Greek Goddess Hera: Queen of the gods and the goddess of marriage and family

Greek Goddess Hera.

Hera (Ἥρᾱ or Ἥρη or Juno) is the queen of the gods and the goddess of marriage and family. She is daughter of Rhea and Cronus. She is the wife and one of three sisters of Zeus in the 12 Olympian Greek Gods. Symbols include pomegranate, peacock feather, diadem, cow, lily, lotus, cuckoo, panther, scepter, throne, and the lion.

Hera has four children with Zeus: are Ares (the god of war), Hebe (the goddess of youth), Eris (the goddess of discord) and Epithelial (goddess of childbirth). Arrangements of the marriage and is the archetype of the union in the marriage bed. However, Hera is well known for her jealous nature against Zeus's lovers and offsprings. Hera was jealous of Zeus' giving birth to Athena, so she gave birth to Hephaestus without him.

Hercules playing with the
snake send by Hera.

The most notably hated from Hera offspring of Zeus is the Greek Hero Hercules, son of Alcmene. Even before bornd, Hera tried to prevent the birth by tying Alcmene's legs in knots. She was tricked and eventually allowed Alcmene to born Hercules. Later, when Hercules was infant, she send two snakes to kill him. However, Hercules killed them and he was playing with them as if they were a child's toys. Later, due to madness that Hera put him, Hercules killed his first wife. This was the main reason for the 12 labour myth. Even during the 12 labours, Hera was putting numerous obstacles to stop him, without success.

Paris also earned Hera's hatred by choosing Aphrodite as the most beautiful goddess, during the Judgment of Paris. According to myth, Hera offered Paris control over all Asia and Europe, Athena offered wisdom, fame, and glory in battle, and Aphrodite offered the most beautiful mortal woman in the world. Paris selected the offer of Aphrodite. Unfortunately, this woman was Helen, who was already married to King Menelaus of Sparta. The other two goddesses got angry  by this and through Helen's abduction they brought about the Trojan War.