Before his marriage to Hera, Zeus consorted with a number of the female Titanes (and his sister Demeter). These liaisons are ordered by Hesiod as follows: (1) Metis; (2) Themis; (3) Eurynome; (4) Demeter; (5) Mnemosyne; (6) Leto.
Some authors add Dione and Persephone to the list, as well as the unsuccesful attempts to seduce Asteria and Aphrodite.
Some authors add Dione and Persephone to the list, as well as the unsuccesful attempts to seduce Asteria and Aphrodite.
"Now Zeus, king of the gods, made Metis his wife first, and she was wisest among gods and mortal men. But when she was about to bring forth the goddess bright-eyed Athene, Zeus craftily deceived her with cunning words and put her in his own belly ...
Next he married bright Themis who bare the Horai (Seasons), and Eunomia (Order), Dike (Justice), and blooming Eirene (Peace), who mind the works of mortal men, and the Moirai (Fates) to whom wise Zeus gave the greatest honour, Klotho, and Lakhesis, and Atropos who give mortal men evil and good to have.
And Eurynome, the daughter of Okeanos, beautiful in form, bare him three fair-cheeked Kharites (Graces), Aglaia, and Euphrosyne, and lovely Thaleia, from whose eyes as they glanced flowed love that unnerves the limbs: and beautiful is their glance beneath their brows.
Also he came to the bed of all-nourishing Demeter, and she bare white-armed Persephone whom Aidoneus carried off from her mother; but wise Zeus gave her to him.
And again, he loved Mnemosyne with the beautiful hair: and of her the nine gold-crowned Muses were born who delight in feasts and the pleasures of song.
And Leto was joined in love with Zeus who holds the aegis, and bare Apollo and Artemis delighting in arrows, children lovely above all the sons of Heaven.
Lastly, he made Hera his blooming wife: and she was joined in love with the king of gods and men, and brought forth Hebe and Ares and Eileithyia.
But Zeus himself gave birth from his own head to bright-eyed Tritogeneia [Athena, whose mother Metis had earlier been swallowed whole by Zeus], the awful, the strife-stirring, the host-leader, the unwearying, the queen, who delights in tumults and wars and battles ...
And Maia, the daughter of Atlas, bare to Zeus glorious Hermes, the herald of the deathless gods, for she went up into his holy bed.
And Semele, daughter of Kadmos was joined with him in love and bare him a splendid son, joyous Dionysos, -- a mortal woman an immortal son. And now they both are gods.
And Alkmena was joined in love with Zeus who drives the clouds and bare mighty Herakles."
Next he married bright Themis who bare the Horai (Seasons), and Eunomia (Order), Dike (Justice), and blooming Eirene (Peace), who mind the works of mortal men, and the Moirai (Fates) to whom wise Zeus gave the greatest honour, Klotho, and Lakhesis, and Atropos who give mortal men evil and good to have.
And Eurynome, the daughter of Okeanos, beautiful in form, bare him three fair-cheeked Kharites (Graces), Aglaia, and Euphrosyne, and lovely Thaleia, from whose eyes as they glanced flowed love that unnerves the limbs: and beautiful is their glance beneath their brows.
Also he came to the bed of all-nourishing Demeter, and she bare white-armed Persephone whom Aidoneus carried off from her mother; but wise Zeus gave her to him.
And again, he loved Mnemosyne with the beautiful hair: and of her the nine gold-crowned Muses were born who delight in feasts and the pleasures of song.
And Leto was joined in love with Zeus who holds the aegis, and bare Apollo and Artemis delighting in arrows, children lovely above all the sons of Heaven.
Lastly, he made Hera his blooming wife: and she was joined in love with the king of gods and men, and brought forth Hebe and Ares and Eileithyia.
But Zeus himself gave birth from his own head to bright-eyed Tritogeneia [Athena, whose mother Metis had earlier been swallowed whole by Zeus], the awful, the strife-stirring, the host-leader, the unwearying, the queen, who delights in tumults and wars and battles ...
And Maia, the daughter of Atlas, bare to Zeus glorious Hermes, the herald of the deathless gods, for she went up into his holy bed.
And Semele, daughter of Kadmos was joined with him in love and bare him a splendid son, joyous Dionysos, -- a mortal woman an immortal son. And now they both are gods.
And Alkmena was joined in love with Zeus who drives the clouds and bare mighty Herakles."
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