Hera, in Greek mythology, the queen of the gods, goddess of air, patroness of family and marriage. Hera, the eldest daughter of Kronos and Rhea, raised in the house of Oceanus and Tethys, is the sister and wife of Zeus, with whom she, according to Samian legend, lived in a secret marriage for 300 years until he openly declared her his wife and queen of the gods. Zeus honors her highly and communicates his plans to her, although he keeps her on occasion within the limits of her subordinate position.

Hera, mother of Ares, Hebe, Hephaestus, Ilithyia. He is distinguished by his power, cruelty and jealous disposition. Especially in the Iliad, Hera shows grumpiness, stubbornness and jealousy - character traits that passed into the Iliad, probably from the most ancient songs glorifying Hercules. Hera hates and persecutes Hercules, as well as all the favorites and children of Zeus from other goddesses, nymphs and mortal women. When Hercules was returning by ship from Troy, she, with the help of the god of sleep Hypnos, put Zeus to sleep and, through the storm she raised, almost killed the hero. As punishment, Zeus tied the treacherous goddess to the ether with strong golden chains and hung two heavy anvils at her feet. But this does not prevent the goddess from constantly resorting to cunning when she needs to achieve something from Zeus, against whom she cannot do anything by force.

In the struggle for Ilion, she patronizes her beloved Achaeans; the Achaean cities of Argos, Mycenae, Sparta are her favorite places; She hates the Trojans for the trial of Paris. The marriage of Hera with Zeus, which initially had a spontaneous meaning - a connection between heaven and earth, then receives a relation to the civil institution of marriage. As the only legal wife on Olympus, Hera is the patroness of marriage and childbirth. A pomegranate apple, a symbol of marital love, and a cuckoo, the messenger of spring, the season of love, were dedicated to her. In addition, the peacock and crow were considered her birds.

The chief place of her cult was Argos, where stood her colossal statue, made of gold and ivory by Polycletus, and where the so-called Heraea were celebrated in her honor every five years. In addition to Argos, Hera was also honored in Mycenae, Corinth, Sparta, Samos, Plataea, Sikyon and other cities. Art represents Hera as a tall, slender woman, with majestic bearing, mature beauty, a rounded face bearing an important expression, a beautiful forehead, thick hair, large, wide-open oxen eyes. The most remarkable image of her was the above-mentioned statue of Polykleitos in Argos: here Hera sat on a throne with a crown on her head, with a pomegranate apple in one hand, with a scepter in the other; at the top of the scepter is a cuckoo. On top of the long chiton, which left only the neck and arms uncovered, there is a himation thrown around the waist. In Roman mythology, Hera corresponds to Juno.

Hera- daughter of Kronos and Rhea. sister and legal wife of Zeus. patroness of marriages, conjugal love and childbirth. The pomegranate, cuckoo, peacock and raven are dedicated to Hera.

After the overthrow of Kronos, her brother Zeus began to covet her love. Hera took pity on Zeus only when he took the form of a motley cuckoo, which Hera tenderly pressed to her chest. But as soon as she did this, Zeus took on his true form and took possession of her.

Since Zeus's mother Rhea, foreseeing the troubles that could arise due to his lust, forbade her son to marry, his relationship with Hera remained a secret for three hundred years, until the Thunderer officially declared Hera his legal wife and queen of the gods. Hera bathed in the Cana stream near Argos and thus regained her virginity for the wedding.

All the gods sent their gifts to the wedding of Zeus and Hera. Mother Earth Gaia gave Hera a tree with golden apples, which was later guarded by the Hesperides in Hera's garden on Mount Atlas. Hera and Zeus gave birth to children - the gods Ares-Enialy. the cruel god of war, Hephaestus the Worker. the god of blacksmithing and the eternally young Hebe.

The goddess Hera patronizes marriage and protects the holiness and inviolability of marriage unions. If desired, the Golden-Shod One can bestow anyone with the gift of foresight. Great is the power of Hera, the queen of the gods. All living things bow before her, the great goddess.

Hera reigns on high Olympus and is an assistant and adviser to her husband. But quarrels between Zeus and Hera are not uncommon. Hera is jealous and treacherously pursues her rivals. She hates heroes - her husband's children from mortal women.

Hera knew well that if she inflicted too serious an insult on her husband, his lightning would not escape her either. Therefore, Hera preferred evil intrigues in connection, for example, with the birth of Hercules. and sometimes she borrowed from Aphrodite a belt woven from lust in order to kindle passion in her husband and thereby weaken his will.

However, the day came when the arrogance and capriciousness of Zeus became so intolerable that Hera, Poseidon. Apollo and the other Olympians, except Hestia, suddenly surrounded him, sleeping, and bound him with rawhide belts with a hundred knots so that he could not move. He threatened them with immediate death, but in response the gods, who had prudently hidden his lightning away, only laughed insultingly. When they were already celebrating the victory and zealously discussing who should become Zeus's successor, the nareid Tethys, foreseeing civil strife on Olympus, rushed in search of the hundred-armed Briareus, who, acting with all hands at once, quickly untied the belts and freed the Thunderer. Since Hera was at the head of the conspiracy, Zeus hung her by the wrists to the sky with the help of golden bracelets and tied anvils to her feet. Although all the gods were deeply outraged by this act of Zeus, none of them dared to come to the aid of Hera, despite her pitiful cries. Eventually Zeus promised to release her if all the gods swore an oath not to rebel against him again. With great reluctance, each of the gods swore an oath by the waters of the underground river Styx.

Zeus punished Poseidon and Apollo by sending them as slaves to King Laomedon, for whom they built the city of Troy. The remaining gods were pardoned as acting under duress.

Hera won the complete forgiveness of her husband and even received a gift as a sign of reconciliation - golden sandals of extraordinary beauty, worthy only of the queen of the gods. Since then, Hera received the nickname Golden-Shod.

Hera is the most powerful of the goddesses of Olympus, but she is also subordinate to her husband Zeus. She often angers her husband, mainly with her jealousy. The plots of many ancient Greek myths are built around the disasters that Hera sends to the lovers of Zeus and their children. So, she sent poisonous snakes to the island where Aegina and her son from Zeus, Aeacus, lived. Hera also destroyed Semele, who gave birth to the god Dionysus from Zeus.

She put Zeus to sleep and unleashed a storm on Hercules, which threw him to Kos, for which Zeus tied her to the sky and hung her up. The chain that Zeus put on Hera to pacify her was shown in Troy. Hera was wounded by Hercules near Pylos.

Hera reigns on high Olympus. He, like her husband Zeus, commands thunder and lightning, according to his word, dark rain clouds cover the sky, and with a wave of his hand she raises menacing storms. The great Hera is beautiful. From under her crown, marvelous curls fall in a wave, with calm grandeur. her eyes are burning. The gods honor Hera, and her husband, the cloud suppressor Zeus, honors her and consults with her. But quarrels between Zeus and Hera are also common. Hera often objects to Zeus and argues with him in the councils of the gods. Then the thunderer becomes angry and threatens his wife with punishment. Hera falls silent and holds back her anger. She remembers how Zeus bound her with golden chains, hung her between the earth and the sky, tied two heavy anvils to her feet, and subjected her to scourging.

Hera is powerful, there is no goddess equal to her in power. Majestic, in long luxurious clothes woven by Athena herself, in a chariot drawn by two immortal horses, she rides down from Olympus. Fragrance spreads across the ground where Hera passes. All living things bow before her, the great queen of Olympus.

Hera often suffers insults from her husband Zeus. This is what happened when Zeus fell in love with the beautiful Io and, in order to hide her from Hera, turned Io into a cow. But the Thunderer did not save Io. Hera saw the snow-white cow Io and demanded that Zeus give it to her. Zeus could not refuse Hera. Hera, having taken possession of Io, gave her under the protection of the stoic Argus. Unhappy Io could not tell anyone about her suffering: turned into a cow, she was speechless. Sleepless Argus guarded Io. Zeus saw her suffering. Calling on his son Hermes, he ordered him to kidnap Io.

Hermes quickly rushed to the top of the mountain where the steadfast guard Io stood guard. He put Argus to sleep with his speeches. As soon as his hundred eyes closed, Hermes drew his curved sword and cut off Argus’s head with one blow. Io was freed. But Zeus did not save Io from the wrath of Hera. The goddess sent a monstrous gadfly to the unfortunate Io. With its terrible sting, the gadfly drove the sufferer Io, distraught from torment, out of the country. She did not find peace anywhere. In a frantic run, Io rushed further and further, and the gadfly flew after her, constantly piercing her body with a sting like a hot iron. Where did Mo run, what countries did she visit! Finally, after long wanderings, she reached the rock in the country of the Scythians, to which the titan Prometheus was chained. He predicted to the unfortunate woman that only in Egypt would she get rid of her torment. Io rushed on, driven by the gadfly. She endured much torment before reaching Egypt. There, on the banks of the blessed Nile, Zeus returned her to her former image, and her son Epaphus was born. He was the first king of Egypt and the founder of a generation of heroes, to which the greatest hero of Greece, Hercules, belonged.

Sources: dic.academic.ru, godsbay.ru, hellados.ru, world-of-legends.su, www.bestreferat.ru

The power of Hera. Hera is the wife of Zeus, and therefore there is no goddess equal to her in power. She alone decides to argue with the Thunderer and even deceive him. Mighty Hera. Majestic, in long luxurious clothes, in a chariot drawn by two immortal horses, she rides down from Olympus. Fragrance spreads across the earth where Hera passes; all living things bow before her.

On Olympus, Hera has a golden throne next to the throne of Zeus, and, like her divine husband, she commands thunder and lightning; In addition, storms and fogs are in her power. [One of Hera’s sacred birds was the peacock, because the many “eyes” on its tail symbolized the starry sky, of which she was the mistress.]

Zeus lures Hera with a cuckoo. Hera has a very capricious character, and therefore Zeus had to spend a long time trying to get Hera to agree to become his wife. She refused all his entreaties, and then the father of gods and people resorted to a trick. One day, when Hera was walking, a beautiful motley cuckoo began to hover around her. Hera liked the bird and tried to catch it with a cheerful laugh. To her surprise, the bird fell easily into her hands; when she, caressing the cuckoo, pressed it to her chest, it suddenly turned into Zeus, and now it was no longer Hera who was hugging the bird to herself, but Zeus was hugging Hera.

Finding herself in the arms of the most powerful of the gods, Hera finally gave her consent. [Since the reason for this agreement was the cuckoo, this bird was henceforth considered the sacred bird of Hera, and even her scepter was decorated with the image of a cuckoo sitting on it.]

Wedding and gifts. The sacred marriage of Zeus and Hera was solemnly celebrated by all the gods. They gave them luxurious gifts, but the most valuable was the gift from Mother Earth, Gaia. She gave Hera a wonderful apple tree with golden apples that give eternal youth. Hera placed this tree at the very edge of the earth, in the garden of the Hesperides, the daughters of Night. She assigned the dragon Ladon to guard the tree, who was supposed to not let anyone near the wonderful fruits.

Hera is the patroness of the family.

Since the sacred marriage of Zeus and Hera is an example of marriages concluded between people, Hera is the patroness of family and marriage. She connects spouses with each other, takes care of the inviolability of marriage bonds and fidelity in marriage, gives people offspring, and helps women in labor. Her daughter was Ilithyia, the helper goddess of women giving birth (some ancient writers even believed that Ilithyia was not a separate goddess, but one of the nicknames of Hera herself). As a goddess who provides numerous offspring, Hera was dedicated to the pomegranate fruit, a symbol of fertility.

Goddess Hera

Hera's jealousy. However, being the goddess of marriage and family, Hera often suffers insults from her husband Zeus. On earth, Hera protects the holiness and inviolability of family ties, but on Olympus she often discovers that Zeus is unfaithful to her and secretly marries mortal women. Hera then becomes terribly jealous and tries in every possible way to harm the women whom Zeus has bestowed with his favor. She achieved the death of Semele and persecuted her son in every possible way, she destroyed Ino, who dared to take Dionysus as her upbringer, she hated Hercules with fierce hatred and caused him a lot of suffering. One example of her indomitable vindictiveness towards women to whom Zeus descended from Olympus is the story of the beautiful Io.

Hera and Io. One day Zeus fell in love with the beautiful Io, the daughter of the river god Inachus. To hide her from Hera's eyes, he turned Io into a beautiful snow-white cow. However, Hera guessed about her husband’s cunning and one day, when Zeus was in a good mood, she turned to him: “O my divine husband! Will you refuse to fulfill my little request? - “Of course, I will do whatever you want!” - “In that case, give me that cow over there, I have never seen such a beautiful animal!”

Zeus did not want to hand over Io to Hera, but there was nothing to do - after all, he gave his word. Hera ordered her servant, the hundred-eyed Argus, to guard poor Io; This vigilant watchman never slept; at least one pair of his eyes was constantly awake. Io could not tell anyone about her suffering. She spent a long time in the form of a cow, and finally Zeus sent his son Hermes to kidnap her. Hermes appeared to Argus, put him to sleep by playing the flute, and then cut off his head with one blow of his sword. After the death of Argus, Hera placed his eyes on the peacock’s tail, and since then it has shimmered with hundreds of multi-colored “eyes.”

Io was free again, but Hera did not leave her alone; she sent a monstrous gadfly to Io. With its terrible sting, the gadfly drove the unfortunate sufferer Io from one country to another; Every minute a sting pierced her body, burning like a hot iron, she endured terrible pain day after day.

The end of Io's suffering. Finally, she reached the Caucasus, where the Titan Prometheus was chained. He advised her to get to Egypt. “There will be an end to your suffering!” - said Prometheus. Io listened to him and after long days of travel and many dangers she reached this country.

Here Zeus returned her human form. On the banks of the blessed Nile, Io married the hero Telegon, and her son Epaphus was born. He was the first king of Egypt, and later his descendants moved to Hellas and became the founders of a generation of heroes, to which two great heroes belonged - Perseus and Hercules.

Conspiracy against Zeus. Constantly experiencing humiliation from Zeus, Hera, of course, wanted to repay him in kind. One day she persuaded other gods to deprive the Thunderer of power, and everyone promised her help and support. And then one day the gods crept up to the sleeping Zeus and tied him up. All the might of the Father of gods and men could not help him break the shackles, and everyone decided that the job was done. But then a heavy footfall was heard, which shook the earth and sky, and a huge hundred-armed monster appeared on Olympus. It was the sea goddess Thetis, the same one who once took care of Hephaestus, who led the hundred-armed giant Briareus from the gates of Tartarus to Olympus. The gods were afraid, and Briareus, easily removing the shackles from Zeus, sat down next to him, and no one dared to approach him anymore.

Hera's punishment. Zeus's reprisal was swift and merciless. Hera, as the instigator of the rebellion of the gods, was suspended by her hands on golden chains between heaven and earth, and to make her hang heavier, Zeus tied heavy copper anvils to her feet. So she hung, and no one dared to stand up for her, fearing the wrath of the ruler of immortals and mortals. It was then that Hephaestus tried to put in a good word for his mother, for which he was thrown to the ground a second time. Zeus pardoned his wife only when she swore by the waters of the Styx that she would never again encroach on his power. And indeed, from then on, Hera no longer rebelled; she only sometimes gave free rein to her evil tongue, reproaching Zeus for his countless betrayals.

Attacks of irresistible love of Zeus for Hera. But it’s not only in quarrels and bickering with her husband that Hera gets her way. She can achieve the same by using her beauty and charm. She becomes especially beautiful and irresistible when she borrows Aphrodite’s magic belt. And so, appearing before Zeus, she makes him remember the days of matchmaking, how he sought her love, the night of their sacred marriage on the island of Samos, which lasted three hundred earthly years. Then an irresistible love for his wife embraces the Thunderer, the two of them retire away from all earthly and heavenly affairs, and the Earth itself grows herbs that serve as their bed, and a golden cloud hides them from prying eyes. At such moments, Hera can achieve anything from Zeus.

Temples of Zeus and Hera.

Hera's most beloved place on earth was the island of Samos, where, according to the Greeks, her sacred marriage with Zeus took place. In memory of this, a temple of Hera was built there. There were temples in her honor in other centers of the Hellenic world. Of course, in Olympia, where they honored the Father of gods and people, they could not help but honor his wife, and in addition to the temple of Zeus, there was a magnificent temple of Hera. In the temple of Hera in the city of Argos there was her most majestic image by the sculptor Polycletus. It was a statue of enormous size, like the statues of Olympian Zeus and Athena Parthenos, made of gold and ivory. The goddess was depicted sitting on a throne, on her head was a wreath with relief images of Horus and Charit, and in her hands she held a scepter with a cuckoo and a pomegranate fruit.

Hestia.

By age, Hestia was the oldest of the Olympian goddesses - after all, she was the first to be born by Kronos and Rhea. However, she was also the most peaceful goddess. The Greeks had almost no myths in which she took part, she was a maiden goddess, and therefore had no offspring either on Olympus or on earth, she had no temples, and almost no images of her have reached us. Does this mean that she was little revered? Not at all! The fact is that the meek Hestia was the goddess of the most sacred place in every home - the hearth. Therefore, every house seemed to be her temple, and the flame burning in the hearth was considered her embodiment.

The hearth was such a sacred place that any person who entered the house and sat next to it was under its protection. Such a person should have been given shelter and assistance, even if it was your worst enemy. Since the state is something like a large family, the fire of Hestia burned in the buildings of state councils, so that she was considered not only the goddess of the hearth, but also the patroness of states.

In every home, the fire of Hestia was sacred. It was forbidden to burn anything unclean or throw garbage in it; it was heated only with wood. When the family gathered at the table, sacrifices were made to Hestia at the beginning and end of the meal - a little wine was splashed into the fire, dedicating it to the goddess. And people had something to honor this goddess for! After all, she was not only the goddess of the hearth, on which food was prepared and which warmed homes on cold days, but was also considered the goddess who taught people how to build these homes. In general, Hestia was considered the kindest, fairest and most merciful of the goddesses, which is why the honor that both people and gods showed her was so great.

Hera is the goddess of the Greek Olympus, embodying a woman worthy of the thunderer Zeus. In Roman mythology, she acted as her double. Guardian of the hearth, patroness of family and marriage, Hera advocated monogamy, while she was a symbol of polygamy.

Character history

Artists glorified the image of Hera in their work. described her as a big-eyed beauty with amazing hair. Polykleitos gave preference to her when creating sculptures. The image of the goddess adorned frescoes, paintings and mosaics. In them, a tall woman with a proud posture appeared in a toga covering a stately body.

The image of Hera was symbolic. Ancient Greece was not famous for order and a clear power structure. Lawlessness and chaos reigned everywhere. Polygamy was preferred by the majority of policy residents. Hera took on the mission to establish standards of life that would become familiar. The creation of the institution of marriage belongs to her. Gradually, she instilled in the minds of the Greeks respect for the family and love for the values ​​of each family.

Hera had extensive functionality. On her shoulders lay the responsibility for the union of spouses and the punishment of traitorous husbands. The goddess personifies femininity and patronizes pregnant women, mothers and those who need help during childbirth. In addition to protecting family values, Hera also had powers in the field of natural phenomena. The goddess controlled lightning, protected the moon and sunlight, as well as the Milky Way. Hera was worshiped, asking for fruitfulness and fertility.

Each character in mythology is characterized by attributes that accompany him on his life’s path. Being an authoritative ruler, Hera kept order on Olympus and among mere mortals. She was accompanied by a veil in which she wrapped herself, emphasizing chastity, and a diadem, emphasizing her status among other representatives of the divine host. The woman’s means of transportation was a silver chariot drawn by peacocks, and a scepter with a cuckoo foreshadowed love for those whom Hera blessed.

Mythology

Hera's biography consists entirely of myths and legends. Her name is present in almost all the legends of the ancient Greeks. In the Iliad, Homer described the goddess as a quarrelsome, conflicted woman, treacherous and arrogant. She often contradicted Zeus and showed cunning. Deciding to conquer Olympus, the woman persuaded her husband to be shackled. But Thetis saved him by calling the giant Briareus to help. Zeus hung his wife on a chain between the earth and sky and secured an anvil on her feet. This was the punishment that the artist Correggio captured in the painting.

During the Trojan War, Hera tried to help the Greeks. Noticing that fortune was on the side of the Trojans, the goddess wanted to stand up for her people, but Zeus forbade the gods to take part in the battle. Hera begged for a love belt, which endowed the owner with unsurpassed beauty. Having put it on, the woman appeared before her husband and charmed him. A couple of moments were enough for Hera to help out the Greeks while Zeus was inattentive. When Zeus woke up, he realized what had happened and was angry, but it turned out to be impossible to save the situation.

Family

Hera is the legal wife of Zeus and his sister. The daughter of Rhea, she was saved by her mother from the lustful gaze of Zeus. As a girl, she was hidden at the ends of the Earth to prevent a disgraceful union. The nymph was the mentor of the young goddess. Zeus met Hera by chance as an adult and fell in love without looking back. Courtship did not melt the girl’s hearts. Zeus resorted to tricks and turned into a cuckoo. Noticing the frozen bird, Hera warmed it on her chest. Having reincarnated, Zeus made it clear that he would do anything for the sake of his beloved, and thereby won her heart.

According to legend, the honeymoon of the gods lasted 300 years. All this time, Zeus remained faithful to his wife. Hera bore him a son and daughters, Hebe and Ilithyia. The habit of seducing did not leave Zeus, and over time he lost interest in his wife. He began to look at young beauties, and Hera took revenge on her husband’s new chosen ones. The goddess showed intolerance and did not tolerate intrigue.

It was she who almost killed Hercules, the illegitimate son of Zeus. The birth was a blow for Olympus's mother. She decided to cheat and gave birth. The boy was born handicapped, and this humiliated Hera even more.

Tired of her husband's infidelity, Hera often went on trips and rarely visited Olympus. On the road, she shrouded herself in darkness in order to become invisible to others and her husband. One day the goddess decided not to return home. An angry Zeus started gossip about plans to marry again. Deciding to influence his wife through jealousy, he enacted a wedding ritual with the statue. Hera softened and, having mercy on her husband, returned to Olympus.

Temples decorated with images of Hera were not uncommon in Ancient Greece. People praised her and trusted in the mercy of the wise goddess, who could make the land fertile, marriage happy, and offspring healthy.

Majestic, regal, beautiful Hera, known to the Romans as Juno, was the goddess of marriage. She is the wife of Zeus the Thunderer (Jupiter among the Romans), the supreme god of Olympus, who ruled heaven and earth. Her name is believed to mean "Great Lady", the feminine form of the Greek word hero. Her symbols were the cow, the Milky Way, the lily and the peacock with its iridescent, bushy tail, whose eyes symbolized Hera's vigilance. The sacred cow has been an image that has long been associated with the Great Mother - the nurse who provides food for everyone. And the Milky Way - our galaxy (from the Greek word gala, "mother's milk") - reflects the belief, more ancient than the cult of the Olympians, that the Milky Way came from the breasts of the Great Goddess - the Queen of Heaven. The symbols of Hera (and her conflicts with Zeus) reflect the power she once held as the Great Goddess, whose cult predated Zeus. In Greek mythology, Hera had two opposing aspects: she was solemnly worshiped in ritual as a powerful goddess of marriage, and at the same time she was denigrated by Homer as a vindictive, contentious, jealous and quarrelsome woman.

Myth
Hera is the child of Rhea and Kronos. She was swallowed by her father shortly after birth, as were her four siblings. When she was freed from her captivity, she was already a young girl who was given to the care of her mother's parents, two nature deities, Ocean and Typheis, who raised her at the end of the world, becoming her wonderful and loving parents.
Hera grew up to be a charming goddess. She attracted the attention of Zeus, who by that time had defeated Kronos and the Titans and became the supreme god of Olympus. To achieve intimacy with an innocent girl, Zeus turned himself into a small bird trembling from the cold, over which Hera bent. To warm the frozen creature, Hera placed it on her chest. Then Zeus threw off the guise of a bird, returned to his male form and tried to take possession of her by force. His efforts were unsuccessful. She resisted his amorous advances until he promised to marry her. The honeymoon, as the myth goes, lasted three hundred years.
When the honeymoon is over, he really ended. Zeus returned to his promiscuous premarital lifestyle. Zeus cheated on her again and again, causing vengeful jealousy in the deceived Hera. Hera's rage was directed not at her unfaithful husband, but at the "other woman" (who was most often seduced, raped or deceived by Zeus), at children conceived by Zeus, or at innocent bystanders.

Zeus dishonored their marriage, which was sacred to her, and caused additional grief by his favor to children from other women.Hera usually reacted violently to every new humiliation. But anger and vindictiveness were not her only reactions. In some cases, she was simply removed from Olympus. Myths tell of Hera's wanderings to the edge; land and sea, during which she was shrouded in deep darkness, separating herself from Zeus and the other Olympians.
Although Greek mythology emphasized Hera's humiliations and vindictiveness, as a cult goddess - by contrast - Hera was highly revered.

In rituals, Hera had three epithets and three corresponding sanctuaries where she was worshiped throughout the year. In the spring she was Hera-Virgo. In summer and autumn she was glorified as Hera Teleia, or Hera Perfect, and became the Widow Hero in winter.

Hera as an archetype
Hera, the goddess of marriage, was respected and reviled, revered and humiliated. She, more than any other goddess, had clearly defined positive and negative properties. The same is true of the Hera archetype, the powerful force of joy and pain in a woman's personality.

Spouse
Hera as an archetype is first and foremost a woman's strong desire to be wife. A woman with a strong Hera archetype feels a fundamental emptiness in life without a partner.
When a woman whose primary need is to be a wife is included in a committed intimate relationship, much of the strong desire to be a wife created by the Hera archetype is satisfied. But she still feels the need to enter into a legal marriage. She wants the prestige, the respect, the good reputation that marriage brings her, and she wants to be recognized as "Mrs. So-and-so." She doesn’t want to just live together, even at an age when such unions are not condemned. She insists on a formal marriage.[ 1]

A woman whose main scenario, temporarily or permanently, turns out to be the theme of Hera, “follows her husband,” as a wife should. This is a common and unspoken, natural part of the marital agreement and even a guarantee of consent.
In relationships with other people, a woman dominated by the Hera archetype also follows someone, usually those who have the highest status in a given community. It is important for her to be visible, but also not to get out of the circle; to attract attention, but without any risk, under the protection and in the hope that her devotion will be rewarded. This is a kind of “Hera instinct”.

Bride
The Bride archetype is one of the most manifested images in a woman’s life. Most girls are raised with anticipation, anticipation of their transformation into Brides. This, of course, is a sign of a certain initiation, the beginning of marriage with a man.
In the part about the Kore-Persephone archetype, we already talked about how a wedding can be symbolically associated with death for a girl. Human history has left us numerous examples of the opposite situation, and they are symbolically no less significant. This is the death of the groom before the wedding. This is what sometimes happens in reality: men in general usually lead more dangerous lives than women, and this is determined both socially and almost instinctively biologically. But such an event is also considered symbolic. After the death of the groom, the bride is left alone; no matter how it happens in reality, but in memorable, iconic stories in a family, clan or settlement, such a girl “remains true to the memory” of her man. It is even assumed that they will meet after death.

Holy Alliance
Two of the three meanings of marriage are the fulfillment of the internal need to be a spouse and the external recognition of the couple. On the third, mystical level, the marriage archetype also expresses the desire for wholeness through a “sacred union.” Religious marriage ceremonies emphasize the sacred nature of marriage, characterizing it as a spiritual union, or sacrament, through which blessing can be given. They precisely represent modern reproductions of the sacred rituals of Hera.

Alpha female
There are women who get married at the first call of passion (Aphrodite), there are ladies who find a spouse to give birth to children (Demeter), there are those who simply get married because it happened so (Persephone). After all, the same woman can enter into different marriages for different reasons. For the woman in whom the Hera archetype is strongest, the truth is that only her Spouse can make her life meaningful. Without marriage, she does not feel fulfilled, accomplished. When the element of Hera is strong in a woman, she needs to marry a worthy, successful, promising man who will be able to appreciate her merits and give her an appropriate position, and she, in turn, will become his faithful friend , decoration at public events and hostess in the house. He will give her the status she deserves, and she, for her part, will fulfill all the obligations that she believes married life imposes on her.

She likes to be the “alpha female” of a particular community. At the same time, nothing will stop her from always saying “we,” whether we are talking only about her interests or about the successes and merits of her husband.
When the Hera archetype is dominant but underdeveloped, we will see more dissatisfaction and competition with her husband over small things. With a developed Hera archetype, a woman is able to bind herself with obligations, be loyal and devoted, endure everything and go through any difficulties with her partner. The married couple jointly fences off a private, personal space and masters the outside world. In difficult times, husband and wife are able to stand back to back, feeling a strong rear and support.

Queen
The Hera archetype is the image of a true Mistress and Queen. Territory, sphere of influence and its own recognized status are especially important here. There is nothing reprehensible or unnatural about this. When a female chooses a male (in many animal species), she is guided not only by the opportunity to have strong (attractive) and healthy children from him, but also by what kind of territory he can provide her. She will live on this territory, raise her and his children, but others will be prohibited from entering there! She is the owner there. We can see in this both the survival instinct of the species and a natural need that should hardly be denied in human nature.

Prestige

Female Hera

Childhood and parents
At the age of four or five, little Hera can be found saying "You're Daddy, you're going to work" as she walks her gaming spouse to the door. Trying to be “like a big girl,” she sweeps and serves lunch, consisting of herbal salad and sand pies, anticipating highlight of the day Gers - He returns home and sits down to dinner.(In contrast, little Demeter, whose main event is motherhood, pushes her doll in a stroller and spends hours dressing, feeding and putting her “baby” to bed.)

The Hera archetype is usually nurtured in fairly traditional families, where the main event in a woman’s life is marriage. A patriarchal parental couple usually consists of a domineering and rather distant husband and a wife who does not have equal rights and voice. In this case, it is not surprising that the only thing the daughter is being prepared for is the transition “from the hands of her father to the hands of her husband.” Often the father can choose the match himself. Sometimes, even in such a situation, a wife can skillfully manipulate her husband - this is not forbidden, the main thing is that it is done unnoticed. Unlike the girl Athena's father, Hera's father does not try to develop his daughter's intelligence and technical skills. Another option is typical for our region, matriarchal: a quiet, calm, irresponsible husband and a strong wife, “pulling everything on herself,” always reproaching her husband. In this case, the girl will be prepared to “make no mistakes” and “find a profitable match.” As in the first case, feelings are not particularly taken into account. Marriage “according to Hera” is seen primarily as strengthening power, acquiring status, and expanding the territory of influence.

Hera was the only one of her swallowed siblings to have two sets of parents. After being freed from her father, she was raised in idyllic conditions by two nature deities who became her adoptive parents.
The theme of two sets of parents - or two models of marriage - is familiar to many Hera women. In a less-than-ideal family that causes the other children to be pessimistic and cynical about marriage, young Hera harbors an idealized image of marriage and seeks it out for herself as a way out of a bad family situation. Under happier circumstances, the Hera daughter sees in the stable marriage of her parents what she wants for herself.

Youth and youth
During adolescence, most girls begin to become clearly interested in boys. But the archetype of Hera itself rarely appears at this time. If this happens, then the first school “couples” are formed.
And if a girl at this age does not have her own “boyfriend,” she can invent one. And tell your friends about what he is like, how well he treats her, how he cares for her and how they spend time together.
A Hera girl is very pleased if she has a strong relationship with a young man. She is a girl who proudly wears a chain with her friend’s ring around her neck, dreams of a magnificent wedding and tries to sign his name in her notebook.

Having strong feelings is crucial for her. She longs to be paired with a young man of high social standing and wants the emotional security that comes from a close relationship.
Some Hera girls get married immediately after finishing school in order to start “playing house” as quickly as possible. But most high school romances fall apart, and the end of this first serious intimate relationship is the first serious emotional wound for the young Hera woman.
Hera views college as a place and time to find a spouse. If she is bright and capable, she will often succeed in completing a given task in college, but disappoint teachers who assumed she was serious about her abilities. For a Hera woman, education in itself is not important. It can only be part of her social background.

Job
For the Hera woman, work is a supportive aspect of life, just like going to college. When Hera is the main force in a woman's soul, then whatever her education, career, profession or rank, work is more likely just what she does than part of herself.
A Hera woman can be very good at what she does and achieve recognition and success. However, if she is single, none of this matters much to her. On the only scale she considers, she has failed (in her own eyes), regardless of her career success.

Nowadays, when families often need two salaries, many working wives are Ger women. But such a woman will never agree to live temporarily in different localities for the sake of career success in order to periodically meet on weekends. She won't insist that her career is as important as his. To do this, another goddess must be the soloist.[ 2 ]

Relationships with women
The Hera woman usually does not attach much importance to friendships with other women and, as a rule, does not have close friends. She prefers to spend time with her husband and do things with him. If she has a close and constant friend, then, as a rule, other goddesses are responsible for this.
If such a woman is not yet married, she communicates with friends who are preoccupied with the same idea of ​​increasing their own status in the hierarchy of brides and getting married.

For the Hera woman, connections with other women, carried out in the context of couples, often seem more like a friendly family union than a personal friendship.

Relationships with men
When the sacred rites of the goddess Hera were performed in Greek temples and the marriage of Zeus and Hera was ritually reenacted, Zeus was called Zeus Teleios, which means “Zeus who brings perfection.” The modern Hera woman places the archetypal expectation on her husband that he will complete her formation as a person.
The Hera woman is attracted to a competent, successful man - what exactly is included in this definition usually depends on her social status and family. Hungry artists, sensitive poets and talented scientists are not for her.

Married status is the main value of the Hera archetype. She occupies a correspondingly high position in the set of life coordinates of a woman in whom this goddess is strong. Men can replace one another, but only one thing will be expected from each - a proposal for marriage. This is a common situation for most women between 20 and 30 years old. A woman's value to herself can be determined by the number of such offers. At the same time, an absurdly common story in our time is to love one man and marry another. And not because of the will of cruel parents, it should be noted. And to spite the first one - so that he understands “what great value I have and who he lost,” for self-affirmation. It is noteworthy that with all the thirst for marriage, a woman (especially in such cases; although not necessarily...) can for a long time imagine her marriage as a sacrifice that she made.[ 2 ]

The Hera woman suggests that sexuality and marriage are inseparable. Therefore, she can remain a virgin until engagement or marriage. The awakening of her sexuality depends on her husband, since she has had no premarital experience. If he does not do this, then sexual intimacy will represent for her only part of the deeply felt role of a wife. Probably the idea of ​​sex, filled with a sense of duty, first arose in connection with the Hera women.

Children[ 2 ]
A Hera woman usually has children because childbearing is part of the role wives. Children are usually a prerequisite for a stable marriage. And the wife who follows Hera’s script fulfills this condition. For her, this is an obligation by agreement. Sometimes she is given a strict condition: “give me a boy” or “I want a girl,” and she can devotedly strive to fulfill it. Grandmothers-healers, ancient signs, and “the latest methods of medical calculus” can be used.
“Classical Hera” may view the birth of a child-heir as her responsibility, and upbringing as the need for the master’s supervision of a nanny or governess. And for her this is the normal order of things.
In conflicts between grown-up children and her husband, a woman of this type will always choose the side of her husband, not the children. (Unless the time has come for her to rebel against her husband.)

Mothers in whom the Hera archetype is strongest usually consider their life principles to be the best for a woman. Therefore, they look at all their daughters’ friends as “gentlemen”, “grooms”. If the daughter of such a mother is not Hera, but Athena, Artemis or even Aphrodite, then misunderstanding arises. Divorced or widowed Hera-mothers sometimes tend to raise their son to become a “little husband.” The son then becomes both the physical and emotional support of his mother, replacing her with real men equal to her in age and experience.

Average age
Whether or not the middle years of her life will become the time implementation, depends on whether the Hera woman is married and who she is married to. These years are the best for Gers who are in stable marriages with men who achieve success within their capabilities and value their wives. In contrast, an unmarried, divorced or widowed Hera woman is deeply unhappy.

In middle age, families often experience a crisis, which the Hera woman usually knows how to cope with. However, it happens that when her marriage is going through difficulties, the Hera woman often worsens the situation with her desire for possession and jealousy. If for the first time in her married life she learns of an affair or suspects the importance of another woman in her husband's life, she may become vindictive, further jeopardizing the marriage that is so important to her.

Old age
For the Hera woman, who has passed the path from Hera the Virgin to Hera the Complete, the transition to Hera the Widow represents the most difficult period of life. There are millions of women in this situation who have outlived their husbands. Having become a widow, the Hera woman loses not only her husband, but also the role of the wife, providing her with a sense of meaning and self-identity. With widowhood, she begins to feel a sense of inadequacy.
After the death of her husband, the state of grief in a Hera woman who has not developed other aspects in herself can turn into chronic depression, internal instability and loneliness.
The quality of life of a widowed Hera woman now depends on the presence of other goddesses and whether she is well off financially.

In adulthood, it is already difficult for a Hera woman to develop the qualities of other goddesses. Only Hestia, immersed in religious spirituality, or the “old woman-on-her-mind” - Hecate, can wait for her.
The lucky "Hera" enter old age with their husbands, celebrating their "golden wedding" together. They are happy women; they were given the opportunity to realize their archetype, which gave meaning to their lives.
Any Hera woman wants to end up saying about her and her husband: “They lived happily and died on the same day.” And those who live with their spouse to a ripe old age feel their life is truly well-lived.

Psychological problems

Hera has an undeniable influence on the lives of many women. Some other goddesses may not be as fully expressed when manifested positively in life, but in their negative aspects they are all less destructive than Hera . Therefore, it is especially important for the Hera woman to understand the difficulties of handling the archetype, since Hera can be an overwhelming force.

When her instinctive desire was not satisfied, the search for a husband becomes the main occupation of the Hera woman, and the absence of a spouse is the main source of her suffering . While she is looking for a husband, she can study or work, meet with friends, visit various places - while she hopes to find her match.

Once married, a Hera woman often limits his life and is satisfied with the role of wife and the interests of her husband. If he needs her economic support while he finishes his studies, she will continue to work. If he only wants his wife to be a housewife, she will leave her job or not complete her education. If she also works, she will be willing to move if he needs it. She usually does not maintain the friendships she made before marriage and does not maintain the interests she previously had.

In such a rhythm the Hero is quickly mastered boredom, indifference, irritation with the spouse. “There is nothing to do,” say numerous unemployed wives. Often, the husband demands that his wife sit at home and not work, devoting herself only to him alone (well, maybe also to the house and children).

If the magical hopes of a woman led by the Hero are often in vain. The husband is not good enough, generous and successful . When expectations are high, such a woman will exist forever whine and nag your husband .

Archetypal and cultural forces acting together can motivate Ger women both to marry and stay in his trap . Having married, the Hera woman, more than any other type of woman, feels united “in health and illness, in poverty and wealth.” When this happens "in poverty and sickness", the culturally supported archetype of Hera prevents the dissolution of a bad marriage. Religious beliefs and family expectations may conspire to keep a woman associated with an alcoholic or abusive man.

Term "Medea syndrome" successfully describes the vengeful woman Hera, who feels deceived and abandoned by her husband and goes to extremes for the sake of revenge. The myth of Medea provides a metaphor for the female Hera's ability to prioritize her commitment to a man and her capacity for revenge when she discovers that her commitment is worthless in his eyes.

When a couple experiences such drama, the woman cannot literally burn and tear apart the rival for whom he leaves her, but often imagines or attempts to carry out the emotional equivalent of revenge. For example, "Medea" may be trying to destroy another woman's reputation through lies and slander, or even literally
damage that one.

And if her vindictiveness is greater than love for children and caring for them, she may try to upset their relationship with their father. She can make sure he can't see them. Or it will turn his encounters with his children into such traumatic events that he will abandon his efforts to communicate with the children and remain their father.
Note that, as befits Hera in her most destructive aspect, Medea did not kill Jason. The bitter, abandoned female Hera also seeks revenge on others rather than on the man who abandoned her.

However, remember that recognizing Hera's influence and understanding her vulnerabilities represents the first step towards moving beyond her.

Hera, in Greek mythology, the queen of the gods, goddess of air, patroness of family and marriage. Hera, the eldest daughter of Kronos and Rhea, raised in the house of Oceanus and Tethys, is the sister and wife of Zeus, with whom she, according to Samian legend, lived in a secret marriage for 300 years until he openly declared her his wife and queen of the gods. Zeus honors her highly and communicates his plans to her, although he keeps her on occasion within the limits of her subordinate position.

Hera, mother of Ares, Hebe, Hephaestus, Ilithyia. He is distinguished by his power, cruelty and jealous disposition. Especially in the Iliad, Hera shows grumpiness, stubbornness and jealousy - character traits that passed into the Iliad, probably from the most ancient songs glorifying Hercules. Hera hates and persecutes Hercules, as well as all the favorites and children of Zeus from other goddesses, nymphs and mortal women.

When Hercules was returning by ship from Troy, she, with the help of the god of sleep Hypnos, put Zeus to sleep and, through the storm she raised, almost killed the hero. As punishment, he tied the insidious goddess to the ether with strong golden chains and hung two heavy anvils at her feet. But this does not prevent the goddess from constantly resorting to cunning when she needs to achieve something from Zeus, against whom she cannot do anything by force.

In the struggle for Ilion, she patronizes her beloved Achaeans; the Achaean cities of Argos, Mycenae, Sparta are her favorite places; She hates the Trojans for the trial of Paris. The marriage of Hera with Zeus, which initially had a spontaneous meaning - a connection between heaven and earth, then receives a relation to the civil institution of marriage. As the only legal wife on Olympus, Hera is the patroness of marriage and childbirth. A pomegranate apple, a symbol of marital love, and a cuckoo, the messenger of spring, the season of love, were dedicated to her. In addition, the peacock and crow were considered her birds.

"Zeus and Hera", cameo, 1st century.

The chief place of her cult was Argos, where stood her colossal statue, made of gold and ivory by Polycletus, and where the so-called Heraea were celebrated in her honor every five years. In addition to Argos, Hera was also honored in Mycenae, Corinth, Sparta, Samos, Plataea, Sikyon and other cities.

Art represents Hera as a tall, slender woman, with majestic posture, mature beauty, a rounded face bearing an important expression, a beautiful forehead, thick hair, large, wide-open “ox-like” eyes. The most remarkable image of her was the above-mentioned statue of Polykleitos in Argos: here Hera sat on a throne with a crown on her head, with a pomegranate apple in one hand, with a scepter in the other; at the top of the scepter is a cuckoo. On top of the long chiton, which left only the neck and arms uncovered, there is a himation thrown around the waist.

In Roman mythology, Hera corresponds to Juno.