Hera

Hera/Juno - The Queen of Olympia John Choi



Hera is often represented by symbols associated with her regal, yet generous, behavior. It is not surprising that many of our icons representing love and marriage are derived from the ancient goddess symbols of Hera.

Brief Overview - Queen of the Gods - Goddess of Women and Marriage and Birth - Roman name : Juno - Symbols : Diadem, Pomegranate, Peacock Feather - Wife of Zeus - Parents : Cronus & Rhea - Siblings : Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, Hestia - Born along with the major greek gods and was swallowed by Cronus as well - Children : Ares, Athena, Enyo, Hebe, Eileithyia, Hephaestus, Eris - Rival : Athena, Artemis, Aphrodite, Echo


 * Height**: 5' 10"
 * Weight**: 435 lbs.
 * Eyes**: Brown
 * Hair**: Brown, sometimes

Strength Level Hera possesses the normal strength of an Olympian goddess of her size, height and build who engages in extensive regular exercises; she can lift (press) around 25 tons under optimal conditions.

Known Superhuman Powers Hera possesses the conventional physical attributes of the Olympian gods. Like all Olympians, she is immortal: she has not aged since reaching hood and cannot die by any conventional means. She is immune to all Earthly diseases and is resistant to conventional injury. If she were somehow wounded, her godly life force would enable her to recover with superhuman speed. It would take an injury of such magnitude that it dispersed a major portion of her bodily molecules to cause her a physical death. Even then, it might be possible for a god of significant power, such as Zeus, Poseidon or for a number of Olympian gods of equal power working together to revive her. Hera also possesses superhuman strength and her Olympian metabolism provides her with far greater than human endurance in all physical activities. (Olympian flesh and bone is about three times as dense as similar human tissue, contributing to the Olympians' superhuman strength and weight.) Hera also has significant abilities to tap into and manipulate energies akin to magic. She can change her form, teleport through dimensional barriers, such as from Earth to Olympus, and send her voices and images over vast distances. She can move matter with a gesture of her hand, and conjure destructive blasts as well as small lightning bolts. Her exact power level is unknown, but she is not as powerful as Zeus or Poseidon, but she is more than a match for younger gods and goddesses such as Apollo and Aphrodite.

Hera's Marriage Hera's marriage with Zeus began with strife and ended with strife. At first she refused. Zeus however, who was determined, used his power to change his shape into that of a wretched bird. Hera, feeling sorry for the bird, lifted it to her breast to warm it. At that moment Zeus, having the advantage of surprise, assumed his normal form and raped her. She married him to recover her shame. Throughout Hera's marriage, Zeus was anything but faithful. His affairs were many and each one enraged Hera all the more. Because she could not directly attack Zeus for his crimes against her, she usually tormented his lovers or tried to destroy their children. Despite Hera's best efforts, Zeus fathered many mortal heroes such as Hercules, as well as having several divine children that were not by Hera. In fact, Zeus and Hera only had three children together.

Significant Story of Hera One of the principal Roman myths of Juno(Hera) concerns Minerva(Athena), the Roman counterpart of the Greek goddess Athena. According to this story, Minerva was born from the head of Jupiter, which angered Juno. She complained to Flora, the goddess of flowers and gardens, who touched Juno with a magic herb that caused her to give birth to the god Mars(Ares). A similar myth exists in Greek mythology, but in some versions of that story, Hera gives birth to the monster Typhon, who tries to defeat Zeus and take his power. While the Greek myth illustrates Hera's vengeful nature, the Roman story emphasizes fertility and motherhood.

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“Teiresias saw two snakes sexually couples in the area of Kyllene, and when he injured them he changed from a man into a woman. Later, seeing the same snakes again mating, he was changed back into a man. Thus, when Hera and Zeus were arguing as to whether men or women enjoy sex more, they put the question to Teiresias. He said that on a scale of ten, women enjoy it nine times to men’s one. Whereupon Hera blinded him, and Zeus gave him the power of prophecy.”=====

HERA & THE TROJAN WAR
I) THE JUDGEMENT OF PARIS “[At the wedding of Peleus and Thetis :] Eris tossed an apple to Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, in recognition of their beauty, and Zeus bade Hermes escort them to Alexandros [Paris] on Ide, to be judged by him. They offered Alexandros gifts : Hera said if she were chosen fairest of all women, she would make him king of all men; Athena promised him victory in war; and Aphrodite promised him Helene in marriage. So he chose Aphrodite.”

II) SUPPORTS THE GREEKS ON THE BATTLEFIELD

III) HERA SEDUCES ZEUS TO AID THE GREEKS After Zeus forbade the gods to attend the battlefield of Troy, and implemented his plan to support the Trojans and avenge Akhilleus as he promised Thetis. Hera, however, seeing the Greeks in peril conspired to seduce and put Zeus to sleep, so that Poseidon could rally their forces.