The stories of Zeus's sexual union with various goddesses may interpreted both
historically and allegorically. Historically, such sexual union reflects historical fact
of the triumph of Greek male sky god over the mother goddesses of diverse peoples of the
Midteraean. This reveals an endeavor of the Greek people to appropriate the various
goddess worships into their religious culture under one family structure (extramarital
affairs within a monogamous system). Allegorically, the love affairs associate variety of
creativity with feminity.
| Zeus | Consorts | Offsprings |
| Themis (law, justice) |
(1) Horae = 3
goddesses of hour, seasons Dice = justice Eirene = peace Eunomia = order and wise legislation |
|
| (2) Moerae =3
godesses of fates: Clotho (spinner, who makes the thread of life) Lachesis (apportioner, who measures the length of the thread) Atropos (who cuts the thread) |
||
| Eurynome (wide-ranging) | Graces (Charities, the goddesses of female attraction) | |
| Mnemosyne (memory) | Muses = 9
goddesses of arts: 1. Clio (making famous) = Hitory 2. Euterpe (delighter) = Music , flute playing 3. Thalia (flowering) = Comedy 4. Melpomene (song and dance) = Tragedy 5. Erato (lovable) = Lyric 6. Terpsichore (delilghting in dance) = Dance 7. Polyhymnia (with many songs) = Pantomine 8. Urania (heavenly) = Astrology 9. Calliope (fair-voiced) = Epic |
|
| Metis (cleverness) | Athena (goddess of wisdom, of craft, of military strategy) | |
| Leto | 1. Apollo (god of sun, of plague and medicine, of prophecy) | |
| 2. Artemis (goddess of moon, of hunting, of virginity, protector of the week, the young) | ||
| Dione | Aphrodite (goddess of love, beauty) | |
| Demeter | Persephone (The Eleusinian Mystery) |
**According to Hesiod's geneology, Themis, Mnemosyne belong to the third generation, older
than Zeus.
Leto (daughter of Coeus and Phoebe), Metis (daughter of Oceanus), Dione (daughter of
Oceanus), and Demeter (daughter of Cronos and Rhea, sister of Zeus) are the same
generation as Zeus is.
The divinities related to fertility in classical mythology
include Geae, Rhea, Aphrodite, Demeter, Artemis
| ¡@ | Characteristics | Association with foreign divinities |
| Aphrodite | goddess of love, sexual desire | 1. Inanna 2. Ishata 3. Astrte |
| Artemis | 1. As Prtnia Theron (mistress of Animal) | 1. Creten goddess of snake 2. Phrygian Cybele |
| 2. Artemis of Ephesus (many breasted Mother Earth) | 1. Greek goddess Gaea, Rhea 2. Phrygian Cybele |
|
| 3. As godess of virginity | ¡@ | |
| Demeter | Demeter's daugher,
Persephone was abducted by Hades: 1. Life cycle: Death and rebirth 2. The death of male god as sacrifice |
1. Inanna vs Dumuzi 2. Isis vs Osiris 3. Cybele vs Attis 4. Aphrodite vs Adonis |
| ¡@ | Athena | Other Gods |
| Concerning transportation | Athena: built the first chariot; built the ship. |
Posidon: sired the horse Arion; rouves the waves |
| Concerning animal | Athena: taught human to spin the wool |
Hemes: protects the flocks in distantd mountain. Artemis: protects the wild animal. |
| Concerning war | Athena: strategy and disciplined tactics in war; emphasizes law and justice. |
Ares: unrestrained violence in war; emphasizes blood lust. |
Visit an interesting website devoted to
the images of the ancient divine femininity "The Museion" and you will find out
related images of the goddess of fertility in many cultures.
¡@
Images of Magna Mater