Leda gives birth to two sets of twins, two of whom are fathered by Tyndareus and two of whom are fathered by Zeus. In Greek mythology, Leda is the wife of King Tyndareus and queen of Sparta. WebIn Greek mythology, Leda was the daughter of Thestios, king of Aetolia, and wife of Tyndareus, king of Sparta. Phoebe. Cite This Work 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. Harmonia in Greek Mythology: Family & Life | Who was Harmonia? Please support World History Encyclopedia. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. An online exhibition presented by the National Library of Ireland on W.B. Leda and the Swan Seeking to sow some more of his many wild oats, Zeus descended to the realm of the mortals in the guise of a swan that was being chased by an eagle. Leda Tyche, Greek Goddess of Success | Origin, Mythology & Role, Nemesis, Greek Goddess of Vengeance | Origin, Mythology & Role. The Nemesis Version. Leda (mythology She married king Tyndareus of Sparta and by him became the mother of Helen of Troy, Clytemnestra, Castor, and Pollux (also called "Polydeuces"). [14] The Michelangelo composition, of about 1530, shows Mannerist tendencies of elongation and twisted pose (the figura serpentinata) that were popular at the time. A round-up of just some of the manyinterpretations of the story of Leda and the Swan in visual art. Ixchel History & Mythology | Who is the Mayan Goddess Ixchel? The second is a secretary who suffers a miscarriage. 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. Uther Pendragon Overview, History & Facts | Who is King Arthur's Father? [citation needed], Musical artist Hozier released the single Swan Upon Leda in 2022, referencing the myth as a tool to advocate for reproductive rights. [28], Ronsard wrote a poem on La Dfloration de Lde, perhaps inspired by the Michelangelo, which he may well have known. myth How can those terrified vague fingers push But feel the strange heart beating where it lies? William Shakespeares Wife: Who Was Anne Hathaway? From Athena to Zeus: Basics of Greek Mythology, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Leda-Greek-mythology, Leda - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). 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. For artists and writers, this myth has been a fruitful source of inspiration. The female twins are Helen and Clytemnestra. Glaucus, Greek God: Mythology & Origin | Who was Glaucus? His sonnet was composed in 1923, beginning: A sudden blow: the great wings beating still He holds her helpless breast upon his breast. But feel the strange heart beating where it lies?, Image Credit: Antonio da Correggio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. 1530, in the National Gallery, London. She strokes the bird's head and neck and kisses it on the beak. Leda was admired by Zeus, who seduced her in the guise of a swan. 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. Leda and the Swan 30 Apr 2023. By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill, He holds her helpless breast upon his breast. Yeatss Poetry Leda and the Swan An ancient myth. [citation needed], The myth is also mentioned in Richard Yates' 1962 novel Revolutionary Road. When Zeus saw this he considered it a chance and impregnated Leda. Create your account. Wandering Jew | Overview, Legend & Portrayals. Zeus appears to Leda in the form of a swan and either seduces or rapes her, depending on the version of the myth in question. The first is a married woman who keeps her baby. If you use any of the content on this page in your own work, please use the code below to cite this page as the source of the content. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. Of these daughters of Leda, only Timandra may have had children; some tellings of this familys contributions and acts indicate that Timandra and Phyleus sire a boy named Ladocus. 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. 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. Above the staggering girl. Have a specific question about this poem? One set of twins is Castor and Pollux, two boys collectively called the Dioscuri. When Zeus saw this he considered it a chance and impregnated Leda. By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill, He holds her helpless breast upon his breast. Michelangelo's cartoon for the workgiven to his assistant Antonio Mini, who used it for several copies for French patrons before his death in 1533survived for over a century. While Leda had three more daughters through her marriage to King Tyndareus, neither she nor those children went on to contribute anything more noteworthy to the overall body of Greek mythology. Leda Especially in art, the degree of consent by Leda to the relationship seems to vary considerably; there are numerous depictions, for example by Leonardo da Vinci, that show Leda affectionately embracing the swan, as their children play. Greek Myth Chaos in Greek Mythology: Overview & Facts | Who was Chaos? Detail of Peitho, Leda and Hypnos from a painting depicting the tale of Leda and the Swan. The split is almost always half mortal, half divine, although the pairings do not always reflect the children's heritage pairings. Yeatss Poetry When Zeus saw her, he fell in love with her. Loch Ness Monster Sightings & Legend | What is Nessie? For this episode, Tristan Hughes is joined by academic, author, broadcaster and Professor in Classics and Ancient History at the University of Warwick, Michael Scott. Leda was the kind-hearted person that brought the swan closer to her. An excerpt from a scholarly article that investigates W.B. Echo the Nymph Overview & Facts | Who is Echo in Greek Mythology? Zeus, as the swan, only appears metaphorically. Nymph in Greek Mythology: Types & Names | What is a Nymph? Leda (mythology Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Create an account to start this course today. I feel like its a lifeline. Hypnos (sleep personified) waves a In Greek mythology, Leda is the wife of King Tyndareus and queen of Sparta. Learn about Leda and the myth of her relationship with Zeus, who seduced her in the guise of a swan. Leda, in Greek legend, usually believed to be the daughter of Thestius, king of Aetolia, and wife of Tyndareus, king of Lacedaemon. She is the daughter of King Thestius of Aetolia, meaning that she comes from a royal lineage. All of which were popular subjects in Renaissance and Baroque artworks, and many of which were heavily erotic. Gallery Others like you also viewed Sparrow Sacred Birds Categories Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted. the swan upon leda refers to a story in greek mythology ab zeus wanting and lusting after leda but the feelings not being reciprocated, so he transforms himself into a swan and r*pes her, forcing her to bear his children. However, in Homer's Odyssey, the hero Odysseus sees Leda on his tour through Hades. Read Poem Read Analysis Cite William Butler Yeats Nationality: Greece Sasha Blakeley has a Bachelor's in English Literature from McGill University and a TEFL certification. WebLeda was admired by Zeus, who seduced her in the guise of a swan. 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. [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. [6] An engraving dating to 1503 at the latest, by Giovanni Battista Palumba, also shows the couple in coitus, but in deserted countryside. Most commonly, it is Pollux and Helen who are the children of Zeus; Helen is almost always said to be Zeus' daughter rather than Tyndareus' daughter. Medusa in Greek Mythology: Story & Role | Who Killed Medusa? Leda and the Swan An ancient myth. Leda and the Swan She was the wife of Tyndareus, the king of Leda & the Swan. In these versions, eggs are still produced but a farmer discovers them and gives them to Queen Leda, likely because he believed her beautiful and femininity would leave her better suited to watching eggs than someone who has to work long hours far afield. In many versions of the story, Zeus merely seduces Leda. We care about our planet! Leda and the Swan by William Butler Yeats Leda and the Swan copy by Giovanni Francesco Melzi after the lost painting by Leonardo, 15081515, oil on canvas, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy. Snakes in Mythology | Facts, Names & Symbols of Mythical Serpents. Zeus, still in the guise of a swan, laid down next to Leda and proceeded to give her children. [30] Camille Paglia, who called the poem "the greatest poem of the twentieth century," and said "all human beings, like Leda, are caught up moment by moment in the 'white rush' of experience. Yeatss Poetry In an alternative version of the myth, it is the goddess Nemesis who is pursued by Zeus (although an early version has the roles reversed). myth 24 Apr 2023 19:51:25 Hyperborea Mythology, Symbol & Facts | What is Hyperborea? Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! The Later interpretation. Two other important Renaissance painters, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, also painted Leda and the swan, but their works have been lost. 12 Being so caught up. Yeats's theories about "gyres" and historical change. This painting is by Correggio, which is currently on display in Berlin. "Leda and the Swan" is a sonnet by William Butler Yeats composed in 1923 and first published in the Dial in June, 1924, and later published in the collection 'The Cat the Moon and Certain Poems' in 1924. Hypnos (sleep personified) waves a 3.13.8; Eur. Students of da Vinci created this painting based on one of his lost paintings. While mythological sources vary, Yeats takes the view that the encounter between Zeus and Leda was certainly not consensual. Leda and the SwanCarole Raddato (CC BY-SA). The king of the Gods, Zeus, transforms into a swan. Japanese Mythology | History, Gods & Examples, Janus the Roman God | Origin, Mythology & Family. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. By William Butler Yeats. Dragon Mythology, Types & Interpretations | Are Dragons Real? This article is about the story and its depictions. Bull p. 167. According to the myth, Zeus was captivated by Leda's beauty and appeared before her in the form of a swan. Nicaraguan poet Rubn Daro's 1892 poem "Leda" contains an oblique description of the rape, watched over by the god Pan.[32]. Rubens second attempt also saw further developments. Greek Myth Leda. Although it is a disturbing tale, its sinister surrealism provides an endless source of intrigue and inspiration for some of the most talented artists and creatives in history. A celebrated marble statue of Leda holding a swan is now on display in the Capitoline Museums of Rome. [4], The fate of the erotic album I Modi some years later shows why this was so. Leda also had three other daughters by Tyndareus: Timandra, Phoebe, and Philonoe. Some ancient writers thought she was the mother by Tyndareus of Clytemnestra , wife of King Agamemnon, and of Castor, one of the Heavenly Twins. Leda and the Swan And Agamemnon dead. Number 7 Symbolism & Facts | What is Number Seven in Numerology? In 1508 he painted a different composition of the subject, with a nude standing Leda cuddling the Swan, with the two sets of infant twins (also nude), and their huge broken egg-shells. As a result, she falls pregnant with two sets of twins with varying paternity. WebLeda and the Swan. WebYeats's poem was inspired by a Greek myth in which Zeus rapes Leda, the daughter of a king named Thestius. Yeats and his impact on his native country. Nut Origin, Mythology & Role | The Egyptian Sky Goddess, Apep, Egyptian God of Chaos | Names, Myths & Difference From Set. WebLEDA was a queen of Sparta, the wife of King Tyndareus, who was seduced by Zeus in the guise of the swan. Learn how and when to remove this template message. Leda & the Swan: Mythology & Analysis | How Zeus Appeared to Leda. 2 She was the wife of Tyndareus, by whom she became the mother of Timandra, Clytemnestra, and Philonoe. Judgement of Paris Mythology & Facts | What is the Apple of Discord? Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. However it is known from many copies, of which the earliest are probably the Spiridon Leda, perhaps by a studio assistant and now in the Uffizi,[13] and the one at Wilton House in the United Kingdom (illustrated). Leda Manticore History, Mythology & Facts | A Lion with Scorpion Tail, Apollo & Daphne: Greek Myth & Depictions | Story of Apollo & Daphne. They were also among the hunters who joined the Calydonian Boar Hunt. Oni, Japanese Demon: Origins & Stories | What is an Oni? Leda and the Swan Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed. Leviathan in Religion & Mythology | Origin, Description & Symbolism, Seer History & Mythology | The Significance of Seers in Mythology, Nuwa in Chinese Mythology | Role, Family & Worship. Vampire Origins, Legends & Types | The Evolution of Vampire Lore. Leda and the Swan Something that might surprise some people is that this was not the first time Helens beauty lead to bloodshed between nations. Leda had two twin daughters, Helen and Clytemnestra. WebLeda, in Greek legend, usually believed to be the daughter of Thestius, king of Aetolia, and wife of Tyndareus, king of Lacedaemon. Niflheim in Norse Mythology: Overview & Description | What is Niflheim? Myths: Interpretations & Examples | What is Mythology? "Carole Harmel", Catalogue essay, Chicago: Galerija, 1983. Leda (mythology When Helen was still a child, she had been abducted by Theseus because he wanted to marry a daughter of Zeus. Yet, the reference to Marlene Dietrich's costume was rarely (if ever) mentioned at the time. Apollo & Hyacinthus: Greek Myth & History | Who was Hyacinthus? How can those terrified vague fingers push. [26][27] There is a sculpture in neon lights depicting Leda and the Swan in Berlin, near Sonnenallee metro station and the Estrel hotel, designed by AES+F. Helen emerging from an egg appears on red-figure pottery from Apulia and Campania during the 4th century BCE.
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