The Queen of the Gods

Hera, goddess of marriage and queen of Olympus, is considered the protector of fertility and childbirth. Although the *Iliad* depicts her as her husband Zeus’s favored advisor and confidante, she was said to be so jealous of him that she transformed his many mistresses into animals, plants, and objects. The marriage between the two deities was often used to explain atmospheric phenomena: clear skies heralded a peaceful period in their romance, whereas storms and cyclones signaled quarrels between the couple.