THE goddess hera she was the queen of Olympus, also called the queen of paradise.
Goddess of birth and marriage, Hera is the symbol of monogamy, marital fidelity and fertility. Protector of births and women in marriage, several temples were built in her honor.
Married to her brother Zeus, Hera stars in several episodes of revenge against her husband's lovers and children. This goddess had a jealous and vengeful temper, and was feared even by him.
Perfectly built, she was not considered attractive due to her personality. In Roman mythology she is called Juno.
Representation of Hera
Hera is represented as a beautiful young woman. In one hand she holds a Pomegranate, symbol of fertility; and in another, she holds an opium capsule. Her sacred animal is the peacock, and therefore, she is often represented with this bird's feathers.
Hera's Story
Daughter of Cronus and Rhea, Hera was the mother of Hebe, the goddess of youth, Ares, the god of war, and Ilithia, the goddess of childbirth.
There are many episodes that relate Hera's fury with
Zeus, their mistresses and their illegitimate children. Among them is the one of Hercules, son of Zeus with a mortal. Hercules, who was a demigod, was only forgiven by Hera when he died.Barred from thinking rationally due to anger and envy, Hera was often unfair. On one occasion she turned the goddess Callisto, with whom Zeus had fallen in love, into a bear.
Not even babies escaped his fury. It was the case of Dionysus, broken to pieces still in the mother's womb. Zeus, pitying his son, sewed him on the thigh until birth and the baby was resurrected.
Read too:
- What is a myth?
- Greek mythology
- Greek gods
- greek goddesses
- Gods of Olympus
