05 Dec 2019

Zeus is a Machiavellian Psychopath: Zeus vs. his Brothers

This is part 1 of a 4 part series on theories of the Politics of LO. While LO is undeniably primarily about romantic relationships, some of the verisimilitude of the series is its understated but real-feeling setting, including a political order. The villain at the center of that political order is: Zeus.

Zeus is mostly portrayed—at least so far—as an inconstant philanderer who thinks with his little head, but in LO and in the backstory Zeus has demonstrated guile worthy of Francis Urquhart. The machinations necessary subtly represented in LO are so complicated, devious and admirable in a perverse way I’ve had to break them into parts to keep them manageable. This part deals with Zeus’ control over his two brothers.

One major difference between LO and Greek myth that partially makes all these machinations necessary is that in LO, Demeter, Hera and Hestia are not children of Rhea and Cronos. While removing the three members of the Six Traitors Dynasty from the Cronos family makes LO less “incest-y” it also sets Zeus relationship with his two brothers front and center, because they are potential claimants to his throne. Since Zeus ascended to his throne in a coup against a family member, he should reasonable fear a coup by a family member, but Zeus dispatches both.

The weaker of the two threats is Poseidon, but Zeus ensures he is never strong enough to mount a conspiracy. Importantly, though Poseidon is married, it is apparently to a nymph and not to a goddess. Therefore, if Poseidon were to attempt to overthrow Zeus, he would have to go outside his own relationships, and recruit conspirators. Poseidon does not seem capable of political conspiracy, but Poseidon also rules the sea, and is therefore largely excluded from opportunities to conspire against Zeus in Olympus or the mortal realm.

Hades is a far greater threat to Zeus. First, Hades is Cronus’ first born (in LO) and therefore a more legitimate claimant to the throne than Zeus. Second, Hades is at least as powerful as Zeus as demonstrated by his ability to hold the Titans and their allies in prison in Bldg 4 (aka Tartarus). Third, Hades is more wealthy than Zeus and probably always has been because he can create gems from nothing.

Zeus eliminated Hades from contention for the throne in three steps: First, Zeus took advantage of Hades weakened physical state to separate him from Hera. Although Hades believes and claims that Zeus “liked” Hera, Zeus has shown her no fidelity or affection. By contrast, if Hera and Hades married or partnered immediately following Cronus’ overthrow, it would have isolated Zeus. Zeus would have had to compete against two allied gods, and whoever they could rally to Hades’ stronger claim, with good reason to believe Demeter (who hates Zeus more than Hades) and Hestia (the goddess of order) might support Hades.

Zeus next removed Hades from Olympus, utterly isolating him from any potential allies. Hades did not want to go and was sent on his own >with only Cerberus as a consolation.!< It might seem risky to send Hades to guard Tartarus, because Hades could always turn the Titans loose. However, Hades’ fear of Cronus essentially ensured that, however good Hades’ relationship with other titans might be (cf. Nyx), Hades would never risk releasing his father. Thus Zeus kills two birds with one stone, by making one of his greatest challengers gaoler over his other greatest threat.

Finally, Zeus politically and emotionally cripples Hades by denying him the one thing that he wants most: company and a wife. While Zeus may not be the primary reason Hades does not have a wife, Hades is not nearly as unmarriageable as Hades makes himself out to be. <77-78>Hades has a sexual relationship with Hera, who thinks of him as attractive.!< Persephone finds Hades attractive from the moment she meets him, with hearts in her eyes as early as <4>. Hades carries on normal relationships and is observed as handsome, kind and charismatic by several characters. It is at least plausible, and potentially likely, that not only did Zeus ensure that Hades was alone in the Underworld, but that Hades stayed that way.

You may be wondering “But what of Persephone? Zeus supports Hades pursuit of her, which would give Hades a queen, and potentially a power-base for sedition.” Perhaps, but very little in Zeus’ behavior implies he is interested in his brother’s best interests, at best he miscalculates and its just as likely he is actively trying to torpedo Hades and Persephone.

First, Zeus’ enabling of Hades to meet Persephone at the Panathenaeum is almost completely predicated on the idea that Hades would take Persephone home for a one night stand, after Hades had a fight with Minthe. Not only would a tryst basically ruin any chance Hades had with Persephone (if Zeus even thought Persephone was a potential wife for Hades et the time) but it would further force a wedge between Hades and Demeter (another rival) and Hades and Minthe, further crippling Hades. Hades, in a single night of impulsiveness, could lose a girlfriend and a business partner. Zeus had no reason to think that Persephone, who he knew was a candidate of TGOEM, would be interested in Hades romantically.

Persephone became more of a challenge when Zeus found out from Eros that Persephone had gone home with Hades. Althouh Persephone was supposed to join TGOEM, if Hades had ruled out the (EM) part, Zeus had to ensure that Hades could not start to build a relationship with her. Zeus called to prevent Hades from spending the day with Persephone, hopefully guaranteeing that Hades and Persephone part never to meet again, and only think of each other as that awkward moment they once had that one time. This entire story of LO might have unfolded completely differently if, instead of departing Hades home on Sunday morning, she had spent the remainder of the day lounging with him in the lap of luxury. She would not have been photographed or met Apollo, to name two things, and they would have had a different, markedly more intimate relationship, with a chance for follow-on dates.

At the strip club, Zeus learns that Hades and Persephone have not yet done anything that might ruin their relationship. Hades is the perfect gentleman, even making romantic yet respectful comments about Persephone. We, and anyone listening, would have said “Aww, you are too pure.” It is only once Hera approaches that Zeus begins to put raunchy comments into Hades mouth, and cajole him to say things he clearly would not say otherwise. Zeus’ actions set up Hera to be angry with Hades, and to embarrass Hades in front of Hera, further driving a wedge between them.

When the time comes for Zeus to discuss Hades and Persephone’s relationship, Zeus plays Hera like a fiddle. In classic manipulative fashion, he presses Hera’s buttons until she is furious and then asks her to help Hades. Being angry and wanting to fight Zeus, she argues against Hades and Persephone. By the time Zeus leaves, Hera has fought against Hades having a relationship with Persephone, is furious with Zeus, and has lumped Hades, Poseidon and Zeus together. Zeus goes to work believing Hera is opposed to Hades pursuing a relationship with Persephone, and Zeus doesn’t learn otherwise until Hera invites Persephone and Hades to dinner. It is only Hebe’s intervention on her uncle’s behalf that changes Hera’s mind.

When Persephone and Hades are at Zeus’ house he does everything he can to make the encounter awkward. Zeus openly mocks Persephone’s dietary choices, and outright states that Hades is following Persephone outside to have sex with her in the garden. When Hades and Persephone are having a moment, Zeus turns the hose on them literally. While Zeus attempts to frame his actions as helpful later, he is actively trying to goad Hades into doing something…regrettable.

Most recently, and most obviously destructive is the following Sunday brunch, which Zeus is so committed to having that he arrives at Hades house unannounced. Zeus knows full well that Hades would prefer time alone, but preventing Hades’ personal reflection makes it more likely that Hades will make bad choices. Zeus immediately inveighs against marriage, but then starts talking up Persephone. Zeus doesn’t give helpful advice about Persephone, but instead encourages Hades to: 1) cheat on Minthe (betraying both women), and 2) kidnap Persephone. He further pressures Hades to act quickly, rather than allow a relationship to develop, because she might swear not to ever have sex, as if she would marry Hades if she wanted to join TGOEM, or if she would join TGOEM if she though being Queen was appealing and on the table. Again, if Hades followed Zeus advice, Hades would have destroyed every relationship he had, further weakening Hades in the process.

While Zeus does torpedo Hades with a wink and a nudge to the fourth wall like we might expect, he acts exactly like a psychopath. Zeus gets what he wants by letting others think it was their idea. He manipulates people, especially Hera but possibly also Eros and Ares (his grandson and son respectively) into doing things in his interest and against theirs. Hades is the primary victim of his machinations because Hades is best positioned to dethrone Zeus. As a rival king, with better claim and ability to rule, and the inherent power sufficient to hold all the Titans in check Zeus best tool to remain in power is to emotionally cripple his brother, which Zeus does as well as any serial killer. Minthe may be crazy, but Zeus is the real psycho.