Hera

hera image

Hera is the wife of Zeus, the Queen of Olympus, and the Olympian goddess of marriage. As such, she is also the deity most associated with family and the welfare of women and children. Her marriage, however, was an unhappy one, since Zeus had numerous affairs. Jealous and vengeful, Hera made sure to give each of his consorts some hard time.

The Sacred Wedding of Zeus and Hera

One day, Zeus, the King of the Gods, was walking around the beautiful region of Hesperides, when suddenly he spotted Hera and fell deeply in love with her. In order to approach Hera, Zeus transformed himself into a cuckoo and then he placed himself outside her window, pretending to be frozen by the cold.

At the sight of the bird, Hera felt sorrow and pity and took it inside her house. Once inside, Zeus revealed his true identity and made love to Hera. Then, he grabbed Hera and brought her to the mountain of Cithaeron to make her his legal wife, so that she could cover her shame.

The marriage of Zeus and Hera took place in the Garden of Hesperides and was celebrated with exceptional honours and sacrifices. Hera was given a marvelous wedding dress to wear and was offered a seat on a golden throne next to Zeus.

Everything divine was singing hymns and praises for this sacred wedding and everybody had a precious gift to give, most of all Gaea, the Goddess of the Earth, who treated the couple with happiness and a quince, the symbol of love and made a tree blossom with golden apples in Hera's honor. Hera was delighted and planted the tree in her garden, on the shores of the ocean.

After the ceremony, Zeus and Hera set off on a journey to the Greek island of Samos to enjoy their honeymoon, a honeymoon that lasted for 300 years.

Hera's Symbols

Hera is often seen with her sacred animals, including cows, lions, and peacocks. She is also often perceived holding pomegranates. A few of her less notable symbols are diadem (a type of crown), lilies, lotuses, cuckoos, panthers, scepters, and thrones.