More about Zeus

Left: Temple of Zeus
click on image to enlarge

Some time ago, I posted an article about a small number of people who still worship Zeus in these modern times. (see Zeus Revival! Zeus worshippers demand access to temple) While reading one of my favorite websites today about the Greek god, Cronos, I clicked on the Zeus link and refreshed my memory about this Top God of ancient mythology. I then looked at website images of the ruins of the Temple of Zeus and ruins of other ancient temples where people at one time actually believed these gods were real and worshipped them. I then thought about all of the churches in the world today and then think about people in ancient times walking to temple for worship much like the people of today go off to their buildings to worship the Christian god, the Muslim god, the Hindu gods. One day these holy places where people worship gods they believe truly exist will one day be ruins for civilizations of the future to dig up and write and read about in an attempt to understand our "ancient" world. Anyway, here is Godchecker's entry on Zeus I thought you all might enjoy reading again, or for the first time if you haven't already. For Christian lurkers, you won't go to hell for reading since there is no such place except in the mythologies of human invention. ;- )

ZEUS: Top God of the Earth and Ruler of Mount Olympus, the lofty cloudland where the Greek Gods live and look down upon mankind.

He is a real high-flyer, an Olympic champion, battling with the giant TITANS, casting thunderbolts and engaged in all manner of gut-busting glorious Godly pursuits.

His father CRONUS was so terrified of the newborn baby ZEUS's awesome power that he swallowed him up. And lived to regret it. It was left to AMALTHEA (and her goat) to protect the budding SuperGod while he learned to walk, talk, and rule the Universe. Since then he's never looked back.

ZEUS is married to the long-suffering HERA, but spends most of his time lusting after Goddesses, mortals, animals, and indeed anything that will keep still long enough.

It's tough at the top being the most fantastic hunky irresistible God of all time and having constantly to prove it. And never a quiet night in with slippers and a mug of cocoa because he has to keep his long-suffering wife HERA happy too. Their trials and tribulations form the basis of half the Greek entries in our database.

ZEUS has had so many mistresses and fathered so many children that there's no point in giving a list here. Just take our word for it. See also CRONUS, RHEA, HEPHAESTUS, ATHENA... and in fact most of the other Greek Gods.

Moving on to more Godly matters, ZEUS was also known to the ancient Greeks as Epiphanes, the Magnificent One, whenever a certain star appeared in the east. This was celebrated with piph-ups known as epiphanies.

When he's not running around after nubile Goddesses in the form of a lusty animal, ZEUS looks after Law, upholds Justice, and casts thunderbolts on those deserving it.