This is a learning module about the mythological story and background of the God, Zeus. It also includes a short summary of the Love Interests of Zeus..

1. Zeus (Greek Mythology) – Summary
Zeus is the King ofthe Gods and the ruler ofMount Olympus. He is known as the God ofthe Sky,
Lightning, Thunder, Thunderstorm, Law, Order and Justice. He was respected by all the Gods and
Goddesses. He was sometimes addressed as Zeus Olympios for he is the King of the Gods and the patron
of the Panhellic Games at Olympia. His thunderboltwas created by the Cyclopes as a giftand became the
symbol ofhis greatpower.
Birth of Zeus
After dethroning and killing his father, Uranus, Cronus became the husband ofhis titaness sister,
Rhea. Rhea then gave birth to five ofthe Olympians namely: Hestia, Hera, Demeter, Hades and Poseidon.
But Cronus remembered the prophecy given to him by his father that one ofhis child will dethrone him as
well, so he was determined to swallow all of his children. One night, while Cronus and Rhea was at the
dining room, Cronus stood up, and wentto the room and swallowed all of his children. Rhea was furious at
Cronus. Rhea noticed that she was pregnant, and it was a boy. So she decided to give birth on another
place far from Mount Olympus, so that his husband would not swallow their child. Rhea, then went d own on
Mt. Olympus, and proceed to the Island ofCrete, where she gave birth to a boy child. She named itZeus.
She then put him in a swinging golden cradle hung in an olive tree. Then, she wrapped a stone in swaddling
clothes, and proceed back to Mt. Olympus. While she was going back to Mt. Olympus, she was singing a
lullaby so that Cronus will know that she is holding a baby. Cronus, then notices that Rhea was holding

2. something, so he swallowed the swaddling clothes and the stone in it. Cronus became very mad atRhea.
Rhea escaped Cronus, and return to Zeus. She hid him in Mt. Ida, a cave that is located in Crete, where
Gaia, the mother of Rhea and the grandmother ofZeus, took care ofhis grandchild. Rhea, went back to
Mount Olympus to be with his husband. Also, while Zeus was there in the cave, a company of Kouretes,
danced and clashed their spears in the shields so that Cronus would not hear the cry ofZeus. Rhea, then
decided to bring back Zeus in their home, Mount Olympus. She then introduced him to Cronus as his new
cupbearer. Rhea and Zeus then conspired againstCronus by putting salt and nectar to the ambrosia or the
drink of Cronus. Cronus then drank the ambrosia and then he vomited. He firstvomited, the stone, then
followed by his five other children. The five other siblings ofZeus thanked him for saving their lives. This was
the start of the Titanomachy, or the battle of the Olympians and Cronus. Cronus knows that Zeus will lead a
rebellion againsthis rule, so he called on his brothers and sisters, the Titans, to fight for his cause. Zeus and
his siblings, then killed Campe, a half-dragon with a beautiful human head and scorpion-like tail who was
tasked by Cronus to guard the Hecatonchires and the Cyclopes.The Hecatonchires and Cyclopes were very
much thankful for what Zeus did, so they decided to help him and his siblings. Butsome ofthe Titans allied
themselves to Zeus, such as Prometheus and his mother Themis. The war started. The Cyclopes forged the
weapon ofZeus, his thunderbolt. The Hecatonchires hurled enormous stones atCronus and his allies. The
Titans fleed as if they were thinking that the mountains were falling. The war lasted for ten years, and
eventually Zeus and the other Olympians won the war. Zeus banished the Titans to the realm called
Tartarus and the Hecatonchires were tasked to guard them.
Love Interest with Demeter
Zeus, then became the King ofthe Gods and Goddesses and also MountOlympus, he became
attracted to his elder sister, Demeter. Demeter resisted Zeus to be in love with her, but Demeter soon gave
in to Zeus. They mated in the form ofintertwining serpents. From this, Demeter bore a child named
Persephone.
Summary of the Consort and Children of Zeus
Consort/Wife Child/Children:
Demeter Persephone
Eris Limos
Hera Angelos, Ares, Eris, Hebe and Hephaestus
Aegina (Mortal) Aeacus and Damocrateia
Maia Hermes
Leto Artemis and Apollo
Metis Athena
Leda (Mortal) Pollux and Helen of Troy
Europa (Mortal) Minos, Rhadamanthys, Sarpedon and Alagonia
Plouto (Mortal) Tantalus