Zeus had many children due to his adulterous ways, but surely he must have a favorite among them. Could it be the legendary Hercules who carried his name all over the world with his famous 12 labors? Or could it be the beautiful Aphrodite who mesmerizes everyone that lays eyes on her? Well…
Athena, the Goddess of War and Wisdom, was Zeus’ first and most favored child. She was born out of his head after he consummated with the Titanness, Metis, and was the wisest out of all his children. Zeus loved her blindly and never even bat an eye at what she does.
There is no other child that Zeus adores more than Athena. She was his first child born by his first and favorite wife, Metis, and the other Gods hated just how favored Athena was in Zeus’ eyes. Who exactly is the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena?
Who Is Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom?
The first and most favored child of Zeus, Athena was a result of his first marriage to the Titanness Metis, who helped him overthrow his father, Cronus, by forcing him to throw up Zeus’ siblings.
When Athena was conceived by Metis, Zeus was reminded of a prophecy that he would be overthrown by a son born to her. This made Zeus swallow Metis due to his fears, but Athena was still born out of his head, fully grown and crying for war.
Instead of resenting her for being powerful, Athena immediately became Zeus’ favorite child, granting her a seat among the 12 Olympians later on as the Goddess of War and Wisdom. This confused some as Ares was also a God of War but Athena was primarily the Goddess of Wisdom.
She was different when compared to her brother Ares as they view war and fighting in both extremes of the spectrum. Ares was hungry for nothing but blood and wanted the world to bathe in the blood of war, blindly going into battle and causing a frenzy to all that worshipped him.
On the other hand, Athena was more level-headed and focused more on strategy and the science of war. Though Ares was the primary God of War among the Olympians, the Goddess of Victory, Nike, accompanied Athena instead of him.
This created a bitter rivalry among the siblings where they would eventually end up on different sides of the Trojan war. Ares would fight for the Trojans while Athena would stick to her roots and fight for the Greeks.
In the grand battle where Ares would face off Diomedes, a herald of Athena and King of Anatolia, Athena would use Hades’ Helmet of Darkness to distract Ares while Diomedes landed a heavy wound to the God which forced Ares to flee.
How Favoured Is Athena By Zeus?
Zeus favored Athena a lot. In fact, he favored her so much that the other Gods felt a sense of resentment towards Athena simply because of how easy it was for her to get away from things that the other Gods would be punished for.
The best way to describe it is from Ares, the God of War himself, who shared the title with the Goddess. When Ares was wounded by Athena in the Trojan War, Athena was basically left off the hook without any repercussions for her actions.
Though Zeus didn’t love Ares, he was still the King of the Gods and had to maintain order among the Gods. Harming a God, regardless of who and what, is a very big issue among the Olympians and usually Zeus is the only one with the authority to do so.
Ares complained that Athena’s deeds were brushed aside even though he would have died if not for the fact that he dodged the worst part of Diomedes’ attack. If anyone else tried to do the same thing, they would have been smitten by the God of Thunder.
Zeus had powerful weapons in his arsenal that would make even the Gods fear him. They are so powerful that they can turn the tides of battles and harm divine beings such as Gods and Titans.
He would easily share the usage of these weapons with Athena. Athena would often be the shield-bearer for Zeus, bringing his Aegis into battle as if it was her own.
It was said to be so powerful that not only could it block off any attack, but it could reproduce the roars of a million dragons which would hurt even the Gods. It was believed that the reason why Athena was favored by Zeus was due to her sense of justice.
Athena’s Attempt to Overthrow Zeus
Knowing that Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, was the favored child of Zeus, it must seem weird to know that she has tried to overthrow Zeus before.
The Plan
The Goddess of Wisdom once plotted with the God of the Sea, Poseidon, and the Queen of the Gods, Hera, to overthrow Zeus and take his throne as the King of the Gods. Their plan was to chain the God at night, while he slumbered away.
This plan was overheard by Thetis, Achilles’ mother, who tried to stop them but knew she was powerless against the Gods. Instead, she called upon the Hecatoncheries, Briareos, to protect Zeus in his sleep.
To dissuade the Olympians from doing anything, Briareos simply sat beside Zeus while he slept. His presence alone was enough to prevent the Olympians from doing anything as a Hecatoncheries’ strength was known to be immense.
Her Reason
The main reason why Athena wanted to overthrow Zeus was because of how he treated her mother, Metis. Zeus claimed to love Metis, his first wife, the most out of all his lovers but he didn’t hesitate to kill her to protect himself.
Zeus turned Metis into a fly and devoured her due to his fear of being overthrown by a son born to her which was foretold in a prophecy. Fortunately, Athena was able to be born despite the fact that her mother was consumed by the God.
To Athena, it was a cruel act as her mother never intentionally put Zeus in harm’s way and was nothing but a bystander. There was also the fact that Zeus was very bossy and patronizing to the other Gods.
Since he was the most powerful being in the world, he never skipped on a chance to show his superiority to other Gods simply because they can’t fight back. Other than that, Athena was portrayed to have a relatively good relationship with Zeus. She has always stayed faithful and modest to the King of the Gods.
Conclusion
Athena was no doubt the most favored child among all of Zeus’ many children. She was conceived as his first child by his first wife, Metis, and was immediately his most favorite one to date.
He favors her so much that he turns a blind eye to most of what she does, including harming her fellow God and brother, Ares, the God of War. Zeus also shared his powerful arsenal with his favorite child if the need ever arises.
Though Athena was favored by Zeus, she has tried to overthrow her father before with his uncle and aunt, Poseidon and Hera.
This plot was foiled due to the intervention of the mortal, Thetis. With that said, she has stayed ever so faithful for the most part to Zeus as his most favorite child.
FAQs
Who was Zeus's favorite child? ›
Zeus's Favourite Child Was Possibly Athena, Goddess of War
Perhaps partly because of the strange circumstances of her birth, Athena is often cited as Zeus's favourite child. He also greatly admired her strength of character and fighting spirit.
Heracles – Son of Zeus and Alcmene
He possessed superhuman strength and courage. Because he was a reminder of Zeus's unfaithfulness, Hera made it her mission to make his life miserable.
According to legend, Hermes was one of Zeus' favorite sons. Not only did he have a valuable job that served Zeus and the other Olympians, but Hermes won his father's affection through sheer wit. One of the earliest tales of Hermes involves him stealing the prized cattle of Apollo.
Who is Zeus first child? ›In most myths, Athena is the eldest child of Zeus. Athena's mother, Metis, was a powerful Titaness whom Zeus either seduced or raped, depending on the version of the story.
Who did Zeus love the most? ›Zeus finally became enamored of the goddess who was to become his permanent wife — Hera.
Who is Zeus favorite lover? ›Zeus and Metis
His first and favorite lover was Metis, a Titan goddess and mother of Athena.
Zeus is the child of Cronus and Rhea, the youngest of his siblings to be born, though sometimes reckoned the eldest as the others required disgorging from Cronus's stomach. In most traditions, he is married to Hera, by whom he is usually said to have fathered Ares, Eileithyia, Hebe, and Hephaestus.
Who is Zeus youngest child? ›KAIROS (Caerus) The god of opportunity was the youngest divine son of Zeus.
Who did Zeus get pregnant? ›Nonnus classifies Zeus's affair with Semele as one in a set of twelve, the other eleven women on whom he begot children being Io, Europa, Plouto, Danaë, Aigina, Antiope, Leda, Dia, Alcmene, Laodameia, the mother of Sarpedon, and Olympias.
Who is Hermes favorite child? ›Hermes has many children and all undetermined children go to Cabin 11 as explained by Luke in The Lightning Thief. His favourite child is Luke Castellan, who he loved so much to the point he became his pride and joy, according to Poseidon told Percy in The Titan's Curse.
Is Apollo Zeus favorite son? ›
Apollo was Zeus's favorite son, and next to Zeus, the most important Greek god.
Who is Zeus favorite wife? ›Hera. The most famous of Zeus' wives, Hera was also the sister of the father of the gods, and the goddess of women, marriage, family, and childbirth.
Who are Zeus 6 children? ›It all starts with Zeus. Zeus has four siblings which include Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and Hestia. Zeus also had six children which include Artemis, Apollo, Hermes, Athena, Ares, and Aphrodite.
Who were Zeus twin children? ›Castor and Pollux (the Dioscuri) are figures from Greek and Roman mythology considered the twin sons of Zeus or Jupiter. Semi-divine figures, they were credited with the role of saving those in trouble at sea or in grave danger in war and were particularly associated with horses and sports.
Who had 3 children with Zeus? ›Zeus is the Greek god of the skies, and Hera is the Greek goddess of marriage and birth. Hera is also known as Queen of the Gods because of her matriarchal role in Greek mythology. Together, Zeus and Hera had three children: Ares, Hebe, and Hephaestus.
Who fell in love with Zeus? ›The story of Zeus and Hera isn't your conventional love story. Zeus was notorious for courting countless women. But it was Hera the goddess of marriage, with whom he was enchanted. He wanted to have her by his side as the queen of the gods as he ruled over the universe.
Did Zeus fell in love with a man? ›Ganymede, a beautiful Trojan young man, was aducted by Zeus to serve as his personal cupbearer and lover on mount Olympus among the other gods.
How many people did Zeus cheat with? ›Suffice it to say that Zeus was constantly involved in extramarital affairs. Throughout the various and sometimes contradictory myths composed by Greek authors, there are at least 20 divine figures with whom he consorted, and about twice as many mortals.
Is Zeus dating his sister? ›Who did Zeus marry? His sister Hera was the first and only to whom he was married, but that didn't stop him from fathering children with all and sundry, willing or not. Hera, the goddess of marriage and childbirth, constantly fought with Zeus throughout their marriage.
Has Zeus slept with Aphrodite? ›II.
Aphrodite later and of her own volition had an affair with Zeus, but his jealous wife Hera laid her hands upon the belly of the goddess and cursed their offspring with malformity. Their child was the ugly god Priapos.
Which god had the most kids? ›
In his private life Zeus was quite the lothario, fathering an unbelievable number of around 100 children with many different women (but don't hate him too much – it's just a myth, after all). Of this 100, he fathered a mix of sons and daughters, many of whom were gods and goddesses, and some became great leaders.
Who was Zeus first wife? ›Metis, an Oceanid or sea-nymph, was Zeus's first wife. Wise and prudent, she was endowed with the gift of prophecy. In their early years together, she was Zeus's closest ally and aide, helping him win the battle against Cronus.
Can Zeus give birth? ›Zeus as Parent
Two of his children were born in a manner he might have learned from his father or grandfather; that is, like his father Cronus, Zeus swallowed not only the child but the mother Metis while she was pregnant. When the fetus had fully formed, Zeus gave birth to their daughter Athena.
Zeus was attracted to a young man named Ganymede, so, naturally, Zeus turned himself into an eagle and abducted Ganymede to Olympus. There, Ganymede became cupbearer to the gods and Zeus's lover, much to the angst of Hera, Zeus's wife.
Does Zeus have a child? ›Zeus fathered many children. Among the most well-known are Athena, the goddess of war; Perseus, the hero known for slaying Medusa; and Persephone, Demeter's daughter and wife to Hades. Zeus is known for his many sexual (and oftentimes nonconsensual) relationships outside of his marriage to his wife and sister Hera.
Who is Hera's favorite child? ›Eileithyia is said to be Hera's favorite child. Though she's not as popular as her brothers Ares and Hephaestus, there were temples built in her honor.
Did Zeus and Persephone have a child? ›Zagreus, in Orphic myth, a divine child who was the son of Zeus (as a snake) and his daughter Persephone. Zeus intended to make Zagreus his heir and bestow on him unlimited power, but Hera out of jealousy urged the Titans to attack the child while she beguiled him with toys.
Did Hades have any children? ›Who were Hades and Persephone's children? Persephone and Hades had two children; one daughter, Melinoë,and one son, Zagreus. Melinoë became the goddess of nightmares and madness. Zagreus was a minor Greek god.
Who did Apollo get pregnant? ›One day Apollo saw Coronis and became enamoured of her. He lay with her in her home, and consequently she became pregnant.
Who Loved Apollo the most? ›The most celebrated of his loves were the nymph Daphne, princess Koronis (Coronis), huntress Kyrene (Cyrene) and youth Hyakinthos (Hyacinthus). The stories of Apollo's lovers Daphne and Kyrene can be found on their own separate pages--see the Apollo pages sidebar.
Was Apollo a loved god? ›
Apollo was a much-loved god, and this was most likely due to his association with many positive aspects of the human condition such as music, poetry, purification, healing, and medicine. The god was also associated with moderation in all things.
Who is Zeus jealous wife? ›Hera was worshipped throughout the Greek world and played an important part in Greek literature, appearing most frequently as the jealous and rancorous wife of Zeus and pursuing with vindictive hatred the heroines who were beloved by him.
Did Zeus sleep with Athena? ›Did Zeus sleep with Athena? According to a Homeric Hymn, there are three goddesses whom Aphrodite “can't persuade or decieve”, i.e. who don't feel sexual desire and are perpetually virgins. They are Athena, Artemis and Hestia. So, we are sure that Zeus did never have affairs with any of those three.
Who did Zeus cheat on his wife? ›Zeus fell in love with Io and seduced her. To try to keep Hera from noticing he covered the world with a thick blanket of clouds. This backfired, arousing Hera's suspicions. She came down from Mount Olympus and begain dispersing the clouds.
Did Zeus marry his mother? ›According to the Orphic myths, Zeus wanted to marry his mother Rhea. After Rhea refused to marry him, Zeus turned into a snake and raped her. She had Persephone with Zeus.
Who is Zeus twin sister? ›...
| Artemis | |
|---|---|
| Born | Island of Delos, Greece |
| Parents | Zeus and Leto |
Apollo and Artemis, twins born of Leto and Zeus, were the divine archers of Greek mythology. They were similar in many ways — they both had a love for archery and the hunt, they were equally, highly venerated, and they often chose youthful forms to express themselves.
How many of his children did Zeus eat? ›Zeus' Struggle for Power
To pre-empt any takeover he, therefore, swallowed all of his children: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. However, Rhea saved her youngest child Zeus by wrapping a stone in swaddling clothes and giving this to Cronus to swallow.
Sketch of Athena's birth inspired by Greek mythology by Dolores Reyes- Pergioudakis. Athena, the goddess of wisdom, was the favorite child of Zeus. She sprang fully grown out of her father's head.
Who was Hera's favorite child? ›Eileithyia is said to be Hera's favorite child. Though she's not as popular as her brothers Ares and Hephaestus, there were temples built in her honor.
Who took care of Zeus when he was a baby? ›
According to Apollodorus, Rhea gave the infant Zeus to the nymphs Adrasteia and Ida, daughters of Melisseus, to nurse, and they fed Zeus on the milk of the goat Amalthea.
How did Zeus get pregnant with Athena? ›Metis gave birth to Athena after Metis was swallowed. Athena began growing inside Zeus's head. When Haphaestus cut open Zeus's head, and Athena was born, she was not born an infant. Instead, Athena was born a fully grown warrior, dressed in armor and ready for war.
How many kids did Zeus have? ›Zeus and Hera play important roles in Greek mythology. Zeus is the Greek god of the skies, and Hera is the Greek goddess of marriage and birth. Hera is also known as Queen of the Gods because of her matriarchal role in Greek mythology. Together, Zeus and Hera had three children: Ares, Hebe, and Hephaestus.
How did Athena get pregnant? ›Hephaestus - Wikipedia
had a strong desire for Athena, but as a virgin goddess she ran away from him. He was not able to catch her – but he ejaculated and the seed fell on her leg. She wiped it away with a piece of wool and the seed fell on Gaia, the Earth, making her pregnant.
Zeus turned himself back and Hera couldn't help but fall in love with him. She finally agreed to be his wife. Zeus and Hera's wedding was the first formal marriage ceremony and was a huge occasion. It took place at the Garden of Hesperides and all of the gods and goddesses attended and brought fancy gifts.
Did Zeus have kids with kids? ›Zeus fathered many children. Among the most well-known are Athena, the goddess of war; Perseus, the hero known for slaying Medusa; and Persephone, Demeter's daughter and wife to Hades. Zeus is known for his many sexual (and oftentimes nonconsensual) relationships outside of his marriage to his wife and sister Hera.
Did Zeus ever have a child with Hera? ›By Hera, Zeus sired Ares, Hebe, Eileithyia and Hephaestus, though some accounts say that Hera produced these offspring alone. Some also include Eris, Enyo and Angelos as their daughters.
Why did Zeus marry his sister? ›Why is Zeus married to his sister? To hide her shame, Hera agreed to marry him. It was a violent marriage at best. Though Zeus had pursued his sister and sought to possess her by marriage, he never gave up his lusty ways.
Who was the boy Zeus fell in love with? ›Ganymede, a beautiful Trojan young man, was aducted by Zeus to serve as his personal cupbearer and lover on mount Olympus among the other gods.
How many baby mamas does Zeus have? ›Nonnus classifies Zeus's affair with Semele as one in a set of twelve, the other eleven women on whom he begot children being Io, Europa, Plouto, Danaë, Aigina, Antiope, Leda, Dia, Alcmene, Laodameia, the mother of Sarpedon, and Olympias.