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Hypnos (sleep personified) waves a Japanese Mythology | History, Gods & Examples, Janus the Roman God | Origin, Mythology & Family. According to Greek myth, Leda was the mother of mankind. Cartwright, Mark. [7] Another engraving, certainly from Venice and attributed by many to Giulio Campagnola, shows a love-making scene, but there Leda's attitude is highly ambiguous. Creation Myths Overview & Examples | What is a Creation Myth? Icarus Overview & Greek Mythology | What is the Story of Icarus? Snakes in Mythology | Facts, Names & Symbols of Mythical Serpents. They also feature in several other myths, one of which sees Castor mortally wounded. Ophiuchus: Mythology & Facts | What is Ophiuchus? Detail of Peitho, Leda and Hypnos from a painting depicting the tale of Leda and the Swan. In the song "Power and Glory" from Lou Reed's 1992 album Magic and Loss, Reed recalls the experience of seeing his friend dying of cancer and makes reference to the myth, "I saw isotopes introduced into his lungs / trying to stop the cancerous spread / And it made me think of Leda and The Swan / and gold being made from lead"[citation needed], Sylvia Plath alludes to the myth in her radio play Three Women written for the BBC in 1962. Yeats's life, with a focus on his development as a poet. The legend tells that one day Zeus, the ruler of the Greek gods, came to Leda in the form of a swan and seduced her. Shortly after this encounter and subsequently bedding her husband, the King of Sparta, Leda laid one or two eggs that contained four human beings in a blend of mortal and immortal vitality. Peleus History, Mythology & Facts | Who is Achilles' Father? The narrator remarks that they are both already dead and buried back in their homeland of Lacedaemon, thus suggesting that at least in the Homeric tradition, both were mortal. Leda and the Swan remains one of the most popular myths from the Greek world. She strokes the bird's head and neck and kisses it on the beak. In his poem Leda and the Swan, William Butler Yeats retells the classic Greek myth in which Leda, a human woman, is impregnated by the god Zeus while he is in the form of a swan. Prior to the wars beginning, Agamemnon would sacrifice Iphigenia, his daughter through Clytemnestra, as an offering to the gods, so that his fleet could have agreeable winds from the port of Aulis. Nekhbet, Egyptian Goddess: Mythology & Symbol | Who was Nekhbet? Sometimes, Zeus is said to have seduced Leda on the very same night she slept with her husband King Tyndareus. LitCharts Teacher Editions. His reasoning is not always clear; he may have been trying to hide from his wife, Hera, or he may have found it easier to get close to Leda if he appeared to be a harmless swan. Uther Pendragon Overview, History & Facts | Who is King Arthur's Father? The third voice, a girl who is pregnant and leaves her baby, mentions "the great swan, with its terrible look,/ Coming at me," insinuating that the girl was raped. WebLeda and the Swan. Read the full text of Leda and the Swan, The Life and Works of William Butler Yeats, The broken wall, the burning roof and tower. By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill, He holds her helpless breast upon his breast. Loch Ness Monster Sightings & Legend | What is Nessie? According to Ovid, Leda was famed for her beautiful black hair and snowy white skin. Mimir History, Mythology & Facts | Who is Mimir in Norse Mythology? On that night, Leda also lay with her husband. Basilisk Mythology, Origin & Facts | What is a Basilisk? The same night Leda slept with her husband Tyndareus as they were trying to conceive and to prosper their family with children. Tithonus in Greek Mythology | Origin, Myth & Immortality, Tisiphone in Greek Mythology | Origin, Sisters & Role, Lugh, Celtic God | Origin, Role & Mythology. WebThe Greek mythological story retold in Yeats' poem "Leda and the Swan" is one in which a girl, Leda, is raped by the God Zeus. Infuriated with having his daughter kidnapped, King Tyndareus waged war against Theseus kingdom of Athens. Leda and the SwanCarole Raddato (CC BY-SA). As a result, she falls pregnant with two sets of twins with varying paternity. She was the wife of Tyndareus, the king of Leda & the Swan. Leda was a royal in Greek mythology who had a brief dalliance with the king of the gods whom had assumed the form of a swan. And Agamemnon dead. WebThe Greek mythological story retold in Yeats' poem "Leda and the Swan" is one in which a girl, Leda, is raped by the God Zeus. Leda was the daughter of King Thestius of Pleuron in Aetolia. A daughter of Thestius, whence she is called Thestias; 1 but others call her a daughter of Thespius, Thyestes, or Glaucus, by Laophonte, Deidamea, Leucippe, Eurythemis, or Paneidyia. The Nemesis Version. For example, in Rubens Leda, she is shown fully nude, with the swan caressing her most intimate areas. Hypnos (sleep personified) waves a WebLeda was a princess in Greek mythology, daughter of the king of Aetolia, Thestius. [citation needed], A version of the Leda and the Swan story is the foundation myth in the Canadian futuristic thriller television series Orphan Black which aired over 5 seasons from 2013 to 2017. Retrieved from, Dior. Bellerophon in Greek Mythology: Overview & Story | Who was Bellerophon? Manticore History, Mythology & Facts | A Lion with Scorpion Tail, Apollo & Daphne: Greek Myth & Depictions | Story of Apollo & Daphne. Leda. She is also the main subject in Honor Desmond Sharrer's "Leda & the Folks", a large painting focusing as well on the parents of entertainer Elvis Presley and currently located at the Smith College Museum of Art. In Homer's Iliad, Helen looks down from the walls of Troy and wonders why she does not see her brothers among the Achaeans. Rubens depiction of the female form is much softer: her body is extremely curvaceous, her skin is alabaster, her limbs are in proportion and her golden hair is flowing. Sulis, Celtic Goddess: Mythology & History | Who was Sulis? 2 chapters | Leda was a royal in Greek mythology who had a brief dalliance with the king of the gods whom had assumed the form of a swan. It is also always stated that Helen is the daughter of Zeus. [citation needed], Leda and the Swan, ancient fresco from Pompeii, Drawing by Cornelis Bos after the lost original by Michelangelo. Mark is a full-time author, researcher, historian, and editor. A round-up of just some of the manyinterpretations of the story of Leda and the Swan in visual art. [20], Cy Twombly executed an abstract version of Leda and the Swan in 1962. Students of da Vinci created this painting based on one of his lost paintings. Clytaemnestra, who killed her husband, Agamemnon, leader of the Greeks at Troy, was also supposed to have hatched from one of Leda's eggs. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses. Gallery Others like you also viewed Sparrow Sacred Birds Categories Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted. Pollux chose the latter option and thus, he and Castor were free to travel between Hades and Olympus. Did she put on his knowledge with his power 3 One night she was embraced both Leda was a royal in Greek mythology who had a brief dalliance with the king of the gods whom had assumed the form of a swan. There were many other depictions in the Renaissance, including cycles of book illustrations to Ovid, but most were derivative of the compositions mentioned above. Leda finds the egg one day (or a shepherd does and gives it to his queen), and she takes it back to the palace where she hides it in a chest. Pollux asks Zeus to give Castor half of Pollux's immortality, so the two men become the constellation Gemini and continue to participate in the affairs of the gods. Leda is a figure from ancient Greek mythology. In many versions of the story, Zeus merely seduces Leda. Definition Genealogy. Being so caught up, By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill, Please donate to our server cost fundraiser 2023, so that we can produce more history articles, videos and translations. William Butler Yeatss Leda and the Swan is one of the classic poems of literary modernism. She was the wife of Tyndareus, the king of Leda & the Swan. Webthe myth that somehow men are superior still stands true. Chimera Overview & Facts | What is the Chimera in Greek Mythology? [11], A fresco depicting the Greek myth of Leda and the Swan was unearthed at the Pompeii archeological site.[12]. Da Vinci's work is notable because it shows the children hatching from their eggs alongside Leda and the swan, whereas Michelangelo's version shows Leda and the swan against a backdrop of red cloth. This painting is by Correggio, which is currently on display in Berlin. In Greek mythology, Leda is the wife of King Tyndareus and queen of Sparta. According to Ovid, she was famed for her beautiful black hair and snowy skin. There were several versions of the parentage of her children:- Some say she laid an egg from which were hatched the Dioskouroi (Dioscuri) twins, Kastor and Polydeukes, both sons of Zeus. Painters and poets. When Zeus saw this he considered it a chance and impregnated Leda. This article is about the story and its depictions. In some versions, an extra twist of deceit is added when Zeus appeals to Leda's pity by pretending he is being pursued by an eagle and then ravishes her. Thyrsus Origin & Symbol | What is the Staff of Dionysus? Detail of Peitho, Leda and Hypnos from a painting depicting the tale of Leda and the Swan. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. So mastered by the brute blood of the air. We care about our planet! Valkyrie Mythology & Role | What is a Valkyrie? [37] Notably, Chiuri's 2021 Dior dress featured feathered swan-wings spanning over the chest and shoulder. Harmonia in Greek Mythology: Family & Life | Who was Harmonia? Ullr Origins & Mythology | Who is the Norse God of Snow? Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. History Hit brings you the stories that shaped the world through our award winning podcast network and an online history channel. [6] According to Alcman, Leda's parents were Glaucus and Laophonte[6] while Eumelus attested that they are Sisyphus and Panteiduia or Paneidyia.[7]. The king of the Gods, Zeus, transforms into a swan. - Definition and Uses, Causes of Mutations: Recombination & Translocation, Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators - Writing Essay Topics & Rubric, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. There are many stories of Zeus turning into various animals to sleep with women. Jotun in Norse Mythology: Overview & Description | The Norse Giants. [6] An engraving dating to 1503 at the latest, by Giovanni Battista Palumba, also shows the couple in coitus, but in deserted countryside. Definition Genealogy. Leda was a royal in Greek mythology who had a brief dalliance with the king of the gods whom had assumed the form of a swan. As previously noted, the paternity of the four children is not consistent among the different sources. Her skin is alabaster, tinted with pink and peachy tones which contrast with the stark white of the swans feathers. WebLeda and the Swan is a story and subject in art from Greek mythology in which the god Zeus, in the form of a swan, seduces or rapes Leda. Warburg Institute Iconographic Database (ca 200 images of Leda), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leda_(mythology)&oldid=1148793364, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles lacking in-text citations from May 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Husband/Second-Cousin (Zeus's Great-Grandson), Granddaughter/first cousin once removed (Helen's daughter), Grandson/first cousin once removed (Helen's son), Grandson/first cousin once removed (Pollux's son), This page was last edited on 8 April 2023, at 10:47. 3By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill. All that is known is her name; she achieved nothing nor was she married off to anyone important. WebLeda was admired by Zeus, who seduced her in the guise of a swan. Greek mythological Aetolian princess who became a Spartan queen, Apollod. There were several versions of the parentage of her children:- Some say she laid an egg from which were hatched the Dioskouroi (Dioscuri) twins, Kastor and Polydeukes, both sons of Zeus. On the same night, Leda sleeps with her husband, Tyndareus, the king of Sparta. The story of Leda and the swan was a fairly ubiquitous subject for dwellings in Pompeii and Herculaneum, both of which were leveled when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79. Hygieia, Greek Goddess of Health: Mythology & Role | Who was Hygieia? A shudder in the loins engenders there Benvenuto Cellini made a medallion, now in Vienna, early in his career, and Antonio Abondio one on the obverse of a medal celebrating a Roman courtesan. She was the wife of Tyndareus, the king of Sparta, and together they had various children including Helen, who would fall in love with Paris and cause the Trojan War, the Dioscuri hero twins of Castor and Pollux (aka Polydeuces), Clytemnestra (future wife of King Agamemnon), Timandra, and Phylonoe. However, in Homer's Odyssey, the hero Odysseus sees Leda on his tour through Hades. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The 2006 novel The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante and its 2021 film adaptation of the same name feature a protagonist named Leda, who makes several references to the myth for which she is named. PDF downloads of all 1725 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. As a swan, Zeus fell into her arms for protection from a pursuing eagle. From Athena to Zeus: Basics of Greek Mythology, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Leda-Greek-mythology, Leda - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). A sense of movement (another common Baroque theme) is conveyed by the swans wings flung open, as if he has just flown into Ledas arms. Zeus seduces Leda in the guise of a swan. Tyr, Norse God of War | Origins, Attributes & Mythology, Triton God of the Sea | Overview, Mythology & Significance, Seven Cities of Gold Mythology & Facts | Seven Cities of Cibola. Please support World History Encyclopedia. In the post-classical arts, it became a potent source of inspiration. Leda and the Swan, Leda and the Egg, and Leda with her children were popular subjects in ancient art. Herne Overview, Mythology & Facts | Who is Herne the Hunter? Finally, Leda being pursued by a swan is depicted in the central panel (emblemata) of a Roman period mosaic from the sanctuary of Aphrodite at Palaipafos on Cyprus and is typical of the more erotic depictions of the swan myth from the Late Classical period onwards. Sea Serpent Mythology, History & Facts | Mythical Sea Dragon, Mitra, God of Friendship | History, Facts & Mythology, Hera & Zeus: Relationship & Mythology | Marriage of Zeus & Hera. Help us and translate this definition into another language! Combining psychological realism with a mystic vision, it describes the swan's rape of Leda. She was the wife of Tyndareus, the king of Leda & the Swan. Leda was the daughter of King Thestius of Pleuron in Aetolia. WebLeda. [citation needed][38], In April 2012 an art gallery in London, England, was instructed by the police to remove a modern exhibit of Leda and the Swan. Phoebe. Serapis, Graeco-Egyptian God: Mythology & History | Who was Serapis? Kitsune History, Mythology & Facts | Foxes in Japanese Folklore. Sekhmet History & Role | Egyptian Goddess of War & Healing, Orpheus & Eurydice Story | Mythology, History & Characters, Nanna, Mesopotamian God of the Moon | Mythology of the God Sin, Huangdi: The Yellow Emperor | History, Mythology & Significance. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. [citation needed], There is a life-sized marble statue of Leda and the Swan at the Jai Vilas Palace Museum in Gwalior, Northern Madhya Pradesh, India. Their consummation, on the same night as Leda lay with her husband Tyndareus, resulted in two eggs from which hatched Helen (later known as the beautiful "Helen of Troy"), Clytemnestra, and Castor and Pollux (also known as the Dioscuri). On that night, Leda also lay with her husband. The theme remained a dangerous one in the Renaissance, as the fates of the three best known paintings on the subject demonstrate. WebLeda and the Swan William Butler Yeats Published in Yeats collection of Later Poems in 1926, Leda and the Swan is a sonnet based on a myth from Greek mythology. Leda is a figure from ancient Greek mythology. The Sword in the Stone Myth & Facts | King Arthur's Excalibur, 12 Olympians of Greek Mythology | Names, Roles & Significance, Epona, Goddess of Horses | Origin, Mythology & Role. To try and begin to make sense of it all, we're going back to very beginning, to the origins of Zeus, starting with his grandfather and grandmother, Uranus and Gaia. For those unfamiliar with the Trojan War, the inciting incident would be after Paris chose Aphrodite as the fairest or most beautiful goddess between Aphrodite, Hera and Athena. As a result of these two unions, Leda lays two eggs, each containing one set of twins. WebLeda and the Swan. Pixie Overview, Mythology & Characteristics | What is a Pixie? Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Nagual Origin & Significance | What is a Nagual in Mythology? Another account of the myth states that Nemesis () was the mother of Helen, and was also impregnated by Zeus in the guise of a swan. Leda is a figure from ancient Greek mythology. We want people all over the world to learn about history. Refine any search. According to later Greek mythology, Leda bore Helen and Polydeuces, children of Zeus, while at the same time bearing Castor and Clytemnestra, children of her husband Tyndareus, the King of Sparta. Psyche: Mythology & History | Who was the Greek Goddess of the Soul? Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. Instant downloads of all 1725 LitChart PDFs Leda and the Swan in Art Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. Leda was the daughter of King Thestius of Pleuron in Aetolia. Link will appear as The Story of Leda & The Swan: https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net - Greek Gods & Goddesses, January 11, 2022, Greek Gods and Goddesses 2010 - 2023 | About | Contact | Sitemap | Privacy, The Story of Leda & The Swan: https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.