Zeus is one of the most prominent figures in Greek mythology. He’s the father, the king of the Olympians and all living things. But like all ancient Greek gods, he’s multidimensional and his stories reveal a primordial archetype: The King.

He grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground and let it drip down.

“This. This is you and me. The air, the trees, the sea. Nature. Zeus, Hera, Hades. Your ancestors”. He took a deep breath.

“We’ve forgotten that we’re all connected in a way. When I was telling you about Zeus, his wisdom and his rebellious nature, I was talking about you! You have these qualities in you. Mythology is about exploring your subconsciousness, the deepest corners of your inner self, with the guidance of very ancient stories!”

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In Greece, it isn’t unusual for schools to visit ancient greek monuments a couple of times per year.

Even though they were supposed to be educational trips, in order to learn about greek mythology and history, most of the times we ended up just walking around without really learning anything.

But things changed in high school. My new philology and history teacher, Mr.P, was an “eccentric”. (In)famous for his ancient greek spirit.

He taught with passion and conviction. He was living up to the ideals of Socrates and Aristotle; the Spartan discipline and the Athenian fiery creativity.

So, when I heard we were going on a trip to Olympia, I was excited, to say the least.

The Temple Of Zeus In Olympia

Every four years, athletes from all over Greece would come to Olympia to participate in the Olympic games, bringing glory to their city-state and honoring Zeus.

Greeks raised a 43 ft, chryselephantine statue of the Father. It was one of the seven wonders of the world. “Was” because it was eventually destroyed by the Roman Empire (or simply disappeared).

Its story is quite interesting and shows how powerful Zeus was in the eyes of the Greeks:

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Roman Emperor Caligula decided that: “…statues of the gods as were especially famous for their sanctity or their artistic merit… should be brought from Greece, in order to remove their heads and put his own in their place.”

Romans had a long history of bringing ancient artifacts, statues and whatnot from Greece to Rome. After all, their cultures were very similar, sharing Gods, traditions, etc.

But before they managed to “ship” the statue, Caligula was assassinated. The fascinating part is that his death was foretold by  Zeus’ statue: “suddenly uttered such a peal of laughter that the scaffolding collapsed and the workmen took to their heels.”

Of course, many historians report that it was either carried off to Constantinople or simply perished in the same fire that destroyed the whole temple.

Nevertheless, it remains an anecdote that highlights the influence of Zeus, years after his “demise”.

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As we were walking amongst the ruins, Mr.P would point out different places and their significance.

“That’s the market, this is where they did pagratio, the gymnasion… Oh, this is where Zeus fought Cronus!”

Greeks didn’t randomly choose the site to honor Zeus. According to the myths, Olympia is where Titanomachy ended.

And this is where our story begins.

The Mythos Of Zeus

The allfather who killed his own father

We had packed lunch, so we head up to a small hill overlooking the stadium where the athletes would run.

“So, Zeus was an interesting fella. You see, according to the prophecy, he was the chosen one. But wait, we have to go back…”, said Mr.P.

Cronus was a Titan, son of Uranus and Gaia.

The Titans and the primitive Gods of “Sky” and “Earth” are a story for another post. For now, all you have to know is that Cronus ruled during the Golden Age… after overthrowing his own father.

Cronus feared he’d suffer the same fate, after hearing about the prophecy. He swallowed his kids to prevent this, except one: Zeus.

Rhea, Zeus’ mother, fooled Cronus and handed him a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes, also known as the Omphalos Stone.

She hid his son in a cave in Crete (an island of Greece).

The Birth Of Zeus

There are many myths of how Zeus was hidden from Cronus.

It is said that he was raised by a goat named Amalthea, while dancers would clap and shout to mask the crying of the baby from his father.

Another version claims he was raised by the nymph Adamanthea. She dangled him by a rope, keeping him away from the earth, the sea, and the sky where Cronus ruled.

Freeing His Brothers and Sisters

After reaching manhood, he forced Cronus to drink an emetic to make him vomit his two brothers and sisters; the first Olympians.

In a war called Titanomachy, the Gods fought the Titans and imprisoned them in Tartara (the underworld).

Zeus became the King of the Olympians and the father of humanity.

The All-Mighty God With The Human Side

Mr.P knew so many details about the stories our heads were spinning. Greek mythology has 100s of different versions and “characters”, you can easily get confused. Everyone and everything has a backstory.

“But that’s not important”, said Mr.P, “you don’t have to know everything to appreciate these myths.”

One of the most important themes that keep repeating in this particular story is Zeus’ wives.

Zeus would transform into animals, things, phenomenons, mortals in order to seduce his love interests.

Some examples are: a shower of gold, a bull, an ant, an eagle, a lapwing, a swan, a star, a bear.

The most famous story is the abduction of Europa.

Zeus transformed into a beautiful white bull and mingled in her father’s herd.

Europa noticed the animal and got on its back. The bull ran off, swimming to Crete. Zeus revealed his true identity and made Europa the first Queen of Crete.

(According to historians, this myth might be inspired by real events; Cretans kidnapping Europa to avenge the kidnapping of princess Io.)

But in most versions of the myth, Hera is his true wife (and sister).

She was always jealous and an enemy of Zeus’ love interests.

He tried to distract her by having the nymph Echo talk incessantly. Hera realized this and cursed Echo to repeat the words of others — hence “echo”.

The relationship between Hera and Zeus seems very “human-like”. Filled with ups and downs and complex dynamics.

In a section of Iliad, called the “Deception of Zeus”, Hera seduces Zeus to distract him and help Greeks get the upper hand in the Trojan War.

It’s obvious that the morality of Gods, even their relationships, is less than ideal. After all, the ancient Greek Gods were archetypes, representing human nature.

And Zeus, the King Of The Gods, wasn’t any different.

The Archetype: Father And King

“…then you will see how far I am strongest of all the immortals. Come, you gods, make this endeavor, that you all may learn this. Let down out of the sky a cord of gold; lay hold of it all you who are gods and all who are goddesses, yet not even so can you drag down Zeus from the sky to the ground, not Zeus the high lord of counsel, though you try until you grow weary. Yet whenever I might strongly be minded to pull you, I could drag you up, earth and all and sea and all with you, then fetch the golden rope about the horn of Olympus and make it fast, so that all once more should dangle in mid air. So much stronger am I than the gods, and stronger than mortals”

– Illiad

Zeus – Ζευς – Διας

It means “day” or “sky”, depending on how far back you go.

He holds the thunderbolt, a gift from Gigantes (giants) and aegis (either a shield or animal skin).

He’s the Ruler, mentor, protector, and King of the Gods and humans. He lives in mount Olympus and he controls the weather from above, striking his foes and maintaining justice.

“Yes, he was wise. The father figure. But he was also whimsical and rebellious. He’s the most powerful creature in the world!”, said Mr.P. “You know, people would fear him because he was truly free. It is said that he only feared Nyx and the Fates. But he was truly free…”

“For know that no one is free, except Zeus”
–Aeschylus

Are Zeus and Odin Related?

It’s always interesting to see the same patterns emerging between different cultures.

Odin seems to possess the same qualities of Zeus. The Wise Ruler.

On the other hand, Thor has the temperament and power of the Greek God.

This phenomenon is quite common when it comes to prehistoric religions. Many myths are a retelling of the same story, using a different language.

• Romans had Jupiter
• Germans had Odin/Thor
• Egyptians had Ammon

The details obviously change but the archetype re-emerges.

Zeus in 2019

“Old stories, for young people. Why do you care what an old, bearded Greek God does?”

Mr.P looked at us with such hope in his eyes.

“This. This is you and me. The air, the trees, the sea. Nature. Zeus, Hera, Hades. Your ancestors”. He took a deep breath.

“Do you know why the ancients wrote these stories, these myths? They represented a part of themselves, a part of you, that we forget in this day and age.”

If you’re reading this, it means you’ve learned a couple of cool anecdotes about the Greek God, Zeus.

But what I truly hope to achieve with this post, is to make you read the mythos of Zeus and realize that what you’re reading is about yourself.  Consider this an invitation to dig deeper.

Perhaps, you won’t transform into a bull or throw thunderbolts at your enemies. Symbolism was always a valuable tool to communicate deeper meaning. It’s up to you to interpret the ancient texts and arrive at your own conclusions.

When I was a little kid, I thought I could control the weather. True story. 

One day, I was sitting near the window, looking at the clouds. For some reason, I got up, closed my eyes, and visualized thunders and rain. Lo and behold, it happened.

OK, I don’t think I’m responsible for the storm (?) but the metaphysical sensation of being powerful and nothing stopping you… that feeling was 100% real.

When I’m facing a difficulty or something seems impossible, I remember that kid causing a thunderstorm. I look up in the sky and my ancestral father looks back at me.

-G.K

P.S- Leave your thoughts in the comments below. I’m curious to learn about your own interpretation of the God Of Thunder!

“ὦ Ζεῦ͵ πάτερ Ζεῦ͵ σὸν μὲν οὐρανοῦ κράτος͵ σὺ δ΄ ἔργ΄ ἐπ΄ ἀνθρώπων ὁρᾶις λεωργὰ καὶ θεμιστά͵ σοὶ δὲ θηρίων ὕβρις τε καὶ δίκη μέλει”

(Oh Zeus, father Zeus, Yours is the Kingdom of Heaven, and you watch men’s deeds, the crafty and the right, and You are who cares for beasts’ transgression and justice.)

What comes to mind when you hear “Greek Mythology”?

You think about that weird teacher in high-school that could cite whole passages in ancient greek. And you may remember these fascinating stories about Gods turning into animals, Titans holding the Earth, and mere mortals transcending humanity.

Or, you think about Dwayne Johnson’s movie “Hercules”. Brad Pitt in “Troy”. “Clash of Titans. Perhaps you’ve played video games like “God of War” and “Age of Mythology”.

Whatever the case may be, it’s obvious that Greek mythology has penetrated our culture — and our consciousness.

But what makes these stories so relevant and valuable? So pervasive that we keep reading them and analyzing them over and over again?

Well, to answer these questions, I’ll have to tell you how I, a native Greek, have come to learn and understand our “mythos”.

Greek Mythology: Logos vs Eros

(Icarus. Pathos defeated Reason)

“Everyone reads the same stories. The thing that defines us as individuals is how we interpret them. This is how you should look at mythology”.

This is what my ancient greek philology teacher told me in class. Even though I was 14 years old at that time, I was fascinated by this revolutionary idea of narratives and self-interested Gods.

See, growing up as a Christian Orthodox, you learn about religion through gospels and divine prescriptive texts. 

There’s right and wrong. There’s a distinct duality that jumps out of the pages and forces its paradigm on your worldview.

The philosophical frame is limited, in a sense that the core interpretation has been handled by someone else and all you have to do is make the Biblical stories fit the Orthodox arc.

On the other hand, Greek Mythology was different. In fact, it’s different from most religions — if you can even call it one. I read about heroes and Gods doing honorable deeds. And then I read about their troubles, their hubris, and their inevitable demise.

At all times, I was reading about human nature. Every character had a piece of myself in him/her. 

They stared back at me because they were the collective unconscious of my (and your) ancestors. 

But before we delve more into this, we need to go back, back at the beginning.

A brief introduction to Greek Mythology from a philosophical point of view

Mythology derives from “mythos+logos”. Logos is the rational, the inductive, rigid logic. And mythos is Eros. Love. Our pathos. The animal side.

I believe you’ve encountered this concept before, in other forms. Be it Black and White. Yin and Yang. Day and Night. Man and Woman.

The union of the opposites is Nature. And nature is the true God of every prehistoric religion. 

Every religion, ritual, and mythological story is a form of mimetics. We, as humans, try to imitate nature. We ARE nature. We write stories personifying different phenomena. And Greek mythology isn’t any different. This is where everything starts.

I want you to think greek Gods as mediums with which we translate and communicate our understanding of the universe as a whole.

And every story as the relationships between the different parts of the universe. That includes interpersonal dynamics, ethics, morals, politics, sex, violence, etc.

For example, in “Theogony”, it is said that Nyx (Night) gave birth to Hypnos (Sleep), Oneroi (Dreams), Moros (Doom), Thanatos (Death), etc.

Can you see the pattern? Instead of mathematics, we use Logos+ Mythos to make sense of night and our experiences relevant to the night.

(Interesting fact: Hypnos and Thanatos are supposed to be twin brothers. Pretty cool huh?)

Of course, Greek Mythology isn’t the only “religion” that uses imitation and sympathetic magic in its stories and rituals.

But there are some differences…

What makes Greek Mythology special?

When I was still at school, we had 10 hours each week where we’d study Homer’s work. 

Reading his massive poems we trod the line between reality, legends, and deep psychological dilemmas.

One thing that was prominent was that divine intervention looked very similar to what we now call “subconscious”.

Questions about morality would be transposed to a “higher being” that gave the answer in a symbolic form.

History and myth, humans and Gods, idealism and pathos would blend. We’d spend weeks on one paragraph, trying to figure out what the heroes or Gods were thinking and how their decisions affected the story.

We didn’t make moral judgements about the characters. We only saw the outcome of their actions and what others thought about them. Everything was symbolism and it was up to us to interpret the story.

Instead of “action in a vacuum”, linear myths (X God did Y, so agriculture was born), Greek mythology creates narratives that reveal psychological truths about human nature.

Our deepest fears and our secret desires.

We learned about our mythology through tragedies, choruses, art, and music. It was obvious that these stories were alive and vibrant in the ancient world.

Is Greek Mythology relevant in 2019?

OK, but why should YOU care?

What difference does it make if you know why Zeus turned into a white bull?

How the story of Prometheus will make you a better person?

I believe that these ancient stories could help you understand different aspects of yourself. Greeks used to draw power from the Gods…  but not in the literal sense.

• The drew wisdom from Zeus
• They became courageous knowing what Ares did
• They could appreciate the beauty of the world looking at a statue of Aphrodite

These are the archetypes that manifest in our lives. They’re the ideals, the absolutes that represent raw power, talent, fun, violence, etc.

They also represent opportunity, danger, lessons about consequences, and whatnot.

Take the myth of Prometheus for example.

I’m fascinated by his story since I read about it a few years ago. It sparked a lot of questions about ethics and shed light to an evolutionary truth about us, humans.

Prometheus was a Titan. There are a bunch of stories, with different endings, but for now, two things are important to keep in mind: He stole the fire from the Gods and gave it to humans.

Fire is chaos. Destruction. But it’s also what makes us able to build civilizations.

Fire builds. Fire destroys. It symbolizes creativity, yet it causes entropy. 

Remember, the union of the opposites is Nature. It exists inside every one of us. And it was present in Prometheus.

A trickster that tried to fool Zeus, but also a protector of humans. 

His actions may have  caused:

 “…the descent of mankind from the communion with the gods into the present troublesome life”

Or,

“…the ascent of humanity from primitive beginnings to the present level of civilisation.”

• Karl-Martin Dietz

The interpretation of his actions is correlated with how you view life. 

Or, both statements are equal and reveal that there’s a sacrifice for everything.

Prometheus did pay the price. Zeus punished him by chaining him and having an eagle take a bite out of his ever-growing liver… until Herakles freed him, rebelling against his father…

(See how many layers there are? Pieces glued together. A mosaic that tries to capture true meaning)

The question remains, why is Greek mythology relevant today? What makes Greek mythology so popular?

Besides, there are many stories in modern religions that try to teach us these things… Perhaps there lies the answer.

Instead of teaching, these sets of stories try to make you learn. Aid you in your life, revealing your authentic self.

The Purpose of This Series

Greek mythology gives you a toolbox you can use to navigate life. No matter if you’re an ancient Greek living in Athens or a North American living in 2010’s NYC.

Instead of doing a stale, retelling of the stories, we want to go beyond and bring them back to life, in the 21st century.

Consider this post as an attempt to establish a philosophical framework with which we’ll analyze specific myths in the future.

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Quick Interlude: The Hero’s Journey

One of the things that we’ll focus on going forward, is revealing the different process ancient Greeks used to make sense of the world.

In case you’re not familiar, the Hero’s Journey is a specific monomyth, a template, that many stories follow.

Interestingly enough, I believe this is a modernist approach to mythology that doesn’t tell the whole story. 

And most importantly, when you try to interpret myths using it, you stretch reality to the point you skew your perception of what is real and what’s not. You lose nuance.

The myth of Hercules stops when he finishes the 12 “athlous” and completes the Hero’s Journey, right?

Did you know the reason he had to finish the 12 Labors? He killed his wife and children in a fit of rage caused by Hera.

Herakles dies because he wore a shirt drenched in Hydra’s blood. And as he dies (while Philoctetes lights the funeral pyre), only his immortal side leaves. Through Zeus apotheosis, he rises to Olympus.

If you look deeper into this, you quickly realize that we’ve been fed a surface-level, feel-good story. Time to make this real.

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We’ll unravel the underlying themes from these stories and analyze the archetypes, the way we’re related to them, and what they mean to each individual.

Most importantly, I hope that these essays could help you understand yourself better.

Greek Mythology ToolBox

These are the main points of this post I’ll be using in the future:

1. Mythos is Pathos, Logos is Rational. We’re looking for the fight between the two
2. For Greeks, God is Nature. And they try to imitate Nature through their stories and rituals
3. Gods represent psychological archetypes
4. No moral judgement. Only outcome and consequences
5. How the myth applies to MY life
6. Look beyond the Hero’s Journey

There’s our cheat sheet! Keep it as a reference or come back here and read it whenever you read a greek myth. Could you spot the patterns?

Disclaimer

It goes without a saying that I consider myself a student. Writing this post (and every post in the future) is a form of active learning for me.

I don’t consider myself an authority, nor I believe my viewpoint is the only valid one.

I’m curious and eager to learn more about Greek Mythology – and comperative mythology in general – as I go. And I want to use this post as a tool that will help me to “break-down” the myths to their core.

If you think this is “out there”, I invite you to read my other posts where I apply the principles I’ve written here.

-G

PS- I’d really appreciate some feedback! And if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

PSS- Oh, comment below the next myth you want us to analyze!