mules and sturdy wagon and bring back to the city the body of the godlike man Achilles killed. He mustn't think of death or be afraid. A fitting escort will accompany him— Hermes, killer of Argus—as a guide, until he brings him to Achilles. Once he's led him to Achilles' hut, that man will not kill him—he'll restrain all other men. For he's not stupid, blind, or disrespectful of the gods. He'll spare a suppliant, treat him kindly.” Zeus spoke. Storm-footed Iris rushed off with the message.

HOMER, THE ODYSSEY, Book 1, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[58] Athena, goddess with the gleaming eyes, answered Zeus: “Son of Cronos and father to us all, you who rule on high, yes indeed, Aegisthus now lies dead, something he well deserved. May any other man who does what he did also be destroyed! But my heart is torn for skillful Odysseus, ill-fated man, who has had to suffer such misfortune for so many years, a long way from friends. He's on an island, surrounded by the sea, the one that forms the ocean's navel stone. In the forests of that island lives a goddess, daughter of tough-minded Atlas, who knows the ocean depths and by himself holds up those gigantic pillars which separate earth and heaven. That's the one whose daughter prevents the sad, unlucky man from leaving. With soft seductive speech she keeps tempting him, urging him to forget his Ithaca. But Odysseus yearns to see even the smoke rising from his native land and longs for death. And yet, Olympian Zeus, your heart does not respond to him. Did not Odysseus offer you delightful sacrifices on Troy's far-reaching plain beside the ships? Why then, Zeus, are you so angry with him?”

[84] Cloud-gatherer Zeus then answered her and said: “My child, what a speech has passed the barrier of your teeth! How could I forget godlike Odysseus, pre-eminent among all mortal men for his intelligence and offerings to the immortal gods, who hold wide heaven? But Earthshaker Poseidon is a stubborn god, constantly enraged about the Cyclops, the one whose eye Odysseus destroyed, godlike Polyphemus, the mightiest of all the Cyclopes. Thoosa bore him, a nymph, a daughter of that Phorcys who commands the restless sea. Poseidon, down in those hollow caves, had sex with her. That’s the reason Earthshaker Poseidon makes Odysseus wander from his country. Still, he has no plans to kill him. But come, let's all of us consider his return, so he can journey back to Ithaca. Poseidon's anger will relent. He can't fight the immortal gods all by himself, not with all of us opposing him.”

[106] Goddess Athena with the gleaming eyes replied to Zeus: “Son of Cronos and father to us all, ruling high above, if the immortal gods now find it pleasing for the wise Odysseus to return back home, then let's send Hermes, killer of Argus, as our messenger, over to the island of Ogygia, so he can quickly tell that fair-haired nymph our firm decision—that brave Odysseus will now leave and complete his voyage home. I'll go to Ithaca and urge his son to be more active, put courage in his heart, so he will call those long-haired Achaeans to assembly, and there address the suitors, who keep on slaughtering his flocks of sheep and shambling bent-horned cattle. I'll send him on a trip to Sparta and sandy Pylos, to learn about his father's voyage home— he may hear of it somewhere—and to gain a worthy reputation among men.”

HOMER, THE ODYSSEY, Book 2, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[174] Prudent Telemachus then said in reply:“Antinous, there's no way I will dismiss out of this house against her will the one who bore and nursed me. As for my father, he's in a distant land, alive or dead. It would be hard for me to compensate Icarius with a suitable amount, as I would have to do, if I sent her back. If I didn't do that, then her father would treat me badly, and some deity would send other troubles, since my mother, as she left this house, would call upon the dreaded Furies. Men would blame me, too. That's why I'll never issue such an order. And if your heart is angry about this, then leave my home, go have your feasts elsewhere. Eat up your own possessions, changing homes, one by one. But if you think it's better, more in your interests, that one man's goods should be destroyed without repayment, then use them up. But I will call upon the immortal gods to ask if somehow Zeus will give me retribution. Then you'll die here in my home and never be avenged.”

[198] Telemachus spoke. Then from a mountain peak far-seeing Zeus replied by sending out two eagles, flying high up in the sky. For some time they soared like gusts of wind, with their wings spread out, side by side. But when they reached the middle of the crowded meeting, with quick beats of their wings they wheeled around, swooping down on everyone, destruction in their eyes. Then with their talons they attacked each other, clawing head and neck, and flew off on the right, past people's homes, across the city. They were amazed to see these birds with their own eyes. In their hearts they were stirred to think how everything would end.

HOMER, THE ODYSSEY, Book 3, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[389] Now, though Menelaus was still very keen to keep going on his trip, he stayed there, to bury his companion and provide the funeral rites. But when he re-launched his hollow ships upon the wine-dark sea and quickly reached the steep crag of Malea, then far-seeing Zeus carried out a scheme to make his voyage dreadful. He sent down blasting winds and immense waves, like mountains. Splitting Menelaus' fleet in two, Zeus pushed some to Crete, where Cyndians live beside banks of the river Iardanus. There's a steep cliff there, a rock facing the sea right in the misty surf, on Gortyn's borders, where the South-West Wind smashes mighty waves against the promontory on the left, by Phaestus.

HOMER, THE ODYSSEY, Book 4, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[59] Telemachus and Peisistratus were amazed by what they noticed in the regal palace— for the high-roofed home of splendid Menelaus, a man raised by Zeus, shimmered in the light, as if illuminated by the sun or moon.

HOMER, THE ODYSSEY, Book 5, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[1] As Dawn stirred from her bed beside lord Tithonus, bringing light to eternal gods and mortal men, the gods were sitting in assembly, among them high-thundering Zeus, whose power is supreme. Athena was reminding them of all the stories of Odysseus's troubles—she was concerned for him as he passed his days in nymph Calypso's home. “Father Zeus and you other blessed gods who live forever, let no sceptred king be prudent, kind, or gentle from now on, or think about his fate. Let him instead always be cruel and treat men viciously, since no one now has any memory of lord Odysseus, who ruled his people and was a gentle father. Now he lies suffering extreme distress on that island where nymph Calypso lives. She keeps him there by force, and he's unable to sail off and get back to his native land—he lacks a ship with oars and has no companions to send him out across the sea's broad back. And now some men are setting out to kill the son he loves, as he sails home. The boy has gone to gather news about his father, off to sacred Pylos and holy Sparta.”

[26] Cloud-gatherer Zeus then answered her and said: “My child, what a speech has slipped the barrier of your teeth! Did you not organize this plan yourself, so that Odysseus, once he made it home, could take out his revenge against those men? As for Telemachus, you should use your skill to get him to his native land unharmed— that's well within your power. The suitors will sail back in their ship without success.”

[35] Zeus spoke and then instructed Hermes, his dear son: “Hermes, since in every other matter you are our herald, tell the fair-haired nymph my firm decision—the brave Odysseus is to get back home. He'll get no guidance from the gods or mortal men, but sail off on a raft of wood well lashed together. He'll suffer hardships, but in twenty days he reach the fertile land of Scheria, the territory of the Phaeacians, people closely connected to the gods. They will honour him with all their hearts, as if he were divine, then send him off, back in a ship to his dear native land. They'll give him many gifts of bronze and gold and clothing, too, a greater hoard of goods than Odysseus could have ever won at Troy, even if he'd got back safe and sound with his share of the loot they passed around. That's how Fate decrees he'll see his friends and reach his high-roofed house and native land.” Zeus finished speaking. The killer of Argus, his messenger, obeyed.

[158] “...Zeus heard of it and annihilated him by throwing down his dazzling lightning bolt. Now once again you gods are envious, because a mortal man(Odysseus) lives here with me(Calypso). I saved him when he was all by himself, riding his ship's keel—his swift ship smashed by a blow from Zeus' flaming lightning...But since there's no way another god can override the plans of aegis-bearing Zeus or cancel them, let him be off across the restless seas, if Zeus has so commanded and decreed. But I'll have no part of escorting him away from here—I have no ships with oars nor any crew to take him on his way across the broad back of the sea. But still, I can make sincere suggestions to him and keep nothing hidden, so he can reach his native land and get back safe and sound.“

HOMER, THE ODYSSEY, Book 8, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[386] “Father Zeus, all you other sacred gods who live forever, come here, so you can see something disgusting and ridiculous— Aphrodite, Zeus's daughter, scorns me and lusts after Ares, the destroyer, because he's beautiful, with healthy limbs, while I was born deformed.

HOMER, THE ODYSSEY, Book 11, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[268] My child, of all men most unfortunate, no, Persephone, daughter of Zeus, is not deceiving you.

[324] “Then I(Odysseus) saw Antiope, daughter of Asopus. She boasted she'd made love with Zeus himself, and borne two sons, Zethus and Amphion, who first established seven-gated Thebes, constructing walls around it—for all their strength, they lacked the power to live in spacious Thebes, unless the place was fortified. After her, I saw Alcmene, Amphitryon's wife, who had sex with powerful Zeus and bore that great fighter, lion-hearted Hercules.

[548] I(Odysseus) answered him at once: “That's horrible. Surely wide-thundering Zeus for many years has shown a dreadful hate towards the family of Atreus, thanks to the conniving of some woman. Many died for Helen's sake, and then Clytaemnestra organized a trap for you, while you were somewhere far away.“

[742] “And I(Odysseus) saw Tityus, son of glorious Earth, lying on the ground. His body covered nine acres and more. 1 Two vultures sat there, one on either side, ripping his liver, their beaks jabbing deep inside his guts. His hands could not fend them off his body. He'd assaulted Leto, Zeus' lovely wife as she was passing through Panopeus, with its fine dancing grounds, towards Pytho.

[778] Hebe with the lovely ankles is his wife, daughter of great Zeus and Hera, goddess of the golden sandals.

HOMER, THE ODYSSEY, Book 12, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[74] These cliffs the blessed gods have called the Planctae. No birds pass through there, not even timid doves who bring ambrosia to father Zeus. The sheer rock precipice snatches even these away. And then Zeus sends out another to maintain their count. No human ship has ever reached this place and got away.

[400] Then my crewmen disembarked and made a skilful dinner. When everyone had eaten food and drunk to his heart's ease, they wept as they recalled those dear companions Scylla snatched away out of the hollow ship and then devoured. As they cried there, sweet sleep came over them. “But when three-quarters of the night had passed and the stars had shifted their positions, cloud-gatherer Zeus stirred up a nasty wind and an amazing storm, which hid in clouds both land and sea alike. And from heaven dark Night rushed down. Once rose-fingered Dawn arrived, we dragged up our ship and made it secure inside a hollow cave, a place nymphs used as a fine dancing and assembly ground.

[483] I groaned and cried out to immortal gods: “Father Zeus and you other sacred gods, who live forever, you forced it on me, that cruel sleep, to bring about my doom. For my companions who remained behind have planned something disastrous.“ A messenger quickly came to Helios Hyperion, long-robed Lampetie, bringing him the news— we had killed his cattle. Without delay, he spoke to the immortals, full of rage: “Father Zeus and you other blessed gods, who live forever, take your vengeance now on those companions of Odysseus, Laertes' son, who, in their arrogance, have killed my animals, the very ones I always look upon with such delight whenever I move up to starry heaven and then turn back from there toward the earth. If they don't pay me proper retribution for those beasts, then I'll go down to Hades and shine among the dead.“

[504] Cloud-gatherer Zeus answered him and said: “Helios, I think you should keep on shining for immortals and for human beings on fertile earth. With a dazzling thunderbolt I myself will quickly strike at that swift ship of theirs and, in the middle of the wine-dark sea, smash it to tiny pieces.“

[542] Then Zeus roared out his thunder and with a bolt of lightning struck our ship. The blow from Zeus' lightning made our boat shiver from stem to stern and filled it up with sulphurous smoke. My crew fell overboard and were carried in the waves, like cormorants, around our blackened ship, because the god had robbed them of their chance to get back home.

HOMER, THE ODYSSEY, Book 14, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[418] Odysseus, he said, had gone to Dodona, to hear from the massive towering oak tree, sacred to the god, what Zeus had willed about his own return to that rich land of Ithaca, after being away so long— whether he should do so openly or not.

HOMER, THE ODYSSEY, Book 20, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[74] storms snatched up Pandareus' daughters, whose parents the gods killed, thus leaving them orphans in their home. Fair Aphrodite looked after them with cheese, sweet honey, and fine wine, while Hera offered them beauty and wisdom beyond all women. Chaste Artemis made them tall, and Athena gave them their skills in famous handicrafts. But when fair Aphrodite went away to high Olympus, petitioning Zeus, who hurls the thunderbolt, that the girls could find fulfillment in a happy marriage, for Zeus has perfect knowledge of all things, what each man's destiny will be or not, that's when storm spirits snatched away the girls and placed them in the care of hateful Furies.

[111] He(Odysseus) gathered up the cloak and blankets he was lying on and placed them on a chair inside the hall. He took an ox-hide from the house, set it on the ground, and, lifting up his hands, made this prayer to Zeus: “Oh Father Zeus, if you wished to bring me over land and sea to my own land, when you had given me so much distress, let someone in the house wake up and say something in there for me, a word of omen, and here outside the house let there appear another sign from Zeus.” That's what he prayed. And Counselor Zeus heard him. At once he thundered down from glittering Olympus, from high beyond the clouds. Lord Odysseus rejoiced.

[124] And then some woman grinding on the stones close by sent out a word of omen from inside the place where the shepherd of his people placed his millstones. At these grinding stones twelve women used to work, making barley meal and flour, which feed men's marrow. The other women had already ground their wheat and were asleep, but this one, weaker than the rest, had not yet finished. She stopped her grinding stone and said these words, an omen for her master: “Father Zeus, who rules both gods and men, you've thundered loud up in the starry sky, and yet there's not a single cloud up there. You must be offering a sign to someone. I'm a poor wretch, but what I have to say, oh, make that happen. May these suitors here for the last and final time this very day have a pleasant dinner in Odysseus' home. Those men have hurt my knees with this hard work grinding flour—may they now sup their last.” She spoke. That word of omen and Zeus' thunder made lord Odysseus happy—he thought he'd be revenged on those malicious men.

HOMER, THE ODYSSEY, Book 24, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[606] Then Athena spoke to Zeus, Cronos' son, saying: “Father of us all and son of Cronos, highest of all those who rule, answer me when I ask this—What are you concealing in that mind of yours? Will you be creating further brutal war and dreadful battle, or bring both sides together here as friends?”

[613] Cloud-gatherer Zeus then answered her and said: “My child, why are you asking this of me? Why these questions? Were you not the one who devised this plan all on your own, so Odysseus could take out his revenge against these men, after he got back? Do as you wish. But I'll lay out for you what I think is right. Since lord Odysseus has paid back the suitors, let them swear a binding oath that he'll remain their king all his life, and let's make them forget the killing of their sons and brothers. Let them love each other as they used to do, and let there be wealth and peace in plenty.” His words stirred up Athena, who was already keen. She swooped down from the heights of Mount Olympus.

[678] Odysseus and his splendid son charged at the fighters in the front, striking them with swords and two-edged spears. They'd have killed them all, cut them down so none of them returned, had not Athena, daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus, cried out— her voice held back every man in that whole army. “Men of Ithaca, stop this disastrous war, so you can quickly go your separate ways without spilling any blood.” Athena spoke, and pale fear gripped the men. They were so terrified they dropped their weapons and all fell on the ground, at that goddess' resounding voice. They turned round, back towards the city, eager to save their lives. Then much-enduring lord Odysseus gave out a fearful shout, gathered himself, and swooped down like an eagle from on high. But at that moment, Zeus, son of Cronos, shot a fiery thunderbolt. It struck at the feet of the bright-eyed daughter of that mighty father. And then Athena, goddess with the glittering eyes, said to Odysseus: “Resourceful Odysseus, Laertes' son, and child of Zeus, hold back. Stop this fight, this impartial war, in case thundering Zeus, who sees far and wide, grows angry with you.” Once Athena spoke, Odysseus obeyed, joy in his heart. And then Pallas Athena, daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus, in shape and form looking just like Mentor, had both parties swear a solemn treaty designed to last forever.

HOMERIC HYMNS, Hymn to the Son of Cronos, translated by H. G. EVELYN-WHITE

[1] I will sing of Zeus, chiefest among the gods and greatest, all-seeing, the lord of all, the fulfiller who whispers words of wisdom to Themis as she sits leaning towards him. Be gracious, all-seeing Son of Cronos, most excellent and great!

HYGINUS, ASTRONOMICA, Book 2, translated by MARY GRANT

[2.1.2] GREAT BEAR: ...But as Amphis, writer of comedies, says, Jupiter, assuming the form of Diana, followed the girl(Callisto) as if to aid her in hunting, and embraced her when out of sight of the rest. Questioned by Diana as to the reason for her swollen form, she replied that it was the goddess' fault, and because of this reply, Diana changed her into the shape we mentioned above(bear). When wandering like a wild beast in the forest, she was caught by certain Aitolians and brought into Arcadia to King Lycaon along with her son as a gift, and there, in ignorance of the law, she is said to have rushed into the temple of Jove Lycaeus. Her son at once followed her, and the Arcadians in pursuit were trying to kill them, when Jupiter, mindful of his indiscretion, rescued her and placed her and her son among the constellations. He named her Arctos, and her son Arctophylax. About him we shall speak later.

[2.1.3] GREAT BEAR: ...Some, too, have said that when Callisto was embraced by Jove, Juno in anger turned her into a bear; then, when she met Diana hunting, she was killed by her, and later, on being recognized, was placed among the stars.

[2.1.4] GREAT BEAR: ...But others say that when Jupiter was pursuing Callisto in the woods, Juno, suspecting what had happened, hurried there so that she could say she had caught him openly. But Jove, the more easily to conceal his fault, left her changed to bear form. Juno, then, finding a bear instead of a girl in that place, pointed her out for Diana, who was hunting, to kill. Jove was distressed to see this, and put in the sky the likeness of a bear represented with stars.

[2.4.1] BEAR-WATCHER: He is said to be Arcas, the son of Jove and Callisto, whom Lycaon served at a banquet, cut up with other meat, when Jupiter came to him as a guest. For Lycaon wanted to know whether the one who had asked for his hospitality was a god or not. For this deed he was punished by no slight punishment, for Jupiter, quickly overturning the table, burned the house with a thunderbolt, and turned Lycaon himself into a wolf. But the scattered limbs of the boy he put together, and gave him to a certain Aitolian to care for. When, grown to manhood, he was hunting in the woods, he saw his mother changed to bear form, and did not recognize her. Intent on killing her, he chased her into the temple of Jove Lycaeus, where the penalty for entering is death, according to Arcadian law. And so, since both would have to die, Jupiter, out of pity, snatched them up and put them among the stars, as I have said before. As a result, Arcas is seen following the Bear, and since he guards Arctos, he is called Arctophylax.

[2.4.4] BEAR-WATCHER:...And the dog made atonement for her(Erigone) death by its own life. Some say that it cast itself into the well, Anigrus by name. For this reason they repeat the story that no one afterward drank from that well. Jupiter, pitying their misfortune, represented their forms among the stars.

[2.6.1] THE KNEELER: Eratosthenes says he is Hercules, placed above the dragon we have already mentioned, and prepared to fight, with his left hand holding his lion skin, and his right the club. He is trying to kill the dragon of the Hesperides, which, it is thought, never was overcome by sleep or closed its eyes, thus offering more proof it was placed there as a guard. Panyassis in the Heraclea says of the sign that Jupiter, in admiration of their struggle, placed it among the stars; for the dragon has its head erect, and Hercules, resting on his right knee, tires to crush the right side of its head with his left foot...

[2.8.1] SWAN: The sign the Greeks call the Swan, but others, out of ignorance of the story, have called it ornis, the general term for bird. This reason for the name has been handed down: When Jupiter, moved by desire, had begun to love Nemesis, and couldn't persuade her to lie with him, he relieved his passion by the following plan. He bade Venus, in the form of an eagle, pursue him; he, changed to a swan, as if in flight from the eagle, took refuge with Nemesis and lighted in her lap. Nemesis did not thrust him away, but holding him in her arms, fell into a deep sleep. While she slept, Jupiter embraced her, and then flew away. Because he was seen by men flying high in the sky, they said he was put in the stars. To make this really true, Jupiter put the swan flying and the eagle pursuing in the sky.

[2.8.2] SWAN: But Nemesis, as if wedded to the tribe of birds, when her months were ended, bore an egg. Mercury took it away and carried it to Sparta and threw it in Leda's lap. From it sprang Helen, who excelled all other girls in beauty. Leda called her her own daughter. Others say that Jove, in the form of a swan, lay with Leda. We shall leave the matter undecided.

[2.13.7] CHARIOTEER: Some have called Aex the daughter of Sol, who surpassed many in beauty of body, but in contrast to this beauty, had a most horrible face. Terrified by it, the Titans begged Terra to hide her body, and Terra is said to have hidden her in a cave in the island of Crete. Later she became nurse of Jove, as we have said before. But when Jupiter, confident in his youth, was preparing for war against the Titans, oracular reply was given to him that if he wished to win, he should carry on the war protected with the skin of a goat, aigos, and the head of the Gorgon. The Greeks call this the aegis. When this was done, as we have shown above, Jupiter, overcoming the Titans, gained possession of the kingdom. Covering the remaining bones of the goat with a skin, he gave life to them and memorialised them, picturing them with stars. Afterwards he gave to Minerva the aegis with which he had been protected when he won.

[2.14.6] SERPENT-HOLDER: Many astronomers have imagined that he is Aesculapius, whom Jupiter, for the sake of Apollo, put among the stars. For when Aesculapius was among men, he so fare excelled the rest in the art of medicine that it wasn't enough for him to have healed men's diseases unless he could also bring back the dead to life. He is said most recently, according to Eratosthenes to have restored to life Hippolytus who had been killed by the injustice of his stepmother and the ignorance of his father. Some have said that by his skill Glaucus, son of Minos, lived again. Because of this, as for a sin, Jove struck and burned his house with a thunderbolt, but because of his skill, and since Apollo was his father, put him among the constellations holding a snake.

[2.15.1] ARROW: This arrow, they say, is one of the weapons of Hercules, with which he is said to have killed the eagle which ate the liver of Prometheus. It seems not unprofitable to speak of Prometheus at greater length. When the men of old with great ceremony used to carry on the sacrificial rites of the immortal gods, they would burn the victims entire in the flame of the sacrifice. And so, when the poor were prevented from making sacrifices on account of the great expense, Prometheus, who with his wonderful wisdom is thought to have made men, by his pleading is said to have obtained permission from Jove for them to cast only a part of the victim into the fire, and to use the rest for their own food. This practice custom later established. Since he had obtained this permission, not as from a covetous man, but easily, as from a god, Prometheus himself sacrifices two bulls. When he had first placed their entrails on the altar, he put the remaining flesh of the two bulls in one heap, covering it with an oxhide. Whatever bones there were he covered with the other skin and put it down between them, offering Jove the choice of either part for himself. Jupiter, although he didn't act with divine forethought, nor as a god who ought to foresee everything, was deceived by Prometheus — sine we have started to believe the tale! — and thinking each part was a bull, shoe the bones for his half. And so after this, in solemn rites and sacrifices, when the flesh of victims has been consumed, they burn with fire the remaining parts which are the gods.

[2.15.2] ARROW: ...But, to come back to the subject, Jupiter, when he realized what had been done, in anger took fire from mortals, lest the favour of Prometheus should seem to have more weight than the power of the gods, and that uncooked flesh should not be useful to men. Prometheus, however, who was accustomed to scheming, planned by his own efforts to bring back the fire that had been taken from men. So, when the others were away, he approached the fire of Jove, and with a small bit of this shut in a fennel-stalk he came joyfully, seeming to fly, not to run, tossing the stalk so that the air shut in with its vapours should not put out the flame in so narrow a space. Up to this time, then, men who bring good news usually come with speed. In the rivalry of the games they also make it a practice for the runners to run, shaking torches after the manner of Prometheus.

[2.15.3] ARROW: ...In return for this deed, Jupiter, to confer a like favour on men, gave a woman to them, fashioned by Vulcan, and endowed with all kinds of gifts by the will of the gods. For this reason she was called Pandora. But Prometheus he bound with an iron chain to a mountain in Scythia named Caucasus for thirty thousand years, as Aeschylus, writer of tragedies, says. Then, too, he sent an eagle to him to eat out his liver which was constantly renewed at night. Some have said that this eagle was born from Typhon and Echidna, other from Terra and Tartarus, but many point out it was made by the hands of Vulcan and given life by Jove.

[2.15.4] ARROW: The following reason for the release of Prometheus has been handed down. When Jupiter, moved by the beauty of Thetis, sought her in marriage, he couldn't win the consent of the timid maiden, but none the less kept planning to bring it about. At that time the Parcae were said to have prophesied what the natural order of events should be. They said that the son of Thetis' husband, whoever he might be, would be more famous than his father. Prometheus heard this as he kept watch, not from inclination but from necessity, and reported it to Jove. He, fearing that what he had done to his father Saturn in a similar situation, would happened to him, namely, that he would be robbed of his power, gave up by necessity his desire to wed Thetis, and out of gratitude to Prometheus thanked him and freed him from his chains. But he didn't go so far as to free him from all binding, since he had sworn to that, but for commemoration bade him bind his finger with the two things, namely, with stone and with iron...

[2.15.6] ARROW: Eratosthenes says about the Arrow, that with this Apollo killed the Cyclopes who forged the thunderbolt by which Aesculapius died. Apollo had buried this arrow in the Hyperborean mountain, but when Jupiter pardoned his son, it was borne by the wind and brought to Apollo along with the grain which at that time was growing. Many point out that for this reason it is among the constellations.

[2.16.1] EAGLE: This is the eagle which is said to have snatched Ganymede up and given him to his lover, Jove. This bird, too, Jupiter is thought first to have singled out from the tribe of birds, because it alone, men say, strives to fly straight into the rays of the rising sun. And so it seems to fly above Aquarius, who, as many imagine, is Ganymede.

[2.16.3] EAGLE: ...Aglaosthenes, who wrote the Naxica, says that Jove was taken secretly from Crete, brought to Naxos, and there nourished. After he came to man's estate and wished to attack the Titans in war, he sighted an eagle as he was sacrificing, and considering this an omen, he placed it among the stars.

[2.16.4] EAGLE: ...Some, too, have said that Mercury (though others say Anaplades) stirred by Venus's beauty, fell in love with her, and when she permitted no favours, became greatly downcast, as if in disgrace. Jove pitied him, and when Venus was bathing in the river Achelous he sent and eagle to take her sandal to Amythaonia of the Egyptians and give it to Mercury. Venus, in seeking for it, came to him who loved her, and so he, on attaining his desire, as a reward put the eagle in the sky.

[2.21.1] BULL: The Bull was placed among the stars because it carried Europa safely to Crete, as Euripides says. Some say that when Io was transformed into a heifer, Jupiter, to seem to make amends, put an image among the constellations which resembled a bull in its fore parts, but was dim behind. It faces towards the East, and the stars which outline the face are called Hyades.

[2.22.1] TWINS: These stars many astronomers have called Castor and Pollux. They say that of all brothers they were the most affectionate, not striving in rivalry for the leadership, nor acting without previous consultation. As a reward for their services of friendship, Jupiter is thought to have put them in the sky as well-known stars. Neptune, with like intention, has rewarded them for he gave them horses to ride, and power to aid shipwrecked men.

[2.23.4] CRAB: ...According to Eratosthenes, another story is told about the Asses. After Jupiter had declared war on the Giants, he summoned all the gods to combat them, and Father Liber, Vulcan, the Satyrs, and the Sileni came riding on asses. Since they were not far from the enemy, the asses were terrified, and individually let out a braying such as the Giants had never heard. At the noise the enemy took hastily to flight, and thus were defeated.

[2.28.1] CAPRICORN OR SEA GOAT: This sign resembles Aegipan, whom Jupiter wished to be put among the constellations because he was nourished with him, just as he put the goat nurse we have mentioned before. He, first, as Eratosthenes says, when Jupiter attacked the Titans, is said to have cast into the enemy the fear that is called panikos. The lower part of his body has fish formation, because he hurled shellfish against the enemy, too, instead of stones.

[2.29.1] AQUARIUS OR WATER BEARER: Aquarius or Water Bearer. Many have said he is Ganymede, whom Jupiter is said to have made cupbearer of the gods, snatching him up from his parents because of his beauty. So he is shown as if pouring water from an urn...

[2.35.1] DOG: He is said to have been given by Jove as a guardian for Europa, and later to have come to Minos. When Minos was ill, Procris, wife of Cephalus, is said to have cured him, and received the dog as a reward for her services, as she was very fond of hunting and the dog was so swift that no beast could escape. After her death the dog came to Cephalus her husband, who brought it to Thebes with him when he came. There was a fox there which was said to be so swift that it could outrun all dogs. So when the two animals met, Jupiter, in a dilemma, as Istros says, changed them both to stone.

[2.38.2] CENTAUR: ...When Hercules was once visiting Chiron, and while sitting with him was examining his arrows, one of them is said to have fallen on the foot of Chiron, and thus brought about his death. Others say that when the Centaur wondered at his being able to kill such huge creatures as Centaurs with such slight arrows, he himself tried to draw the bow, and the arrow, slipping from his hand, fell on his foot. For this reason Jupiter, pitying him, put him among the constellations with a victim which he seems to hold above the altar for sacrifice.

[2.42.1] PLANETS: It remains for us to speak of the five stars which many have called "wandering," and which the Greeks called planets. One of them is the star of Jove, Phaenon by name, a youth whom Prometheus made excelling all others in beauty, when he was making man, as Heraclides Ponticus says. When he intended to keep him back, without presenting him to Jove as he did the others, Cupid reported this to Jove, whereupon Mercury was sent to Phaenon and persuaded him to come to Jove and become immortal. Therefore he is placed among the stars.

[2.42.2] PLANETS: ...The second star is that of Sol; others say of Saturn. Eratosthenes claims that it is called Phaethon, from the son of Sol. Many have written about him — how he foolishly drove his father's chariot and set fire to the earth. Because of this he was struck with a thunderbolt by Jove, and fell into the river Eridanus, and was conveyed by Sol to the constellations.

HYGINUS, FABULAE, translated by MARY GRANT

[p.9] ...From Saturn and Ops, Vesta, Ceres, Iuno, Jupiter, Pluto, Neptune.

[p.19] From Neptune and Amphitrite, Triton. From Dione and Jove, Venus. From Jove and Juno, Mars. From Jove's head, Minerva. From Juno without father, Vulcan. From Jove and Eurynome, Graces. Again from Jove and Juno, Youth, Liberty. From Jove and Themis, the Horae. From Jove and Ceres, Proserpina. From Jove and Moneta, the Muses. From Jove and Luna, Pandia. From Venus and Mars, Harmonia, and Formido.

[p.30] From Acheloos and Melpomene, the Sirens, Thelxiepe, Molpe and Pisinoe. From Jove and Clymene, Mnemosyne. From Jove and Maia, Mercury. From Jove and Latona, Apollo and Diana. From Earth, Python, a divine (prophetic) snake.

[2] INO: ...Later, Athamas, driven mad by Jove, slew his son Learchus...

[7] ANTIOPA: Antiopa, daughter of Nycteus, was by a trick violated by Epaphus, and as a consequence was cast off by her husband Lycus. Thus widowed, Jupiter embraced her. But Lycus married Dirce. She, suspecting that her husband had secretly lain with Antiopa, ordered her servants to keep her bound in darkness. When her time was approaching, by the will of Jove she escaped from her chains to Mount Cithaeron, and when birth was imminent and she sought for a place to bear her child, pain compelled her to give birth at the very crossroads. Shepherds reared her sons as their own, and called one Zetos, from "seeking a place," and the other Amphion, because "she gave birth at the crossroads, or by the road." When the sons found out who their mother was, they put Dirce to death by binding her to an untamed bull; by the kindness of Liber, whose votary she was, on Mount Cithaeron a spring was formed from her body, which was called Dirce.

[19] PHINEUS: Phineus, a Thracian, son of Agenor, had two sons by Cleopatra. Because of their stepmother's charges, these two were blinded by their father. Now to this Phineus, Apollo is said to have given the gift of prophecy. But he, since he revealed the deliberations of the gods, was blinded by Jove, and Jove set over him the Harpies, who are called the hounds of Jove, to take the food from his lips...

[29] ALCIMENA: When Amphitryon was away subduing Oichalia, Alcimena, thinking Jove was her husband, received him in her chamber. When he had entered her room, and told her what he had done in Oichalia, she lay with him, thinking he was her husband. He lay with her with so much pleasure that he spent one day and doubled two nights, so that Alcimena wondered at such a long night. Later when the word came to her that her husband was at hand, a victor, she showed no concern, because she thought she had already seen her husband. When Amphitryon came into the palace, and saw her carelessly unconcerned, he began to wonder and to complain that she did not welcome him when he appeared. Alcimena replied: You already came and lay with me, and told me what you had done in Oichalia. When she had given him all the evidence, Amphitryon realized that some divinity had assumed his form, and from that day did not lie with her. But she, from the embrace of Jove, bore Hercules.

[31] INCIDENTAL LABORS OF THE SAME HERCULES: ...He killed Cygnus, son of Mars, conquering him by force of arms. When Mars came there, and wanted to contend with him in arms because of his son, Jove hurled a thunderbolt between them.

[46] ERECHTHEUS: ... Erechtheus himself at Neptune's request was smitten with a thunderbolt by Jove.

[49] AESCULAPIUS: Aesculapius, son of Apollo, is said to have restored life either to Glaucus, son of Minos, or to Hippolytus, and Jupiter because of this struck him with a thunderbolt. Apollo, not being able to injure Jupiter, killed the ones who had made the thunderbolt, that is, the Cyclopes. On account of this deed Apollo was given in servitude to Admetus, King in Thessaly.

[52] AEGINA: When Jupiter wished to lie with Aigina, the daughter of Asopus, he feared Juno, and took the girl to the island of Delos, and there made her pregnant. Aeacus was their son. When Juno found this out, she sent a serpent into the water which poisoned it, and if anyone drank from it, he paid the debt to nature. Since Aeacus, his allies lost, could not protect himself on account of the scarcity of men, as he gazed at some ants, he begged Jupiter to give him men for defense. Then Jupiter changed the ants into men, who were named Myrmidones, because in Greek ants are called 'myrmekes'. The island, however, has the name of Aigina.

[53] ASTERIE: Though Jove loved Asterie, daughter of Titan, she scorned him. Therefore she was transformed into the bird ortux, which we call a quail, and he cast her into the sea. From her an island sprang up, which was named Ortygia. This was floating. Later Latona was borne there at Jove's command by the wind Aquilo, at the time when the Python was pursuing her, and there, clinging to an olive, she gave birth to Apollo and Diana. This island later was called Delos.

[54] THETIS: A prediction about Thetis, the Nereid, was that her son would be greater than his father. Since no one but Prometheus knew this, and Jove wished to lie with her, Prometheus promised Jove that he would give him timely warning if he would free him from his chains. And so when the promise was given he advised Jove not to lie with Thetis, for if one greater than he were born he might drive Jove from his kingdom, as he himself had done to Saturn. And so Thetis was given in marriage to Peleus, son of Aeacus...

[55] TITYUS: Because Latona had lain with Jove, Juno ordered Tityus, a creature of immense size, to offer violence to her. When he tried to do this he was slain by the thunderbolt of Jove [Zeus]. He is said to lie stretched out over nine acres in the Land of the Dead, and a serpent is put near him to eat out his liver, which grows again with the moon.

[61] SALMONEUS: Because Salmoneus, son of Aeolus, brother of Sisyphus, by riding in a four-horse chariot and . . . carrying [?] glowing torches [to terrify] the people, was imitating the thunder and lighting of Jove, he was smitten by the thunderbolt of Jove.

[62] IXION: Ixion, son of Leonteus, attempted to embrace Juno. Juno, by Jove's instructions, substituted a cloud, which Ixion believed to be the likeness of Juno. From this the Centaurs were born. But Mercury, by Jove's instructions, bound Ixion in the Land of the Dead to a wheel, which is said to be still turning there.

[63] DANAE: Danae was the daughter of Acrisius and Aganippe. A prophecy about her said that the child she bore would kill Acrisius, and Acrisius, fearing this, shut her in a stone-walled prison. But Jove, changing into a shower of gold, lay with Danae, and from this embrace Perseus was born. Because of her sin her father shut her up in a chest with Perseus and cast it into the sea. By Jove's will it was borne to the island of Seriphos, and when the fisherman Dictys found it and broke it open, he discovered the mother and child...

[68] POLYNICES: Polynices, son of Oidipus, when the year was over, demanded the rule from his brother Eteocles. He refused to yield it, and so Polynices, with the help of King Adrastus and seven leaders, came to attack Thebes. There Capaneus, because he said he would capture Thebes against Jove's will, was smitten by a thunderbolt as he was scaling the wall. Amphiaraus was swallowed up by the earth...

[75] TIRESIAS: On Mount Cyllene Tiresias, son of Everes, a shepherd, is said to have struck with his staff, or trampled on, snakes which were coupling. Because of this he was changed to a woman. Later, advised by an oracle, he trampled on the snakes in the same place, and returned to his former sex. At this same time there was a joking dispute between Jove and Juno as to whether man or woman derived more pleasure from the act of love. They took Tiresias as judge, since he had been both man and woman. When he decided in Jove's favour, Juno with the back of her hand angrily blinded him, but Jove because of this gave him seven lives to live, and made him a seer wiser than other mortals.

[77] LEDA: Jupiter, changed into a swan, had intercourse with Leda near the river Eurotas, and from that embrace she bore Pollux and Helen; to Tyndareus she bore Castor and Clytemnestra.

[79] HELEN: Theseus, son of Aegeus and Aethra, daughter of Pittheus, along with Pirithous, son of Ixion, carried off the maiden Helen, daughter of Tyndareus and Leda, from the shrine of Diana while she was sacrificing, and took her to Athens, to a district of the Attic region. When Jove saw that they had such audacity as to expose themselves to danger, he bade them in a dream both go and ask Pluto on Pirithous' part for Proserpine in marriage...

[80] CASTOR: ...Others say that as he was building the monument he pushed it on Castor and thus killed him. When they reported this to Pollux, he rushed up and overcame Idas in a single fight, recovered the body of his brother, and buried it. Since, however, he himself had received a star from Jove [Zeus], and one was not given to his brother, because Jove said that Castor and Clytemnestra were of the seed of Tyndareus, while he and Helen were children of Jove, Pollux begged that he be allowed to share his honor with his brother. This was granted him...

[82] TANTALUS: Tantalus, son of Jove and Pluto, begat Pelops by Dione. Jupiter was accustomed to confide his plans to Tantalus and admit him to the banquets of the gods, but Tantalus reported the plans to men. Because of this, he is said to stand in water up to his waist in the Land of the Dead, yet always to be thirsty, and when he wants to take a drink of water, it recedes. Apples, too, hang above his head, and when he wants to gather them, the branches moved by the wind, recede. A huge stone, too, hangs above his head, and he is constantly afraid it will fall on him.

[92] JUDGMENT OF PARIS: Jove is said to have invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis all the gods except Eris, or Discordia. When she came later and was not admitted to the banquet, she threw an apple through the door, saying that the fairest should take it. Juno, Venus, and Minerva claimed the beauty prize for themselves. A huge argument broke out among them. Jupiter ordered Mercury to take them to Mt Ida to Paris Alexander, and bid him judge. Juno promised him, if he should judge in her favour, that he would rule over all the lands and be pre-eminent wealth. Minerva promised that if she should come out victorious, he would be bravest of mortals and skilled in every craft. Venus, however, promised to give him in marriage Helen, daughter of Tyndareus, most beautiful of all women. Paris preferred the last give to the former ones, and judges Venus the most lovely. On account of this, Juno and Minerva were hostile to the Trojans.

[94] ANCHISES: Venus is said to have loved Anchises and to have lain with him. By him she conceived Aeneas, but she warned him not to reveal it to anyone. Anchises, however, told it over the wine to his companions, and for this was struck by the thunderbolt of Jove. Some say that he died by his own hand.

[106] RANSOM OF HECTOR: ...On his refusal to give the body to his father for burial, at Jove's command Priam, with Mercury as guide, came into the camp of the Danaans, received the body for an equal weight of gold, and gave it burial.

[125] ODYSSEY: ...He came to Aeolus, son of Hellen, to whom control of the winds had been given by Jove...When Ulysses had come to the island, and at Tiresias' warning forbade anyone's touching the herd, his comrades seized some cattle while he slept; as they were cooking them the flesh lowed from the brazen kettle. For his reason Jove struck his ship with a thunderbolt and burned it Wandering from this, his comrades lost in the shipwreck, he swam to the island of Aeaea, where the nymph Calypso, daughter of Atlas, lived. She enamoured of the handsome form of Ulysses, kept him a whole year, and was unwilling to release him until Mercury, by Jove's command, bade her release him...

[133] AMMON: When Liber was hunting for water in India, and hadn't succeeded, ram is said to have sprung suddenly from the ground, and with this as guide he found water. So he asked Jove to put the ram among the stars, and to this day it is called the equinoctial ram. Moreover, in the place where he found water he established a temple which his called the temple of Jove Ammon.

[138] PHILYRA, WHO WAS TURNED INTO A LINDEN TREE: When Saturn was hunting Jove throughout the earth, assuming the form of a steed he lay with Philyra, daughter of Ocean. By him she bore Chiron the Centaur, who is said to have been the first to invent the art of healing. After Philyra saw that she had borne a strange species, she asked Jove to change her into another form, and she was transformed into the tree which is called the linden.

[139] CURETES: After Opis had borne Jove by Saturn, Juno asked her to give him to her, since Saturn and cast Orcus under Tartarus, and Neptune under the sea, because he knew that his son would rob him of the kingdom. When he had asked Opis for what she had borne, in order to devour it, Opis showed him a stone wrapped up like a baby; Saturn devoured it. When he realized what he had done, he started to hunt for Jove throughout the earth. Juno, however, took Jove to the island of Crete, and Amalthea, the child's nurse, hung him in a cradle from a tree, so that he could be found neither in heaven nor on earth nor in the sea. And lest the cries of the baby be heard, she summoned youths and gave them small brazen shields and spears, and bade them go around the tree making a noise. In Greek they are called "Curetes"; others call them "Corybantes"; these [in Italy? ], however are called "Lares."

[140] PYTHON: ...At that time Jove lay with Latona, daughter of Polus. When Juno found this out, she decreed (?) that Latona should give birth at a place where the sun did not shine. When Python knew that Latona was pregnant by Jove, he followed her to kill her. But by order of Jove the wind Aquilo carried Latona away, and bore her to Neptune...

[142] PANDORA: Prometheus, son of Iapetus, first fashioned men from clay. Later Vulcan, at Jove's command, made a woman's form from clay. Minerva gave it life, and the rest of the gods each gave come other gift. Because of this they named her Pandora. She was given in marriage to Prometheus' brother Epimetheus. Pyrrha was her daughter, and was said to be the first mortal born.

[144] PROMETHEUS: Men in early times sought fire from the gods, and did not know how to keep it alive. Later Prometheus brought it to earth in a fennel-stalk, and showed men how to keep it covered over with ashes. Because of this, Mercury, at Jove's command, bound him with iron spikes to a cliff on Mount Caucasus, and set an eagle to eat out his heart; as much as it devoured in the day, so much grew again at night. After 30,000 years Hercules killed this eagle and freed Prometheus.

[145] NIOBA [NIOBE] OR IO: From Phoroneus and Cinna were born Apis and Nioba. Nioba was the first mortal to be embraced by Jove; to her was born Argus who named the city Argos from his own name. From Argus and Evadne, Criasus, Piranthus, and Ecbasus were born; from Piranthus and Callirhoe, Argus, Arestorides, and Triopas; he . . . from him Eurisabe, Anthus, Pelasgus, and Agenor; from Triops and Oreaside, Xanthus and Inachus; from Pelasgus, Larisa, from Inachus and Argia, Io. Jupiter loved and embraced Io, and changed her to heifer form so that Juno would not recognize her. When Juno found out, she sent Argus, who had gleaming eyes all around to guard her. Mercury, at Jove's command, killed him. But Juno sent a fearful shape to plague her, and out of terror of it she was driven wildly and compelled to cast herself into the sea, which is called Ionian. Thence she swam to Scythia, and the Bosporus is named from that; thence she went to Egypt where she bore Epaphus. When Jove realized that for his sake she had borne such suffering, he restored her to her own form, and made her a goddess of the Egyptians, called Isis.

[146] PROSERPINA: Pluto asked from Jove that he give him in marriage Ceres' daughter and his own. Jove said that Ceres would not permit her daughter to live in gloomy Tartarus, but bade him seize her as she was gathering flowers on Mount Etna, which is in Sicily. While Proserpina was gathering flowers with Venus, Diana, and Minerva, Pluto came in his four-horse chariot, and seized her. Afterwards Ceres obtained from Jove permission for her to stay half of the year with her, and half with Pluto.

[149] EPAPHUS: Jupiter bade Epaphus, whom he begat by Io, fortify the towns in Egypt and rule there. First of all he founded Memphis, and then many others. By Cassiope his wife he begat a daughter, Libya, from whom the land is named.

[150] WAR WITH THE TITANS: After Juno saw that Epaphus, born of a concubine, ruled such a great kingdom, she saw to it that he should be killed while hunting, and encouraged the Titans to drive Jove from the kingdom and restore it to Saturn. When they tried to mount heaven, Jove with the help of Minerva, Apollo, and Diana, cast them headlong into Tartarus. On Atlas, who had been their leader, he put the vault of the sky; even now he is said to hold up the sky on his shoulders.

[152] TYPHON: Tartarus begat by Tartara, Typhon, a creature of immense size and fearful shape, who had a hundred dragon heads springing from his shoulders. He challenged Jove to see if Jove would content with him for the rule. Jove struck his breast with a flaming thunderbolt. When it was burning him he put Mount Etna, which is in Sicily, over him. From this it is said to burn still.

[152A] PHAETHON Phaethon, son of Sol and Clymene, who had secretly mounted his father's car, and had been borne too high above the earth, from fear fell into the river Eridanus. When Jupiter struck him with a thunderbolt, everything started to burn. In order to have a reason for destroying the whole race of mortals, Jove pretended he wanted to put out the fire; he let loose the rivers everywhere, and all the human race perished except Deucalion and Pyrrha. But the sisters of Phaethon, because they had yoked the horses without the orders of their father, were changed into poplar trees.

[153] DEUCALION AND PYRRHA: When the cataclysm which we call the flood or deluge occurred, all the human race perished except Deucalion and Pyrrha, who fled to Mount Etna, which is said to be the highest mountain in Sicily. When they could not live on account of loneliness, they begged Jove either to give men, or to afflict them with a similar disaster. Then Jove bade them cast stones behind them; those Deucalion threw he ordered to become men, and those Pyrrha threw, to be women. Because of this they are called laos, "people", for stone in Greek is called las.

[155] SONS OF JOVE: Liber by Proserpine, whom the Titans dismembered. Hercules, by Alcumena. Liber by Semele, daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia. Castor and Pollux by Leda, daughter of Thestius. Argus by Nioba, daughter of Phoroneus. Epaphus by Io, daughter of Inachus. Perseus by Danae, daughter of Acrisius. Zethus and Amphion, by Antiopa, daughter of Nycteus. Minos, Sarpedon, and Rhadamanthus by Europa, daughter of Agenor. Helen by Pyrrha, daughter of Epimetheus. Aethlius by Protogenie, daughter of Deucalion. Dardanus by Electra, daughter of Atlas. Lacedemon by Taygete, daughter of Atlas. Tantalus by Pluto, daughter of Himas. Aeacus by Aigina, daughter of Asopus. Aegipan by the she-goat Boetis. Arcas by Callisto, daughter of Lycaon. [Etolus by Protogenia, daughter of Deucalion.] Pirithous by Dia, daughter of Deioneus.

[167] LIBER: Liber, son of Jove and Proserpine, was dismembered by the Titans, and Jove gave his heart, torn to bits, to Semele in a drink. When she was made pregnant by this, Juno, changing herself to look like Semele's nurse, Beroe, said to her: "Daughter, ask Jove to come to you as he comes to Juno, so you may know what pleasure it is to sleep with a god." At her suggestion Semele made this request of Jove, and was smitten by a thunderbolt. He took Liber from her womb, and gave him to Nysus to be cared for. For this reason he is called Dionysus, and also "the one with two mothers."

[176] LYCAON: Jove is said to have come as guest to Lycaon, son of Pelasgus, and to have seduced his daughter Callisto. From them Arcas was born, who named the land from his own name. But the son of Lycaon wanted to test Jove, to see whether he was a god or not; they mixed human flesh with the other meat, and set it before him at a banquet. When he realized it, in anger he overturned the table, and slew the sons of Lycaon with a thunderolt. At that place Arcas later fortified a town which he called Trapezus. But for Lycaon, their father, Jupiter changed into the form lykon, that is, the form of a wolf.

[177] CALLISTO: Callisto, daughter of Lycaon, is said to have been changed into a bear by the wrath of Juno, because she had lain with Jove. Afterwards Jove put her among the number of the stars as a constellation called Septentrio, which does not move from its place, nor does it set...

[178] EUROPA: Europa was the daughter of Argiope and Agenor, a Sidonian. Jupiter, changing his form to that of a bull, carried her from Sidon to Crete, and begat by her Minos, Sarpedon, and Rhadamanthus...

[179] SEMELE: Jove desired to lie with Semele, and when Juno found out, she changed her form to that of the nurse Beroe, came to Semele, and suggested that she ask Jove to come to her as he came to Juno, "that you may know", she said, "what pleasure it is to lie with a god." And so Semele asked Jove to come to her in this way. Her request was granted, and Jove, coming with lightning and thunder, burned Semele to death. From her womb Liber was born. Mercury snatched him from the fire and gave him to Nysus to be reared. In Greek he is called Dionysus.

[182] DAUGHTERS OF OCEAN: The daughters of Oceanus are Idothea, Althaea, and Adrasta, but others say they are daughters of Melisseus, and nurses of Jove...

[183] NAMES OF THE HORSES OF THE SUN AND OF THE HOURS: ...The names of the Horae, daughters of Jove, son of Saturn, and Themis, daughter Titanidis, are these: Auco, Eunomia (Order), Pherusa, Carpo (Fruit), Dike (Justice), Euporia, Eirene (Peace), Orthosie, Thallo...

[185] ATALANTA: ...When she had overtaken and killed many, she was finally defeated by Hippomenes, son of Megareus and Merope. For he had received from Venus three apples of exceptional beauty, and had been instructed how to use them. By throwing them down in the contest. He had slowed up the speed of the girl, for as she picked them up and admired the gold, she lost time, and gave victory to the youth. Schoeneus willingly gave him his daughter because of his ingenuity, but as he was taking her home, forgetting that he had won by the favour of Venus, he did not give thanks to her. While he was sacrifice to Jove Victor on Mount Parnassus, inflamed with passion through the anger of Venus, he lay with Atalanta in the shrine, and Jupiter because of this changed them into lion and lioness, animals to whom the gods deny intercourse of love.

[195] ORION: Jove, Neptune, and Mercury came as guests to King Hyrieus in Thrace. Since they were received hospitably by him, they promised him whatever he should ask for. He asked for children. Mercury brought out the hide of the bull which Hyrieus had sacrificed to them; they urinated in it, and buried it in the earth, and from it Orion was born. When he tried to violate Diana, she killed him. Later he was placed by Jove among the stars, and called Orion.

[223] SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD: ...The statue of Olympian Jove which Phidias made, a seated statue of gold and ivory, 60 feet high...

[225] THOSE WHO FIRST BUILT TEMPLES TO THE GODS: ...Pelasgus, son of Triopas, first made a temple to Olympian Jove in Arcadia...

[250] TEAMS WHICH DESTROYED THEIR DRIVERS: ...Horses destroyed Iasion, son of Jove by Electra, daughter of Atlas...

[275] TOWN AND THEIR FOUNDERS: Jove founded Thebes in India, named from Thebais, his nurse; it is called hecatompylae, because it has a hundred gates...

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 1, translated by BROOKES MORE

[113] When Saturn had been banished into night and all the world was ruled by Jove supreme, the Silver Age, though not so good as gold but still surpassing yellow brass, prevailed. Jove first reduced to years the Primal Spring, by him divided into periods four, unequal,—summer, autumn, winter, spring.—then glowed with tawny heat the parched air, or pendent icicles in winter froze and man stopped crouching in crude caverns, while he built his homes of tree rods, bark entwined. Then were the cereals planted in long rows, and bullocks groaned beneath the heavy yoke.

[151] And lest ethereal heights should long remain less troubled than the earth, the throne of Heaven was threatened by the Giants; and they piled mountain on mountain to the lofty stars. But Jove, omnipotent, shot thunderbolts through Mount Olympus, and he overturned from Ossa huge, enormous Pelion. And while these dreadful bodies lay overwhelmed in their tremendous bulk, (so fame reports) the Earth was reeking with the copious blood of her gigantic sons; and thus replete with moisture she infused the steaming gore with life renewed.

[207] Jove once again broke the deep silence with imperial words: “Dismiss your cares; he paid the penalty however all the crime and punishment now learn from this:—An infamous report of this unholy age had reached my ears, and wishing it were false, I sloped my course from high Olympus, and—although a God—disguised in human form I viewed the world. It would delay us to recount the crimes unnumbered, for reports were less than truth. I traversed Maenalus where fearful dens abound, over Lycaeus, wintry slopes of pine tree groves, across Cyllene steep; and as the twilight warned of night's approach, I stopped in that Arcadian tyrant's realms and entered his inhospitable home:—and when I showed his people that a God had come, the lowly prayed and worshiped me, but this Lycaon mocked their pious vows and scoffing said; ‘A fair experiment will prove the truth if this be god or man.’ and he prepared to slay me in the night,—to end my slumbers in the sleep of death. So made he merry with his impious proof; but not content with this he cut the throat of a Molossian hostage sent to him, and partly softened his still quivering limbs in boiling water, partly roasted them on fires that burned beneath. And when this flesh was served to me on tables, I destroyed his dwelling and his worthless Household Gods, with thunder bolts avenging. Terror struck he took to flight, and on the silent plains is howling in his vain attempts to speak; he raves and rages and his greedy jaws, desiring their accustomed slaughter, turn against the sheep – still eager for their blood. His vesture separates in shaggy hair, his arms are changed to legs; and as a wolf he has the same grey locks, the same hard face, the same bright eyes, the same ferocious look.“

[244] With exclamations some approved the words of Jove and added fuel to his wrath, while others gave assent: but all deplored and questioned the estate of earth deprived of mortals. Who could offer frankincense upon the altars? Would he suffer earth to be despoiled by hungry beasts of prey? Such idle questions of the state of man the King of Gods forbade, but granted soon to people earth with race miraculous, unlike the first. And now his thunder bolts would Jove wide scatter, but he feared the flames, unnumbered, sacred ether might ignite and burn the axle of the universe: and he remembered in the scroll of fate, there is a time appointed when the sea and earth and Heavens shall melt, and fire destroy the universe of mighty labour wrought. Such weapons by the skill of Cyclops forged, for different punishment he laid aside—for straightway he preferred to overwhelm the mortal race beneath deep waves and storms from every raining sky.

[262] And instantly he shut the Northwind in Aeolian caves, and every other wind that might dispel the gathering clouds. He bade the Southwind blow:—the Southwind flies abroad with dripping wings, concealing in the gloom his awful face: the drenching rain descends from his wet beard and hoary locks; dark clouds are on his brows and from his wings and garments drip the dews: his great hands press the overhanging clouds; loudly the thunders roll; the torrents pour; Iris, the messenger of Juno, clad in many coloured raiment, upward draws the steaming moisture to renew the clouds. The standing grain is beaten to the ground, the rustic's crops are scattered in the mire, and he bewails the long year's fruitless toil.

[274] The wrath of Jove was not content with powers that emanate from Heaven; he brought to aid his azure brother, lord of flowing waves, who called upon the Rivers and the Streams: and when they entered his impearled abode, Neptune, their ancient ruler, thus began; “A long appeal is needless; pour ye forth in rage of power; open up your fountains; rush over obstacles; let every stream pour forth in boundless floods.” Thus he commands, and none dissenting all the River Gods return, and opening up their fountains roll tumultuous to the deep unfruitful sea.

[283] And Neptune with his trident smote the Earth, which trembling with unwonted throes heaved up the sources of her waters bare; and through her open plains the rapid rivers rushed resistless, onward bearing the waving grain, the budding groves, the houses, sheep and men,—and holy temples, and their sacred urns. The mansions that remained, resisting vast and total ruin, deepening waves concealed and whelmed their tottering turrets in the flood and whirling gulf. And now one vast expanse, the land and sea were mingled in the waste of endless waves—a sea without a shore.

[324] When Jupiter beheld the globe in ruin covered, swept with wasting waves, and when he saw one man of myriads left, one helpless woman left of myriads lone, both innocent and worshiping the Gods, he scattered all the clouds; he blew away the great storms by the cold northwind. Once more the earth appeared to heaven and the skies appeared to earth. The fury of the main abated, for the Ocean ruler laid his trident down and pacified the waves, and called on azure Triton.—Triton arose above the waving seas, his shoulders mailed in purple shells.—He bade the Triton blow, blow in his sounding shell, the wandering streams and rivers to recall with signal known: a hollow wreathed trumpet, tapering wide and slender stemmed, the Triton took amain and wound the pearly shell at midmost sea. Betwixt the rising and the setting suns the wildered notes resounded shore to shore, and as it touched his lips, wet with the brine beneath his dripping beard, sounded retreat: and all the waters of the land and sea obeyed. Their fountains heard and ceased to flow; their waves subsided; hidden hills uprose; emerged the shores of ocean; channels filled with flowing streams; the soil appeared; the land increased its surface as the waves decreased: and after length of days the trees put forth, with ooze on bending boughs, their naked tops.

[588] For Jove not long before had seen her while returning from her father's stream, and said; “O virgin, worthy of immortal Jove, although some happy mortal's chosen bride,—behold these shades of overhanging trees, and seek their cool recesses while the sun is glowing in the height of middle skies—” and as he spoke he pointed out the groves—“But should the dens of wild beasts frighten you, with safety you may enter the deep woods, conducted by a God—not with a God of small repute, but in the care of him who holds the heavenly scepter in his hand and fulminates the trackless thunder bolts.—forsake me not! ” For while he spoke she fled, and swiftly left behind the pasture fields of Lerna, and Lyrcea's arbours, where the trees are planted thickly. But the God called forth a heavy shadow which involved the wide extended earth, and stopped her flight and ravished in that cloud her chastity.

[601] Meanwhile, the goddess Juno gazing down on earth's expanse, with wonder saw the clouds as dark as night enfold those middle fields while day was bright above. She was convinced the clouds were none composed of river mist nor raised from marshy fens. Suspicious now, from oft detected amours of her spouse, she glanced around to find her absent lord, and quite convinced that he was far from heaven, she thus exclaimed; “This cloud deceives my mind, or Jove has wronged me.” From the dome of heaven she glided down and stood upon the earth, and bade the clouds recede. But Jove had known the coming of his queen. He had transformed the lovely Io, so that she appeared a milk white heifer—formed so beautiful and fair that envious Juno gazed on her. She queried: “Whose? what herd? what pasture fields?” As if she guessed no knowledge of the truth. And Jupiter, false hearted, said the cow was earth begotten, for he feared his queen might make inquiry of the owner's name. Juno implored the heifer as a gift.—what then was left the Father of the Gods? 'Twould be a cruel thing to sacrifice his own beloved to a rival's wrath. Although refusal must imply his guilt the shame and love of her almost prevailed; but if a present of such little worth were now denied the sharer of his couch, the partner of his birth, 'twould prove indeed the earth born heifer other than she seemed—and so he gave his mistress up to her.

[622] Juno regardful of Jove's cunning art, lest he might change her to her human form, gave the unhappy heifer to the charge of Argus, Aristorides, whose head was circled with a hundred glowing eyes; of which but two did slumber in their turn whilst all the others kept on watch and guard. Whichever way he stood his gaze was fixed on Io—even if he turned away his watchful eyes on Io still remained. He let her feed by day; but when the sun was under the deep world he shut her up, and tied a rope around her tender neck. She fed upon green leaves and bitter herbs and on the cold ground slept—too often bare, she could not rest upon a cushioned couch. She drank the troubled waters. Hoping aid she tried to stretch imploring arms to Argus, but all in vain for now no arms remained; the sound of bellowing was all she heard, and she was frightened with her proper voice. Where former days she loved to roam and sport, she wandered by the banks of Inachus: there imaged in the stream she saw her horns and, startled, turned and fled. And Inachus and all her sister Naiads knew her not, although she followed them, they knew her not, although she suffered them to touch her sides and praise her. When the ancient Inachus gathered sweet herbs and offered them to her, she licked his hands, kissing her father's palms, nor could she more restrain her falling tears. If only words as well as tears would flow, she might implore his aid and tell her name and all her sad misfortune; but, instead, she traced in dust the letters of her name with cloven hoof; and thus her sad estate was known.

[668] The sovereign god no longer could endure to witness Io's woes. He called his son, whom Maia brightest of the Pleiades brought forth, and bade him slay the star eyed guard, Argus. He seized his sleep compelling wand and fastened waving wings on his swift feet, and deftly fixed his brimmed hat on his head:—lo, Mercury, the favoured son of Jove, descending to the earth from heaven's plains, put off his cap and wings,—though still retained his wand with which he drove through pathless wilds some stray she goats, and as a shepherd fared, piping on oaten reeds melodious tunes. Argus, delighted with the charming sound of this new art began; “Whoever thou art, sit with me on this stone beneath the trees in cooling shade, whilst browse the tended flock abundant herbs; for thou canst see the shade is fit for shepherds.”

[747] And since that time, the linen wearing throng of Egypt have adored her as a God; for they believe the seed of Jove prevailed; and when her time was due she bore to him a son called Epaphus; who also dwells in temples with his mother in that land.

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 2, translated by BROOKES MORE

[401] Now after Phaethon had suffered death for the vast ruin wrought by scorching flames, all the great walls of Heaven's circumference, unmeasured, views the Father of the Gods, with searching care, that none impaired by heat may fall in ruins. Well assured they stand in self-sustaining strength, his view, at last, on all the mundane works of man is turned;—his loving gaze long resting on his own Arcadia. And he starts the streams and springs that long have feared to flow; paints the wide earth with verdant fields; covers the trees with leaves, and clothes the injured forests in their green. While wandering in the world, he stopped amazed, when he beheld the lovely Nymph, Calisto, and fires of love were kindled in his breast. Calisto was not clothed in sumptuous robes, nor did she deck her hair in artful coils; but with a buckle she would gird her robe, and bind her long hair with a fillet white. She bore a slender javelin in her hand, or held the curving bow; and thus in arms as chaste Diana, none of Maenalus was loved by that fair goddess more than she. But everything must change.

[417] When bright the sun rolled down the sky, beyond his middle course, she pierced a secret thicket, known to her, and having slipped the quiver from her arm, she loosed the bended bow, and softly down upon the velvet turf reclining, pressed her white neck on the quiver while she slept. When Jupiter beheld her, negligent and beautiful, he argued thus, “How can my consort, Juno, learn of this? And yet, if chance should give her knowledge, what care I? Let gain offset the scolding of her tongue!” This said, the god transformed himself and took Diana's form—assumed Diana's dress and imitating her awoke the maid, and spoke in gentle tones, “What mountain slope, O virgin of my train, hath been thy chase?” Which, having heard, Calisto, rose and said, “Hail, goddess! greater than celestial Jove! I would declare it though he heard the words.” Jove heard and smiled, well pleased to be preferred above himself, and kissed her many times, and strained her in his arms, while she began to tell the varied fortunes of her hunt.—But when his ardent love was known to her, she struggled to escape from his embrace: ah, how could she, a tender maid, resist almighty Jove?—Be sure, Saturnia if thou hadst only witnessed her thy heart had shown more pity!—Jupiter on wings, transcendent, sought his glorious heights; but she, in haste departing from that grove, almost forgot her quiver and her bow.

[441] Behold, Diana, with her virgin train, when hunting on the slopes of Maenalus, amidst the pleasures of exciting sport, espied the Nymph and called her, who, afraid that Jove apparelled in disguise deceived, drew backward for a moment, till appeared to her the lovely Nymphs that followed: thus, assured deceit was none, she ventured near. Alas, how difficult to hide disgrace! She could not raise her vision from the ground, nor as the leader of the hunting Nymphs, as was her wont, walk by the goddess' side. Her silence and her blushes were the signs of injured honour. Ah Diana, thou, if thou wert not a virgin, wouldst perceive and pity her unfortunate distress. The Moon's bent horns were rising from their ninth sojourn, when, fainting from Apollo's flames, the goddess of the Chase observed a cool umbrageous grove, from which a murmuring stream ran babbling gently over golden sands. When she approved the spot, lightly she struck her foot against the ripples of the stream, and praising it began; “Far from the gaze of all the curious we may bathe our limbs, and sport in this clear water.” Quickly they undid their garments,—but Calisto hid behind the others, till they knew her state.—Diana in a rage exclaimed, “Away! Thou must not desecrate our sacred springs!” And she was driven thence.

[466] Ere this transpired, observed the consort of the Thunder-God her altered mien; but she for ripening time withheld severe resentment. Now delay was needless for distracted Juno heard Calisto of the god of Heaven had borne a boy called Arcas. Full of jealous rage, her eyes and thoughts enkindled as she cried; “And only this was wanting to complete your wickedness, that you should bear a son and flaunt abroad the infamy of Jove! Unpunished you shall not escape, for I will spoil the beauty that has made you proud and dazzled Jupiter with wanton art.” So saying, by her forehead's tresses seized the goddess on her rival; and she dragged her roughly to the ground. Pleading she raised her suppliant arms and begged for mercy.—While she pled, black hair spread over her white limbs; her hands were lengthened into feet, and claws long-curving tipped them; snarling jaws deformed the mouth that Jove had kissed. And lest her prayers and piteous words might move some listening God, and give remembrance, speech was so denied, that only from her throat came angry growls, now uttered hoarse and threatening. Still remains her understanding, though her body, thus transformed, makes her appear a savage bear.—her sorrows are expressed in many a groan, repeated as she lifts her hands—if we may call them so – repeated as she lifts them towards the stars and skies, ungrateful Jove regarding; but her voice accuses not. Afraid to rest in unfrequented woods, she wandered in the fields that once were hers, around her well-known dwelling. Over crags, in terror, she was driven by the cries of hounds; and many a time she fled in fear, a huntress from the hunters, or she hid from savage animals; forgetting her transformed condition. Changed into a bear, she fled affrighted from the bears that haunt the rugged mountains; and she feared and fled the wolves,—although her father was a wolf.

[496] When thrice five birthdays rounded out the youth of Arcas, offspring of Lycaon's child, he hunted in the forest of his choice; where, hanging with his platted nets the trees of Erymanthian forest, he espied his transformed mother,—but he knew her not; no one had told him of his parentage. Knowing her child, she stood with levelled gaze, amazed and mute as he began approach; but Arcas, frightened at the sight drew back to pierce his mother's breast with wounding spear.—but not permitting it the god of Heaven averted, and removed them from that crime. He, in a mighty wind—through vacant space, upbore them to the dome of starry heaven, and fixed them, Constellations, bright amid the starry host.

[508] Juno on high beheld Calisto crowned with glory—great with rage her bosom heaved. She flew across the sea, to hoary Tethys and to old Oceanus, whom all the Gods revere, and thus to them in answer to their words she made address; “And is it wondered that the Queen of Gods comes hither from ethereal abodes? My rival sits upon the Throne of Heaven: yea, when the wing of Night has darkened let my fair word be deemed of no repute, if you behold not in the height of Heaven those new made stars, now honoured to my shame, conspicuous; fixed in the highest dome of space that circles the utmost axis of the world. Who, then, should hesitate to put affront on Juno? matchless goddess! each offense redounds in benefit! Who dreads her rage? Oh boundless powers! Oh unimagined deeds! My enemy assumes a goddess' form when my decree deprives her human shape;—and thus the guilty rue their chastisement! Now let high Jove to human shape transform this hideous beast, as once before he changed his Io from a heifer.—Let him now divorce his Juno and consort with her, and lead Calisto to his couch, and take that wolf, Lycaon, for a father-in-law! Oh, if an injury to me, your child, may move your pity! drive the Seven Stars from waters crystalline and azure-tint, and your domain debar from those that shine in Heaven, rewarded for Jove's wickedness.—bathe not a concubine in waters pure.”—the Gods of Ocean granted her request.

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 3, translated by BROOKES MORE

[251] Hapless Actaeon's end in various ways was now regarded; some deplored his doom, but others praised Diana's chastity; and all gave many reasons. But the spouse of Jove, alone remaining silent, gave nor praise nor blame. Whenever calamity befell the race of Cadmus she rejoiced, in secret, for she visited her rage on all Europa's kindred. Now a fresh occasion has been added to her grief, and wild with jealousy of Semele, her tongue as ever ready to her rage, lets loose a torrent of abuse; “Away! Away with words! Why should I speak of it? Let me attack her! Let me spoil that jade! Am I not Juno the supreme of Heaven? Queen of the flashing scepter? Am I not sister and wife of Jove omnipotent? She even wishes to be known by him a mother of a Deity, a joy almost denied to me! Great confidence has she in her great beauty – nevertheless, I shall so weave the web the bolt of Jove would fail to save her.—Let the Gods deny that I am Saturn's daughter, if her shade descend not stricken to the Stygian wave.”

[273] She rose up quickly from her shining throne, and hidden in a cloud of fiery hue descended to the home of Semele; and while encompassed by the cloud, transformed her whole appearance as to counterfeit old Beroe, an Epidaurian nurse, who tended Semele. Her tresses changed to grey, her smooth skin wrinkled and her step grown feeble as she moved with trembling limbs;—her voice was quavering as an ancient dame's, as Juno, thus disguised, began to talk to Semele. When presently the name of Jove was mentioned—artful Juno thus; (doubtful that Jupiter could be her love)—“When Jove appears to pledge his love to you, implore him to assume his majesty and all his glory, even as he does in presence of his stately Juno—Yea, implore him to caress you as a God.”

[287] With artful words as these the goddess worked upon the trusting mind of Semele, daughter of Cadmus, till she begged of Jove a boon, that only hastened her sad death; for Jove not knowing her design replied, “Whatever thy wish, it shall not be denied, and that thy heart shall suffer no distrust, I pledge me by that Deity, the Waves of the deep Stygian Lake,—oath of the Gods.” All overjoyed at her misfortune, proud that she prevailed, and pleased that she secured of him a promise, that could only cause her own disaster, Semele addressed almighty Jove; “Come unto me in all the splendour of thy glory, as thy might is shown to Juno, goddess of the skies.” Fain would he stifle her disastrous tongue; before he knew her quest the words were said; and, knowing that his greatest oath was pledged, he sadly mounted to the lofty skies, and by his potent nod assembled there the deep clouds: and the rain began to pour, and thunder-bolts resounded. But he strove to mitigate his power, and armed him not with flames overwhelming as had put to flight his hundred-handed foe Typhoeus—flames too dreadful. Other thunder-bolts he took, forged by the Cyclops of a milder heat, with which insignia of his majesty, sad and reluctant, he appeared to her.—her mortal form could not endure the shock and she was burned to ashes in his sight. An unformed babe was rescued from her side, and, nurtured in the thigh of Jupiter, completed Nature's time until his birth. Ino, his aunt, in secret nursed the boy and cradled him. And him Nyseian nymphs concealed in caves and fed with needful milk.

[316] While these events according to the laws of destiny occurred, and while the child, the twice-born Bacchus, in his cradle lay, 'Tis told that Jupiter, a careless hour, indulged too freely in the nectar cup; and having laid aside all weighty cares, jested with Juno as she idled by. Freely the god began; “Who doubts the truth? The female's pleasure is a great delight, much greater than the pleasure of a male.” Juno denied it; wherefore 'twas agreed to ask Tiresias to declare the truth, than whom none knew both male and female joys: for wandering in a green wood he had seen two serpents coupling; and he took his staff and sharply struck them, till they broke and fled. 'Tis marvelous, that instant he became a woman from a man, and so remained while seven autumns passed. When eight were told, again he saw them in their former plight, and thus he spoke; “Since such a power was wrought, by one stroke of a staff my sex was changed—again I strike!” And even as he struck the same two snakes, his former sex returned; his manhood was restored.—as both agreed to choose him umpire of the sportive strife, he gave decision in support of Jove; from this the disappointment Juno felt surpassed all reason, and enraged, decreed eternal night should seal Tiresias' eyes.—immortal Deities may never turn decrees and deeds of other Gods to naught, but Jove, to recompense his loss of sight, endowed him with the gift of prophecy.

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 4, translated by BROOKES MORE

[234] So ardently the bright Apollo (Sol) loved, that Clytie, envious of Leucothea's joy, where evil none was known, a scandal made; and having published wide their secret love, leucothea's father also heard the tale. Relentlessly and fierce, his cruel hand buried his living daughter in the ground, who, while her arms implored the glowing Sun, complained. “For love of thee my life is lost.” And as she wailed her father sowed her there. Hyperion's Son began with piercing heat to scatter the loose sand, a way to open, that she might look with beauteous features forth too late! for smothered by the compact earth, thou canst not lift thy drooping head; alas! A lifeless corse remains. No sadder sight since Phaethon was blasted by the bolt, down-hurled by Jove, had ever grieved the God who daily drives his winged steeds.

[604] The fortune of their grandson, Bacchus, gave great comfort to them—as a god adored in conquered India; by Achaia praised in stately temples.—But Acrisius the son of Abas, of the Cadmean race, remained to banish Bacchus from the walls of Argos, and to lift up hostile arms against that deity, who he denied was born to Jove. He would not even grant that Perseus from the loins of Jupiter was got of Danae in the showering gold. So mighty is the hidden power of truth...

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 5, translated by BROOKES MORE

[564] "But Jupiter, the mediator of these rival claims, urged by his brother and his grieving sister, divided the long year in equal parts. Now Proserpina, as a Deity, of equal merit, in two kingdoms reigns:—for six months with her mother she abides, and six months with her husband.—Both her mind and her appearance quickly were transformed; for she who seemed so sad in Pluto's eyes, now as a goddess beams in joyful smiles; so, when the sun obscured by watery mist conquers the clouds, it shines in splendour forth.

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 8, translated by BROOKES MORE

[99] So great a monster shall not be allowed to desecrate the sacred Isle of Crete, where Jupiter was born.”

[626] "Long ago 'twas visited by mighty Jupiter, together with his nimble-witted son, who first had laid aside his rod and Wings. As weary travelers over all the land they wandered, begging for their food and bed; and of a thousand houses, all the doors were bolted and no word of kindness given—so wicked were the people of that land. At last, by chance, they stopped at a small house, whose humble roof was thatched with reeds and straw;—and here a kind old couple greeted them. The good dame, Baucis, seemed about the age of old Philemon, her devoted man; they had been married in their early youth, in that same cottage and had lived in it, and grown together to a good old age; contented with their lot because they knew their poverty, and felt no shame of it; they had no need of servants; the good pair were masters of their home and served themselves; their own commands they easily obeyed.

[637] "Now when the two Gods, Jove and Mercury, had reached this cottage, and with bending necks had entered the low door, the old man bade them rest their wearied limbs, and set a bench, on which his good wife, Baucis, threw a cloth; and then with kindly bustle she stirred up the glowing embers on the hearth, and then laid tinder, leaves and bark; and bending down breathed on them with her ancient breath until they kindled into flame. Then from the house she brought a store of faggots and small twigs, and broken branches, and above them swung a kettle, not too large for simple folk. And all this done, she stripped some cabbage leaves, which her good husband gathered for the meal. Then with a two-pronged fork the man let down a rusty side of bacon from aloft, and cut a little portion from the chine; which had been cherished long. He softened it in boiling water. All the while they tried with cheerful conversation to beguile, so none might notice a brief loss of time. Swung on a peg they had a beechwood trough, which quickly with warm water filled, was used for comfortable washing. And they fixed, upon a willow couch, a cushion soft of springy sedge, on which they neatly spread a well worn cloth preserved so many years; 'Twas only used on rare and festive days; and even it was coarse and very old, though not unfit to match a willow couch!

[660] "Now as the Gods reclined, the good old dame, whose skirts were tucked up, moving carefully, for so she tottered with her many years, fetched a clean table for the ready meal—but one leg of the table was too short, and so she wedged it with a potsherd—so made firm, she cleanly scoured it with fresh mint. And here is set the double-tinted fruit of chaste Minerva, and the tasty dish of corner, autumn-picked and pickled; these were served for relish; and the endive-green, and radishes surrounding a large pot of curdled milk; and eggs not overdone but gently turned in glowing embers—all served up in earthen dishes. Then sweet wine served up in clay, so costly! all embossed, and cups of beechwood smoothed with yellow wax. So now they had short respite, till the fire might yield the heated course. Again they served new wine, but mellow; and a second course: sweet nuts, dried figs and wrinkled dates and plums, and apples fragrant, in wide baskets heaped; and, in a wreath of grapes from purple vines, concealed almost, a glistening honey-comb; and all these orchard dainties were enhanced by willing service and congenial smiles.

[678] " But while they served, the wine-bowl often drained, as often was replenished, though unfilled, and Baucis and Philemon, full of fear, as they observed the wine spontaneous well, increasing when it should diminish, raised their hands in supplication, and implored indulgence for their simple home and fare. And now, persuaded by this strange event such visitors were deities unknown, this aged couple, anxious to bestow their most esteemed possession, hastily began to chase the only goose they had—the faithful guardian of their little home—which they would kill and offer to the Gods. But swift of wing, at last it wearied them, and fled for refuge to the smiling Gods. At once the deities forbade their zeal, and said, `A righteous punishment shall fall severe upon this wicked neighborhood; but by the might of our divinity, no evil shall befall this humble home; but you must come, and follow as we climb the summit of this mountain!’

[693] "Both obeyed, and leaning on their staves toiled up the steep. Not farther from the summit than the flight of one swift arrow from a hunter's how, they paused to view their little home once more; and as they turned their eyes, they saw the fields around their own engulfed in a morass, although their own remained,—and while they wept bewailing the sad fate of many friends, and wondered at the change, they saw their home, so old and little for their simple need—put on new splendor, and as it increased it changed into a temple of the gods. Where first the frame was fashioned of rude stakes columns of marble glistened, and the thatch gleamed golden in the sun, and legends carved, adorned the doors. And all the ground shone white with marble rich, and after this was done, the Son of Saturn said with gentle voice, `Now tell us, good old man and you his wife, worthy and faithful, what is your desire?’

[705] "Philemon counselled with old Baucis first; and then discovered to the listening Gods their hearts' desire, `We pray you let us have the care of your new temple; and since we have passed so many years in harmony, let us depart this life together—Let the same hour take us both—I would not see the tomb of my dear wife; and let me not be destined to be buried by her hands!’ At once their wishes were fulfilled. So long as life was granted they were known to be the temple's trusted keepers, and when age had enervated them with many years, as they were standing, by some chance, before the sacred steps, and were relating all these things as they had happened, Baucis saw Philemon, her old husband, and he, too, saw Baucis, as their bodies put forth leaves; and while the tops of trees grew over them, above their faces,—they spoke each to each; as long as they could speak they said, `Farewell, farewell, my own’—and while they said farewell; new leaves and branches covered both at once.

[719] "The people of Tyana (Thynia) still point out two trees which grew there from a double trunk, two forms made into one. Old truthful men, who have no reason to deceive me, told me truly all that I have told to you, and I have seen the votive wreaths hung from the branches of the hallowed double-tree. And one time, as I hung fresh garlands there, I said, `Those whom the Gods care for are Gods! And those who worshiped are now worshiped here.’”

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 9, translated by BROOKES MORE

[103] Returning to the city of his birth great Hercules, the son of Jupiter, with his new bride, arrived upon the bank of swift Evenus...

[418] When Themis, prophesying future days, had said these words, the Gods of Heaven complained because they also could not grant the gift of youth to many others in this way. Aurora wept because her husband had white hair; and Ceres then bewailed the age of her Iasion, grey and stricken old; and Mulciber demanded with new life his Erichthonius might again appear; and Venus, thinking upon future days, said old Anchises' years must be restored. And every god preferred some favorite, until vexed with the clamor, Jupiter implored, “If you can have regard for me, consider the strange blessings you desire: does any one of you believe he can prevail against the settled will of Fate? As Iolaus has returned by fate, to those years spent by him; so by the Fates Callirhoe's sons from infancy must grow to manhood with no struggle on their part, or force of their ambition. And you should endure your fortune with contented minds: I, also, must give all control to Fate. If I had power to change the course of Fate I would not let advancing age break down my own son Aeacus, nor bend his back with weight of year; and Rhadamanthus should retain an everlasting flower of youth, together with my own son Minos, who is now despised because of his great age, so that his scepter has lost dignity.” Such words of Jupiter controlled the Gods, and none continued to complain, when they saw Aeacus and Rhadamanthus old, and Minos also, weary of his age.

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 10, translated by BROOKES MORE

[155] The king of all the Gods once burned with love for Ganymede of Phrygia. He found a shape more pleasing even than his own. Jove would not take the form of any bird, except the eagle's, able to sustain the weight of his own thunderbolts. Without delay, Jove on fictitious eagle wings, stole and flew off with that loved Trojan boy: who even to this day, against the will of Juno, mingles nectar in the cups of his protector, mighty Jupiter.

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 11, translated by BROOKES MORE

[221] To Thetis, aged Proteus once had said, “Oh goddess of the waves, you shall conceive, and you shall be the mother of a youth who by heroic actions will surpass the deeds of his own father, and your son shall be superior to his father's power.” So Jupiter, although the flame of love for Thetis burned his breast, would not embrace the lovely daughter of the sea, and urged his grandson Peleus, son of Aeacus, to wed the green haired maid without delay.

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 13, translated by BROOKES MORE

[27] Great Jove himself calls Aeacus his son. Thus, Ajax is the third from Jupiter.

[600] Jove nodded his assent. Immediately the high-wrought funeral-pile of Memnon fell down with its lofty fire, and volumes of black smoke obscured the day, as streams exhaling their dense rising fogs, exclude the bright sun from the land below. Black ashes fly and, rolling up a shape, retain a form and gather heat and life out of the fire. Their lightness gave them wings, first like a bird and then in fact a bird. The wings move whirring. In the neighboring air uncounted sisters, of one birth and growth together make one noise. Three times they flew around the funeral pile; and thrice the sound accordant of their fluttering wings went swift upon the soft breeze. When they turned about, their fourth flight in the skies divided them. As two fierce races from two hostile camps, clash in their warfare, these bird-sisters with their beaks and crooked claws clashed, passionate, until their tired wings and opposing breasts could not sustain them. And those kindred-foes fell down a sacrifice, memorial, to Memnon's ashes buried in that place. Brave Memnon, author of their birth, has given his name to those birds, marvellously formed,—and from him they are called Memnonides.

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 1, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[1.1.3] The most noteworthy sight in the Peiraeus is a precinct of Athena and Zeus. Both their images are of bronze; Zeus holds a staff and a Victory, Athena a spear.

[1.17.5] Among the sights of Thesprotia are a sanctuary of Zeus at Dodona and an oak sacred to the god...

[1.25.1] ...Deinomenes made the two female figures which stand near, Io, the daughter of Inachus, and Callisto, the daughter of Lycaon, of both of whom exactly the same story is told, to wit, love of Zeus, wrath of Hera, and metamorphosis, Io becoming a cow and Callisto a bear.

[1.32.2] The Athenians have also statues of gods on their mountains. On Pentelicus is a statue of Athena, on Hymettus one of Zeus Hymettius. There are altars both of Zeus Rain-god and of Apollo Foreseer. On Parnes is a bronze Zeus Parnethius, and an altar to Zeus Semaleus (Sign-giving). There is on Parnes another altar, and on it they make sacrifice, calling Zeus sometimes Rain-god, sometimes Averter of Ills. Anchesmus is a mountain of no great size, with an image of Zeus Anchesmius.

[1.4.1] Water flows into it called the water of the Sithnid nymphs. The Megarians say that the Sithnid nymphs are native, and that one of them mated with Zeus; that Megarus, a son of Zeus and of this nymph, escaped the flood in the time of Deucalion, and made his escape to the heights of Gerania.

[1.44.9] On the top of the mountain(Molurian rock) is a temple of Zeus surnamed Aphesius (Releaser). It is said that on the occasion of the drought that once afflicted the Greeks Aeacus in obedience to an oracular utterance sacrificed in Aegina to Zeus God of all the Greeks, and Zeus rained and ended the drought, gaining thus the name Aphesius...

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 2, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[2.15.3] The Argives offer burnt sacrifices to Zeus in Nemea also, and elect a priest of Nemean Zeus; moreover they offer a prize for a race in armour at the winter celebration of the Nemean games. In this place is the grave of Opheltes; around it is a fence of stones, and within the enclosure are altars. There is also a mound of earth which is the tomb of Lycurgus, the father of Opheltes. The spring they call Adrastea for some reason or other, perhaps because Adrastus found it. The land was named, they say, after Nemea, who was another daughter of Asopus. Above Nemea is Mount Apesas, where they say that Perseus first sacrificed to Zeus of Apesas.

[2.17.4] ...The presence of a cuckoo seated on the sceptre they explain by the story that when Zeus was in love with Hera in her maidenhood he changed himself into this bird, and she caught it to be her pet. This tale and similar legends about the gods I relate without believing them, but I relate them nevertheless.

[2.22.3] Now that the Tantalus is buried here who was the son of Thyestes or Broteas (both accounts are given) and married Clytaemnestra before Agamemnon did, I will not gainsay; but the grave of him who legend says was son of Zeus and Pluto – it is worth seeing – is on Mount Sipylus. I know because I saw it...

[2.22.5] Going on a little further you see the grave of Argus, reputed to be the son of Zeus and Niobe, daughter of Phoroneus...

[2.24.3] On the top of Larisa, an acropolis of Argos, is a temple of Zeus, surnamed Larisaean, which has no roof; the wooden image I found no longer standing upon its pedestal. There is also a temple of Athena worth seeing. Here are placed votive offerings, including a wooden image of Zeus, which has two eyes in the natural place and a third on its forehead. This Zeus, they say, was a paternal god of Priam, the son of Laomedon, set up in the uncovered part of his court, and when Troy was taken by the Greeks Priam took sanctuary at the altar of this god. When the spoils were divided, Sthenelus, the son of Capaneus, received the image, and for this reason it has been dedicated here.

[2.24.4] The reason for its three eyes one might infer to be this. That Zeus is king in heaven is a saying common to all men. As for him who is said to rule under the earth, there is a verse of Homer which calls him, too, Zeus:– "Zeus of the Underworld, and the august Persephonea. Hom. Il. 9.457" The god in the sea, also, is called Zeus by Aeschylus, the son of Euphorion. So whoever made the image made it with three eyes, as signifying that this same god rules in all the three “allotments” of the Universe, as they are called.

[2.29.2] The Aeginetans dwell in the island over against Epidauria. It is said that in the beginning there were no men in it; but after Zeus brought to it, when uninhabited, Aegina, daughter of Asopus, its name was changed from Oenone to Aegina; and when Aeacus, on growing up, asked Zeus for settlers, the god, they say, raised up the inhabitants out of the earth.

[2.29.7] ...The Pythian priestess bade them propitiate Zeus, saying that he would not listen to them unless the one to supplicate him were Aeacus.

[2.29.8] And so envoys came with a request to Aeacus from each city. By sacrifice and prayer to Zeus, God of all the Greeks (Panellenios), he caused rain to fall upon the earth, and the Aeginetans made these likenesses of those who came to him. Within the enclosure are olive trees that have grown there from of old, and there is an altar which is raised but a little from the ground. That this altar is also the tomb of Aeacus is told as a holy secret.

[2.34.5] But even supposing that Europs was a legitimate child who died before Phoroneus, I am quite sure that his son was not likely to stand a fair chance against Niobe's child, whose father was supposed to be Zeus. Subsequently the Dorians from Argos settled, among other places, at Hermion, but I do not think there was war between the two peoples, or it would have been spoken of by the Argives.

[2.36.1] XXXVI. Proceeding about seven stades along the straight road to Mases, you reach, on turning to the left, a road to Halice. At the present day Halice is deserted, but once it, too, had inhabitants, and there is mention made of citizens of Halice on the Epidaurian slabs on which are inscribed the cures of Asclepius. I know, however, no other authentic document in which mention is made either of the city Halice or of its citizens. Well, to this city also there is a road, which lies midway between Pron and another mountain, called in old days Thornax; but they say that the name was changed because, according to legend, it was here that the transformation of Zeus into a cuckoo took place.

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 3, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[3.18.10] It is supported in front, and similarly behind, by two Graces and two Seasons. On the left stand Echidna and Typhos, on the right Tritons. To describe the reliefs one by one in detail would have merely bored my readers; but to be brief and concise (for the greater number of them are not unknown either) Poseidon and Zeus are carrying Taygete, daughter of Atlas, and her sister Alcyone...

[3.20.3] ...On the plain(leading to Mount Taygetus) is a precinct of Zeus Messapeus, who is surnamed, they say, after a man who served the god as his priest...

[3.24.3] Brasiae is the last town on the coast belonging to the Free Laconians in this direction. It is distant two hundred stades by sea from Cyphanta. The inhabitants have a story, found nowhere else in Greece, that Semele, after giving birth to her son by Zeus, was discovered by Cadmus and put with Dionysus into a chest...

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 4, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[4.12.7] After this, as the twentieth year of the war was approaching, they resolved to send again to Delphi to ask concerning victory. The Pythia made answer to their question: "To those who first around the altar set up tripods ten times ten to Zeus of Ithome, heaven grants glory in war and the Messenian land. For thus hath Zeus ordained. Deceit raised thee up and punishment follows after, nor would'st thou deceive the god. Act as fate wills, destruction comes on this man before that."

[4.22.7] ...So the Arcadians stoned Aristocrates to death and flung him beyond their borders without burial, and set up a tablet in the precinct of Zeus Lycaeus with the words: "Truly time hath declared justice upon an unjust king and with the help of Zeus hath easily declared the betrayer of Messene. Hard it is for a man forsworn to hide from God. Hail, king Zeus, and keep Arcadia safe."

[4.33.1] XXXIII. On the ascent to the summit of Ithome, which is the Messenian acropolis, is a spring Clepsydra. It is a hopeless task, however zealously undertaken, to enumerate all the peoples who claim that Zeus was born and brought up among them. The Messenians have their share in the story for they too say that the god was brought up among them and that his nurses were Ithome and Neda, the river having received its name from the latter, while the former, Ithome, gave her name to the mountain. These nymphs are said to have bathed Zeus here, after he was stolen by the Curetes owing to the danger that threatened from his father, and it is said that it has its name from the Curetes' theft. Water is carried every day from the spring to the sanctuary of Zeus of Ithome.

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 5, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[5.1.3] The Eleans we know crossed over from Calydon and Aetolia generally. Their earlier history I found to be as follows. The first to rule in this land, they say, was Aethlius, who was the son of Zeus and of Protogeneia, the daughter of Deucalion, and the father of Endymion.

[5.7.6] These things then are as I have described them. As for the Olympic games, the most learned antiquaries of Elis say that Cronus was the first king of heaven, and that in his honor a temple was built in Olympia by the men of that age, who were named the Golden Race. When Zeus was born, Rhea entrusted the guardianship of her son to the Dactyls of Ida, who are the same as those called Curetes. They came from Cretan Ida – Heracles, Paeonaeus, Epimedes, Iasius and Idas.

[5.11.7] On the uppermost parts of the throne Pheidias has made, above the head of the image, three Graces on one side and three Seasons on the other. These in epic poetry are included among the daughters of Zeus. Homer too in the Iliad29 says that the Seasons have been entrusted with the sky, just like guards of a king's court...

[5.11.9] I know that the height and breadth of the Olympic Zeus have been measured and recorded; but I shall not praise those who made the measurements, for even their records fall far short of the impression made by a sight of the image. Nay, the god himself according to legend bore witness to the artistic skill of Pheidias. For when the image was quite finished Pheidias prayed the god to show by a sign whether the work was to his liking. Immediately, runs the legend, a thunderbolt fell on that part of the floor where down to the present day the bronze jar stood to cover the place.

[5.17.1] XVII. These things, then, are as I have already described. In the temple of Hera is an image of Zeus, and the image of Hera is sitting on a throne with Zeus standing by her, bearded and with a helmet on his head...

[5.18.3] A man wearing a tunic is holding in his right hand a cup, and in his left a necklace; Alcmena is taking hold of them. This scene represents the Greek story how Zeus in the likeness of Amphitryon had intercourse with Alcmena.

[5.22.5] A little farther on is a Zeus turned towards the rising sun; he holds an eagle in one hand and in the other a thunderbolt. On him are set spring flowers, with a crown of them on his head. It is an offering of the people of Metapontum. The artist was Aristonus of Aegina, but we do not know when he lived nor who his teacher was.

[5.24.5] Beside the Pelopium is a pillar of no great height with a small image of Zeus on it; one hand is outstretched. Opposite this are other offerings in a row, and likewise images of Zeus and Ganymedes. Homer's poem tells how Ganymedes was carried off by the gods to be wine-bearer to Zeus, and how horses were given to Tros in exchange for him. This offering was dedicated by the Thessalian Gnathis and made by Aristocles, pupil and son of Cleoetas.

[5.24.9] But the Zeus in the Council Chamber is of all the images of Zeus the one most likely to strike terror into the hearts of sinners. He is surnamed Oath-god, and in each hand he holds a thunderbolt. Beside this image it is the custom for athletes, their fathers and their brothers, as well as their trainers, to swear an oath upon slices of boar's flesh that in nothing will they sin against the Olympic games. The athletes take this further oath also, that for ten successive months they have strictly followed the regulations for training.

[5.24.10] An oath is also taken by those who examine the boys, or the foals entering for races, that they will decide fairly and without taking bribes, and that they will keep secret what they learn about a candidate, whether accepted or not. I forgot to inquire what it is customary to do with the boar after the oath of the athletes, though the ancient custom about victims was that no human being might eat of that on which an oath had been sworn.

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 7, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[7.17.9] ...The account of Hermesianax goes on to say that, on growing up, Attis migrated to Lydia and celebrated for the Lydians the orgies of the Mother; that he rose to such honor with her that Zeus, being wroth at it, sent a boar to destroy the tillage of the Lydians.

[7.17.10] Then certain Lydians, with Attis himself, were killed by the boar, and it is consistent with this that the Gauls who inhabit Pessinus abstain from pork. But the current view about Attis is different, the local legend about him being this. Zeus, it is said, let fall in his sleep seed upon the ground, which in course of time sent up a demon, with two sexual organs, male and female. They call the demon Agdistis. But the gods, fearing Agdistis, cut off the male organ.

[7.17.12] The marriage-song was being sung, when Agdistis appeared, and Attis went mad and cut off his genitals, as also did he who was giving him his daughter in marriage. But Agdistis repented of what he had done to Attis, and persuaded Zeus to grant that the body of Attis should neither rot at all nor decay.

[7.24.2] By the sea at Aegium is a sanctuary of Aphrodite, and after it one of Poseidon; there is also one of the Maiden, daughter of Demeter, and one to Zeus Homagyrius (Assembler). Here are images of Zeus, of Aphrodite and of Athena. The surname Assembler was given to Zeus because in this place Agamemnon assembled the most eminent men in Greece, in order that they might consult together how to make war on the empire of Priam. Among the claims of Agamemnon to renown is that he destroyed Troy and the cities around her with the forces that followed him originally, without any later reinforcements.

[7.24.4] There are at Aegium other images made of bronze, Zeus as a boy and Heracles as a beardless youth, the work of Ageladas of Argos. Priests are elected for them every year, and each of the two images remains at the house of the priest. In a more remote age there was chosen to be priest for Zeus from the boys he who won the prize for beauty. When his beard began to grow the honor for beauty passed to another boy. Such were the customs. Even in my time the Achaean assembly still meets at Aegium, just as the Amphictyons do at Thermopylae and at Delphi.

[7.25.1] XXV. The disaster that befell Helice is but one of the many proofs that the wrath of the God of Suppliants is inexorable. The god at Dodona too manifestly advises us to respect suppliants. For about the time of Apheidas the Athenians received from Zeus of Dodona the following verses: "Consider the Areopagus, and the smoking altars Of the Eumenides, where the Lacedaemonians are to be thy suppliants, When hard-pressed in war. Kill them not with the sword, And wrong not suppliants. For suppliants are sacred and holy."

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 8, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[8.2.2] The Olympic games I leave out of the present account, because they are traced back to a time earlier than the human race, the story being that Cronus and Zeus wrestled there, and that the Curetes were the first to race at Olympia.

[8.2.3] For Cecrops was the first to name Zeus the Supreme god, and refused to sacrifice anything that had life in it, but burnt instead on the altar the national cakes which the Athenians still call pelanoi. But Lycaon brought a human baby to the altar of Lycaean Zeus, and sacrificed it, pouring out its blood upon the altar, and according to the legend immediately after the sacrifice he was changed from a man to a wolf (Lycos).

[8.3.5] ...Lycaon had a daughter Callisto. This Callisto (I repeat the current Greek legend) was loved by Zeus and mated with him. When Hera detected the intrigue she turned Callisto into a bear, and Artemis to please Hera shot the bear. Zeus sent Hermes with orders to save the child that Callisto bore in her womb...

[8.8.2] The following story is told by the Arcadians. When Rhea had given birth to Poseidon, she laid him in a flock for him to live there with the lambs, and the spring too received its name just because the lambs pastured around it. Rhea, it is said, declared to Cronus that she had given birth to a horse, and gave him a foal to swallow instead of the child, just as later she gave him in place of Zeus a stone wrapped up in swaddling clothes.

[8.9.2] The Mantineans have other sanctuaries also, one of Zeus Saviour, and one of Zeus Giver of Gifts, in that he gives good things to men...

[8.19.1] XIX. There is a clan of the Arcadians, called the Cynaetheans, the same folk who dedicated the image of Zeus at Olympia with a thunderbolt in either hand...

[8.26.6] The city of Aliphera has received its name from Alipherus, the son of Lycaon, and there are sanctuaries here of Asclepius and Athena; the latter they worship more than any other god, saying that she was born and bred among them. They also set up an altar of Zeus Lecheates (In child-bed), because here he gave birth to Athena. There is a stream they call Tritonis, adopting the story about the river Triton.

[8.28.2] Through Gortys flows a river called by those who live around its source the Lusius (Bathing River), because Zeus after his birth was bathed in it; those farther from the source call it the Gortynius after the village...

[8.36.2] There is in Methydrium a temple of Horse Poseidon, standing by the Mylaon. But Mount Thaumasius (Wonderful) lies beyond the river Maloetas, and the Methydrians hold that when Rhea was pregnant with Zeus, she came to this mountain and enlisted as her allies, in case Cronus should attack her, Hopladamus and his few giants:

[8.36.3] They allow that she gave birth to her son on some part of Mount Lycaeus, but they claim that here Cronus was deceived, and here took place the substitution of a stone for the child that is spoken of in the Greek legend. On the summit of the mountain is Rhea's Cave, into which no human beings may enter save only the women who are sacred to the goddess.

[8.37.9] This Mistress the Arcadians worship more than any other god, declaring that she is a daughter of Poseidon and Demeter. Mistress is her surname among the many, just as they surname Demeter's daughter by Zeus the Maid.

[8.38.2] On the left of the sanctuary of the Mistress is Mount Lycaeus. Some Arcadians call it Olympus, and others Sacred Peak. On it, they say, Zeus was reared. There is a place on Mount Lycaeus called Cretea, on the left of the grove of Apollo surnamed Parrhasian. The Arcadians claim that the Crete, where the Cretan story has it that Zeus was reared, was this place and not the island.

[8.38.3] The nymphs, by whom they say that Zeus was reared, they call Theisoa, Neda and Hagno...

[8.47.3] ...The altar for the goddess was made, they say, by Melampus, the son of Amythaon. Represented on the altar are Rhea and the nymph Oenoe holding the baby Zeus. On either side are four figures: on one, Glauce, Neda, Theisoa and Anthracia; on the other Ide, Hagno, Alcinoe and Phrixa. There are also images of the Muses and of Memory.

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 9, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[9.3.1] III. Hera, they say, was for some reason or other angry with Zeus, and had retreated to Euboea. Zeus, failing to make her change her mind, visited Cithaeron, at that time despot in Plataea, who surpassed all men for his cleverness. So he ordered Zeus to make an image of wood, and to carry it, wrapped up, in a bullock wagon, and to say that he was celebrating his marriage with Plataea, the daughter of Asopus.

[9.3.2] So Zeus followed the advice of Cithaeron. Hera heard the news at once, and at once appeared on the scene. But when she came near the wagon and tore away the dress from the image, she was pleased at the deceit, on finding it a wooden image and not a bride, and was reconciled to Zeus. To commemorate this reconciliation they celebrate a festival called Daedala, because the men of old time gave the name of daedala to wooden images.

[9.25.2] Not far from the grave of Menoeceus is the place where they say the sons of Oedipus killed each other in a duel. The scene of their fight is marked by a pillar, upon which is a stone shield. There is shown a place where according to the Thebans Hera was deceived by Zeus into giving the breast to Heracles when he was a baby.

[9.26.7] In Thespiae is a bronze image of Zeus Saviour. They say about it that when a dragon once was devastating their city, the god commanded that every year one of their youths, upon whom the lot fell, should be offered to the monster. Now the names of those who perished they say that they do not remember. But when the lot fell on Cleostratus, his lover Menestratus, they say, devised a trick.

[9.26.8] He had made a bronze breastplate, with a fish-hook, the point turned outwards, upon each of its plates. Clad in this breastplate he gave himself up, of his own free will, to the dragon, convinced that having done so he would, though destroyed himself, prove the destroyer of the monster. This is why the Zeus has been surnamed Saviour...

[9.35.5] Hesiod in the Theogony (though the authorship is doubtful, this poem is good evidence) says that the Graces are daughters of Zeus and Eurynome, giving them the names of Euphrosyne, Aglaia and Thalia...

[9.41.6] There is beyond the city a crag called Petrachus. Here they hold that Cronus was deceived, and received from Rhea a stone instead of Zeus, and there is a small image of Zeus on the summit of the mountain.

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 10, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[10.12.1] XII. There is a rock rising up above the ground. On it, say the Delphians, there stood and chanted the oracles a woman, by name Herophile and surnamed Sibyl. The former Sibyl I find was as ancient as any; the Greeks say that she was a daughter of Zeus by Lamia, daughter of Poseidon, that she was the first woman to chant oracles, and that the name Sibyl was given her by the Libyans.

STRABO, GEOGRAPHY, translated by H. L. JONES

[9.3.6] Now although the greatest share of honor was paid to this sanctuary because of its oracle, since of all oracles in the world it had the repute of being the most truthful, yet the position of the place added something. For it is almost in the center of Greece taken as a whole, between the country inside the Isthmus and that outside it; and it was also believed to be in the center of the inhabited world, and people called it the navel of the earth, in addition fabricating a myth, which is told by Pindar, that the two eagles (some say crows) which had been set free by Zeus met there, one coming from the west and the other from the east. There is also a kind of navel to be seen in the sanctuary; it is draped with fillets, and on it are the two likenesses of the birds of the myth.