Hera's judgement

Hera is the Goddess of Marriage. A young beautiful woman, said to be the most beautiful of all goddesses, even beating out Aphrodite. She was very vindictive and never forgot an injury that she felt. Hera aided the Achaeans in the Trojan War.


I agree that Hera values equality in battle. It is stated in the book 2 of Iliad that she scolded Zeus for deceiving Thetis. She also tried to stop Zeus from intervening in the fight between The Great Achilles and King Agamemnon. Even though she tried her best, she failed because if she continued to argue with Zeus she knows that Zeus would hurt her as Zeus stated that:” Silence please and sit down, and do what I tell you. All the gods in Olympos will not help you if I come near and lay my heavy hands upon you."



Another instance of her being fair is stated in book 5 where she sent Athena to help Diomedes. She sent help to Diomedes because Ares, the God of War, has taken the side of the Trojans. Ares was looking for Diomedes to end his life because Diomedes has wounded Aphrodite. With the help of Athena, Diomedes wounded Ares that made him leave the battlefield among the Trojans and Achaeans. With these events in mind, I think of Hera as a fair and an unbiased goddess.


However, as anyone could/may doubt about her fairness, I had a doubt about it, too which led me to disagree with the statement about her fairness. An incident in book four where Hera ordered Zeus to send Athena down to the battlefield to make the Trojans break the oath and attack the Achaeans. Athena was glad to do what was asked. Athena took form of the doughty warrior Laodocos Antenor’s son and persuaded Pandaros, an archer. Pandaros was a fool to forget the oath. He then attacked Menelaus using a bow and arrow. The arrow had hit Menelaus but Athena had helped him by sweeping it away. Hera knew this would all happen. This shows that she wanted trouble for the Trojans thus I conclude that she is unfair.