The Mythology of Jupiter

The planets and moons in our solar system are all named for characters in Greek and Roman mythology. We've gathered here some of the stories written about the namesakes of Jupiter and the Galilean satellites, along with artwork inspired by these stories. Be forewarned--these stories aren't always for the faint of heart!

JUPITER

Jupiter (or Jove, but known as Zeus to the Greeks) overthew his Father Saturn (in Greek, Cronus). He then drew lots with his brothers Poseidon and Hades to determine who would be the supreme ruler of the gods. Jupiter won the draw and became the ruler of Olympus and the patron of the ancient Roman state.

Jupiter was the rain god and lord of the sky, making his name an appropriate one for the king of the planets. His weapon is a thunderbolt which he hurls at those who displease him. He is married to Hera but, is famous for his many affairs. He is also known to punish those that lie or break oaths.

This Statue of Zeus (Jupiter) was created by the famous Greek sculptor Pheidius during the 5th century B.C. It was considered one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. The statue stood for over 800 years in the temple of Zeus at Olympia in Greece, until the Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaimed Christianity the state religion, and ordered all statues and likenesses of the pagan gods torn down.

IO

Io was a river nymph whose beauty attracted Jupiter. He fell in love with her, and seduced her. Hoping to hide his affair from the eyes of his wife, Juno (Hera in Greek mythology), Jupiter covered the world with a thick blanket of clouds. The painting "Jupiter and Io" by the 16th century Italian Renaissance painter artist Correggio, shows Jupiter in the form of a cloud planting a kiss on the cheek of an ecstatic Io.

Juno wasn't that stupid. The cloudbank aroused her suspicions (Jupiter was known for having affairs, after all), so she came down to Earth from Mount Olympus and started dispersing the clouds.

When Jupiter realized that Juno was about to find him and Io, he quickly changed Io into a heifer. All that Juno found was Jupiter innocently standing next to a white cow, swearing that he had never seen the cow before, that it had suddenly appeared out of the Earth. Juno wasn't fooled. She admired the cow, and asked Jupiter if she could have it as a present. Jupiter had little choice but to agree. Juno now started on a campaign to permanently separate Jupiter and Io. First, she sent Io the cow away under a guard. Jupiter arranged for Io to be rescued and set free. Next, Juno set a gadfly to torment and sting Io, a terrible torture for a cow. Io tried desperately to escape the gadfly, and ended up wandering around the world. Her wanderings were commemorated in the names of many geographical features: the sea that Io the heifer swam across is named after her (the Ionian Sea), as is the Bosporus strait (which translates to "fording of the ox." ). Io eventually found her way to Egypt, where, after Jupiter promised to no longer pursue her, Juno returned her to human form.

EUROPA

Europa was a Phoenician princess. Her story begins with a dream. In Europa's dream, the continent Asia argued that since Europa had been born in Asia she belonged to Asia. The other continent, which had no name, said that where Europa was born was not important, and that Jupiter would give Europa to the nameless continent.

In the morning, Europa went off with her companions--a group of young ladies--to gather flowers by the sea. Jupiter noticed the lovely group. He was especially taken by Europa, who was the prettiest of the maidens.

Jupiter's ideas on how to court a young lady seem a trifle unusual--he approached the group disguised as a white bull. The bull was beautiful, gentle, smelled of flowers, and had a lovely musical moo. Of course, all the maidens rushed to stroke and pet it.

The bull laid down in front of Europa. She slid on to its back, perhaps expecting a gentle ride. Instead, the bull charged off, plunged into the sea, and swam away from the shore. This scene is the subject of a painting by 16th century Italian renaissance painter Titian, "The Rape of Europa." They were soon joined by a procession of gods, making Europa realize that the white bull must also be a god. She pleaded with the bull for pity. Jupiter told Europa that he loved her, and that he was taking her to Crete. Upon arriving in Crete, Jupiter returned to his usual shape, throwing the bull's shape into the heavens where it became the constellation Taurus. Juno was distracted with other matters during this period, so she never punished Europa for having an affair with Jupiter.

Jupiter promised Europa that she would bear him many famous sons. Europa bore Jupiter 3 sons, including Minos, legendary ancestor of the Minoan civilization, the first European civilization. Eventually, Charlemagne named the continent which he had conquered Europe--giving a name to that nameless continent.

GANYMEDE

According to the legend, Jupiter's attention was caught one day by the beautiful Trojan boy Ganymede, whom he saw playing on Mount Ida on the island of Crete. He snatched the boy up, and brought him back to Olympus to serve as the cupbearer of the gods, a position, incidentally, already held by his own daughter Hebe. The kidnapping is the subject of this 5th century B.C. terra cotta statue of Jupiter and Ganymede.

CALLISTO

The nymph Callisto was a favorite companion of the virgin goddess Diana. Callisto had vowed to remain chaste, and to follow in the ways of Diana. She accompanied Diana while hunting and was her constant companion. Jupiter caught a glimpse of the beautiful Callisto and, of course, fell in love with her. Knowing that Diana had warned Callisto of the deceitful ways of men and gods, Jupiter cleverly disguised himself as Diana ("Jupiter in the Guise of Diana and the Nymph Callisto", a painting by the 18th century artist Francois Boucher, illustrates this scene). He then seduced Callisto, and Callisto conceived a child.

When Callisto's condition was revealed to Diana by jealous competitors for Diana's attentions, Callisto was forced out of the company of Diana. She bore a boy child named Arcas. When Jupiter's wife Juno saw this evidence of Jupiter's infidelity she became enraged, and changed Callisto into a bear. Callisto was ashamed and afraid, and fled into the woods, not to see her son for many years.

One day, when Callisto's son Arcas was a young man, he decided to go hunting, and went into the woods where his mother Callisto lived. Callisto saw her son, whom she had not seen for many years. She forgot she was a bear, and rushed forward to embrace her son. Arcas only saw a bear rushing down on him. He lifted his bow and shot an arrow at the beast. At the last moment Jupiter intervened and placed Callisto and her son in the heavens as the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the big and little bears. Parts of these constellations are also known as the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper.