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Hera
Pindar sings : "
Hera, kindled all-persuading sweet desire in the sons of gods for the ship Argo, so that none should be left behind
to nurse a life without danger at his mother's side, but rather that he should find even against death, the fairest
antidote in his own courage along with others his own age."
Ode to Fair Hera
By: Jennifer H. Wright
Who is the great woman whom is of the earth and a wondrous mother
?
Who is sister and supporter of the Heavenly sky god Zeus?
Thy fair and enchanting Hera, lovely is your mighty presence.
Stern and solid, firm in your ways, yet soft and flowing is your heart.
By your rights the myths of your cool vengeance disgrace your heated passions.
For thou is righteous and loving, but your discipline is harsh. Sharp is your tongue, great is your wit, and thou
is fine and ever enchanting.
! O' Beautiful cow eyed Hera, thine loves and worships your excellence!
Hera represents to this day the symbol of upholding marriage and motherhood.
In her union with Zeus reflects the ongoing theme throughout the myths of Earth and Sky. Like her element Earth
her personality is one of a very stable, sensible, take charge woman. She is not one to be underminded. Being of
Earth which holds the cooling element of Water, she is felt as Icy sharpness and other times as flowing and healing
especially of the spiritual kind. Her Heat and warmness generate from the core of her spirit/fire - her heart.
Her passions and angers are molded there..
The Homeric Hymn to Hera (12) displays her power:
I sing about golden-throned Hera, whom Rhea bore, immortal
queen, outstanding in beauty, sister and wife of loud thundering Zeus; she is the illustrious one whom all the
blessed ones throughout high Olympus hold in awe and honor, just as they do Zeus who delights in his lightning
and thunder.
In the lines from homer's Iliad 14. 346-51 we can get some insight on the union of brother/ husband - Zeus's relationship with his sister/wife :
The son of Cronus clasped his wife in his arms and
under the divine earth sprouted forth new grass, dewy clover, crocuses, and hyacinths, thick and soft, to protect
them from the ground beneath. On this they lay together and drew around themselves a beautiful golden cloud from
which the glistening drops fell away.
