The Greek god Zeus is known for his notorious deeds. His actions range from deceit and betrayal to handing out harsh punishments to those who go against his will. Here is a description of the ten most bizarre things Zeus has ever done.
1. He was married to his sister, Hera.
This does not necessarily mean Zeus had problems with girls. It just shows his peculiar side. Incest was not really disapproved of in ancient Greece; the Titans Cronus and Rhea (brother and sister) married each other, and she bore many of the “modern” Olympians, including Zeus and Hera. The idea of having many children with your sibling did not really bother the Greeks at that time.
2. The punishment of Prometheus was truly horrific
When Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to mankind, Zeus was not only angry about the theft, but especially that someone dared defy his will.
As punishment, Zeus chained Prometheus to the Caucasus Mountains. But this was not all, he ordered an eagle to peck out Prometheus’s liver every night. The liver would then regenerate, after which the eagle returned to repeat the whole process.
It will not surprise you that this story also appears in the top 10 most cruel punishments in Greek Mythology.
3. Zeus changed Metis into a fly and ate her
Before he married Hera, Zeus was in a relationship with a Titan named Metis. When a prophecy told Zeus that he would be overthrown by one of the two children he would have with Metis, Zeus convinced her to turn into a fly and then ate her. At that time, Metis was pregnant with Athena, who later had to be chopped out of Zeus’s head by Hephaestus.
4. His affair with Callisto had major consequences
Callisto, a nymph and follower of Artemis, had sworn to remain a virgin as a tribute to the goddess of the hunt. However, her beauty caught the attention of Zeus, who was known for his insatiable lust and lack of respect for both divine and human boundaries. In one of his most deceitful transformations, Zeus took the form of Artemis herself, deceived Callisto, and led her deep into the forest. There, he revealed his true identity and overpowered her, an act that resulted in Callisto’s pregnancy.
This betrayal was not only a violation of Callisto’s devotion to Artemis and her personal autonomy, but also brought disgrace upon her within the community of nymphs, as virginity was considered a sacred vow. When her pregnancy came to light, Callisto was transformed into a bear by Artemis, as punishment and to isolate her from her former companions.
5. Zeus transformed into a cloud to impregnate Io
Zeus attempted to seduce the young beautiful princess Io in various ways, but she never accepted his advances. Instead of giving up, Zeus transformed himself into a cloud and was so intimate with her.
When Hera found out, she transformed Io into a cow and sent a stinging gadfly to follow her everywhere and drive her mad. Io ended up tied to a tree, guarded by the hundred-eyed dog, Argus.
6. Pandora’s Box
Zeus designed Pandora to be a burden to mankind. After she was created by the gods, Hera gave Pandora a thirst for knowledge, and then Zeus gave her a box and made her promise never to open it – something he knew she could not resist. Unable to contain her curiosity, Pandora opened the box and unleashed all evil into the world.
7. The Great Flood
When Zeus became frustrated with the decadence of mankind, he decided to wipe everyone out with a great flood. With the help of Poseidon, he raised the oceans so high that everyone, except Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha, perished.
Deucalion and Pyrrha survived the flood in an ark. The water receded only after they brought an offering to Zeus. After their penance, they were tasked with throwing stones over their shoulders to repopulate the earth.
8. He transformed into a bull to abduct Europa
The Phoenician princess Europa was (not surprisingly) the target of Zeus’s desire. To seduce her, Zeus transformed himself into a beautiful white bull.
Europa, charmed by the gentle animal, climbed on his back. Zeus, still in the form of the bull, swam with her to Crete. There, he revealed his true identity and raped her. From their union were born three sons, including Minos, the later king of Crete.
9. He transformed into golden rain and impregnated Danae
Nothing could stop Zeus. Not even Danae’s father, who locked her in a cell because of a disturbing prophecy. She would bear a male son who would kill her father, King Acrisius. Zeus decided that the king would have no say in the matter, and transformed himself into golden rain to impregnate her. She then bore Perseus, one of the coolest Greek heroes, the one who killed Medusa.
10. He pretended to be Alcmene’s husband and ruined her life
This is a rather remarkable myth because Alcmene was the mother of Hercules, or Herakles as the Greeks called him. Hercules had a notably terrible life, just like his mother after Zeus was done with her.
Her husband was away at war, and all Zeus had to do was pretend to be him upon his supposed return from that war. He made sure their passionate night together lasted three days. After she was made pregnant with Hercules, her husband wanted nothing to do with her, and Hera was a constant plague for the rest of their lives. Great, right? Not really.
