JUNONES, jfi-no'-nes, the protecting genii (see D.wsioN) of the Roman women.
JUPITER, called Zeus by the Greeks, the most powerful of the pagan gods, was son of Saturnus (q. v.) and Ops, and saved from his father (who wished to devour him at birth) by Ops giving him a stone, wrapped up, to swallow instead (which he afterwards vomited up, with Juno, Metis having given him a potion). Jupiter was reared in a cave on Mount Ida, in Crete, on the milk of the goat Amalthma, by nymphs, while the Cerybantes drowned his infant cries with cymbals and drums, that Saturn might not discover him. When one year old, he warred with the Titans, who had imprisoned his father for bringing up male children. Saturn afterwards conspired against Jupiter, jealous of his rising power, was defeated, and had to flee to Latium, and Jupiter, now master of the world, divided his sovereignty with his brothers, assigning heaven to himself, the sea to Neptune, and the nether world to Pluto. The Giants soon troubled his reign, and, after their conquest by Hercules' aid, he gave himself up to the pursuit of pleasure. He married Juno (q. v.) ; he was enamoured of many (e. g., Dane:6, Antiiipe, Leda, Europa, Callisto, Alcmena, LaodamTa, Pyrrha, Protogenia, Electra, Maia, Sernele, Diane, Euryname, Styx, Mnemosyne, &c.). He was father of the Harm, the Parcm (who alone were exempt from his sovereignty), Venus, the Graces, Proserpine, the Muses, the Dioscari, Hercules, Bacchus, Mars, Vulcan, Minerva (from his brain), Apollo, Diana, &c.
His worship was universal, and he was iden tified with the Ammon of the Africans, the Belus of Babylon, the Osiris of Egypt, &c. ; and he bore numerous surnames,—Feretrius, Elicius, Capitolinus, Latialis, Sponsor, Hen ceios, Anxurus, Victor, Optlmus Maximus, Olympus, &c. His worship was more solemn than that of the other gods. His victims were goats, sheep, and wild bulls, and the oak was sacred to him for his having taught mankind to live on acorns. Jupiter is usually repre• sented with majestic mien and flowing beard, seated on a golden or ivory throne, holding in one hand the bolts to hurl, and in the other a cypress sceptre, while an eagle stands with expanded wings at his feet. At Olympia (q. v.) his statue bore a crown like olive branches, the mantle was variegated with different flowers, especially the lily, and the eagle was perched on the top of his sceptre. The Cretans repre sented him without ears, to signify that the sovereign of the universe should be impartial ; and at Sparta he had four heads, to show the readiness with which he heard prayers from every part of the earth. His most celebrated oracles were at Doc15na and Ammon.