Io, like so many of Zeus’ mortal lovers, was born of gods. Io was a granddaughter of Oceanus. Her father was a god/king in Argos. Her mother was Melia, some river there in Argos. Io herself was some ‘great, great, great relation’ to many heroes including Jason and Heracles. As such, she grew up with Medea and Hebe. Often attending the same holidays and cotillions. She, like the others, had been worshipped since birth. She had always been beautiful and powerful. No surprise Zeus would take a fancy to her.

Io had been assigned to Hera’s temple in Argos. Sad to see her childhood friends sent elsewhere, she resigned herself to her duties.  But had yet to find friends in the area. She was alone, ironically near the stables. Io had been tending to the weekend’s sacrifices… when she ran into Zeus.

They had been close friends for a long time, and were intimately enjoying the reunion, until Hera appeared. Fuming, she demanded to know what was going on.  Zeus had known Hera was coming, and had already turned Io into a beautiful white heifer as his wife approached. “Nothing going on here,” Zeus said, slyly. Hera could see through the deceptions and asked, innocently, to be gifted the fabulous cow. Zeus could not refuse. He had to watch his lover led away – to eternal torment.

First, Hera set the 100 eyed Argus in charge of watching Io. Argus never slept. He herded the beautiful heifer – always pushing her. Never stopping, always wandering. Hera’s torment was just that – no home, no peace, always without rest. The pregnant Io wandered.

When he could bear the grief no more, Zeus sent Hermes to kill Argus and free his latest love interest.  Hera showed up just as Argus died. She set his 100 eyes in the feathers of the peacock’s tail, then sent a gadfly to forever sting the wretched Io who was still pregnant with the King of Egypt and his sister the founder of Byzantium.

Zeus commanded Hermes go back, and save Io this time.  Hermes feared the gadfly, so He asked Hebe for  this potion to drive the Infernal Pest away.