Ganymede (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Ganymede or Ganymedes (Greek: Γανυμήδη, Ganymēdēs) was an extremely handsome youth. Homer said he was the most beautiful of all mortals. He was born a prince of Troy. His parents were King Tros (from whose name "Troy" is derived), and Queen Callirrhoe, daughter of the river god Scamander.

When Zeus began lusting for the boy, he went down to Earth in the form of an eagle and took him up to Mount Olympus. There, Ganymede was made immortal. He served as the cup-bearer of the gods. To remember this event, Zeus placed Ganymede into the sky as the constellation Aquarius. Ganymede, the largest and most massive of all Jupiter's moons, was named after this mythological figure.

Ganymede (mythology) Media

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  Ganymede pouring Zeus a libation (Attic red-figure calyx krater by the Eucharides Painter, c. 490–480 BCE)

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  Ganymede rolling a hoop and bearing aloft a cockerel, a love-gift from Zeus, who is pictured in pursuit on the obverse of a vase by the Berlin Painter (Attic red-figure krater, 500–490 B.C.E.)

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  Ganymed by Hermann Hubacher at Lake Zurich