Random Most Epic Punishments Doled Out by Mythological Gods (17 items)

(#5) Hera Transformed Lamia Into A Monster

Zeus, the king of the gods, was not a very faithful husband. In fact, many women who were ill-fated enough to be his mistress (by will or by force) got caught by Zeus’s wife, Hera. Being a powerful goddess herself, Hera didn’t hold back from destroying her husband's mistresses. That brings us to the story of the poor Libyan queen, Lamia.

Upon finding out about Lamia’s affair with her husband, Hera transformed her into a gruesome creature with a craving to devour children, even her own.
(#8) Poseidon Cursed Pasiphae With Desire For A Bull

Pasiphae, the daughter of the Sun god Helios, married Minos, the king of Crete. The king had a white bull that he treasured so much that he refused to offer it as a sacrifice to Poseidon, the god of the sea. Enraged, the god cursed Minos's wife, making her long for the bull. The curse was so strong that Pasiphae did mate with the bull, causing her to bear a beastly offspring with the head of a bull and body of a man, called the Minotaur.
(#3) Zeus Bound Ixion To An Eternally Burning Wheel

One day, Zeus was kind enough to invite Ixion to Olympus as a guest. However, when the mortal saw Hera, Zeus’s wife, he was attracted to her and made his move to seduce her. Zeus decided to test Ixion’s loyalty and made a cloud copy of his wife. Ixion fell for it and somehow impregnated the cloud-Hera, who later bore the monster Centaurus.

Zeus blasted Ixion with his powerful lightning bolt and bound him to a burning wheel that would spin forever. Ixion was forced to repeat the words "Repay your benefactor frequently with gentle favors in return" for eternity.
(#14) Apollo Gave Cassandra The Gift Of Prophecy, But Made No One Believe Her

Cassandra was a mortal who agreed to sleep with Apollo if he gave her the ability to see the future. He gave her the ability, but he did it before they were intimate, so she reneged on her part of the bargain. Rather than taking her gift away, Apollo did something even crueler: he made it so no one would ever believe her visions, even though they were true. This left Cassandra to wallow in her own frustration.
(#16) Demeter Turned Minthe Into A Plant For Being Boastful

Minthe lived in the underworld as Hades’s lover. However, the poor nymph was abandoned by the underworld god when he fell in love with the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, Persephone. Furious, Minthe boasted that she was more beautiful than Persephone and that she could win Hades back. Demeter was enraged by Minthe’s claims and turned her into a mint plant.
(#2) Apollo Flayed Marsyas Alive, Then Turned Him Into A Stream

After he accidentally discovered a flute cast away by Athena, Marsyas was reckless enough to challenge Apollo to a contest. The two agreed to the terms that the winner could do anything to the defeated one. Naturally, Marsyas lost to the god. As punishment, Marsyas was skinned alive. Apollo then transformed him into a stream.