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Jupiter Optimus Maximus
Jupiter is the supreme god of the Roman pantheon, called dies pater, "shining father". He is a god of
light and sky, and protector of the state and its laws. He is a son of Saturn and brother of Neptune and
Juno (who is also his wife).
The Romans worshipped him especially as Jupiter Optimus Maximus (all-good, all-powerful). This
name refers not only to his rulership over the universe, but also to his function as the god of the state
who distributes laws, controls the realm and makes his will known through oracles. His English name
is Jove.
The largest temple in Rome was that of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on the Capitoline Hill. Here he was
worshipped alongside Juno and Minerva, forming the Capitoline Triad. Temples to Jupiter Optimus
Maximus or the Capitoline Triad as a whole were commonly built by the Romans at the center of new
cities in their colonies.
His temple was not only the most important sanctuary in Rome; it was also the center of political life.
Here official offerings were made, treaties were signed and wars were declared, and the triumphant
generals of the Roman army came to give their thanks.
Other titles of Jupiter include: Caelestis (heavenly), Lucetius (of the light), Totans (thunderer),
Fulgurator (of the lightning). As Jupiter Victor he led the Roman army to victory. Jupiter is also the
protector of the ancient league of Latin cities. His attribute is the lightning bolt and the eagle is both his
symbol and his messenger.
Jupiter is identical with the Greek Zeus.
It was once believed that the Roman god Jupiter (Zeus in Greece) was in charge of cosmic Justice, and
in ancient Rome, people swore to Jove in their courts of law, which lead to the common expression "By
Jove," that many people use today.
References - Encyclopedia Mythica
February 2002 Jupiter King of the Gods and Planets
Jupiter ("Iuppater" in Latin) was the Roman counterpart of the Greek god Zeus. He is often called the
king of the gods, the thunderer, Pluvius (the storm god) but his name translates as either Law ["ius" in
Latin] Father ["pater" in Latin]. We get our words "just" and "justice" from the word "ius". One might
question how dedicated he was to the law, but Jupiter certainly left no doubt about his dedication to
fathering gods and mortals. Large portions of Roman and Greek mythology deal with Jupiter's amorous
liaisons and the consequential wrath of his wife Juno.
Much of the Solar System is named after Jupiter's family and his many mistresses and children. His
mother and father were Gaia [Earth] and Saturn. Uranus is his grandfather. Pluto and Neptune are his
brothers. Mars and Venus are his legitimate offspring with Juno. Mercury is Jupiter's son with Maia [a
Plieades sister]. Jupiter's moons (with the exception of Ganymede who is Jupiter's cup bearer) are
named after his mistresses, Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, Thebe, Io, Europa, Callisto, Leda, Himalia,
Lysithea, Elara, Anake, Carme, Pasiphae and Sinope.
I've covered the story of Jupiter's seduction of Alkmene with the help of Mercury last November.
Jupiter was too powerful to be harmed by his wife Juno but he had to be discrete because her rage was
taken out on the helpless girls that caught his eye. He often appeared in the guise of a someone or
something else. In the case of Alkmene, Jupiter chose the form of her husband Amphitrion. With Leda
who was tending her waterfowl, Jupiter appeared as a swan. With the shepardess Europa, he appeared
as a bull.
Sometimes the deceptions did not work very well. With Callisto a beautiful golden haired maiden, he
sired a young son Arctos. Juno learned of this and as usual she planned a terrible fate for Callisto.
Jupiter taking pity on Callisto hid her by changing her into a golden she-bear. Years later, young Arctos,
grown to manhood was the greatest hunter in Greece. One day while hunting he came upon Callisto
and desired her pelt. He nocked and arrow and shot. Jupiter saw the event and arrived as the arrow was
on its way. Grabbing Callisto by the tail he hurled her into the sky. This stretched her tail to a great
length. She became the Greater Bear [Ursa Major]. In time when Arctos grew old, Jupiter placed him in
the sky as her cub, the Lesser Bear [Ursa Minor]. The tail of the Greater Bear (the Big Dipper's handle)
still point to her son - the star Arcturos. Callisto herself is the most distant of Jupiter's four great moons.
The planet Jupiter is as predominant as its namesake. It still has not cooled from the time it was formed
almost five billion years ago. Jupiter emits twice as much electromagnetic radiation as the sunlight
which falls on it. In contrast, sunlight accounts for 98% of the emissions from Earth. This includes all
the heat generated by geothermal action and volcanoes as well as all the energy released by mankind.
Storms on Jupiter last centuries as the central heat wells up through the frigid outer layers. One storm
called the Great Red Spot has been seen since the invention of the telescope. It is so huge that you
could drop the Earth into it without touching the edges. Sustained winds above six hundred miles per
hour roar alongside the planet's equator.
Jupiter's greatest moon Ganymede has a diameter larger than Mercury or Pluto. Io, Europa and Callisto
have diamters that lie between these the two smallest planets. Io is the most active geological body in
the solar system. It has so much volcanic activity that it turns itself inside out every few million years.
[Earth has not managed this involution even once in a thousand times as many years.] Europa appears
to be a sphere largely composed of water with an icy crust several miles deep. If so, Europa's "ocean"
will hold more life giving water than all of Earth's oceans combined.
Deep inside Jupiter, the great pressure has compressed hydrogen into a form never seen under less
demanding conditions. This lightest of gasses becomes a metal. The core of Jupiter, including is layers
of metallic hypdrogen allow electrical currents to flow . Combined with the rapid rotation of the planet,
a huge electrical dynamo creates tremendous lighning bolts. These can been seen from spacecraft, but
even more startling, these lightning bolts can strike the innermost moons such as Io.
Jupiter is sufficient reason by himself to make a trip over to Frosty Drew Observatory on a Friday
evening. However, don't wait too long to make the trip. Each day that passes means that Jupiter sets
earlier and earlier. It will only be a few month until we will be forced to wait most of a year for his
return.