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Myths about the Roman God Jupiter
Jupiter, for this purpose, raised a gallant army of Cretans,
and engaged the Cecropes as auxiliaries in this expedition;
but these, after taking his money, having refused their
services, he changed into apes. The valor of Jupiter so
animated the Cretans, that by their aid he overcame the
Titans, released his parents, and, the better to secure the
reign of his father, made all the gods swear fealty to him
upon an altar, which has since gained a place among the
stars. This exploit of Jupiter, however, created jealousy in
Saturn, who, having learnt from an oracle, that he should be
dethroned by one of his sons, secretly meditated the
destruction of Jupiter as the most formidable of them. The
design of Saturn being discovered by one of his council,
Jupiter became the aggressor, deposed his father, threw him
into Tartarus, ascended the throne, and was acknowledged as
supreme by the rest of the gods. The reign of Jupiter
being less favorable to his subjects than that of Saturn,
gave occasion to the name of the silver age, by which is
meant an age inferior in happiness to that which preceded,
though superior to those which followed.
The distinguishing character of his person is majesty, and
every thing about him carries dignity and authority with it;
his look is meant to strike sometimes with terror, and
sometimes with gratitude, but always with respect. The
Capitoline Jupiter, or the Jupiter Optimus Maximus, (him now
spoken of,) was the great guardian of the Romans, and was
represented, in his chief temple, on the Capitoline hill, as
sitting on a curule chair, with the lightning in his right
hand, and a sceptre in his left. The poets describe him as
standing amidst his rapid horses, or his horses that make
the thunder; for as the ancients had a strange idea of the
brazen vault of heaven, they seem to have attributed the
noise in a thunder storm to the rattling of Jupiter's
chariot and horses on that great arch of brass all over
their heads, as they supposed that he himself flung the
flames out of his hand, which dart at the same time out of
the clouds, beneath this arch.
Myths about the Roman God Jupiter
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