Hera (Ήρα) is the immortal Goddess of Air. Hera is often depicted in literature as raging with jealousy over her husband Zeus’ amorous transgressions. Zeus is the God of lightning and rain, generally accompanied by winds and tempests. The prefix hero- (ήερο-) means in mid-air.
Zeus, the God of the Spark-of-Fire, Spark-of-Life (Fertilizing Principle) is divinely wed to Hera (Air) because the Spark can not become Fire without Air, and the Spark-of-Life cannot become life without Air.
Hera's association with childbirth is in keeping with the first breath of life, the first inhalation of air.
Inexplicably, many (but not all) classics scholars choose not to acknowledge Hera as the Goddess of Air and choose to call her a Goddess of marriage, presumably because she is "married" to Zeus. In the Introduction to H.J. Rose's Handbook of Greek Mythology Rose describes Zeus as "celestial phenomena" and "Hera, the ancients suggested . . . was the air."
Empedocles in Physics (7(6).2-3) equates Hera (Ἢρη) with air, one of the four roots/elements.
(Empedocles: The Extant Fragments, translated by M.R. Wright (Yale University, 1981) 23.)
In another Fragment regarding the four roots/elements, Empedocles equates fire with Zeus (Ζεύς), air with Hera (Ἥρη), earth with Aidoneus (Άιδωνεύς) (the poetic form of Aidees (Ἃΐδης), Hades), and water with Neestis (Νῆστίς), a Sicilian water-Goddess. (Emp. 6.3, 96.2, Alex. 323 K.-A. (= Emp.6.3).
τέσσαρα γάρ πάντων ῥιζωματα πρῶτον ἅκουε.
Ζεύς άργής Ἥρη τε φερέσβιος ήδ' Άιδωνεύς
Νῆστίς θ', ἥ δακρύοις τέγγει κρούνωμα βρότειον.
“And first the fourfold root of all things hear! –
White gleaming Zeus, life-bringing Here, Dis (sic),
And Nestis whose tears bedew mortality.”
(Empedocles. Poeta Philosophus 6.1, cited in The Framents of Empedocles, translated by William Ellery Leonard (Chicago: Open Court Publishing, 1908) 17.)
http://archive.org/stream/thefragmentsofem00empeuoft#page/17/mode/1up/search/root
(Another argument (in the negative) that supports Hera as the Goddess of Air is, if not Hera, then who? Did the ancients neglect to pay homage to the God or Goddess of Air, one of the four root elements? Not likely.)
In the Orphic Hymn to Hera, Hera is compared with lapis lazuli, a stone associated with the sky.
"Lapis is the Latin word for "stone" and lazuli is the genitive form of the Medieval Latin lazulum, which is taken from the Arabian لازورد lāzaward, meaning "heaven" or "sky", since the sky is blue; therefore, it is the "stone of heaven" or "sky stone"."
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/lapis-lazuli#ixzz2g0dbIWD1
Temples to Hera were located in numerous cities. Homage to Hera is important because the devastating effects of storms and hurricanes as well as the beneficial effects of a fair wind for seagoing people are under the province of the Goddess of Air. (Similarly, temples to pay homage to Hephaistos, the God of Volcanoes, would be very important in a land of volcanoes. Homage to Zeus, the fertilizing principle, in an agricultural society and one desiring offspring . . . )
The magnificent remains of the Temple of Hera in Paestum (near Naples, Italy) still stand.
http://mattglen.com/olympics-2012-torch-relay/the-lighting-of-the-olympic-flame-greece-here-we-come/
Hera is described in the Hymn to Hera as having a deep blue vagina in the air—a description of the sky on a sunny day?
She is repeatedly called the Queen of All.
She is partnered in the marriage-bed with Zeus, nourishes life, of rain and winds, alone generating nothing and everything, blended with everything, ruler of all.
At the end of the hymn stage directions call for a sound of rushing wind and then (probably) the feel of rushing wind.
16. Ἥρης, - Hera
θυμίαμα - incense
ἀρώματα. - aromatic
Κυανέοις - dark in color, with dark blue depths, made of lapis lazuli, cyan
κόλποισιν - bosom, lap, vagina, womb, fold of garment, bosom-like hollow, form into a swelling fold, form into a fold
ἐνημένη, - "to be seated in" = in (ἐν) center/shared-center (η) might/force (μένη)
ἀερόμορφε, - air (ἀερό) + shape, form, morph (μορφε) = "air-formed" -or- in the shape of air (so, lapis lazuli made into air/the sky)
Ἥρη - Hera
παμβασίλεια, - all-Queen, pam-Basileia, Queen of all, all-powerful Queen, absolute monarchy
Διὸς - Dios/Zeus
σύλλεκτρε - partner of the bed, sharing a bed, together in bed = together (σύλ) + bed, marriage-bed (λεκτρε)
μάκαιρα, - happy, blessed
ψυχοτρόφους - soul-nurturing/feeding/nourishing = soul (ψυχο) + nourishing (τρόφους) = "sustaining life or soul"
αὔρας - breeze, exhalation
θνητοῖς - mortal
παρέχουσα - furnish, supply, present, offer, allow, grant; give oneself up, submit oneself, supply of oneself or from one's own means = having to do with (παρ) + have, hold, inhabit, possess, have charge of; bear, carry, bring (έχουσα)
προσηνεῖς, - toward the wind, to the winds, stirred by the wind, filled by the wind; mild, soft, gentle, kind = before (προσ) + wind, air (ηνεῖς)
ὄμβρων - of rain
μὲν - strong
μήτηρ, - mother
ἀνέμων - gale, wind
τροφέ, - serve as a wet nurse, bring up, rear, feed, nourish, nurse
παντογένεθλε· - all (παντο) + giving birth, generative, of birthdays (γένεθλε) = all-generating, parent of all
χωρὶς - separately, apart, of a different nature, independently of, without the help of
γὰρ - generating
σέθεν - both
οὐδὲν - no one, not one, not even one, none whatever, naught, zero, nothing
ὅλως - whole, wholly, altogether, on the whole
ζωῆς - life, Zoe, living
φύσιν - origin, of Phusis, Natural, growth, nature as an originating power
ἔγνω· - essence (ἔ) + generative (γ) + prevailing (point) (ν) + brings-forth (ω) = egg hatches
κοινωνεῖς - have or do in common with, share, communicate, in common with, sympathize, join, partnership
γὰρ - generate
ἅπασι - all together, the whole, in all things
κεκραμένη - in a mixed manner, well-blended; of Cecrops (earth-born King of Athens)/the Acropolis/Athenian?, net?
ἠέρι - in the air, airy, in mid-air
σεμνῶι· - solemn, dignified, exalted, revered, august, holy
πάντων - all
γὰρ - generating
κρατέεις - ruler, power
μούνη - alone
πάντεσσί - all
τ' - too then
ἀνάσσεις - master, ruler, Queen
ἠερίοις - in the air, airy, in mid-air
ῥοίζοισι - whistling or whizzing sound, rushing sound (probably stage directions)
τινασσομένη - shake (τινασσο) + strong, mighty (μένη)
κατὰ - toward, for, against, downwards, down from, downward motion; pure
χεῦμα. - that which is poured, stream, flow, fall
ἀλλά, - but
μάκαιρα - happy, blessed
θεά, - Goddess
πολυώνυμε, - many-named
παμβασίλεια, - all Queen
ἔλθοις - come
εὐμενέουσα - with goodwill, favor, kindly, graciously
καλῶι - call
γήθουσα - rejoicing, joyful, glad
προσώπωι. - in person; face, countenance (probably stage direction for a wind to pass over the gathering, and/or perhaps for the actress portraying Hera to appear)
Zeus, the God of the Spark-of-Fire, Spark-of-Life (Fertilizing Principle) is divinely wed to Hera (Air) because the Spark can not become Fire without Air, and the Spark-of-Life cannot become life without Air.
Hera's association with childbirth is in keeping with the first breath of life, the first inhalation of air.
Inexplicably, many (but not all) classics scholars choose not to acknowledge Hera as the Goddess of Air and choose to call her a Goddess of marriage, presumably because she is "married" to Zeus. In the Introduction to H.J. Rose's Handbook of Greek Mythology Rose describes Zeus as "celestial phenomena" and "Hera, the ancients suggested . . . was the air."
Empedocles in Physics (7(6).2-3) equates Hera (Ἢρη) with air, one of the four roots/elements.
(Empedocles: The Extant Fragments, translated by M.R. Wright (Yale University, 1981) 23.)
In another Fragment regarding the four roots/elements, Empedocles equates fire with Zeus (Ζεύς), air with Hera (Ἥρη), earth with Aidoneus (Άιδωνεύς) (the poetic form of Aidees (Ἃΐδης), Hades), and water with Neestis (Νῆστίς), a Sicilian water-Goddess. (Emp. 6.3, 96.2, Alex. 323 K.-A. (= Emp.6.3).
τέσσαρα γάρ πάντων ῥιζωματα πρῶτον ἅκουε.
Ζεύς άργής Ἥρη τε φερέσβιος ήδ' Άιδωνεύς
Νῆστίς θ', ἥ δακρύοις τέγγει κρούνωμα βρότειον.
“And first the fourfold root of all things hear! –
White gleaming Zeus, life-bringing Here, Dis (sic),
And Nestis whose tears bedew mortality.”
(Empedocles. Poeta Philosophus 6.1, cited in The Framents of Empedocles, translated by William Ellery Leonard (Chicago: Open Court Publishing, 1908) 17.)
http://archive.org/stream/thefragmentsofem00empeuoft#page/17/mode/1up/search/root
(Another argument (in the negative) that supports Hera as the Goddess of Air is, if not Hera, then who? Did the ancients neglect to pay homage to the God or Goddess of Air, one of the four root elements? Not likely.)
In the Orphic Hymn to Hera, Hera is compared with lapis lazuli, a stone associated with the sky.
"Lapis is the Latin word for "stone" and lazuli is the genitive form of the Medieval Latin lazulum, which is taken from the Arabian لازورد lāzaward, meaning "heaven" or "sky", since the sky is blue; therefore, it is the "stone of heaven" or "sky stone"."
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/lapis-lazuli#ixzz2g0dbIWD1
Temples to Hera were located in numerous cities. Homage to Hera is important because the devastating effects of storms and hurricanes as well as the beneficial effects of a fair wind for seagoing people are under the province of the Goddess of Air. (Similarly, temples to pay homage to Hephaistos, the God of Volcanoes, would be very important in a land of volcanoes. Homage to Zeus, the fertilizing principle, in an agricultural society and one desiring offspring . . . )
The magnificent remains of the Temple of Hera in Paestum (near Naples, Italy) still stand.
http://mattglen.com/olympics-2012-torch-relay/the-lighting-of-the-olympic-flame-greece-here-we-come/
Hera is described in the Hymn to Hera as having a deep blue vagina in the air—a description of the sky on a sunny day?
She is repeatedly called the Queen of All.
She is partnered in the marriage-bed with Zeus, nourishes life, of rain and winds, alone generating nothing and everything, blended with everything, ruler of all.
At the end of the hymn stage directions call for a sound of rushing wind and then (probably) the feel of rushing wind.
16. Ἥρης, - Hera
θυμίαμα - incense
ἀρώματα. - aromatic
Κυανέοις - dark in color, with dark blue depths, made of lapis lazuli, cyan
κόλποισιν - bosom, lap, vagina, womb, fold of garment, bosom-like hollow, form into a swelling fold, form into a fold
ἐνημένη, - "to be seated in" = in (ἐν) center/shared-center (η) might/force (μένη)
ἀερόμορφε, - air (ἀερό) + shape, form, morph (μορφε) = "air-formed" -or- in the shape of air (so, lapis lazuli made into air/the sky)
Ἥρη - Hera
παμβασίλεια, - all-Queen, pam-Basileia, Queen of all, all-powerful Queen, absolute monarchy
Διὸς - Dios/Zeus
σύλλεκτρε - partner of the bed, sharing a bed, together in bed = together (σύλ) + bed, marriage-bed (λεκτρε)
μάκαιρα, - happy, blessed
ψυχοτρόφους - soul-nurturing/feeding/nourishing = soul (ψυχο) + nourishing (τρόφους) = "sustaining life or soul"
αὔρας - breeze, exhalation
θνητοῖς - mortal
παρέχουσα - furnish, supply, present, offer, allow, grant; give oneself up, submit oneself, supply of oneself or from one's own means = having to do with (παρ) + have, hold, inhabit, possess, have charge of; bear, carry, bring (έχουσα)
προσηνεῖς, - toward the wind, to the winds, stirred by the wind, filled by the wind; mild, soft, gentle, kind = before (προσ) + wind, air (ηνεῖς)
ὄμβρων - of rain
μὲν - strong
μήτηρ, - mother
ἀνέμων - gale, wind
τροφέ, - serve as a wet nurse, bring up, rear, feed, nourish, nurse
παντογένεθλε· - all (παντο) + giving birth, generative, of birthdays (γένεθλε) = all-generating, parent of all
χωρὶς - separately, apart, of a different nature, independently of, without the help of
γὰρ - generating
σέθεν - both
οὐδὲν - no one, not one, not even one, none whatever, naught, zero, nothing
ὅλως - whole, wholly, altogether, on the whole
ζωῆς - life, Zoe, living
φύσιν - origin, of Phusis, Natural, growth, nature as an originating power
ἔγνω· - essence (ἔ) + generative (γ) + prevailing (point) (ν) + brings-forth (ω) = egg hatches
κοινωνεῖς - have or do in common with, share, communicate, in common with, sympathize, join, partnership
γὰρ - generate
ἅπασι - all together, the whole, in all things
κεκραμένη - in a mixed manner, well-blended; of Cecrops (earth-born King of Athens)/the Acropolis/Athenian?, net?
ἠέρι - in the air, airy, in mid-air
σεμνῶι· - solemn, dignified, exalted, revered, august, holy
πάντων - all
γὰρ - generating
κρατέεις - ruler, power
μούνη - alone
πάντεσσί - all
τ' - too then
ἀνάσσεις - master, ruler, Queen
ἠερίοις - in the air, airy, in mid-air
ῥοίζοισι - whistling or whizzing sound, rushing sound (probably stage directions)
τινασσομένη - shake (τινασσο) + strong, mighty (μένη)
κατὰ - toward, for, against, downwards, down from, downward motion; pure
χεῦμα. - that which is poured, stream, flow, fall
ἀλλά, - but
μάκαιρα - happy, blessed
θεά, - Goddess
πολυώνυμε, - many-named
παμβασίλεια, - all Queen
ἔλθοις - come
εὐμενέουσα - with goodwill, favor, kindly, graciously
καλῶι - call
γήθουσα - rejoicing, joyful, glad
προσώπωι. - in person; face, countenance (probably stage direction for a wind to pass over the gathering, and/or perhaps for the actress portraying Hera to appear)
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