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Hera   Juno    
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You will feel pain, misery, and loss beyond anything you've ever known. But you might have a chance to save your old friends and family.

–Juno, to Percy Jackson in The Son of Neptune.

Ceres Juno is Hera's Roman counterpart. While the Greeks envisioned Hera as imperious and proud, the Romans saw her counterpart as the patron goddess of Rome. As Juno, she becomes more disciplined, militaristic, and warlike.

History

Juno is a Roman goddess, the queen of the gods and protectress of women, mother to Mars and the wife of Jupiter. She was believed to watch over and guard the life of every woman from her birth to her death. Juno was apart of the Capitoline Triad alongside Jupiter and Minerva, and the three deities were regarded as guardians of the state.

Temple of Jupiter small

Jupiter, her brother and husband.

Juno has many epithets and an extensive history of worship in Rome. She was widely worshiped among the Romans and her cult was also important among the Etruscans. The first days of each Roman month, the kalends, were sacred to Juno, as was the month of June, which is named after her. As she is the Roman goddess of marriage, it is no coincidence that June is still considered the proper month for weddings. Five cities in Latium (the region of the Latin tribe) also named a month for Juno: Aricia, on the Via Appia; Lanuvium, where she was worshiped as Juno Sospita (“the Saviour”), Praeneste (modern Palestrina), Tibur (modern Tivoli, the resort town of Rome), and Laurentum, located between Lavinium and Ostia on the coast.

The principal temples dedicated to her were in Rome, one being erected on the Aventine Hill and the other on the Capitoline, which she shared with Jupiter and Minerva. She had also a temple on the Arx, in which she was worshiped as Juno Moneta (“the Warner”). Adjacent to this shrine was the public mint. On the first of March, a grand annual festival called the Matronalia was celebrated in her honor by all the married women of Rome. This religious institution was accompanied with much solemnity.

In the Series

Some time before the start of the series, Juno learned of the seven demigods who would be needed to battle the forces of Gaea by the Fates. In response, she started working behind Jupiter's back and began to prepare them for the coming battle.

She appeared to a child of Mars named Frank Zhang and told his mother Emily Zhang, that his life force was tied to one of the sticks in the fire, and once it burned up, he would die. Frank's grandmother quickly took the burned piece of wood from the fire, and Emily kept it until she went to war in Afghanistan, upon which Emily gave it to Grandma Zhang to give to Frank if she did not come back. After Emily's death, Frank brought the stick with him to Camp Jupiter.

After the Second Titan War, she came up with a plan to make Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter work together. However she was captured by Gaea with the help of the snow goddess Khione, and Gaea began to drain Juno's power to raise Porphyrion. Juno managed to save up enough energy to send Jason Grace to Piper McLean and Leo Valdez, where he would be taken to Camp Half-Blood. A few days earlier, she had also transported Percy Jackson away from Camp Half-Blood and put him to sleep until the time was right.

The Heroes of Olympus

The Lost Hero

Hera

Hera, her Greek counterpart.

After arriving at Camp Half-Blood, Jason is taken to have a private conversation with Chiron. During the conversation, time froze and a woman in goat fur appeared before Jason, introducing herself as his patron and claiming time was short, as her cage grows stronger. Jason misinterpreted this as meaning she was imprisoned and shouldn't help her, but she explained that as long as she was captured, he would never get his memory back. She then vanished shortly after and Jason explained to Chiron what had happened. While the goat skin meant nothing to Annabeth Chase, Chiron explained that goats were sacred to Juno, Hera's Roman form. He then suggested that Jason should see Clovis, son of Hypnos, for help with Jason's memories.

At the same time as Jason's vision, Juno also appeared to both Piper and Leo. She appeared in the form of Leo's old babysitter, Tía Callida, but no one else could see her but Leo. She also sent a message to Piper, speaking through Rachel Elizabeth Dare, telling her not to betray her as letting the Gigantes have their way would result in the end of the world.

While visiting Clovis, Jason learned that the gods have different aspects of themselves and how the gods are both Greek and Roman. He also informed them that only a goddess would have the power to steal memories and that if it was Hera, he hoped that she was in a Hera mood, not a Juno mood due to their differing personalities.

After returning from the quest by saving Hera, Jason is visited by Juno, who promises she is watching over him as his patron and gives him a new gladius to replace his old weapon before Piper comes to bring him to the council meeting of cabin leaders.

The Son of Neptune

Jason Grace-Viria

Jason Grace, her champion.

Percy stumbled upon an old 'hippie' lady named June who in reality is Juno in disguise. June gives him a choice: he can either carry her to the safety of Camp Jupiter across the highway and Tiber River to regain his memory and, eventually, save the world, or retreat to the safety of the sea and live a long, happy life. Percy eventually chooses to carry her, but is almost killed by the Gorgons along the way.

When Percy arrived at Camp Jupiter, the old woman, being carried to safety by Percy, reveals herself as the goddess Juno. Juno tells the camp that Percy is a son of Neptune and that he had been slumbering for months.

After Percy saved the camp and was elected praetor, she appeared again to Percy in his dream. Percy tried to attack her with water because she stole several months of his life, but she explained that she was working behind Jupiter's back and trying to keep him safe, which would have been harder if he was awake. He needed to be woken at the right time or her plan to combine the two camp's forces wouldn't have worked. She also gave Percy some information about Annabeth, saying she would cause problems when he went to Rome, but Percy didn't believe her and once again tried to attack her, but she simply vanished from his dream.

The Mark of Athena

Neither Juno or Hera are seen or heard from the seven demigods due to the brewing war between the Greeks and Romans. Nemesis states that she fled Olympus to escape the other gods wrath. She is presumably split between her two personalities as of now. Sammy Valdez also mentions that she, disguised as Tìa Callida, informed him that he would not live to see Hazel's great danger. When Piper and Jason meet Hercules they mention that they are on a quest for Hera. Hercules states that he never does anything that helps Hera.

The Blood of Olympus

After returning from the House of Hades, Jason recalls his nightmares of Juno assuming her divine form in the Wolf House, claiming that Jason's life belongs to her as an appeasement from his father.

After Odysseus' palace is cleared of evil spirits, Juno is summoned by a wounded Jason through the sacred marriage bed of Penelope and Odysseus. Her presence is coldly regarded by Annabeth, to whom she responds with mutual dislike. Piper asks Juno to heal Jason, but the goddess says that it's beyond her power to do so.

Juno further explains that her Greek and Roman aspects have been conflicting with each other, but the sacred marriage bed of Penelope and Odysseus has provided her temporary relief. She advises the heroes to sail around the Peloponnese and seek out Nike in Olympia. However, before she can fully explain the situation, Juno claims she must flee before Jupiter finds her. Before completely disappearing, the goddess gives the heroes one final piece of advice on their quest: to find Artemis and Apollo on the island of Delos.

The Trials of Apollo

The Tyrant's Tomb

While considering which god to summon for help in the Battle of San Francisco Bay, Apollo immediately rejects Juno as an obvious no.

Later, while discussing how Frank Zhang survived burning his stick, Apollo suggests that Juno may have intervened to release Frank from the Fates' decree, although he finds this to be less likely than Frank breaking free of his fate and creating a new destiny for himself. However, Apollo acknowledges that Juno has a soft spot for Frank so it's possible that she did in fact intervene to save him. Hazel gets upset, remembering that Juno also had a soft spot for Jason, making Frank's miraculous survival feel all the more unfair and painful.

The Tower of Nero

Juno's favor and care for her chosen champion Jason Grace is shown to have carried over into her Greek self Hera. As a result, Hera is deeply upset over Jason's loss and enraged at Zeus' seeming lack of caring.

Appearance

In The Lost Hero, Juno appeared mostly in black robes and a goat skin cloak, carrying a Roman gladius with her before giving it to Jason. While her eyes couldn't be seen, they glowed in the darkness.

When she appeared at Camp Jupiter, Juno stood at about seven feet tall, while her face was stern and stately. She was dressed in a blue dress with a cloak made of goat skin, which hung over her shoulders, and her hand held a staff with a white lotus flower on top.

Personality

Much like her Greek aspect, Juno is very much into the idea of a perfect family and the protection of her Olympian family. She is also very sure of herself. She is still bitter toward most heroes, because her faithfulness to her husband, meaning she can't have any demigod children. She says she and Hera and just choose to handle matters with very different strategies.[1]

Unlike Hera, Juno is willing to go behind her husband's back in order to further her own goals. She is even more severe and demanding, regarding her own sons, Mars and Vulcan, as disappointments.

Attributes

Juno is generally pictured like a matron, with a grave and majestic air, sometimes with a scepter in her hand, and a veil on her head. Homer represents her in a chariot adorned with gems, having wheels of ebony, nails of silver, and horses with reins of gold, though more commonly her chariot is drawn by peacocks, her favorite birds. Hera is represented also with a spear in her hand and sometimes with a patĕra, as if she were about to sacrifice. On some medals she has a peacock at her feet, and sometimes holds the Palladium.

Various Aspects of Juno

  • Abeona
  • Adiona
  • Caelestis
  • Capitolina
  • Caprotina
  • Cinxia
  • Conciliatrix
  • Conservatrix
  • Cuba
  • Cunina
  • Cupra
  • Curiatia
  • Curitis
  • Regina


Trivia

  • Jason Grace was named after the original Jason, Juno's favorite hero, in an attempt to placate her rage, much like Hercules. Unlike Hercules and his other illegitimate siblings, Juno did not try to kill Jason and instead considered him her champion as Jupiter gave his life to her. She becomes fond of the demigod and constantly helped him throughout the series. This care extends to her Hera aspect who was shown to be deeply grieving the loss of Jason.
  • In The Lost Hero, Juno referred to Ares and Hephaestus as her children while talking to Jason, though she should have called them by their Roman names, Mars and Vulcan respectively. It is possible she did this because Jason was at Camp Half-Blood at the time or it could be a simple error.
  • Juno appears as a character in William Shakespeare's play The Tempest.

References

The Heroes of Olympus
Core Series: The Lost Hero | The Son of Neptune | The Mark of Athena | The House of Hades | The Blood of Olympus
Main Characters: Jason Grace | Piper McLean | Leo Valdez | Percy Jackson | Frank Zhang | Hazel Levesque | Annabeth Chase | Iapetus/Bob | Reyna Ramírez-Arellano | Nico di Angelo | Gleeson Hedge
Secondary Characters: Hylla Ramírez-Arellano | Dakota | Tyson | Ella | Octavian | Halcyon Green | Dr. Howard Claymore | Alabaster C. Torrington | Lamia
Minor Characters: Rachel Elizabeth Dare | Grover Underwood | Thalia Grace | Clarisse La Rue | Fleecy | Mrs. O'Leary | Kinzie | Arion | Calypso | Lou Ellen Blackstone | Chiron | Will Solace | Tristan McLean | Don | Julia | Jacob | Michael Varus | Burly Black | Medea | Midas | Lityerses | Phineas | Otrera | Echo | Narcissus | Sciron | Pasiphaë | Lycaon
Olympian Gods: Zeus | Hera | Poseidon | Hades | Ares | Demeter | Athena | Apollo | Artemis | Hephaestus | Aphrodite | Hermes | Dionysus
Minor Gods: Achelous | Aeolus | Asclepius | Boreas | Eurus | Hecate | Iris | Hypnos | Keto | Khione | Kymopoleia | Mithras | Nemesis | Nike | Notus | Phorcys | Serapis | Thanatos | Triptolemus | Zephyros
Roman Gods: Jupiter | Juno | Neptune | Pluto | Mars | Minerva | Ceres | Lupa | Bellona | Fortuna | Janus | Terminus | Vulcan | Mercury | Apollo (Roman) | Diana | Venus | Bacchus | Pomona | Aquilon | Hercules | Cupid | Auster | Favonius | Letus | Victoria
Giants: Enceladus | Porphyrion | Alcyoneus | Polybotes | Ephialtes | Otis | Damasen | Clytius | Mimas | Orion | Hippolytos | Thoon | Periboia
Undead: Gray | Zombie
Primordial Gods: Gaea | Tartarus | Ourae | Nyx | Chaos | Ouranos | Akhlys | Hemera | Elpis | Spes
Monsters and Magical Creatures: Cynocephali | Gorgon | Gryphon | Harpy | Basilisk | Lycanthrope | Gegeines | Cyclops | Katobleps | Unicorn | Giant Eagle | Ichthyocentaur | Satyr/Faun | Storm Spirit | Laistrygonian Giant | Lares
Related Content: Rick Riordan | Haley Riordan | Percy Jackson and the Olympians | Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Ultimate Guide | The Demigod Files | The Demigod Diaries | The Son of Sobek | The Singer of Apollo | The Staff of Serapis | Percy Jackson's Greek Gods | Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes | The Crown of Ptolemy | Demigods & Magicians | Demigods of Olympus | Percy Jackson Demigod Collection
The Trials of Apollo
Core Series: The Hidden Oracle | The Dark Prophecy | The Burning Maze | The Tyrant's Tomb | The Tower of Nero
Main Characters: Apollo/Lester Papadopolous | Meg McCaffrey | Percy Jackson | Peaches | Leo Valdez | Calypso | Grover Underwood | Piper McLean | Jason Grace | Reyna Ramírez-Arellano | Frank Zhang | Hazel Levesque | Lavinia Asimov | Nico di Angelo | Will Solace | Rachel Elizabeth Dare
Secondary Characters: Chiron | Austin Lake | Kayla Knowles | Hemithea | Josephine | Georgina | Lityerses | Trophonius | Gleeson Hedge | Mellie | Chuck Hedge | Medea | Herophile | Crest | Don | Tyson | Ella | Tarquin | Luguselwa | Claudia | Janice | Blaise
Minor Characters: Sally Jackson | Thalia Grace | Mrs. O'Leary | Festus | Cade | Mikey | Harley | Connor Stoll | Miranda Gardiner | Cecil Markowitz | Ellis Wakefield | Sherman Yang | Damien White | Malcolm Pace | Paolo Montes | Valentina Diaz | Germani | Agamethus | Olujime | Phillip McCaffrey | Hunter Kowalski | Sssssarah | Prickly Pear | Aloe Vera | Joshua | Naevius Sutorius Macro | Incitatus | Tristan McLean | Bombilo | Aurum | Argentum | Julia | Jacob | Dakota | Poison Oak | Screech-Bling | Annabeth Chase | Elon | Mamurius Veturius | Mimi
Olympian Gods (Greek & Roman): Zeus/Jupiter | Hera/Juno | Poseidon/Neptune | Demeter/Ceres | Ares/Mars | Athena/Minerva | Apollo/Apollo (Roman) | Artemis/Diana | Hephaestus/Vulcan | Aphrodite/Venus | Hermes/Mercury | Dionysus/Bacchus | Hades/Pluto
Minor Gods: Nero | Commodus | Caligula | Iris | Britomartis | Styx | Terminus | Lupa | Terpsichore | Harpocrates | Cardea
Titans: Rhea | Leto | Mnemosyne | Helios
Monsters and Magical Creatures: Python | Nosoi | Karpos | Palikos | Myrmekes | Colossus Neronis | Blemmyae | Gryphon | Carthaginian Serpent | Scythian Dracaena | Cynocephali | Centaur | Cyclops | Yale | Satyr/Faun | Strix | Dryad | Dragon | Pandai | Eurynomos | Skeleton Warriors | Vrykolakai | Khromandae | Amphisbaena | Troglodyte | Tauri Sylvestres
Related Content: Rick Riordan | Percy Jackson and the Olympians | The Heroes of Olympus | Demigods & Magicians | Camp Half-Blood Confidential | Camp Jupiter Classified: A Probatio's Journal | Percy Jackson Demigod Collection | Un Natale Mezzosangue | The Sun and the Star: A Nico di Angelo Adventure
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