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Perhaps the animal’s ability to see in the dark with its exceptional night vision symbolized the goddess’ ability to ‘see’ through the eyes of wisdom, where others cannot. Known as the goddess of wisdom and war, Athena was mainly associated with the owl, since this bird was considered very cunning and deadly, but also very wise, at least by the look of it. Poseidon was also associated with the bull, and most famously the Cretan bull, perhaps the most famous symbol of the Minoan civilization that flourished in Crete.Īccording to myth, the god sent it to Minos, the legendary king of the island, and he made his wife Pasiphae fall in love with it, thus giving birth to the monster Minotaur. Other sacred animals to Poseidon were the dolphin, as well as other fish since the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome has a sculpture of a winged Hippocampus alongside the god of the sea. Among them, the most prominent was the horse, a symbol of valor and beauty since he himself fathered many horses, the best-known being the winged horse Pegasus by the Gorgon Medusa. The god of the sea and of earthquakes, Poseidon had also some animals sacred to him. At the same time, the cuckoo symbolized her love for her husband, and the peacock symbolized her beauty. The young cow (Damalis or portis) was the major animal considered especially sacred for Hera since it was closely associated with nurturing and providing protection for her young, just like Hera used to protect the sacred union of marriage and to support women. Her frequent animal associations included the cow, the peacock, the cuckoo, and sometimes the lion. Known as the sister and husband of Zeus, and thus the queen of the gods, and particularly of women, Hera was also the protector of marriage and childbirth. In many of his representations, Zeus is depicted with a great golden-feathered eagle called Aetos Dios, serving as his personal messenger and companion by his throne.
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Zeus transformed into an eagle in order to kidnap the young man Ganymedes, while for the abduction of the young Europa he was transformed into a bull. He would transform into various creatures, such as an eagle, a swan, or a bull, animals that were widely considered symbols of physical strength, power, and superiority. He was well-known for his frequent transformations into animals, in the form of which he abducted the women he was in love with. Zeus was the father of the gods, the god of the sky, of thunder, and of lightning. 1.13 Hephaestus Sacred Animal Animal Symbols of the Greek Gods Zeus Sacred Animal