Hera

Hera

Cult

Samos

• first greek god to have a temple in Samos in 800 BC
• the idea of women power dates back tens of thousands of years ago
• Hera carried on the tradition of female power and fertility from the Indo-Europeans

Zeus seduces Hear

The Judgment of Paris

James Barry

Peter Paul Rubens

Anton Raphael Mengs

• failed to court her
• turned himself into a lame cuckoo
• Hera felt bad for the bird, so held it
• Zeus turned himself into his normal form, and taking advantage of her surprise, raped her
• Hera resisted any of his advances unless he promised to marry her
• After their honeymoon, Zeus went back to his unfaithful ways

• At the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, Eris presented a golden apple for the fairest
• Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena, asked Zeus to decide for him
• Zeus declared Paris would judge them
• Hera offered to make him king of Europe and Asia
• Athena offered wisdom and skill in war
• Aphrodite offered the world's most beautiful woman, Helen of Sparta
• Hera never forgave him for his choice

Biography

Campana Hera

Barberini Hera

Birth of Hephaestus

Hera's Jealously: Hercules

Luis López Y Piquer

Jacopo Robusti Comin Tintoretto

• Hera tried to prevent the birth by tying the mother's womb in knots
• Hera sent the Pharmakeai (witches) to further prevent Alkmene's birth
• when Hercules was born, she sent poisonous snakes to him
• Hera made Hercules go mad and throw into the fire Megra's children
• Hera told the Amazon's that Hercules was kidnapping their queen so he couldn't complete one of his tasks
• Hera made Hercules go mad and throw Iphitus, his best friend, over the wall

• Hera was jealous that Zeus could give birth to Athena without her help
• Hera gave birth to Hephaestus alone
• Hera rejected him from the heavens because of his deformities

• Daughter of Rhea and Cronos, wife and sister of Zeus
• Children with Zeus Ares, Eileithyia and Hebe
• goddess of marriage and childbirth
• blessed and protected a woman's marriage, bringing her fertility, protecting her children, and helping her find financial security
• Depicted wearing a crown with a lotus-tipped staff, or holding a Pomegranate, Peacock feather, Cow, lily, or opium.
• Only greek goddess to follow a women through every step of her life

Hera rebels against Zeus

Hera's Jealously: Io

Casdiglione Giovanni Benedetto

Francesco Albani

• Hera is tired of Zeus sleeping around
• She convinces the other gods to dethrone Zeus
• She drugs Zeus to put him to sleep
• the gods tie Zeus up with many knots
• Briareus, a 100-hander, unties Zeus
• When Zeus wakes, he takes up his thunderbolts to the gods and hangs Hera in the sky
• She keeps him up crying so he only lets her down if she will be faithful

• To keep Hera from seeing Io and himself, Zeus wrapped the world in a thick cloud
• This made Hera suspicious, so Zeus turned Io into a cow
• Hera asked if she could have the cow
• She had Argus, who had 100 eyes, watch over Io
• Hermes rescued Io
• To flee from Hera, Io wandered the earth as a cow for many years
• Later she was changed back into a human and bore Epaphus

Hera's Jealously: Leto

Francois Edouard Picot

• Zeus met Leto before Hera's marriage
• Hera out of spite caused problems with her pregnancy
• Hera kicked her out of Olympus and had a giant python chase her
• Hera tried to keep her from giving birth, but she bore Artemis and Apollo
• while the twins grew, they protected their mother
• Still fleeing the wrath of Hera, Leto spent most of her time hunting with Artemis