Hera was an important figure in Greek mythology. She was the goddess of marriage and childbirth, the sister and wife of Zeus, and queen of Mount Olympus. She was described as solemn and majestic, the most powerful of all the goddesses.
Legend has it that Hera’s outstanding beauty first attracted the attention of the virile Zeus. When she spurned his advances, he turned himself into a small, frightened cuckoo. The goddess picked the pitiful creature up and held it close to give it warmth and comfort. Finding himself cradled close to Hera’s heart, Zeus returned to his normal form.
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The marriage produced three children: Ares, god of war, Hebe, the goddess of youth and Eileithyia, goddess of childbirth. Hera was able to regain her virginity by bathing regularly at the Spring of Canathus, near the city of Argos.
After the honeymoon, Zeus reverted to his former amorous lifestyle, compulsively seducing and raping any goddess, nymph or mortal who caught his eye. Hera was betrayed and humiliated on numerous occasions.
However, the goddess had a vicious temper. She usually chose to vent her anger on her husband’s lovers and illegitimate children, instead of on him.
Hercules was the child of Zeus and the mortal woman, Alcmene. Hera placed two serpents in the baby’s cradle, but he quickly seized them and strangled them. When Hercules grew to be a man, the goddess caused him to become briefly mad. During this time, he killed his own wife and children.
Io was another mortal who attracted the wandering eye of Zeus. When Hera was about to discover their tryst, Zeus turned Io into a handsome white heifer. Not fooled for a minute, Hera requested the heifer as a gift. Zeus couldn’t refuse; it would appear that he was putting too much value on an ordinary piece of livestock.
Hera asked Argos, a monster with one hundred eyes to guard Io. While fifty eyes slept, the other fifty watched the poor girl, so she could not escape.
Zeus asked his son Hermes for help. Hermes pretended to be a travelling musician. When his soothing music put all of the Argos’ eyes to sleep, Hermes slew the monster with one stroke of his sword.
Hera, furious at being deceived, sent a gadfly which tormented Io as she fled across the world until she reached Egypt. Zeus found her there, returned her to human form and impregnated her once again.
Because Zeus slept secretly with the mortal, Semele, Hera only discovered the affair after the girl was pregnant. She disguised herself and tricked Semele into asking Zeus to come to her next time in all the splendour he displayed while at home on Mount Olympus. When he did so, Semele was hit with a lighting bolt and expired.
Hera exemplifies the fact that there is both good and bad in beings of every age. She was depicted as being clever, beautiful, and powerful. She was credited with blessing a woman’s marriage, bringing her fertility, protecting her children and helping her find financial security
On other occasions, she was portrayed as wily, jealous, impulsive, vindictive, and cruel.
She reminds us that there are light and dark shades in everyone’s character, and life is a mixture of triumphs and tragedies for all, no matter what time frame or social stratum we occupy. These principles are as applicable to us today as they were in the time of the ancient Greeks.
