Zeus and His Adventures
Zeus, the king of the gods, was known in the legends as a womanizer. Being a god, he managed to bed numerous ancient beauties.
However, he did not use the power of his majesty as much as his ability to intrigue and change his form. He even appeared as a white swan for a while.
He became a swan to be closer to Leda, the wife of Spartan King Tyndareus. As a result, he managed to establish a love affair with Leda. From this union, identical twins were born – the daughter Helen (later known as the Trojan) and the boy Polydeuces.
Another legend tells of the abduction of the Phoenician princess Europa, whom Zeus approached as a bull. Europa was so enchanted by the animal that she decided to ride on it.
At that moment, Zeus/the bull started to run away with the poor princess. He stopped only in Crete, where he changed back into his human form and so charmed the princess that she bore him three sons.
At first glance, it seems that the adventures of the ruler of Olympus were essentially harmless bedroom escapades, usually ending happily. Perhaps it would have been so if Zeus didn't have a wife.
Vengeful Hera
Hera was both the sister and wife of the god Zeus. And just like any proper wife, Hera was jealous. Her jealousy was understandably not unfounded.
Everyone on Olympus knew about the king of gods' adventures. Since Hera couldn't oppose her husband directly, she decided to take revenge on his mistresses and illegitimate children.
One of the most famous victims of the queen of gods' wrath was Semele, daughter of the Theban ruler. She was expecting a child with Zeus.
According to the legend, Hera transformed into a maid and persuaded Semele to ask Zeus to reveal himself in his true form. Zeus granted Semele's wish, but in doing so, he also killed her. His true form was that of thunder and lightning.
Zeus at least managed to save his unborn child, whom Semele was expecting. He took it from her body and sewed it to his thigh, where he let it grow.
Hera dealt even worse with another rival in love, Lamia. She killed her children and turned her into a horrific monster. She also cursed her to never close her eyes. Zeus mitigated this punishment by allowing Lamia to remove her eyes at will.