With that the son of Cronus caught his wife in his arms
and under them now the holy earth burst with fresh green grass,
crocus and hyacinth, clover soaked with dew, so thick and soft
…And so, deep in peace,
the Father slept on Gargaron peak, conquered by Sleep
and strong assaults of Love, his wife locked in his arms.
– Homer
The Iliad, Book 14, lines 413-415, 419-21. After making love to Hera, Zeus falls asleep locked in his wife’s arms on a bed of soft fresh grass, crocus and hyacinth. It all sounds very romantic. But is part of a plot by the deities to get Zeus out of the picture so that Poseidon can meddle in the Trojan war and steer the Achaeans to victory.