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Zeus Accomplishments

Decent Essays

A hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. One person known for their heroic actions, is the Greek god Zeus. Zeus is one of the 3 earth ruling gods, alongside his brothers Hades and Poseidon, whom each received their own domain. Hades rules the underworld, Poseidon rules the sea, and Zeus rules the heavens. Zeus is married to his sister Hera, however, his many affairs with both mortal and divine women, has given him over a hundred children. Zeus is a hero because of his contributions to his children’s achievements, as well as his abilities as god of Olympus. One way Zeus gained the status of a hero through his children is when they became rulers or leaders on the mortal world. …show more content…

One example of his children becoming rulers is in Euripides version of Herakles. Euripides mentions the current ruler of Thebes being Lycos, although “Amphion and Zethus, Zeus’ sons, and lords of the white horses, ruled the city.” (31) Amphion and Zethus were the twin sons of Zeus and Antiope. Founders of Theseus and responsible for building the wall around the capital of the city. Although Amphion and Zethus were conceived out of unpermitted sex and born on Mount Cithaeron, and had little influence from their father in their life, Zeus still gained their achievements with them. This was because even without his influence, the children were still referred to as his. His children are still called his, and the world knows that the glorious things they have accomplished, would have never been possible, had they not been conceived; Because of this, people tend to look past how gods and demigods such …show more content…

Euripides describes Heracles racing off, “looking for his old father but this time the goddess, Pallas Athena, brandishing a sharp spear in her hand, and wearing a plumed helmet, appears as a phantom. She grabs a huge stone and hurls it at Herakles’ chest, which got him out of his madness and sent him to sleep.” (1002-1003). Athena was sent by Herakles father Zeus, as a way to stop his killings, and spare the life of the only mortal family he has left, His mortal father Amphitryon. Why Athena did not arrive sooner is unknown, but Because Zeus sent help in the first place rather than let the killing continue, shows that Zeus valued Herakles life and knew the right thing to do was to save him in any way he could. While Euripides mentions Theseus coming to aid Herakles on his own, other versions claim that he was sent by Zeus to help Herakles

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