Family dynamics have changed very little over the ages; daughters still fight with mothers, sons still butt heads with fathers and siblings still torture each other. Dysfunctional families are timeless and entertaining, every family has their issues to sort through, the ancient Greek gods more than others. Evidence of ancient family dynamics is told through a culture's myths. The Greeks, for example, based their religion around the myths of their heroes and gods. These heroes were worshipped despite their flaws and negative characteristics. Some of the gods hated their siblings while others were neglected and punished by their parents for no reason. Each god was an individual yet part of the family. All of the myths were stories for entertainment and used to teach lessons to an audience. Present day family issues are nothing when compared to those of the Greek gods and heroes. Being eaten alive, drowning or having your love obsession turned into a tree is just scratching the surface of family dysfunctions among Greek stories.
Zeus, thunderbearer, Unknown, -470/-460, From the collection of: Altes Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Zeus was the last of six children born to Rhea and Cronus. His elder siblings, Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Hera, were all swallowed shortly after their births by their father. Cronus ate his children fearing a prophecy that stated his children would over throw him like he over threw his father. To protect her child, Rhea hid Zeus until he was able to make Cronus forcibly regurgitate the children.
Zeus did not learn from his father’s mistakes for he was also a poor father.
Stater with Hera on Obverse and Eagle with Wreath on Reverse, Greek (Achaean), 350 - 300 BC, From the collection of: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Hera was the goddess of marriage and ironically her husband repeatedly cheated on her. She was the wife of Zeus but mother to only a few of his children. She was not only cruel to her children but also to the illegitimate children of Zeus.
Hephaestus was one of Hera’s own children but when she saw that he was born weak and crippled she threw him from mount Olympus. Hera also released some anger on Herakles by sending snakes to attack him in his crib to spite Zeus.
Artemis, unknown, 115 BC - 100 BC, From the collection of: Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien
Artemis is the twin sister to Apollo. She was the goddess of the hunt, wilderness, childbirth and virginity.
Orion, son of Poseidon, was the hunting companion of Artemis. They soon fell in love which caused Apollo to become protective of Artemis’s virginity.
There are two stories of how Orion died. One story is that Apollo sent a scorpion, Scorpio, to kill Orion and in grief Artemis put him in the stars. Another version has Apollo challenging Artemis in target practice. Apollo selected a target out at sea which Artemis hit it with perfect accuracy. Turns out that her target was Orion. Seeing his sister distraught Apollo then hung him in the stars.
Apollo, unknown, 50 BC - 0 AD, From the collection of: Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien
Apollo was fiercely competitive and tended to punish the winner if he lost. He had many bets and competitions with his siblings that always ended badly for one of the parties. He was also jealous, vindictive and merciless in punishing those he found offensive.
As a punishment for Apollo’s insults Eros (god of love) used opposite arrows on Apollo and on the nymph Daphne. Apollo was then compelled to love a woman who held nothing but hate for him. She loathed the idea of Apollo loving her and begged to be transformed so that she could escape him. Mother Earth heard her begging and turned her into a laurel tree.
Pitcher with Herakles Wrestling Triton, about 520 - 510 B.C., From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
Herakles was a child of Zeus. However he was not a favourite to many gods, his name is even a slight to Zeus’s wife. Hera made his life miserable. She sent snakes to kill Herakles while he was an infant in his crib and later on in life caused Herakles, in a fit of madness, to kill his own wife and children. In penance for his crimes he was set the task of his famous twelve labours.
Black-Figure Amphora Depicting Theseus and the Minotaur, Attributed to the Antimenes Painter, Greek, c. 520 BC, From the collection of: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Theseus, son of King Aegeus, is most known for defeating the Minotaur. To keep the beast satisfied Athens offered six children every seven years as sacrifices to the beast. When Theseus set out to meet the Minotaur he promised his father he would sail home with white sails. Upon his return he forgot to change the ship’s sail colours from black and assuming that Theseus was dead the King threw himself into the ocean in grief.
Theseus also completed six labours defeating bandits and thieves. While most of his life has been glorified Theseus was also an abductor of women when he saw one he liked.
Water Jar with Dionysos and Poseidon, about 550 B.C., From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
The myths of Poseidon and Dionysus crossed occasionally. They were both in love with Aphrodite’s daughter Beroe because of the arrows of Eros. To win her Beroe’s hand, Aphrodite made the two gods fight and the loser to concede peacefully.
Dionysus was the god of wine, son to Zeus and mortal Semele. Zeus killed Semele with a lightning bolt while she was pregnant with Dionysus. Zeus took pity on the child and placed Dionysus inside his thigh until he could be born.
Poseidon was the god of the sea and brother to Zeus. Poseidon was the one to make Odysseus’s journey home long and torturous to avenge his son the Cyclops.
Mixing Vessel with Adonis, Aphrodite, and Persephone, 390 - 380 B.C., From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
Aphrodite was the goddess of beauty and love, she is said to have been born from sea foam. Although she was married to Hephaestus she kept many consorts. Adonis was one of her mortal consorts, Aphrodite prized his beauty and love above all others. Persephone, goddess of death, loved Adonis as well. When Adonis died Zeus allowed for him to leave the underworld for part of the year to be with Aphrodite and to spend the rest of the year as Persephone’s consort.
Eros earrings, late 4th century B.C.E., From the collection of: Dallas Museum of Art
Eros was the god of love. He is usually depicted as a winged youth carrying a bow and quiver of arrows. Eros was able to create an instant love connection or create instant hate depending on the arrow he used. Eros manipulated many love lives and created many problems with in his family. On more than one occasion he was convinced to use his abilities to punish or coerce another god’s enemy.
Bulla with Daedalus and Icarus, Etruscan, 5th century BC (Classical), From the collection of: The Walters Art Museum
Daedalus, the father of Icarus, was a craftsman and inventor. His most known invention is a pair of wings that were made to free his son and himself from imprisonment in a tower. Each wing was made of feathers that were held together with string and wax. Before flight Icarus was warned not to fly too close to the sun or else the wax will melt nor too close to the sea which will wet the feathers. Icarus forgot his father’s warning during flight and flew too close to the sun causing Icarus to fall into the sea and drowned.
Credits: All media
This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.
