Why the River Inachos in Arcadia is Dry~
Although Zeus loved Hera (his wife) he had a tendency to disguise himself and marry the mortal girls in Greece. Because of this Zeus had many wives and children, Hera tormented each and every one of them, and Zeus could not stop it. On one occasion, to protect one of his brides, Io, Zeus turned her into a cow, but Hera was not deceived. She begged Zeus to let her keep the cow for herself and since Zeus could not refuse her, he agreed. She put the cow under the watchful eye of her most trusted servant, Argus, who had 100 eyes, and never closed more that half at a time. Zeus could not bear to see his bride in distress, so he sent Hermes, the most clever of his sons, to set her free. Hermes dressed up as a Shepherd, and sat down next to Argus. Then he proceeded to tell a long and dull story. Hermes went on and on, and slowly all 100 eyes shut. Hermes touched all Argus’ eyes with his magic wand and closed them forever. Argus had been bored to death. Hermes untied the cow, and Io, ran home to her father. When her father finally recognized her, he was furious at Zeus. Inachos, Io’s father, rose out of his riverbed and flew at Zeus so fast, that Zeus could only throw a thunderbolt, and since then the river Inachos in Arcadia has been dry. Hera was so furious, she sent a deadly gadfly, to chase the cow, Io ran across the strait that separated Europe and Asia Minor and still being pursued by the fly, found her way to Egypt where the Egyptians saw the white cow and named her a goddess. Zeus returned her to her human form, and she became the goddess-queen of Egypt, and the son she bore to Zeus became King. Hera, deciding not to allow her faithful servant Argus to be forgotten, took all his eyes and put them on the tail of a peacock