Myths and Legends: Hera, Greek goddess of women and marriage By E.M. Berens, adapted by Newsela staff on 10.25.16 Word Count 894 Level 1180L TOP: Hera, Athena and Iris in the Trojan War, painting by Jacques Réattu, 18th century; photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. BOTTOM: Marble head of Hera, copy from Greek original by Polykleitos; photo by DEA / G. DAGLI ORTI/De Agostini/Getty Images. Greek mythology evolved thousands of years ago. There was a need to explain natural events, disasters and events in history. Myths were created about gods and goddesses who had supernatural powers, human traits and human emotions. These ideas were passed down in beliefs and stories. Wife Of The King Of Gods Hera, the eldest daughter of Cronus and Rhea, was born on the island of Samos, or, according to some accounts, in the city of Argos. She is the most important wife of Zeus, the king of the gods. She is the queen of heaven and also the goddess of women and marriage. Hera believes the rules of marriage should be strictly followed and severely punishes married gods and men who fall in love with other women. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 1
Her position as the wife of the supreme god, combined with her extreme beauty, caused her to become exceedingly vain. She resented any infringement on her rights as queen of heaven, or any apparent criticism of her personal appearance. The following story is an example of how her anger was aroused when her beauty was questioned. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 2
Goddesses Compete For Golden Apple This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 3
At the marriage of the sea-nymph, Thetis, to a man named Peleus, all the gods and goddesses were invited, except for Eris, the goddess of conflict. Angry about this, Eris decided to cause some trouble by throwing a golden apple into the crowd of guests. There was an inscription on the apple that read "For the Fairest," which led each of the beautiful goddesses to believe that she alone could claim the apple. After some arguing among them, the number of candidates was reduced to three: Hera, Athena and Aphrodite. It was agreed that Paris, a young shepherd, would decide who was the fairest. Hermes, the messenger of the gods, found Paris in the fields and brought to him the three goddesses, each of whom tried to tempt him with an offer. Hera promised him many countries to rule, Athena promised him glory and victory in war, and Aphrodite promised him the most beautiful woman in the world. Hera Causes Suffering During Trojan War But whether Paris really considered Aphrodite the fairest of the three, or preferred a beautiful wife to fame and power, we cannot tell. All we know is that Aphrodite was awarded the golden apple, and she became forever after the goddess of beauty. Hera, having fully expected Paris to choose her, was so angry that she never forgave him, and she punished him and his whole family. She caused much suffering and misfortune during the Trojan War, angering her husband Zeus. Among the many stories of frequent quarrels between Hera and Zeus is the one connected with Heracles, Zeus' favorite son. The story went like this: Hera had raised a storm at sea in order to drive Heracles off his course, making Zeus so angry that he tied her to the clouds by a golden chain, and attached heavy anvils to her feet. Her son Hephaestus tried to release his mother from her humiliating position, for which Zeus threw him out of heaven, and his leg was broken by the fall. Statue Poses As New Bride Hera was so angry at Zeus for what he had done to her and her son that she decided to separate herself from him forever, and moved to the Greek island of Euboea. Surprised and upset that his wife would leave him, Zeus resolved to try anything to win her back. He consulted Cithaeron, the wise king of Platea, who advised Zeus to dress a statue of a woman in a bridal gown and place it in a chariot, announcing that this was Platea, his future wife. The trick succeeded and Hera, furious at the idea of a new wife, flew to the wedding in great anger, wildly attacked the bride and threw her from the chariot. Her delight on discovering it was a statue was so great that she agreed to return to her husband and their home on Mount Olympus. Hera dearly loved Greece, and her favorite cities were Argos, Samos, Sparta and Mycenae. Hera's main temples were at Argos and Samos. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 4
In the Altis, young girls ran races in honor of Hera, and the fastest received an olive-wreath that was worn proudly on her head. These races, like the Olympic Games, took place every four years, and were called Herae. Paintings and statues of Hera often show her seated on a throne, holding a pomegranate in one hand and a scepter in the other. The beautiful goddess appears calm and intelligent, robed in a tunic and mantle, her eyes large and fully opened, and her arms dazzlingly white. Juno The Greek goddess Hera is Juno of the Roman goddesses. Hera is the unbending queen of heaven, while Juno, on the other hand, is seen as the honored housewife. She was worshiped in Rome under various titles, most of which point to her role as the protector of married women, who watched over and guarded the life of every woman from her birth to her death. The principal temples dedicated to her were in Rome, and on the 1st of March a grand annual festival, called the Matronalia, was celebrated in her honor by all the married women of Rome. From "The Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome" by E.M. Berens. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 5