Zeus
	"Jupiter in Thetis," painting by J.A.D Ingres, 1811. Jupiter was the Roman name for the King of Gods.

Zeus is the King of the upperworld, thunderstorms and of the Gods. He is sometimes referred to as the Rain God or the Cloud Gatherer. Usually pictured sitting on a cloud with his staff in hand, he commands the immortals and assigns punishments to those who get out of hand.

His father, Cronus, was warned that one of his children would turn on him. To prevent this, Cronus swallowed each of his children after it was born. Rhea, Zeus’s mother, had pity on him and replaced him with a stone swaddled in a blanket at birth. Cronus swallowed the stone instead of baby Zeus. Later, with his mother's help, he would force Cronus to swallow a drink which caused him to vomit up the other five children. Then Zeus killed his father with a lightning bolt. The lightning bolt has always been Zeus's most powerful weapon. It was given to him by the Cyclopes. An eagle returns the thunderbolts which he has flung.

After the death of his father, Zeus and his brothers drew lots to determine their realms of influence. Zeus became king of the upperworld, Hades of the underworld and Poseidon of the sea. Zeus was married to his sister Hera. Legend has it he came to her disguised as a little cuckoo bird and hid in her clothes during a storm, successfully tricking her into marriage. They had three children of their own, but Zeus is known to have more children than even he could count.

In Roman mythology, Zeus is referred to as Jupiter.

Genealogy: Zeus is the son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. He is the brother of Poseidon (God of the Sea), Hades (God of the Underworld), Hestia and Demeter. Hera is his sister and also his wife. Zeus had numerous lovers and countless immortal offspring including Ares, Athena, Artemis, Apollo, Hermes and Persephone.

Symbols: The Oak and the Thunderbolt.