Hebe (BB 1,2)

In Greek mythology, Hebe is a god, the daughter of his well-known parents, Hera and Zeus. She was also known as Ganymeda. Hebe’s name means ‘Flower of Youth’ and this makes sense because she was the goddess of eternal youth. Because she was the daughter of Zeus and Hera, Hebe had many siblings. Some of these siblings were Ares, Athena, Apollo, Helen, Hercules (oddly enough he would become her future husband when Hercules becomes a mortal), Eileithyia, Eris, Artemis, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Helen of Troy (who was half mortal and half immortal), Hephaestus, Perseus, Minos, the Muses, and the Graces. She has many more half mortal and half immortal brothers and sisters because her father is Zeus, but the ones that are listed above are the most prominent of those children. Hebe was the cupbearer for the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus. She would serve them their nectar and ambrosia, until she was married to Hercules. She isn’t that famous of a goddess because she served the more popular and powerful gods and goddesses, rather than becoming one herself. She is also the goddess of young people. She can grant people youth, but she cannot delay aging for older people. She drew baths for Ares and helped Hera into her chariot when her assistance was needed by the gods. This is her only power.

                Hebe was the god that granted Iolaus his wish to become young again. Iolaus was the nephew of Hebe’s future, Hercules. Iolaus was known for helping Hercules on some of his labors. He was one of the reasons that he had to complete twelve labors instead of the ten labors he was originally given to complete. Eurystheus, who was in charge of the labors, declared that he was cheating on the labors because he was given help by Iolaus. He also thought that Hercules cheated on some of his labors, but that is a different story. Hercules gave Iolaus his first wife, Megara and they had a daughter together. Iolaus wanted to be young in order to fight Hercules’ tormentor, Eurystheus, the man in charge of Herucles’ twelve labors.

                Hebe was Herucles’ fourth and final wife. His third wife, Deianira, thought that he was cheating on her with another god, Iole. She soaked on of his shirts in poison in order to kill him but he was half mortal and half immortal at the time seeing that he was the son of Zeus. This shirt was called the poisoned shirt of Nessus. When he put on the shirt, it burned his skin. He tried to take off the shirt and it stuck to his flesh, so when he tried it separated his flesh from his bones. He then chose to die voluntarily and had a pyre constructed in order to kill him. He couldn’t completely dies seeing that he was half mortal and half immortal. After he was “killed,” he became a god on Mount Olympus. The mortal part of Hercules died and he was completely immortal. The gods transformed him completely into an immortal so he could join his father on Mount Olympus. This is when he met Hercules. When Hebe was married to Hercules, they had two daughters together. They were named Alexiares and Anicetus.

                                There are multiple fountains and artwork created in praise to this goddess. There are multiple in the United States. An example of this would be in Vicksburg, Mississippi. There is a fountain there and also a rose garden located near it. There are also different statues of Hebe in international locations, such as Birmingham city centre in England and Forli, Italy.