Leda

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A figure from Greek mythology who was a queen and famously known for her encounter with a swan, which was actually Zeus in disguise, leading to the birth of notable offspring
2. In ancient tales, a noble woman associated with the story of a divine seduction involving a transformed god in the shape of a bird, resulting in children important to various myths
3. A mythological character whose narrative involves a union with a deity taking avian form, producing descendants that appear in classical literature and art as symbolic or heroic figures

Etymology: Leda was a queen of Sparta in Greek myth, and her name has no settled origin. Scholars have suggested pre-Greek or Anatolian roots, but none can be confirmed, so the name remains opaque. Her story is better documented: Zeus, pursuing her, took the form of a swan. The myths describe eggs from that union that hatched into Helen and Clytemnestra, along with the twins Castor and Pollux, though the sources disagree about which children had which father. In later art and poetry, the name became shorthand for the encounter itself. W. B. Yeats's poem "Leda and the Swan" is the best-known modern example, using the scene to explore violence and divine power.