Zeus

Also known as: All-ruling Zeus / Father / Hercæan Jove / Jove / Jupiter / Olympian Father / Saturnian king / Zeus the All-seeing · Family: Gods · Role: god · First appears: Aeschylus, The Seven Who Fought Against Thebes — Scene 1

In the old time, Zeus defeated Kronos, who was chained in Tartaros with his allies, and with the support of Prometheus and Okeanos obtained the victory. He became ruler of Olympos under new laws, “And with new-fashioned laws Zeus reigns, down-trampling right,” while planning to destroy the mortal race and replace it. He defeated Typhon with his thunderbolt, but his anger toward Prometheus led him to order Hephaestus, Strength, and Force to bind the Titan to a rock for aiding mortals; Prometheus in turn predicted Zeus’s eventual overthrow and refused to reveal the secret of it.

Zeus loved and pursued Io, giving her the horns of a cow, while Hera’s hatred drove her into long wanderings. At Canôbos and later in Egypt, Zeus ended her suffering and fathered Epaphus through divine touch. He is also presented as husband of Hera, and as parent of Athena, Amphion, Justice, Apollo, Artemis, Heracles, Hermes, Tantalus, Helen, Castor, Pollux, Dionysus, Themis, Hebe, Aeacus, Zethus, and Nemesis.

Across the later accounts, Zeus acts through thunder, prophecy, vengeance, and protection. His power helped destroy Troïa, killed Capaneus, preserved Helen as immortal, restored Orestes to his heritage alongside Athena and Apollo, and joined with Destiny for Pallas’ citizens. He was married to Semele and rescued their child Dionysus from the lightning flame; he also courted or married Alcmena, Aegina, and Leda, while Ganymede is named as his companion. His thunderbolt killed Asclepius, provoking Apollo, and his will is invoked by Philoctetes and Odysseus through Zeus’s minister.