Love Story Of Zeus And Maia

Authors Biography
Tim Harry has been a freelance writer, both part-time and full-time, for over seven years.
During this time he has researched and written on a wide range of subjects for a number of
different employers, he is to be found writing about world mythology.

Summary
There are a large number of stories that relate to the sexual adventures of the gods, with
the likes of Zeus and Poseidon, seemingly on a continuous mission for sexual conquest. The
story of Maia is one that links directly into the sexual adventures of Zeus, but also plays an
important role in the lives of other gods as well.
Maia was one of the seven Pleiades, the mountain nymph daughters of the
Titan Atlas and Oceanid Pleione. Atlas was recognized as being father to the most beautiful of
children, and his daughters, the Pleiades and Hesperides, were often chased by mortal and
immortals alike.
Maia, and the other Pleiades, were given the role of attendants to the beautiful goddess
Artemis; a role which only brought them into even closer contact with the likes of Zeus and
Poseidon.
Maia was said to have been the most beautiful, as well as the eldest, of the Pleiades, but
was not inclined to give into the advances of any of the gods who were after her. Instead she
would hide away in a cave on the side of Mount Cyllene. Maia may have thought that she was
well hidden, but she had not managed to lose Zeus. Zeus indeed did not give Maia a chance to
spurn his advances, and came to her during the night, and while she slept impregnated her.
The result of the pregnancy was the birth of the Olympian god, Hermes. It was not the
conquest of Maia, or the birth of Hermes that is remarkable, as they were familiar traits within
Greek mythology. It was Hermes' activity as a new born that was amazing.
After he was born, Maia slept. Hermes crept from the cave, and made his way to
Thessaly, where he stole away cattle belonging to Apollo, his half brother. Not content with
becoming a cattle thief, Hermes also invented the lyre on that first night. Apollo was quick to
accuse the newborn, and eventually Zeus had to intercede to bring about peace between the two,
despite the arguments given by Maia about the impossibility of a new born being able to travel to
Thessaly.

Maia was certainly in favor with Zeus, and it was to her he turned when Hera turned
another of his lovers, Callisto, into a bear. Callisto had given birth to Zeus' son Arcas, and Maia
was given the task of raising him into maturity.
Maia though was not only favored by Zeus, and others also desired her. The most notable
of these other suitors was the giant Orion, who indeed wanted all of the seven Pleiades. Artemis
though would not have a giant taking an advantage of her attendants, and so asked Zeus to do
something to ensure that Orion would never capture them.
Firstly therefore Maia and her sisters were turned into doves, but Orion being a great
hunter managed to track them down. Zeus therefore put them even further out of reach by
turning them into stars to become part of the Taurus constellation. Thus Maia found herself made
part of the eternal night sky, just as her adopted son, Arcas had been transformed when Zeus
turned him into Ursa Minor.
The importance of Maia is often overlooked, but as mother to Hermes, she played an
important role in the ancient stories of Greece. This importance has indeed manifested itself into
the modern world, with the month of May named in her honor.

Settings
Mount Cyllene - is a mountain on the Peloponnesus peninsula in Greece, famous for its
association with the god Hermes. Mount Cyllene in Arcadia, are sometimes called
mountain nymphs, oreads; Simonides of Ceos sang of "mountain Maia" (Maia oureias) "of the
lovely black eyes."
Characters
Zeus - was the god of the sky and ruler of the Olympian gods, father of Hermes, Zeus is the child
of Cronus and Rhea , husband of Hera but have many love affairs including Maia.
Maia - She was a shy goddess who dwelt alone in a cave near the peaks of Mount Cyllene in
Arcadia where she secretly gave birth to a son by Zeus, the god Hermes. Maia is the daughter
of Atlas and Pleione the Oceanid, and is the eldest of the seven Pleiades.
Hermes - Messenger of the gods, After giving birth to him, Maia wrapped him in blankets and
went to sleep. The rapidly maturing infant Hermes crawled away to Thessaly, where by night-fall
of his first day he stole some of his brother Apollo's cattle and invented the lyre from a tortoise
shell. Maia refused to believe Apollo when he claimed Hermes was the thief and Zeus then sided
with Apollo. Finally, Apollo exchanged the cattle for the lyre, which became one of his
identifying attributes.

Arcas - Maia also raised the infant Arcas, the child of Callisto with Zeus. Wronged by the love
affair, Zeus' wife Hera in a jealous rage had transformed Callisto into a bear. Arcas is
the eponym of Arcadia, where Maia was born. The story of Callisto and Arcas, like that of the
Pleiades, is an aition for a stellar formation, the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the
Great and Little Bear.
Theme/Lesson
Zeus had many love affairs including Maia. And the fruit of their love is Hermes. Maia is one of
a kind mother to Hermes and a nurturer to Arcas even though he is not her own child. She raised
him like his own son even if Arcas is the son of Zeus in other women (Callisto).