Who was Leda , what is the story with the swan?

Answer 1

In Greek mythology, Leda was the daughter of the Aetolian king Thestius, and the wife of Tyndareus, the king of Sparta.

Leda was loved by Zeus, who seduced her in the guise of a swan. As a swan, Zeus fell into her arms for protection from a pursuing eagle. 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,

Answer 2

In Greek mythology Zeus assumes the form of a Swan and rapes a mortal girl named Leda. In the poem by William Butler Yeats, the events of this myth are told with a better understanding of what transpired. This poem is a struggle between Woman vs. God, and an outlook towards the future.

Throughout the poem Zeus is portrayed as a powerful being that takes on many forms. Leda is often seen as the embodiment of female suffering, this is evidenced in the fact that Zeus has total control over her. There are many examples throughout the poem, which display “the staggering girl” being transfixed at the sight of a Swan hovering above her with “her thighs caressed”. Also “how can those terrified vague fingers push the feathered glory from her loosening thighs”, this shows the power in which Zeus has over Leda. There are also words and phrases that show that Zeus is a powerful being, “a sudden blow”, “feathered glory”, and “mastered”, are a few of the examples of his power.

“A shudder in the Loins engenders there…” refers to when Zeus impregnates Leda; Leda then sees future flashes of the destruction of Troy, and the death of Agamemnon, all of these caused by this altercation between her and Zeus. Zeus knew what the aftermath of the incident with Leda and the impact that his offspring would have on the world. Leda gives birth to four off spring, which are born from eggs. Two of the off springs become War Gods, Castor and Polydeuces, and the other two become mortal women, Helen and Clytemnestra. Helen is later kidnapped by the Trojans, which caused the war between the Trojans and the Greeks. This in turn causes the destruction of Troy by Agamemnon, King of Argos, who was later killed by Leda’s other daughter, Clytemnestra, Agamemnon’s wife.

This poem shows the struggle between Leda and Zeus, and the way Zeus played a pivotal role in influencing future events. Throughout this poem Leda is portrayed as fragile and innocent, and Zeus as dominant. This adds to the effect of the poem that we can better understand.








Leda was the daughter of Thestius and the wife of Tyndareus. She has been known as the Queen of Sparta. Leda was seduced by Zeus when he came to her in the form of a swan. Leda gave birth to an egg. From it hatched the Dioscuri, the twins Castor and Pollux

Answer 3

Leda (mythology), in Greek mythology, wife of Tyndareus, who was king of Sparta, and the mother of Castor and Polydeuces, Clytemnestra, and Helen of Troy. After the god Zeus had wooed Leda in the guise of a swan, she laid two eggs. From one were hatched Polydeuces (also known as Pollux) and Helen, who were immortal children of Zeus, and from the other Castor and Clytemnestra, who were mortal children of Tyndareus.

Answer 4

Leda was ravished by Zeus in the form of a swan, and gave birth to Helen who was the cause of the seige and fall of Troy.

Answer 5

Leda was the wife of Tyndareus king of Sparta. Zeus desired her and became a swan when he made love to her. In time, she gave birth to 2 kids and an egg with 2 more in it. Clytemnestra and Castor were her daughter and son by Tyndareus, while Helen and Polydeuces (aka Pollux) were her children by Zeus. Helen was the most beautiful woman alive, and a great war was fought over her at Troy. She was abducted by Theseus of Athens at age 10, and she wed Menelaus, brother of Agamemnon of Mycenae, later. Clytemnestra wed Agamemnon and killed him when he returned from Troy for sacrificing their daughter Iphigeneia at the beginning of the war. Polydeuces was the greatest boxer of all time and proved that by beating Amycus of Bebyros when he went with the Argonauts. Castor was killed in a fight with another pair of twins. Polydeuces shared his immortality with his brother.