Zeus

Also known as: Father Zeus · Family: Olympian gods · Role: god · First appears: Book I 1

Zeus is the husband of Hera and the father of Heracles. In Book II, he is the father of Polydeuces and Athena, and the son of Cronos. He punished Phineus with blindness, lingering old age, and deprivation of food, while his oracle foretold that Phineus would enjoy food when the Argonauts arrived. He granted Zetes and Calais tireless strength, gave Sinope the virginity she requested, and protected Phrixus, Cytissorus, Phrontis, Melas, and Argus son of Phrixus from danger. He struck Typhaon with a bolt after Typhaon raised his hands against him: “Typhaon, they say, smitten by the bolt of Zeus, son of Cronos, when he lifted against the god his sturdy hands, dropped from his head hot gore;”

In Book III, Zeus had set Ganymedes among the immortal gods and had Adrasteia nurse him as a child; he was also the father of Aeacus. He sent Hermes to help Phrixus receive friendly hospitality from Aeetes. In Book IV, he was the father of Artemis and Castor, and ordained that Circe cleanse the Argonauts after Apsyrtus’s murder. He pursued Thetis until Themis revealed that she was fated to bear a son mightier than his sire, whereupon “he gave thee up.” Zeus also gave Talos to Europa as the warder of Crete.