Learn More About the Relationship of Hades and Zeus
If you have heard about Greek mythology, then you must have had about Kronos and Rhea who are Zeus and Hade’s parents. Therefore, Hades and Zeus are brothers with a third brother called Poisedon. Their other siblings are Hera, Hestia and Demeter. Hades is Kronos’ eldest son and Zeus the last born. Their grandparents are Gaia and Uranus. Hades and Zeus’s parents (Kronos and Rhea) are sometimes called Titans.
The two brothers Hades and Zeus fought and defeated their father’s generation of gods called the titans. After defeating the titans, they assumed rulership over the cosmos. Zeus claimed rulership of the sky, Hades received the underworld while Poisedon ruled the solid earth and the sea. Hades was usually represented with Cerberus, his three-headed dog.
It is said Kronos learned from Gaia and Uranus, his parents that his sons would eventually overthrow him. To prevent this, Kronos ate his children after they were born. However, Rhea helped Zeus from being eaten by his father, she hid him. Consequently, Zeus helped his 2 brothers to flee. After freeing their father’s wrath, they each ruled a part of the earth. This is getting interesting, right? If you agree with me, then let us delve even deeper into the relationship between Hades and Zeus below.
Arrogance
When Zeus became ruler of the sky and the earth, he became the supreme ruler and god. This made him arrogant and impulsive thinking other Olympians are his subjects. His siblings-Hera, Athena, Hades and Poseidon resent him the most. At one point, they locked him in his throne and stole his thunderbolts. When they got into an argument regarding who becomes the next ruler, Thetis (A Titaness) called upon a creature called Briarus to free Zeus and give him back his thunderbolt.
As a payback, Zeus punished some olympian gods such as Hermes and Poisedon by sending them on earth and turning them into mortal servants. On earth, they are to serve mortal kings as a punishment. Because he was believed to be the supreme god that controlled lightening, and with pseudo-divine embodiments such as strength, power and victory, he became arrogant to his siblings, Hades inclusive.
Rivalry
Zeus and Hades had a rather friendly rivalry over who takes what kingdom. However, neither Hades nor Poisedon could challenge Zeus as he was considered the supreme god. This brought about some sour grapes among the brothers. Zeus winning the draw to become supreme god meant that the other two brothers had somehow failed because they were not as strong as he is.
Another thing that easily sparks rivalry is when things don’t follow a chronological order. For instance, Zeus was younger than Hades but turned out to be the most powerful of the three brothers. Matter of fact, he was the last born and went on to win the draw to rule the most powerful kingdom. It is believed that the elder children should be more powerful than the young ones so that they can still command that respect.
Friendly
Kronos was supposed to eat all his sons so that his father’s prophecy of his sons overthrowing him doesn’t come to pass. But Rhea managed to hide Zeus from his father’s Wrath. After Zeus came for his two brothers and they escaped into the earth. It is on the earth that they drew lots and Zeus picked the one of being the ruler of the earth. If he had not been friendly, he would have left his two brothers to be eaten by his father. The act of helping them to flee with him was a friendly one.
Last Word
Zeus and Hades are all Kronos Sons. Hades was the eldest and Zeus the youngest. After escaping from being eaten by his father, they fled to the earth. Here, they drew lots and Zeus won the rulership of the earth. This sparked sibling rivalry and jealousy. Also, because Zeus could control lightning, power, victory and strength, he became arrogant and impulsive to his siblings.