Minos, illustration by Gustave Doré for Dante Alighieri's Inferno.

In Greek mythology, Minos (Ancient Greek: Μίνως, Minōs) was a king of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa. Every nine years he made King Aegeus pick seven men and seven women to go to Daedalus' creation, the labyrinth, to be eaten by The Minotaur. After his death, Minos became a judge of the dead in Hades. The Minoan civilization of Crete has been named after him by the archaeologist Arthur Evans. By his wife, Pasiphaë (or some say Crete), he fathered Ariadne, Androgeus, Deucalion, Phaedra, Glaucus, Catreus, Acacallis and Xenodike. By a nymph, Pareia, he had four sons, Eurymedon, Nephalion, Chryses and Philolaus, who were killed by Heracles in revenge for the murder of the latter's two companions; and by Dexithea, one of the Telchines, he had a son Euxanthius.^[1] By Androgeneia of Phaestus he had Asterion, who commanded the Cretan contingent in the war between Dionysus and the Indians^[2]. Also given as his children are Euryale, possibly the mother of Orion with Poseidon^[3], and Pholegander, eponym of the island Pholegandros^[4].

Minos, along with his brothers, Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon, was raised by king Asterion (or Asterius) of Crete. When Asterion died, his throne was claimed by Minos^[5] who banished Sarpedon and, according to some sources, Rhadamanthys too.

Etymology[link]

Minos is the Cretan word for "king",^[6] or indeed, to take a euhemerist position, the name of a particular king that was subsequently used as a title. There is a name in Minoan Linear A mi-nu-te that may be related to Minos. According to La Marle's reading of Linear A,^[7] which have been heavily criticised as arbitrary ^[8] we should read mwi-nu ro-ja (Minos the king) on a Linear A tablet. The royal title ro-ja is read on several documents, including on stone libation tables from the sanctuaries, where it follows the name of the main god, Asirai (the equivalent of Sanskrit Asura, and of Avestan Ahura). La Marle suggests that the name mwi-nu (Minos) is expected to mean 'ascetic' as Sanskrit muni, and fits this explanation to the legend about Minos sometimes living in caves on Crete.^[9] If royal succession in Minoan Crete descended matrilinearly— from the queen to her firstborn daughter— the queen's husband would have become the Minos, or war chief. Some scholars see a connection between Minos and the names of other ancient founder-kings, such as Menes of Egypt, Mannus of Germany, and Manu of India,^[10][11] and even with Meon of Phrygia and Lydia (after him named Maeonia), Mizraim of Egypt in the Book of Genesis and the Canaanite deity Baal Meon.^[12]

The literary Minos[link]

17th-century engraving of Scylla falling in love with Minos

Minos appears in Greek literature as the king of Knossos as early as Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.^[13] Thucydides tells us Minos was the most ancient man known to build a navy.^[14] He reigned over Crete and the islands of the Aegean Sea three generations before the Trojan War. He lived at Knossos for periods of nine years, where he received instruction from Zeus in the legislation which he gave to the island. He was the author of the Cretan constitution and the founder of its naval supremacy.^[14][15]

On the Athenian stage Minos is a cruel tyrant,^[16] the heartless exactor of the tribute of Athenian youths to feed to the Minotaur.

To reconcile the contradictory aspects of his character, as well as to explain how Minos governed Crete over a period spanning so many generations, two kings of the name of Minos were assumed by later poets and rationalizing mythologists, such as Diodorus Siculus^[17] and Plutarch— "putting aside the mythological element", as he claims— in his life of Theseus.^[18] According to this view, the first King Minos was the son of Zeus and Europa and brother of Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon. This was the 'good' king Minos, and he was held in such esteem by the Olympian gods that, after he died, he was made one of the three 'Judges of the Dead',^[19] alongside his brother Rhadamanthys and half-brother Aeacus. The wife of this 'Minos I' was said to be Itone (daughter of Lyctius) or Crete (a nymph or daughter of his stepfather Asterion), and he had a single son named Lycastus, his successor as King of Crete. Lycastus had a son named Minos, after his grandfather, born by Lycastus' wife, Ida, daughter of Corybas. This 'Minos II'— the 'bad' king Minos— is the son of this Lycastus, and was a far more colorful character than his father and grandfather. It would be to this Minos that we owe the myths of Theseus, Pasiphaë, the Minotaur, Daedalus, Glaucus, and Nisus. Unlike Minos I, Minos II fathered numerous children, including Androgeus, Catreus, Deucalion, Ariadne, Phaedra, and Glaucus — all born to him by his wife Pasiphaë. He was the grandfather of King Idomeneus, who led the Cretans to the Trojan War.

Doubtless there is a considerable historical element in the legend, perhaps in the Phoenician origin of Europa; it is possible that not only Athens, but Mycenae itself, were once culturally bound to the kings of Knossos, as Minoan objects appear at Mycenaean sites.

Minos himself is said to have died at Camicus in Sicily, whither he had gone in pursuit of Daedalus, who had given Ariadne the clue by which she guided Theseus through the labyrinth. He was killed by the daughter of Cocalus, king of Agrigentum, who poured boiling water over him while he was taking a bath.^[20] Subsequently his remains were sent back to the Cretans, who placed them in a sarcophagus, on which was inscribed: "The tomb of Minos, the son of Zeus."

The earlier legend knows Minos as a beneficent ruler, legislator, and suppressor of piracy.^[21] His constitution was said to have formed the basis of that of Lycurgus for Sparta.^[22] In accordance with this, after his death he became judge of the shades in the underworld.^[23] In later versions, Aeacus and Rhadamanthus were made judges as well, with Minos leading as the "appeals court" judge.^[24]

The mythological Minos[link]

Asterios, king of Crete, adopted the three sons of Zeus and Europa, Minos, Sarpedon and Rhadamanthus. According to the Odyssey he spoke with Zeus every nine years or for nine years. He got his laws straight from Zeus himself. When Minos' son Androgeos had won the Panathenaeic Games the king, Aegeus, sent him to Marathon to fight a bull, resulting in the death of Androgeos. Outraged, Minos went to Athens to avenge his son, and on the way he camped at Megara where Nisos lived. Learning that Nisos' strength came from his hair, Minos gained the love of Scylla and her aid in cutting off her father's hair so that he could conquer the city. After his triumph, he punished Scylla for her treachery against her father by tying her to a boat and dragging her until she drowned. On arriving in Attica, he asked Zeus to punish the city, and the god struck it with plague and hunger. An oracle told the Athenians to meet any of Minos' demands if they wanted to escape the punishment. Minos then asked Athens to send seven boys and seven girls to Crete every nine years to be sacrificed to the Minotaur, the offspring from the zoophilic encounter of Minos' wife Pasiphae with a certain bull that the king refused to sacrifice to Poseidon, which he had placed within a labyrinth he commanded his architect Daedalus to build. The Minotaur was defeated by the hero Theseus with the help of Minos' daughter Ariadne.

Glaucus[link]

One day, Glaucus was playing with a ball^[25] or mouse^[26] and suddenly disappeared. The Curetes told the Cretans "A marvelous creature has been born amongst you: whoever finds the true likeness for this creature will also find the child."

Polyidus of Argos observed the similarity of a newborn calf in Minos' herd, colored white and red and black, to the ripening of the fruit of the bramble plant, and so Minos sent him to find Glaucus.

Searching for the boy, Polyidus saw an owl driving bees away from a wine-cellar in Minos' palace. Inside the wine-cellar was a cask of honey, with Glaucus dead inside. Minos demanded Glaucus be brought back to life, though Polyidus objected. Minos shut Polyidus up in the wine-cellar with a sword. When a snake appeared nearby, Polyidus killed it with the sword. Another snake came for the first, and after seeing its mate dead, the second serpent left and brought back an herb which brought the first snake back to life. Following this example, Polyidus used the same herb to resurrect Glaucus.

Minos refused to let Polyidus leave Crete until he taught Glaucus the art of divination. Polyidus did so, but then, at the last moment before leaving, he asked Glaucus to spit in his mouth. Glaucus did so, and forgot everything he had been taught.

Poseidon, Daedalus and Pasiphaë[link]

Minos justified his accession as king and prayed to Poseidon for a sign. Poseidon sent a giant white bull out of the sea.^[27] Minos was committed to sacrificing the bull to Poseidon,^[28] but then decided to substitute a different bull. In rage, Poseidon cursed Pasiphaë, Minos' wife, with zoophilia. Daedalus built her a wooden cow, which she hid inside. The bull mated with the wooden cow and Pasiphaë was impregnated by the bull, giving birth to a horrible monster, again named Asterius,^[29] the Minotaur, half man half bull. Daedalus then built a complicated "chamber that with its tangled windings perplexed the outward way"^[30] called the Labyrinth, and Minos put the Minotaur in it. To make sure no one would ever know the secret of who the Minotaur was and how to get out of the Labyrinth (Daedalus knew both of these things), Minos imprisoned Daedalus and his son, Icarus, along with the monster. Daedalus and Icarus flew away on wings Daedalus invented, but Icarus' wings melted because he flew too close to the sun. Icarus fell in the sea and drowned.

Theseus[link]

Amphora showing Theseus slaying the Minotaur, 460 BC. Ref:1837,0609.57 .

Minos' son Androgeus won every game in a contest hosted by Aegeas of Athens. Alternatively, the other contestants were jealous of Androgeus and killed him. Minos was angry and declared war on Athens. He offered the Athenians peace if they sent Minos seven young men and seven virgin maidens to feed the Minotaur every nine years (which corresponded directly to the Minoans' meticulous records of lunar alignments - a full moon falls on the equinoxes once every eight years). This continued until Theseus killed the Minotaur with the help of Ariadne, Minos' lovestruck daughter.

Nisus[link]

Minos was also part of the King Nisus story. Nisus was King of Megara, and he was invincible as long as a lock of crimson hair still existed, hidden in his white hair. Minos attacked Megara but Nisus knew he could not be beaten because he still had his lock of crimson hair.^[31] His daughter, Scylla, fell in love with Minos and proved it by cutting the crimson hair off her father's head. Nisus died and Megara fell to Crete. Minos spurned Scylla for disobeying her father. She was changed into a shearer bird, relentlessly pursued by her father, who was a falcon.

The death of Minos[link]

Palace of Minos

Minos searched for Daedalus by travelling from city to city asking a riddle; he presented a spiral seashell and asked for it to be strung all the way through. When he reached Camicus, Sicily, King Cocalus, knowing Daedalus would be able to solve the riddle, fetched the old man. He tied the string to an ant, which walked through the seashell, stringing it all the way through. Minos then knew Daedalus was in the court of King Cocalus and demanded he be handed over. Cocalus managed to convince him to take a bath first; then Cocalus' daughters and Daedalus, with Minos trapped in the bath, scalded him to death with boiling water.

After his death, Minos became a judge of the dead in Hades together with Aeacus and Rhadamanthus. Radamanthus judged the souls of Asians, Aeacus judged Europeans and Minos had the deciding vote. ^[32]

Minos in art[link]

On Cretan coins, Minos is represented as bearded, wearing a diadem, curly-haired, haughty and dignified, like the traditional portraits of his reputed father, Zeus. On painted vases and sarcophagus bas-reliefs he frequently occurs with Aeacus and Rhadamanthus as judges of the underworld and in connection with the Minotaur and Theseus.

In Michelangelo's famous fresco, The Last Judgment (located in the Sistine Chapel), Minos appears as judge of the underworld, surrounded by a crowd of devils. With his tail coiled around him, Minos judges the damned as they are brought down to hell (see Divine Comedy, First Circle).

In poetry[link]

In the Aeneid of Virgil, Minos was the judge of those who had been given the death penalty on a false charge - Minos sits with a gigantic urn, and decides whether a soul should go to Elysium or Tartarus with the help of a silent jury. Radamanthus, his brother, is a judge at Tartarus who decides upon suitable punishments for sinners there.^[33]

In Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy story Inferno, Minos is depicted with having a snake-like tail. He sits at the entrance to the second circle in the Inferno, which is the beginning of Hell proper. Here, he judges the sins of each soul and assigns it to its rightful punishment by indicating the circle to which it must descend. He does this by circling his tail around his own body the appropriate number of times. He can also speak, to clarify the soul's location within the circle indicated by the wrapping of his tail.^[34]

In books[link]

• Minos appeared as an antagonist against Percy Jackson in The Battle of the Labyrinth, the fourth book in the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. Minos appeared to be helping the character Nico di Angelo raise his sister, who died in The Titan's Curse. It was later revealed that he was working with Luke Castellan to destroy Olympus. He revealed that he only helped Nico to trick him into killing Daedalus so he would come back instead of Bianca.

• King Minos and the Minotaur appear in In the Grip of the Minotaur by Farnham Bishop and Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur, a novel which was serialized in Adventure magazine in 1916. Set around 1400 B.C., it tells the story of a group of Northmen who visit the ancient Mediterranean on a trading mission and become embroiled in intrigues between the rising power of Troy and the mistress of the Mediterranean, Crete. Brodeur was a professor at Berkeley who translated Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson and was a well-known Beowulf scholar. The novel was printed in book form for the first time in 2010 (ISBN 978-1-928619-98-7) by Black Dog Books.

• In Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves, the story of Minos and the Minotaur is referenced several times, both accurately and inaccurately, when Zampanó discusses the thematic similarities between it and the house's labyrinth.

Notes[link]

References[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Minos

• Apollodorus, Apollodorus, The Library, with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921.
• Herodotus, Herodotus, with an English translation by A. D. Godley, Cambridge. Harvard University Press. 1920.
• Homer, The Iliad with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, Ph.D. in two volumes, Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1924.
• Homer, The Odyssey with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, PH.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1919.
• Hyginus, Gaius Julius, The Myths of Hyginus. Edited and translated by Mary A. Grant, Lawrence: University of Kansas Press, 1960.
• Smith, William; Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, London (1873). "Minos 1.", "Minos 2."
• Thucydides, Thucydides translated into English; with introduction, marginal analysis, notes, and indices, Volume 1., Benjamin Jowett. translator. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1881.
• Ziolkowski, Theodore, Minos and the Moderns: Cretan Myth in Twentieth-century Literature and Art. (Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, 2008). Pp. xii, 173 (Classical Presences).

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (January 2007)

Jaci Velasquez
Background information
Birth name	Jacquelyn Davette Velasquez
Born	(1979-10-15) October 15, 1979 (age 32) Houston, Texas, United States
Genres	Contemporary Christian, pop, Latin pop
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Alta Vista, Briante, Myrrh, Sony, Word, A’postrophe, Inpop
Website	www.jacivelasquez.com

Jacquelyn "Jaci" Davette Velasquez (Spanish Jaci Velásquez, born October 15, 1979 in Houston, Texas) is an American Contemporary Christian and Latin pop singer—in both English and Spanish languages.

Velasquez has sold almost five million albums around the world,^[1] recorded three Platinum and three Gold albums, and recorded 16 singles that hit No. 1 plus six more that hit the top-10.^[2] She has received seven Dove Awards including Best New Artist and Female Vocalist of the Year.^[2] Velasquez has co-hosted a morning radio show since late 2010.

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Velasquez was born in Houston, Texas. She is of Mexican, Spanish, French, Scottish, and Arab ancestry.^[3] At the age of nine, she began traveling with her father, who by that time was a full-time singing evangelist. She began by singing backup to her parents, then later sang solo. It was while on the road that she was discovered by a representative of Myrrh Records.^[4]

Career[link]

This section of a biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (September 2011)

Velasquez released her national debut album Heavenly Place in 1996 and five of the songs on that CD became No. 1 hits (she had two previous independent records). The album was later certified Platinum. Velasquez has been distinguished as the fastest selling solo debut recording artist in her genre and the first solo artist in Christian music history to reach gold status with a debut album, prior to release of second project. She has since released six more English-language albums, two of which were certified Gold. She has produced sixteen No. 1 Christian radio hits and six other top-10 singles, and has won seven Dove awards, including New Artist of the Year and two Female Vocalist of the Year wins. Jaci has covered over 50 magazines as well as been a spokes-model for Pepsi, Target, Doritos, John Freida's Frizz-Ease hair products and Helzberg Diamonds.

In 1999, she signed to Sony Discos and was introduced to Rudy Pérez, who produced her first Spanish-language crossover album Llegar a Ti. After that, Velasquez was able to achieve the crossover appeal she desired, building a fan base among Hispanics as well as other Americans. Her first single, "Llegar a Ti", topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks and became the first Christian song to top the chart. The song also gave her a Latin Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Female Vocal Performance (which ultimately went to Colombian singer Shakira).

Velasquez in 2001

In 2001, she released her second Spanish effort: Mi Corazón. The album's lead single, "Como Se Cura Una Herida," topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks, and became one of the biggest singles of the year, receiving multiple award nominations and wins. The album received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Latin Pop Album.

Her Latin music success includes four Spanish-language releases, three No. 1 Latin Billboard Singles, two Platinum albums, a Premio Lo Nuestro Award for New Artist of the Year, two Billboard Latin Music Awards, and three Dove Awards for Spanish Language Album of the Year.

Velasquez was given a chance in 2002 to act in her first Hollywood movie, Chasing Papi. As well as Velasquez, this movie featured Colombia's Sofia Vergara, Puerto Rico's Roselyn Sanchez, and Mexico's Eduardo Verastegui, as well as Nicole Scherzinger in a cameo role. It was released nationwide in the United States in April 2003. The movie reached as high as No. 11 at the box office, and it grossed $6 million in total. Velasquez has appeared in over 50 magazines—including the December 2003 issue of Right On!, wherein editor Cynthia Horner calls her a true role model to teens—and has sung for President George W. Bush multiple times.

On September 2008, Velasquez was chosen by the State Department's Bureau of International Information Programs as one of the 15 Prominent Hispanic-Americans in the Arts in America.^[5]

In June 2010 she also started working on and recording her first Spanish project since 2003 with Juan Carlos Rodriguez, from the Christian Latin pop duo Tercer Cielo, as well as writing a new book. Velasquez has also currently returned to acting and is starring in two new films, The Encounter and Jerusalem Countdown, both with 2011 scheduled releases.

Velasquez began co-hosting the "Family Friendly Morning Show" with Doug Griffin beginning in November 2010 after being a guest host for several months.^[2] The show airs on over 100 radio stations in the United States for four hour each weekday morning.^[2]

On August 11, 2011 Jaci signed with Inpop Records and her album, Diamond, was released on February 7, 2012.^[6]

Personal life[link]

Velasquez married Darren Potuck, of the band AutoVaughn, on August 16, 2003. They were divorced in 2005 for unspecified reasons.^[7]

On December 17, 2006, she married Nic Gonzales in a private ceremony in Austin, Texas. Gonzales is a member of Salvador, a Christian group with whom she had been touring.^[8]

Velasquez gave birth to a boy in 2007. Her second son with her husband, Nic, was born in 2009.^[9]

Although she has before described herself as a "Non-denominational Christian", she stated in an interview with Morris Cerullo that "you're talking to an Assemblies of God's girl",^{[citation needed]} concerning the power of prayer.

Discography[link]

• 1992: Help Me (independent)
• 1994: Keep the Fire Burning (independent)
• 1996: Heavenly Place (US No. 142^[10]) (Platinum – RIAA^[11]) (debut album)
• 1998: Jaci Velasquez (US No. 56^[10]) (Gold – RIAA^[11])
• 1999: Llegar A Ti (2× Platinum – Latin RIAA^[11])
• 2000: Crystal Clear (US No. 49^[10]) (Gold – RIAA^[11])
• 2001: Mi Corazón (Platinum – Latin RIAA^[11])
• 2001: Christmas (US No. 102^[10])
• 2001: Navidad
• 2003: Unspoken (US No. 55^[10])
• 2003: Milagro
• 2004: Mi Historia Musical
• 2005: Beauty Has Grace (US No. 195^[10])
• 2006: On My Knees: The Best of Jaci Velasquez (a.k.a. Jaci Velasquez: Greatest Hits)
• 2007: Open House (Christmas EP)
• 2008: Love Out Loud
• 2012: Diamond

Chart performance[link]

• 1999: "Llegar A Ti" Hot Latin Tracks No. 1^[12]
• 2000: "De Creer En Ti (On My Knees)" Hot Latin Tracks No. 18^[12]
• 2000: "Love Will Find You (Llegar A Ti)" Hot Dance Music/Club Play No. 24^[13]
• 2000: "Solo Tu" Hot Latin Tracks No. 4^[12]
• 2000: "Un Lugar Celestial" Hot Latin Tracks No. 40^[12]
• 2001: "Como Se Cura Una Herida" Hot Latin Tracks No. 1^[12]
• 2003: "No Hace Falta Un Hombre" Hot Latin Tracks No. 5^[12]
• 2003: "No Me Rendire" Hot Latin Tracks No. 19^[12]

Filmography[link]

• 2003: Chasing Papi
• 2004: Doc (TV series) (one episode)
• 2003: Los Reyes Magos (The Three Wise Men)
• 2011: The Encounter
• 2012: Jerusalem Countdown

Bibliography[link]

• 1996: A Heavenly Place (over 10,000 units sold)
• 2003: Los Evangelios Toman Vida: The Gospels Come to Life
• 2012: Coffee and Concealer

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Site

Kalliopi Zina (Greek: Καλλιόπη Ζήνα; born March 8, 1975), known professionally as Peggy Zina, is a Greek singer. Peggy Zina made her discographic debut in 1995 with her self-titled album. She has since released ten studio albums and is a high-profile artist in the Greek music industry. On 14 March 2010, Alpha TV ranked Zina the 24th top-certified female artist in the nation's phonographic era (since 1960), totalling nine (five at the time) platinum and two gold records.^[1]

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Peggy Zina was born in Athens on March 8, 1975.^[2] She began piano lessons at the age of five and studied dancing, particularly the jazz genre. During her teens, Peggy Zina participated in many artistic school activities, including theater and choir. She graduated from the French academy Jeanne D’ Arc of Athens.^[3] Zina's father died when she was 14 years old at the age of 56. Her mother, Stella Chrysikopoulou, remarried a man named Nikos Tsiftelis who Zina has credited with raising and supporting her as if he were "her real father."^[4][5]

1995–1999: Debut album and early success[link]

Peggy Zina's self-titled debut album was released in 1995 by BMG Greece. The album includes her first hit with the controversial title and lead lyric "An Pas Me Alli Tha Sou Spaso to Kefali" (If you go with another woman I will break your head).^[6] She also started working with Lefteris Pantazis at Neraida club in 1995 and then with Notis Sfakianakis at Gazi club in 1996.

Peggy released her second album in 1998 with the title Anevaines (You rose), and recorded a duet with Stelios Rokkos on his single "Eisai O Ilios Mou" (You are my sun). She then worked with Sakis Rouvas at Vios Vios club in 1999. She also performed alongside many famous singers such as Nikos Kourkoulis, Elli Kokkinou, and Dimitris Hrisohoidis at Posidonio club.

2000–2002: Rise in popularity[link]

In 2000 Peggy Zina changed recording companies and signed with Nitro Music and drastically altered her look. On July 4, 2000 she released a four-track CD single titled "Ti Th' Akouso Akoma" (What else will I hear) with the title track being the first single from her third album Ena Hadi (A caress) which was released in 2001.^[7] In winter of the same year she worked alongside Christos Dantis and with Notis Sfakianakis once again at COSMOS club after her solo performances at Maskes club in Thessaloniki.

On January 30, 2002, Peggy was suggested by Thanos Kalliris to represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest and she accepted his proposal to sing a song written by him.^[8] On February 26, 2002, Peggy participated in the Greek National Final with the song "Love Is a Wonderful Thing". Despite a great performance, she took second place to Michalis Rakintzis with his song "S.A.G.A.P.O." (I love you) who went on to finish at a disappointing seventieth place.^[9] Nevertheless the single gained a gold certification in just a few weeks.^[10]

Peggy Zina released her fourth album Vres Enan Tropo (Find a way) in 2002. For this album she cooperated with many great singers like Giannis Parios who gave her four modern laika songs and he acknowledged Zina as an incredible laika singer. She continued to perform at Maskes in Thessaloniki for a third year and due to its success she mimicked the same music program in Athens.

[edit] 2003–2004: Minos EMI and Mazi Sou

After four years with Nitro Music and due to the company's closure, Peggy Zina signed with Minos EMI, to what had been described as a lucrative record deal. She released her fifth album titled Mazi Sou (With you) in 2003 which became platinum in just a few weeks, selling over 40,000 copies.^[11] The album included two massive hits: "Eimai Kala" (I’m fine) and "Dystihos" (Unfortunately). Peggy Zina broke the record for the most performances at Apollon club by surpassing 100 performances. In the winter of the same year Zina worked alongside Nikos Vertis, Thanos Petrelis, Kostas Karafotis and Apostolia Zoi at Pili Aksiou. Her popular performances helped raise the album Mazi Sou to platinum in January 2004.

[edit] 2004–2005: Matono and Noima

After finishing her performances in Athens, Peggy Zina went to Thessaloniki and worked with the band Fili Gia Panta and many new singers. Working continuously for a year and a half, Peggy Zina released her new album Matono (I’m bleeding) in 2004.^[12] Upon return to Athens, she started performing at Apollon for a fourth year, this time alongside Kostas Karafotis and Nino. Peggy Zina received her second platinum certification for Matono and she also won her first Arion Award for the Best Folk Singer of the Year. In Spring 2005, she and Nino performed abroad in Australia and United Kingdom, while in United States and Canada she toured with rising singers Giorgos Lianos and Maro Litra.

In September 2005, Peggy Zina released her seventh album with the title Noima (Meaning) on which she cooperated for the first time with renowned composer Giorgos Theofanous. The album was released with four different covers designed by Konstantinos Rigos. The album became gold from the first day of its release and after a few months it gained platinum certification. Once again she won the Arion Award for Best Folk Singer of the Year.

[edit] 2006–2007: Ena, Trekse and marriage

On December 8, 2006, Peggy Zina released Ena (One) which was recorded at Diogenis Studio and gained a platinum certification.^[13] It contained many hits like "Ena" (One), "Ego Ta Spao" (I break them) and the summer hit "Eimai Edo" (I'm here). She was also selected by Christos Dantis to perform a duet with him of the song rebetiko "To Teleftaio Potiraki" at his MAD Secret Concert.

Peggy Zina married her longtime music manager Giorgos Liras in June 2007 after a ten-year relationship.^[14] The wedding was attended by 800 wedding spectators, friends, family and others who were short-listed. Approximately 200 sheep had been ordered on the menu in the true sense of traditional Greek weddings. This was Giorgos Lira's third marriage and the best man was popular showbusiness personality Elias Psinakis who was accompanied by Kiki Tsolka.

On December 4, 2007, Peggy Zina released the album Trekse (Run).^[15] The singles had already been released and gained significant radio airplay as "An Ypirhes Tha Se Horiza" (If you existed I would divorce you) from the hit Mega TV series of the same name and "Trekse" which was presented at the Arion Music Awards. The album achieved gold certification from its first week and made its debut at number 2 on the Greek Albums Chart beaten only by Mihalis Hatzigiannis's live album. Two additional singles off the album were released simulteanously: "Dio Ksenoi" (Two strangers) and "Kai Meta" (And afterwards).^[16] The album certified platinum in its sixth week on the chart and Peggy Zina received the certification on January 22, 2008.^[17] At the 5th annual MAD Video Music Awards, she performed the song "2 Hearts" and also won the award for "Fashion Icon of the Year" with the her song "Trekse".^[18]

[edit] 2008–2009: Best of + and To Pathos Einai Aformi

On June 24, 2008, Peggy Zina released a two-disc greatest hits compilation titled Best of +. In addition to all the previously released material, the album also includes three new songs penned by Giorgos Moukidis, which have all been released as singles as well.^[19] The singles Paradosou (Surrender) and To Kalokairi (The summer) were made into a music videos directed by Konstantinos Rigos, and the album was certified gold, with Peggy Zina receiving the award on December 3, 2008 during a certification party at Vox nightclub.^[20]

Peggy Zina appeared at VOX music hall for the winter season alongside Kostas Korafotis and Nino, the three reuniting as they appeared together in 2004.^[21][22]

Peggy Zina went into the studio in September 2008 to record her tenth studio album.^[23][24] Originally, Giorgos Moukidis was commissioned to compose and write the entire album, but instead twp of his tracks made the final release titled To Pathos Einai Aformi (Passion is a reason) released in May 2009. Nine of the twelve tracks are composed by rising singer-songwriter Giorgos Sampanis, with lyrics by either Giannis Doxas, Niki Papatheohari, Manos Eleftheriou or Eleana Vrahali, one track is composed by Dimitris Korgialas with lyrics by Vicky Gerothodorou. The track titled Otan Sopainei Ena Kormi (When the body is silent) features the line to pathos einai aformi. The leading single Anatheorisa (I revised) was released to radio stations a month earlier and a music video directed by Konstantinos Rigos premiered on MAD TV. On July 21, the second single Ela Nihta (Come Night) was released, and then were released the songs An M'Agapas (If you love me), Hanome (I'm lost), and Se Griza Othoni (On gray screen). in the same year, Peggy Zina performed at Iera Odos for the winter season alongside Dimitris Mitropanos. The show was a big success and also travelled to Thessaloniki and Nicosia. The album has been certified 2x platinum.

[edit] 2010–present: Evaisthiti... I Logiki? and motherhood

In May 2010, Peggy Zina went into the studio to record her eleventh studio album titled Evaisthiti... I Logiki (Sensitive... or logical), which was released on 6 October 2010.^[25] The album is entirely written by Giannis Christodolopoulos with lyrics by Eleana Vrahali. The song Stis Zois To Party (In life's party), was released in June 2010 as the album's first single. The second single titled Rotisa (I Asked), was released in early September exclusively on Rythmos FM.^[25] The album went on to be certified 2x Platinum.

On 9 May 2011, Zina released a new digital single titled "Ston Diko Mou Ton Planiti" (Gr. "Στον Δικό Μου Τον Πλανήτη"; On My Own Planet) with an accompanying music video. This single, like the rest of the album also written entirely by Giannis Christodoulopoulos and Eleana Vrahali, will be part of a planned reissue of "Evaisthiti... I Logiki?".^[26]

Zina had stated her desire to become a mother since 2009, adding that she had gone off of her contraceptives.^[27] In May 2010, Zina's and Lyras' best man, Ilias Psinakis, was announced as their future child's godfather. He chose one of his favourite names, Elektra, in the case that they had a baby girl.^[27] Zina announced that she was three months pregnant with her first child during her April 2011 performance on the premiere of the second season of Greek Idol^[28] and announced that she was having a daughter a month later.^[29] After the news, Lyras had the name Elektra tattooed onto his hand in latin characters.^[5][30] During their vacations in July, Lyras experienced chest pains and was rushed to the hospital. He had undergone a coronary balloon angioplasty ten years prior and although he had begun living a healthier lifestyle since, he continued to smoke cigarettes. He was told that had he waited longer he would be in danger of suffering a heart attack and underwent a quadruple bypass surgery on 25 July.^[31] She gave birth after four o'clock in the afternoon on 8 October 2011 via cesarean section, the child weighing 3.2 kg.^[32] She was visited by celebrities such as Psinakis, Dimitris Mitropanos, Amaryllis, Loukas Giorkas, Makis Pounentis, and Eleonora Meleti.^[32][33] Zina's stepfather died suddenly in the evening of 10 October of an aneurysm. He had no prior significant health issues and had been present at the hospital with the singer earlier that day. Zina did not actually learn of his death until a day later, as her mother and husband did not want to upset her.^[34] She was released from the hospital "Rea" on 12 October.^[5][35]