Hera

Hera

Hera, known as the queen of Heaven and Olympus, is often remembered for her jealousy and vengeful acts toward Zeus. Like many other Greek gods and goddesses, Hera had a light and dark side that could both captivate and awe mortals and deity alike. Born to Cronis and Rhea, Hera was the daughter that ruled heaven, earth, and all of existence. The meaning of her name “Great Lady”, suited her as she was a nurturing mother to women in marriage. She brought them fertility, protected their children and secured finances and personal affairs. Hera’s caring nature was only rivaled by her astonishing beauty, grace, and luxurious immortality.
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It is said that Hera was the creator of the Milky Way and it was formed from the milk spurting from her breasts. Her motherly nature was taken advantage of when the god Zeus transformed himself into a wounded cuckoo and fed from the breast of Hera. He then revealed himself to her and when she denied his advances, he raped her. To avoid the embarrassment and excommunication, Hera married Zeus.

Though their marriage later led to Hera’s vengeful reputation, their initial love was literally what myths are made of. Their honeymoon lasted 300 days, but soon after Zeus returned to his womanizing ways and raped immortals and mortals alike. Though the relationship was far from perfection, the love that Hera and Zeus felt for one another was infinite. Hera was angered by Zeus, but rarely punished him for his acts of infidelity. She chose to take her revenge out on the women that found solace in the sensual ways of Zeus. Despite the tension, the couple parented Ares, Hebe, Hephaestus, Typhon and Eileitha (though some were the result of Hera’s eating from the garden of fertility and concei ving them without intercourse) and remained together to sit side by side on the throne of Olympus where all rose in reverence to their greatness.

Hera’s greatest accomplishment was her beauty. She maintained her sanctit y in perfection and regularly renewed her virginity in the magical waters of Canathus. She was irresistible to all and her scent was so wonderfully potent that it filled the world with her flavor. Zeus was known to have said, “Never has my love for goddess or mortal so flooded my senses and filled my heart!"

Hera’s beauty was related to the beautiful peacock and its feathers with “eyes”. She is also a symbol of the sacred cow as both have nurturing watchfulness. Her power and prowess were so intense that after marriage Zeus was often known as Hera’s Zeus.

Regardless of how Hera is viewed due to The Iliad or in reference to Zeus, her beauty and role as the mother of earth is her true role in the world of Greek mythology.

Sources: http://www.goddessgift.com/goddess-myths/greek_goddess_hera.htm http://www.arthistory.sbc.edu/imageswomen/papers/sosahera/hera.html

The present day Hera would be a creature of unmatched beauty. From her description I imagined her in a peacock outfit. This Hera is angry with Zeus for his actions and all conservatism is pushed aside.