Hebe
Hebe was the Greek goddess of youth. She would never get older than 18 and could party all night long without losing energy or any of her clothes. Hebe led a relatively sheltered life, as deities go, until her parents matched her up with...Heracles as a reward for the latter's heroic career.
Family[edit]
Hebe was the youngest daughter of Zeus and Hera. Legend says Hera conceived Hebe after a lettuce-induced mania. Hebe's brothers were battle-bloody Ares and metal-basher Hephaestus. Hebe also had an elder sister called Eris, whose middle name and life's calling was 'Chaos'.
Hebe spent most of her time on Mount Olympus as basically a domestic servant. Her mother took the bulk of Hebe's attention. Hebe made sure Hera didn't catch any of her robes in the chariot wheels, and ran Ares's bath after he came back from a hard day killing people. She was also tasked to keep the gods' ambrosia and nectar flowing, and especially keep her father in good humour. The other gods liked the inoffensive Hebe. She formed a close relationship with Aphrodite. The Goddess of Love would often invite Hebe to accompany her to wild dancing classes or to visit her various earthly pieds-à-terre to check out the male talent.
Marriage[edit]
Hebe was expected to marry one of her brothers — the Olympians were an incestous bunch. However, Zeus actively disliked both his sons (at least those by Hera) and ruled that out. Instead, Hebe fell for Heracles. She kept her crush secret, as her mother hated him. When Heracles (the mortal version) died, Hebe borrowed a chariot and swooped to bring Heracles (the immortal, expansion pack version) from Earth up to Mount Olympus. Hebe restored the formerly aging hero with scars and a paunch to his youthful version. Shortly afterwards, the couple got married. This left Zeus without a cupbearer. He kidnapped Ganymede from Troy to fill the vacancy without a finders' fee.
Family life[edit]
According to the mythographers of Ancient Greece, Hebe and Heracles went on to have two children. Since nothing heroic is recorded for them, it is believed the family drifted into obscurity until Christianity closed all the pagan temples and smashed up their statues.
