Greek mythology:
- Zeus: The king of the gods, Zeus, had numerous romantic encounters with mortal women. Some notable examples include:
- Leda: Zeus seduced Leda in the form of a swan, and she gave birth to Helen of Troy.
- Semele: Zeus's love for Semele led to her death when she insisted on seeing him in his true form. However, Zeus saved their unborn son, Dionysus, and sewed him into his thigh until he was ready to be born.
- Alcmene: Zeus disguised himself as her husband, Amphitryon, to conceive Heracles (Hercules), who became a renowned hero.
Roman mythology:
- Venus (Aphrodite): The goddess of love and beauty, Venus, had several romantic relationships with mortals, including:
- Anchises: Venus fell in love with Anchises, a mortal shepherd, and they had a son named Aeneas, who became a hero of the Trojan War.
- Adonis: Venus's love for Adonis, a beautiful youth, led to his death when he was attacked by a wild boar.
Hindu mythology:
- Krishna: The divine incarnation of Vishnu, Krishna, had several relationships with mortal women, often as a symbol of his love and compassion for humanity. Some notable examples include:
- Radha: Krishna's eternal consort and the embodiment of divine love.
- Rukmini: Krishna's wife and a princess who chose him as her husband.
Japanese mythology:
- Izanagi and Izanami: These two deities are considered the creators of the Japanese islands. Izanagi's grief over Izanami's death in childbirth led him to travel to the underworld to bring her back, but ultimately failed due to his inability to follow the instructions given to him.
These are just a few examples from a vast array of mythological tales involving gods and goddesses who fell in love with humans. While these stories may be fictional or allegorical in nature, they reflect human curiosity and fascination with the idea of divine-human relationships.