Greek God Zeus Research Paper

The story of the Greek god Zeus begins with his father, the supreme god Kronos. According to an article from the Columbia Encyclopedia, one of his children was prophesied to overthrow Kronos; thus, because he did not want to be overthrown, Kronos ate each one of his children that his wife, Rhea, birthed. The article continues to say that Rhea replaced Zeus with a rock inside of a cloth, so that Kronos would eat the rock instead of the baby. Zeus survived his father’s horrible habit and, when he was older, convinced his father to regurgitate all of his siblings. Zeus and his siblings then rose up against their father prosperously. After the rebellion was won, his siblings cast lots to divide the universe with “the underworld [going] to Hades,

Zeus, had relations with many women and had children of all kinds; gods, human, partially human, and even partially animal. The article continues to say that Zeus’ promiscuity was not necessarily frowned upon in context of the gods, who were intended to appear “bigger, stronger, more attractive, and more powerful than mortals, but with all of the same desires and failings.” Zeus was believed to be the father of at least fifty children, including, “Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Dionysus, Hercules, Hermes, Helen of Troy, and Persephone” (“Stories”). Zeus was allegedly married to two women--Hera and Metis. However, the powerful god had affairs with many other women before, in between, during, and after these marriages

Sisyphus would break the “concept of hospitality and generosity shown to travellers and guests” by murdering them to declare himself a ruthless king. Sisyphus’ actions were noticed by Zeus, who was head of enforcing hospitality and generosity. Sisyphus was again on poor terms with Zeus when Sisyphus told Asopus, the river god, where his kidnapped daughter was--in the hands of Zeus. After a battle with Thanatos, the “personification of death,” and Ares, god of war, Sisyphus was chained and trapped. After countless times of deceiving people and gods alike, Zeus forced Sisyphus “to eternally push a boulder uphill” as punishment for all of his actions (“Sisyphus”). Thus, Zeus, the most powerful and well-known god of Greek mythology, was very much revered as being a punisher for the evil, yet also a peacemaker for all people’s in