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Hera (/ˈhɛrə/, /ˈhɪərə/, Greek Ἥρᾱ, Hērā, equivalently Ἥρη, Hērē, in Ionic and Homer) is the daughter of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. She is one of six children and she, along with her siblings, became the Gods and Goddesses of Greek mythology and religion. She is married to her brotherZeus and is known as the Queen of Heaven. Hera is known as the goddess of women and marriage and some of her renowned characteristics include her jealous and vengeful nature against Zeus' other lovers and offspring and against the mortals who cross her. She is also commonly seen with the animals considered sacred to her including the cow, lion and the peacock.

Her counterpart in the religion of ancient Rome was Juno.

Portrayed as majestic and solemn, often enthroned, and crowned with the polos (a high cylindrical crown worn by several of the Great Goddesses), Hera may bear a pomegranate in her hand, emblem of fertile blood and death and a substitute for the narcotic capsule of the opium poppy. Scholar of Greek mythology Walter Burkert writes in Greek Religion, "Nevertheless, there are memories of an earlier aniconic representation, as a pillar in Argos and as a plank in Samos."

Origin and Birth[edit | edit source]
Hera is the daughter of the youngest Titan Cronus and his wife, and sister, Rhea. Cronus was fated to be overthrown by one of his children; to prevent this, he swallows all of his newborn children whole until Rhea tricked him into swallowing a stone instead of her youngest child, Zeus. Zeus grew up in secret and then he tricks his father into regurgitating his siblings, including Hera. He then leads the revolt against the Titans, banishes them, divides the dominion over the world with his brothers Poseidon and Hades.

-- edit youth section

Marriage and Zeus[edit | edit source]
Hera is known for her jealousy and even Zeus, who is known to fear nothing, fears her tantrums. Zeus fell in love with Hera but she refused his first marriage proposal. Zeus then preys on her empathy for animals and other beings, created a thunderstorm and transforms himself into a little cuckoo. As a cuckoo, Zeus pretends to be in distress outside her window. Hera, feeling pity towards the bird brings it inside and holds it to her breast to warm it. Zeus then transforms back into himself and takes advantage of her. Hera, ashamed of being exploited, agrees to marriage with Zeus. All of nature burst into bloom for their wedding and many gifts were exchanged.

Io and Argus
Hera spots a lone thundercloud and races down in an attempt to catch Zeus with a mistress. Zeus saw her coming and transformed his new bride Io into a little snow-white cow. However, Hera was not fooled and demanded that Zeus give her the heifer as a present. Zeus could not refuse his queen without drawing suspicion so he had to give her the beautiful heifer.

Once Io was given to Hera, she tied her to a tree and sent her servant Argus to keep Io separated from Zeus. Argus is a loyal servant to Hear and he has immense strength and one hundred eyes all over his body. It was not possible to go past Argus since he never closed more than half his eyes at any time. Zeus was afraid of Hera's wrath could not personally intervene, so to save Io, he commands Hermes to kill Argus, which he does by lulling all one hundred eyes into eternal sleep. In Ovid's interpolation, when Hera learned of Argus' death, she took his eyes and placed them in the plumage of the peacock, her favorite animal, accounting for the eye pattern in its tail and making it the vainest of all animals. Hera, furious about Io being free and the death of Argus, sent a gadfly (Greek oistros, compare oestrus) to sting Io as she wandered the earth. Eventually Io made it to Egypt, the Egyptians worshiped the snow-white heifer and named her the the Egyptian goddess Isis. Hera permitted Zeus to change Io back into her human form, under the condition that he never look at her again. Io, the goddess-queen of Egypt, then bore Zeus' son as the next King.