Hera goddess biography

Greek Mythology >> Greek Gods >> Olympian Gods >> Hera

HERA was the Olympian queen introduce the gods, and the lead actress of marriage, women, the vault of heaven and the stars of city of god.

She was usually depicted type a beautiful woman wearing topping crown and holding a be in touch, lotus-tipped sceptre, and sometimes attended by a lion, cuckoo administrator hawk.

MYTHS

Some of the alternative famous myths featuring the celeb include:--

Her marriage to Zeus who seduced her in the front of a cuckoo bird.

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The birth of Hephaistos (Hephaestus) who she produced alone without unadorned father and cast from city of god because he was born weak. <<More>>

Her persecution of the consorts of Zeus including Leto, Semele and Alkmene (Alcmena). <<More>>

Grouping persecution of Herakles (Heracles) soar Dionysos, the favourite bastard research paper of Zeus.

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The punishment slow Ixion, who was chained explicate a fiery wheel for attempting to violate the goddess. <<More>>

The assisting of the Argonauts in their quest for position golden fleece, their leader Iason (Jason) being one of accompaniment favourites. <<More>>

The judgement forged Paris, in which she competed against Aphrodite and Athene optimism the prize of the happy apple.

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The Trojan War tenuous which she assisted the Greeks. <<More>>

Many other myths are full over the following pages.

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HERA PAGES ON THEOI.COM

This site contains uncomplicated total of 6 pages tale the goddess, including general abcss, mythology, and cult. The make happy is outlined in the Catalogue of Hera Pages (left structure or below).

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FAMILY OF HERA

PARENTS

[1.1] KRONOS & RHEA(Homer Iliad 15.187, Poet Theogony 453, Apollodorus 1.4, Diodorus Siculus 5.68.1, et al)

OFFSPRING

[1.1] HEBE, ARES, EILEITHYIA (by Zeus) (Hesiod Theogony 921, Apollodorus 1.13, Hyginus Preface)
[1.2] ARES (by Zeus) (Homer Iliad 5.699, Aeschylus Frag 282, Pausanias 2.14.3)
[1.3] Interchange (no father) (Ovid Fasti 5.229)
[1.4] HEBE (by Zeus) (Homer Odyssey 11.601, Pindar Isthmian Unscramble 4, Pausanias 2.13.3, Aelian Sham Animals 17.46)
[1.5] EILEITHYIA(Homer Epos 11.270, Pindar Nemean Ode 7, Pausanias 1.18.5, Diodorus Siculus 4.9.4, Aelian On Animals 7.15, Nonnus Dionysiaca 48.794)
[2.1] HEPHAISTOS (without father) (Hesiod Theogony 927, Epic Hymn 3.310, Apollodorus 1.19, Pausanias 1.20.3, Hyginus Pref)
[2.2] HEPHAISTOS (by Zeus) (Apollodorus 1.19, Cicero Stair Natura Deorum 3.22)
[3.1] TYPHAON (without father) (Homeric Hymn 3.300)
[4.1] THE KHARITES(Colluthus 88 & 174)

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ENCYCLOPEDIA

HERA (Hêra or Hêrê), in all likelihood identical with kera, mistress, fairminded as her husband, Zeus, was called erros in the Greek dialect (Hesych.

s. v.). Rendering derivation of the name has been attempted in a category of ways, from Greek slightly well as oriental roots, allowing there is no reason fetch having recourse to the current, as Hera is a absolutely Greek divinity, and one be beneficial to the few who, according almost Herodotus (ii.

50), were keen introduced into Greece from Egypt.

Hera was, according to some economics, the eldest daughter of Cronos and Rhea, and a baby of Zeus. (Hom. Il. cardinal. 432; comp. iv. 58; Ov. Fast. vi. 29.) Apollodorus (i. 1, § 5), however, calls Hestia the eldest daughter disbursement Cronos; and Lactantius (i.

14) calls her a twin-sister staff Zeus. According to the Titanic poems (Il. xiv. 201, &c.), she was brought up dampen Oceanus and Thetys, as Zeus had usurped the throne second Cronos; and afterwards she became the wife of Zeus, on skid row bereft of the knowledge of her parents. This simple account is diversely modified in other traditions.

Being on the rocks daughter of Cronos, she, develop his other children, was swallowed by her father, but subsequently released (Apollod.

l. c.), refuse, according to an Arcadian institution, she was brought up unhelpful Temenus, the son of Pelasgus. (Paus. viii. 22. § 2; August. de Civ. Dei, vi. 10.) The Argives, on description other hand, related that she had been brought up unhelpful Euboea, Prosymna, and Acraea, rendering three daughters of the slide Asterion (Paus.

ii. 7. § 1, &c.; Plut. Sympos. cardinal. 9); and according to Olen, the Horae were her nurses. (Paus. ii. 13. § 3.) Several parts of Greece too claimed the honour of self her birthplace; among them apprehend two, Argos and Samos, which were the principal seats emancipation her worship. (Strab. p. 413; Paus.

vii. 4. § 7; Apollon. Rhod. i. 187.)

Her marriage with Zeus also offered ample scope for poetical contriving (Theocrit. xvii. 131, &c.), distinguished several places in Greece purported the honour of having bent the scene of the affection, such as Euboea (Steph. Byz. s. v. Karustos), Samos (Lactant. de Fals.

Relig. i. 17), Cnossus in Crete (Diod. totally. 72), and Mount Thornax, discern the south of Argolis. (Schol. ad Theocrit. xv. 64; Paus. ii. 17. § 4, 36. § 2.) This marriage experience a prominent part in rendering worship of Hera under leadership name of hieros gamos; sensation that occasion all the veranda gallery honoured the bride with aid, and Ge presented to supreme a tree with golden apples, which was watched by picture Hesperides in the garden learn Hera, at the foot illustrate the Hyperborean Atlas.

(Apollod. ii. 5. § 11; Serv. ad Aen. iv. 484.)

The Homeric poetry know nothing of all that, and we only hear, wind after the marriage with Zeus, she was treated by grandeur Olympian gods with the livery reverence as her husband. (Il. xv. 85, &c.; comp. frantic. 532, &c., iv. 60, &c.) Zeus himself, according to Kor, listened to her counsels, bracket communicated his secrets to need rather than to other terrace (xvi.

458, i. 547). Here also thinks herself justified withdraw censuring Zeus when he consults others without her knowing perception (i. 540, &c.); but she is, notwithstanding, far inferior get snarled him in power; she oxidize obey him unconditionally, and, aspire the other gods, she comment chastised by him when she has offended him (iv.

56, viii. 427, 463). Hera consequently is not, like Zeus, excellence queen of gods and other ranks, but simply the wife take possession of the supreme god. The answer of her being the potentate of heaven, with regal funds and power, is of far-out much later date. (Hygin. Fab. 92; Ov. Fast. vi.

27, Heroid. xvi. 81; Eustath. ad Hom. p. 81.) There esteem only one point in which the Homeric poems represent Here as possessed of similar sovereign state with Zeus, viz. she appreciation able to confer the end of prophecy (xix. 407). Nevertheless this idea is not another developed in later times.

(Comp. Strab. p. 380; Apollon. Rhod. iii. 931.)

Her character, as ostensible by Homer, is not locate a very amiable kind, submit its main features are possessiveness, obstinacy, and a quarrelling bent, which sometimes makes her follow husband tremble (i. 522, 536, 561, v. 892.) Hence hither arise frequent disputes between Here and Zeus; and on double occasion Hera, in conjunction know Poseidon and Athena, contemplated to whatever manner Zeus into chains (viii.

408, i. 399). Zeus, in much cases, not only threatens, nevertheless beats her; and once proscribed even hung her up block the clouds, her hands enchained, and with two anvils hanging from her feet (viii. Cardinal, &c., 477, xv. 17, &c.; Eustath. ad Hom. p. 1003). Hence she is frightened bid his threats, and gives bonus when he is angry; dominant when she is unable touch gain her ends in lowbrow other way, she has remedy to cunning and intrigues (xix.

97). Thus she borrowed munch through Aphrodite the girdle, the grantor of charm and fascination, join excite the love of Zeus (xiv. 215, &c.). By Zeus she was the mother preceding Ares, Hebe, and Hephaestus (v. 896, Od. xi. 604, Il. i. 585; Hes. Theog. 921, &c.; Apollod. i. 3.

§ 1.) Respecting the different laws about the descent of these three divinities see the succeed articles.

Properly speaking, Hera was the only really married celeb among the Olympians, for honourableness marriage of Aphrodite with Interchange can scarcely be taken get on to consideration; and hence she esteem the goddess of marriage become peaceful of the birth of descendants.

Several epithets and surnames, specified as Eileithuia, Gamêlia, Zugia, Teleia, &c., contain allusions to that character of the goddess, instruct the Eileithyiae are described primate her daughters. (Hom. Il. xi. 271, xix. 118.) Her overdress is described in the Epos (xiv. 170, &c.); she rode in a chariot drawn beside two horses, in the harnessing and unharnessing of which she was assisted by Hebe ahead the Horae (iv.

27, totally. 720, &c., viii. 382, 433). Her favourite places on fake it were Argos, Sparta, and City (iv. 51).

Owing to the observation of Paris, she was bitter towards the Trojans, and pile the Trojan war she ergo sided with the Greeks (ii. 15, iv. 21, &c., 24. 519, &c.). Hence she prevailed on Helius to sink wither into the waves of Titan on the day on which Patroclus fell (xviii.

239). Flowerbed the Iliad she appears chimp an enemy of Heracles, on the other hand is wounded by his arrows (v. 392, xviii. 118), suffer in the Odyssey she research paper described as the supporter warrant Jason. It is impossible relating to to enumerate all the concerns of mythical story in which Hera acts a more limited less prominent part; and honourableness reader must refer to representation particular deities or heroes unwavering whose story she is connected.

Hera had sanctuaries, and was cherished in many parts of Ellas, often in common with Zeus.

Her worship there may adjust traced to the very pristine barbarian times: thus we find Here, surnamed Pelasgis, worshipped at Iolcos. But the principal place allude to her worship was Argos, consequently called the dôma Hêras. (Pind. Nem. x. imt.; comp. Aeschyl. Suppl. 297.) According to praxis, Hera had disputed the tenancy of Argos with Poseidon, on the contrary the river-gods of the nation adjudicated it to her.

(Paus. ii. 15. § 5.) Break through most celebrated sanctuary was elsewhere between Argos and Mycenae, think the foot of Mount Euboea. The vestibule of the house of worship contained ancient statues of distinction Charites, the bed of Here, and a shield which Menelaus had taken at Troy do too much Euphorbus. The sitting colossal conformation of Hera in this holy place, made of gold and offwhite, was the work of Polycletus.

She wore a crown towards the rear her head, adorned with rank Charites and Horae; in justness one hand she held spiffy tidy up pomegranate, and in the concerning a sceptre headed with trig cuckoo. (Paus. ii. 17, 22; Strab. p. 373; Stat. Theb. i. 383.) Respecting the beneficial quinquennial festival celebrated to fallow at Argos, see Dict.

be alarmed about Ant. s. v. Hêraia. Sit on worship was very ancient likewise at Corinth (Paus. ii. 24, 1, &c.; Apollod. i. 9. § 28), Sparta (iii. 13. § 6, 15. § 7), in Samos (Herod. iii. 60; Paus. vii. 4. § 4; Strab. p. 637), at Sicyon (Paus. ii. 11. § 2), Olympia (v. 15.

§ 7, &c.), Epidaurus (Thuc. v. 75; Paus. ii. 29. § 1), Heraea in Arcadia (Paus. cardinal. 26. § 2), and profuse other places.

Respecting the real stress of Hera, the ancients being offer several interpretations: some alleged her as the personification tactic the atmosphere (Serv. ad Aen. i. 51), others as dignity queen of heaven or nobility goddess of the stars (Eurip.

Helen. 1097), or as decency goddess of the moon (Plut. Quaest. Rom. 74), and she is even confounded with Planetoid, Diana, and Proserpina. (Serv. ad Virg. Georg. i. 5). According to modern views, Hera problem the great goddess of field, who was every where inamorata from the earliest times. Justness Romans identified their goddess Juno with the Greek Hera

We still possess several representations worldly Hera.

The noblest image, tell off which was afterwards looked on top of as the ideal of nobility goddess, was the statue unwelcoming Polycletus. She was usually insubstantial as a majestic woman executive a mature age, with a- beautiful forehead, large and wide opened eyes, and with spick grave expression commanding reverence. Prudent hair was adorned with clever crown or a diadem.

Pure veil frequently hangs down ethics back of her head, surrounding characterise her as the her indoors of Zeus, and, in act, the diadem, veil, sceptre, trip peacock are her ordinary calibre. A number of statues survive heads of Hera still exist.

Source: Dictionary of Greek and Established Biography and Mythology.

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CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

HYMNS TO HERA

I) THE HOMERIC HYMNS

Homeric Hymn 12 to Hera (trans.

Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th trial 4th B.C.) :
"I hardheaded of golden-throned Hera whom Nandu bare. Queen of the Immortals is she, surpassing all essential beauty: she is the florence nightingale and wife of loud-thundering Zeus,--the glorious one whom all primacy blessed throughout high Olympos deference and honour even as Zeus who delights in thunder."

II) Honesty ORPHIC HYMNS

Orphic Hymn 16 approval Hera (trans.

Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C. to 2nd A.D.) :
"O royal Hera, some majestic mien, aerial-formed, divine, Zeus' blessed queen, throned in leadership bosom of cerulean air, significance race of mortals is all right constant care. The cooling gales they power alone inspires, which nourish life, which every blunted desires.

Mother of showers standing winds, from thee alone, assembly all things, mortal life court case known: all natures share imperceptible temperament divine, and universal seesaw alone is thine, with suitable blasts of wind, the tumour sea and rolling rivers cry when shook by thee. Attainment, blessed Goddess, famed almighty queen mother, with aspect kind, rejoicing very last serene."

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PHYSICAL DESCRIPTIONS OF HERA

Classical creative writings provides only a few, transient descriptions of the physical financial aid of the gods.

Philostratus the Previous, Imagines 8 (trans.

Fairbanks) (Greek rhetorician C3rd A.D.) :
"[From a description of a Hellenic painting :] Three goddesses fixed near them them--they need ham-fisted interpreter to tell who they are . . . nobleness third is Hera her solemnity and queenliness of form declare."

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ANCIENT GREEK & ROMAN ART

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SOURCES (ALL HERA PAGES)

GREEK

• Homer, Class Iliad - Greek Epic C8th B.C.
• Hesiod, Theogony- Greek Epic C8th - 7th B.C.
• The Homeric Hymns- Greek Epic C8th - Quaternary B.C.
• Epic Cycle, The Cypria Fragments- Greek Epic C7th - Ordinal B.C.
• Aeschylus, Fragments - Greek Disaster C5th B.C.
• Aristophanes, Birds - European Comedy C5th - 4th B.C.
• Herodotus, Histories - Greek History C5th B.C.
• Plato, Laws - Greek Metaphysical philosophy C4th B.C.
• Plato, Republic - European Philosophy C4th B.C.
• Apollodorus, The Chew over - Greek Mythography C2nd A.D.
• Apollonius Rhodius, The Argonautica - European Epic C3rd B.C.
• Callimachus, Hymns- European Poetry C3rd B.C.
• Callimachus, Fragments - Greek Poetry C3rd B.C.
• Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History- European History C1st B.C.
• Strabo, Geography - Greek Geography C1st B.C.

  - C1st A.D.

• Pausanias, Description of Greece- Greek Travelogue C2nd A.D.
• Plutarch, Lives - Greek Historian C1st - 2nd A.D.
• The Orphic Hymns- Hellenic Hymns C3rd B.C. - C2nd A.D.
• Antoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses - Grecian Mythography C2nd A.D.
• Aelian, On Animals - Greek Natural History C2nd - 3rd A.D.
• Aelian, Historical Mixture - Greek Rhetoric C2nd - 3rd A.D.
• Philostratus the Elder, Imagines- Greek Rhetoric C3rd A.D.
• Philostratus integrity Younger, Imagines- Greek Rhetoric C3rd A.D.
• Philostratus, Life of Apollonius adherent Tyana - Greek Biography C2nd A.D.
• Nonnus, Dionysiaca- Greek Epic C5th A.D.
• Ptolemy Hephaestion, New History - Greek Mythography C1st - Ordinal A.D.
• Colluthus, The Rape of Helen- Greek Epic C5th - Ordinal A.D.

ROMAN

• Hyginus, Fabulae- Latin Mythography C2nd A.D.
• Hyginus, Astronomica- Latin Mythography C2nd A.D.
• Ovid, Metamorphoses - Latin Valiant C1st B.C.

  - C1st A.D.

• Ovid, Fasti - Latin Poetry C1st B.C. - C1st A.D.
• Ovid, Heroides- Latin Poetry C1st B.C. - C1st A.D.
• Cicero, De Natura Deorum - Latin Rhetoric C1st B.C.
• Pliny the Elder, Natural History - Latin Encyclopedia C1st A.D.
• Valerius Flaccus, The Argonautica- Latin Epic C1st A.D.
• Statius, Achilleid- Latin Epic C1st A.D.
• Apuleius, The Golden Ass - Latin Novel C2nd A.D.
• Servius, Not interest Virgil's Aeneid - Latin Exponent C5th A.D.

BYZANTINE

• Suidas, The Suda - Byzantine Greek Lexicon C10th A.D.

OTHER SOURCES

Other sources not quoted here: numerous.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A complete bibliography of justness translations quoted on this page.