Never in all of time have two brothers ever been so completely opposite in nearly every way. The two most powerful gods of ancient Greece were brothers when they were born, but grew up to be bitter enemies. Zeus was the older brother and was always strong and wise and powerful, not to mention very popular. Hades was the younger brother and always felt jealous of Zeus. His jealousy turned to evil when he was older and Hades became the god of the Underworld where he could feel as powerful as his brother did. That still wasn’t enough for Hades, though. He was constantly trying to find ways to defeat and overthrow Zeus.

Now Zeus, being a great and mighty leader, had become the king of the gods. This was the highest position in all of the land. Zeus also took a wife. Her name was Hera and she was known as the goddess of marriage and childbirth. Zeus and Hera loved each other very much and it was said that it was their love that inspired Eros, also known as Cupid, who was the god of all love. Cupid carried a bow with arrows that would bring love to the heart of anyone he shot with them. Cupid became the most popular and well-known god of all, except for Zeus, himself. Everyone thought it was wonderful when one of Cupid’s arrows would strike and a great love would begin between two people. And Cupid was happy with his job; even if Zeus was still more popular and well known than he.

Hades sensed something dark in Cupid, though, and began to come up with his most evil plan ever. Hades thought that maybe, just maybe, Cupid and he might share one little thing in common: a jealousy towards his brother, Zeus. Now Hades knew that if Cupid did have any jealous feelings about Zeus that he had kept them hidden well; but Hades was the god of the Underworld and all that was evil, so if anyone could sense even the tinniest bit of evil or jealousy, it was him. Also, Hades was very good at persuading others to do wrong. Only, he had never tried it on another god before, only on mortals. But if he could bring out the bad in Cupid, he knew that there might finally be a way to defeat his brother.

So, when the time was right, Hades made his way to Athens, near Olympus, to look for Cupid. When he found him, Cupid was very surprised. He asked Hades what business he had with him. Hades then began to work his powers of evil persuasion on Cupid, telling him that he, Hades, was the only one who could ever understand Cupid’s feelings of jealousy towards Zeus because he had grown up with Zeus and knew how hard it was to be second best to him all the time. Sure enough, just as Hades had suspected, there was a very deep jealousy in Cupid for Zeus. And with that, Cupid made the mistake of opening himself up to the most evil god ever!!!!!

Before long, Cupid had become like clay in Hades’ hands. It was then that Hades told Cupid of his terrible plan for the two of them to overthrow Zeus. You see, Zeus had no weaknesses. He was stronger, wiser, quicker, and more powerful than any other god. That was why he was king. Hades had never been able to hurt him or outsmart him in any way, though he had tried over and over. But Cupid and his ability to cause people to fall instantly in love had given Hades a completely new idea on how to get Zeus. Hades told Cupid that all he had to do was to shoot Hera, Zeus’ wife, with an arrow and cause her to fall in love with him, Hades. Then, she would be willing to do anything for Hades, including telling him everything about Zeus’s army and when he was going to be away and anything else that might help him defeat Zeus. Cupid agreed that it was the perfect plan, so they went to work on it immediately.

Cupid returned to Olympus and acted as if nothing were different with him. He then met up with Hades just outside of town {Hades was forbidden to enter Olympus by Zeus}. They waited there for Queen Hera to come by as Cupid had asked her to meet him there for some made-up reason. When Hera arrived she was startled to see Hades there with Cupid, just outside the city gates. Her guards tried to capture both Hades and Cupid, but Hades was too powerful for them. Cupid then fired his arrow, and the fate of the world suddenly took a frightening turn. Hera immediately fell head-over-heels in love with the evil Hades. He and Cupid left with her for the Underworld as soon as they could.

When they arrived, Hades began to tell Hera what he wanted her to do. Hera didn’t want to leave Hades to return to Olympus, but was willing to do anything he asked. So she returned to Zeus, but only to spy for Hades. She did a very good job of fooling Zeus. She acted normal, just like Cupid had done when he returned from his meeting with Hades. Every night she would meet Hades at the edge of town and report to him about Zeus’s plans and schedule and the strength of his army. When Hades had all the information he needed, he told Hera to return to the Underworld with him and that soon they would rule all of Greece together. Hera didn’t remember anything of the love she once had for Zeus because of the power of Cupid’s arrow on her, so she was happy to go back with Hades.

Zeus was very worried when he realized his wife was missing. He began to send most of his army out to look for her. This was just what Hades had hoped Zeus would do. At that time, when most of Zeus’s army was busy looking for Hera, Hades, with his evil army, attacked Olympus! Zeus and his army, even though they were outnumbered, were still winning the battle quite easily. It was then that Hades rode to the front of the battle line with Hera on his horse with him. He rode right to the front to where Zeus could see him. Zeus ordered all his men to stop fighting when he saw his wife there, thinking that Hades had somehow captured her and was holding her hostage. Then Hades announced to Zeus that he could stop looking for his wife because the goddess of marriage would soon be having a second honeymoon... not with Zeus, but with him. When Zeus heard this, he was heartbroken and it seemed that all the fight went out of him. Without the leadership of Zeus, the army of Olympus soon lost to Hades and his army.

It was an awful time. Greece was being run by Hades, with Cupid as his assistant and Hera by his side. Zeus had run away to the edge of the world because he could not handle seeing Hera with Hades. Zeus did have a weakness after all; his heart. Things definitely seemed hopeless.

Zeus thought that he had no one left. All of his sons were killed by Hades’ army in the battle. His brother, Poseidon, was also dead. And, of course, his wife was now in love with his evil brother, Hades. However, Zeus also had a daughter, Athena. She was the goddess of wisdom and knew that there had to be some logical reason why her mother suddenly betrayed her father to be with someone as terrible as Hades. When she saw that Cupid was Hades' first assistant, she figured out exactly what had happened. She immediately went to search for her father.

When she found him, he looked like he was ready for death. She was very glad to be able to tell him what had happened. She explained to him that Hera had not willingly betrayed him, but that she had been double-crossed by Cupid and Hades and didn’t know what she was doing. Zeus was happy for a moment, but then he realized that even though they knew what had happened. There was still nothing he could do to get Hera back. Cupid was the one and only god of love and no one could undo a love that he had put together. But, at this point, with Zeus in the state he was in, Athena’s wisdom was greater than even his. Athena reminded her father that it was the love between him and her mother that had first inspired Cupid. Zeus then realized that if he could get to Cupid and kill him, then the spell of his arrow over Hera would be broken. “But what if killing Cupid takes all the love out of the entire world?” Zeus asked his loving daughter.

“With Hades in control, there is no room for true love anyway” she replied. Zeus knew she was right and he knew what he had to do. He would take the life of Cupid, the one who had betrayed him and the rest of the world. And he would hope that True Love would survive... even without a god of love.




















Cupid’s Fatal Mistake



Never in all of time have two brothers ever been so completely opposite in nearly every way. The two most powerful gods of ancient Greece were brothers when they were born, but grew up to be bitter enemies. Zeus was the older brother and was always strong and wise and powerful, not to mention very popular. Hades was the younger brother and always felt jealous of Zeus. His jealousy turned to evil when he was older and Hades became the god of the Underworld where he could feel as powerful as his brother did. That still wasn’t enough for Hades, though. He was constantly trying to find ways to defeat and overthrow Zeus.

Now Zeus, being a great and mighty leader, had become the king of the gods. This was the highest position in all of the land. Zeus also took a wife. Her name was Hera and she was known as the goddess of marriage and childbirth. Zeus and Hera loved each other very much and it was said that it was their love that inspired Eros, also known as Cupid, who was the god of all love. Cupid carried a bow with arrows that would bring love to the heart of anyone he shot with them. Cupid became the most popular and well-known god of all, except for Zeus, himself. Everyone thought it was wonderful when one of Cupid’s arrows would strike and a great love would begin between two people. And Cupid was happy with his job; even if Zeus was still more popular and well known than he.

Hades sensed something dark in Cupid, though, and began to come up with his most evil plan ever. Hades thought that maybe, just maybe, Cupid and he might share one little thing in common: a jealousy towards his brother, Zeus. Now Hades knew that if Cupid did have any jealous feelings about Zeus that he had kept them hidden well; but Hades was the god of the Underworld and all that was evil, so if anyone could sense even the tinniest bit of evil or jealousy, it was him. Also, Hades was very good at persuading others to do wrong. Only, he had never tried it on another god before, only on mortals. But if he could bring out the bad in Cupid, he knew that there might finally be a way to defeat his brother.

So, when the time was right, Hades made his way to Athens, near Olympus, to look for Cupid. When he found him, Cupid was very surprised. He asked Hades what business he had with him. Hades then began to work his powers of evil persuasion on Cupid, telling him that he, Hades, was the only one who could ever understand Cupid’s feelings of jealousy towards Zeus because he had grown up with Zeus and knew how hard it was to be second best to him all the time. Sure enough, just as Hades had suspected, there was a very deep jealousy in Cupid for Zeus. And with that, Cupid made the mistake of opening himself up to the most evil god ever!!!!!

Before long, Cupid had become like clay in Hades’ hands. It was then that Hades told Cupid of his terrible plan for the two of them to overthrow Zeus. You see, Zeus had no weaknesses. He was stronger, wiser, quicker, and more powerful than any other god. That was why he was king. Hades had never been able to hurt him or outsmart him in any way, though he had tried over and over. But Cupid and his ability to cause people to fall instantly in love had given Hades a completely new idea on how to get Zeus. Hades told Cupid that all he had to do was to shoot Hera, Zeus’ wife, with an arrow and cause her to fall in love with him, Hades. Then, she would be willing to do anything for Hades, including telling him everything about Zeus’s army and when he was going to be away and anything else that might help him defeat Zeus. Cupid agreed that it was the perfect plan, so they went to work on it immediately.

Cupid returned to Olympus and acted as if nothing were different with him. He then met up with Hades just outside of town {Hades was forbidden to enter Olympus by Zeus}. They waited there for Queen Hera to come by as Cupid had asked her to meet him there for some made-up reason. When Hera arrived she was startled to see Hades there with Cupid, just outside the city gates. Her guards tried to capture both Hades and Cupid, but Hades was too powerful for them. Cupid then fired his arrow, and the fate of the world suddenly took a frightening turn. Hera immediately fell head-over-heels in love with the evil Hades. He and Cupid left with her for the Underworld as soon as they could.

When they arrived, Hades began to tell Hera what he wanted her to do. Hera didn’t want to leave Hades to return to Olympus, but was willing to do anything he asked. So she returned to Zeus, but only to spy for Hades. She did a very good job of fooling Zeus. She acted normal, just like Cupid had done when he returned from his meeting with Hades. Every night she would meet Hades at the edge of town and report to him about Zeus’s plans and schedule and the strength of his army. When Hades had all the information he needed, he told Hera to return to the Underworld with him and that soon they would rule all of Greece together. Hera didn’t remember anything of the love she once had for Zeus because of the power of Cupid’s arrow on her, so she was happy to go back with Hades.

Zeus was very worried when he realized his wife was missing. He began to send most of his army out to look for her. This was just what Hades had hoped Zeus would do. At that time, when most of Zeus’s army was busy looking for Hera, Hades, with his evil army, attacked Olympus! Zeus and his army, even though they were outnumbered, were still winning the battle quite easily. It was then that Hades rode to the front of the battle line with Hera on his horse with him. He rode right to the front to where Zeus could see him. Zeus ordered all his men to stop fighting when he saw his wife there, thinking that Hades had somehow captured her and was holding her hostage. Then Hades announced to Zeus that he could stop looking for his wife because the goddess of marriage would soon be having a second honeymoon... not with Zeus, but with him. When Zeus heard this, he was heartbroken and it seemed that all the fight went out of him. Without the leadership of Zeus, the army of Olympus soon lost to Hades and his army.

It was an awful time. Greece was being run by Hades, with Cupid as his assistant and Hera by his side. Zeus had run away to the edge of the world because he could not handle seeing Hera with Hades. Zeus did have a weakness after all; his heart. Things definitely seemed hopeless.

Zeus thought that he had no one left. All of his sons were killed by Hades’ army in the battle. His brother, Poseidon, was also dead. And, of course, his wife was now in love with his evil brother, Hades. However, Zeus also had a daughter, Athena. She was the goddess of wisdom and knew that there had to be some logical reason why her mother suddenly betrayed her father to be with someone as terrible as Hades. When she saw that Cupid was Hades' first assistant, she figured out exactly what had happened. She immediately went to search for her father.

When she found him, he looked like he was ready for death. She was very glad to be able to tell him what had happened. She explained to him that Hera had not willingly betrayed him, but that she had been double-crossed by Cupid and Hades and didn’t know what she was doing. Zeus was happy for a moment, but then he realized that even though they knew what had happened. There was still nothing he could do to get Hera back. Cupid was the one and only god of love and no one could undo a love that he had put together. But, at this point, with Zeus in the state he was in, Athena’s wisdom was greater than even his. Athena reminded her father that it was the love between him and her mother that had first inspired Cupid. Zeus then realized that if he could get to Cupid and kill him, then the spell of his arrow over Hera would be broken. “But what if killing Cupid takes all the love out of the entire world?” Zeus asked his loving daughter.

“With Hades in control, there is no room for true love anyway” she replied. Zeus knew she was right and he knew what he had to do. He would take the life of Cupid, the one who had betrayed him and the rest of the world. And he would hope that True Love would survive... even without a god of love.