Zeus: Mythology and Modern

Zeus is the ancient Greek supreme deity who rules the sky, thunder and lightning. According to myths, Zeus is the main god of Olympus, he divided the world into good and evil, gave birth to shame and conscience in mankind, is able to control whole destinies and foresee the future. The entire order of human life is built on his precepts, so the god of thunder is also the patron of city life and many of its attributes.

Even several thousand years later Zeus is not forgotten. As the embodiment of nobility, strength, balance, and even life itself, the name Zeus is very popular in many spheres of society. Devices and mechanisms, machines and aircraft, household appliances, chemicals, cosmetics, food products and service establishments are named after him. The website http://www.sigeneration.ca/ described in detail Zeus in Greek mythology, the popularity of the name these days.  

Zeus in Mythology

The story of Zeus' birth, formation, and reign on Olympus is very rich. Zeus is a member of the third generation of the divine family. As the son of the titans Kronos and Rhea, he miraculously escaped the cruel fate at birth to which his father subjected all of his wife's newborns. Later, Zeus organized a rebellion and overthrew his father, becoming the dominant deity.

Releasing his brothers and sisters-Hades, Poseidon, Hera, Hestia and Demeter-the young gods began a war with their parents and their relatives, the Titans. Zeus brought in many additional allies, such as the Cyclopes and the giants, who also disliked the titans. The cyclopes produced weapons for the Olympians, and together they all liberated the world from tyranny. After decades of bloodshed, the gods divided power over their newfound world among themselves: Zeus was given power over the heavens, Hades the underworld, and Poseidon ruled over the sea. But the gods left the earth in common, and ruled over it jointly.

Gaia, the grandmother of Zeus and the representative of the first generation of the gods, was displeased with the Olympians, and made a new war against them, spawning giants to do so. Thus began a new war, which gave birth to the fourth generation of mortal gods, the only ones capable of defeating the giants and bringing back peace. Having asserted his power with victory in the new war, Zeus the Olympian was finally able to engage in the patronage of human civilization.

In addition to his divine accomplishments, Zeus is also famous for his rich family tree. The thunderer is known for his amorous temperament: he had three wives alone, and many mistresses among both the divine race and humans. Here is just a small list of his partners and descendants that he spawned during his period of existence: 

• From Zeus' first wife, Metida, the goddess Athena was born.
• His second wife, Themis, gave birth to three daughters, goddesses of the seasons: Eunomia, Dike, Eirene. Later, more daughters were added: Clotho, Lahelis, Atropos.
• Zeus's last official wife, Hera, gave birth to Ares, Hephaestus, and Hebe.
• From Latona came Apollo and Artemis.
• Maya gave birth to Hermes.
• Demeter gave birth to Persephone.
• Diona gave birth to Aphrodite.
• Semele gave birth to Dionysus.
• Eurynoma gave birth to Charita.
• Mnemosyne gave birth to many muses.

And the list is far from complete. Many consider Zeus' attraction to the weaker sex his only weakness. Many conflicts on Olympus could have been avoided if it had not been for the loveliness of the god of heaven and lightning.

Not much is known about the death of Zeus and it is only mentioned in very late sources. One of the most interesting theories is that Zeus was in fact the ancient and great king of Crete, whose legends eventually immortalized him as divine ruler. This theory is supported by the fact that the birthplace of the god is generally considered to be Crete, and Zeus himself is often identified as the patron of cities, city life, rulers, legislators and all the needy. 

The popularity of Zeus in the world

All creators of works of art depict Zeus as a mature and powerful man with a rich beard and thick hair in noble poses. It is not uncommon for the god to be shown with his main attributes and symbols. The most recognizable of these, of course, is the Lightning, a weapon from the time of the battle with the titans, a kind of trident with jagged forks in the shape of lightning. The Aegis, a cloak of goatskin, is a mythical protection for the god, from which he later made a shield. Zeus could also be depicted with his symbol of power - a scepter, sometimes a hammer or a labrum. Zeus traveled in his chariot which was pulled by a colossal eagle.

Zeus, like all the gods of Olympus, was worshipped in numerous temples and sanctuaries throughout the ancient Greek world, which stretched across the Mediterranean Sea. As the chief god of Olympus, he had many worshippers. Later, with the advent of Roman power, Zeus was merged with his Roman counterpart, Jupiter, and continued to be worshipped in this form.

Today, as strange as it may sound, the name of Zeus continues to be heard in prayers at the altars from the lips of his admirers. In modern orthodox Greece there are still many pagan movements that honor the ancient gods. In spite of the rather cautious and closed nature of these religious communities, they still establish their own official Hellenistic churches and organize religious communities. 

Where is the name Zeus used in modern culture

Ancient Greek culture and mythology have a continuing influence on the culture of nations to this day. Various creative projects regularly come out describing this or that part of the story of Zeus and the rest of Olympus. In some works the gods may be portrayed on the bright side, while in others they are portrayed solely in a negative way.

Zeus has been portrayed in many movies and played by many actors. Here is a short list of examples of movies with participation of such a prominent character of ancient Greek mythology: Clash of the Titans in 2010, Wrath of the Titans in 2012, War of the Gods: Immortals in 2011, Percy Jackson and the Lord of Lightning in 2010 and some other, older works. Also Zeus was present in some TV series, for example The Amazing Journeys of Hercules from 1995 to 1999.

Not avoiding the gaming industry, the ancient Greek pantheon was represented in many interesting games. For example, the slasher God of War from the first to the third part shows the confrontation between the Spartan Kratos and the gods of Olympus. The story goes about the son of Hades - Zagreus trying to escape from his father's kingdom and Zeus and the other Olympians helping him. The sympathetic Titan Quest also features the gods of Olympus caring for humanity.

In addition to the examples described above, there are many works from cultural classics in the form of books, paintings, poems, songs, theatrical plays, and other ways of human creativity. The list is quite long, and it would take a very long time to list all the honors that people still do for the god of lightning.