Page:Greek and Roman Mythology.djvu/35

 THE GREEK GODS 21 29. Local traditions associated Zeus with numerous other goddesses and heroines representing the moon : at Dodona with Dione, a name which might, of course, in some old worship have belonged to Hera herself ; at other places, with Selene, Europa, and Antiope. From the 'dark, beautif ul-haired ' Leto (Lat. Latona) he begot the sun god Apollo and the moon goddess Artemis; from Leda, whom he approached in the form of a swan, the moon heroine Helena (' Helen ') and the hero of light Pol- lux. Again, Alcumena, whose origin was in the race of the Ferse'ides (' shining ones '), became by him the mother of Hercules. But whether all these last-mentioned spouses may be regarded as moon heroines is doubtful. 30. The symbolizing poets have special regard to the moral side of the nature of Zeus, which afterwards came into prominence, when they designate Metis (' wisdom 7 ) and Themis ('law') as his wives, and represent him as begetting from the latter the Horae, Eunomia ('lawful- ness '), Dike (' justice '), and Irene (' peace ; ), as well as the Moerae (' goddesses of fate '), who order human life. On similar grounds he figures as the father of the Graces and Muses. Finally, the legend of the birth and death of Zeus is based on a Cretan local worship. Here his father is the sun god Cronus, who devours his own children. But Cronus's spouse Rhea (a form of Ma, the mother of the gods, closely related to Cybele and Artemis, who were worshiped in Asia Minor), instead of giving him Zeus, hands him a stone, which was swallowed forthwith. Zeus, however, being suckled by the she-goat Amalthea (who represents the thundercloud, which dispenses nourishing moisture), grows rapidly in a cave of Mount Ida until he is in condition to overpower his father. (See 21.)