Leda in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Leda

10 passages from 5 ancient authors that tell of Leda, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Leda is a queen in Greek mythology, known for her union with Zeus in the form of a swan, and as the mother of Helen of Troy and the Dioscuri twins. For the story in one place, read our article on Leda.

Homer (2)

Homer, The Homeric Hymns 12.1–18.12Hymns 12 to 18: Hera, Demeter, the Mother of the Gods, Heracles, Asclepius, the Dioscuri and HermesSeven short hymns. Hera is praised as queen of the immortals, sister and wife of Zeus, and Demeter and her daughter Persephone are asked to keep the city safe. The Mother of the Gods delights in rattles and timbrels, Heracles, born to Alcmena, now lives on Olympus with Hebe, Asclepius is born to Coronis, the Dioscuri are born to Leda, and Hermes is born to Maia.
Homer, The Homeric Hymns 30.1–33.19Hymns 30 to 33: Earth, Helios, Selene and the DioscuriFour hymns to cosmic and heroic figures. Earth, mother of all, feeds every creature and gives or takes away the means of life, and Helios drives his chariot, the son of Hyperion and Euryphaessa. Selene, the Moon, rides with a radiance that fills the sky, and the Dioscuri, Castor and Polydeuces, are saviours of ships in storms.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 3.10.1–9Hermes, Asclepius, Leda and the suitors of HelenThe Pleiades are named, and Maia bears Hermes to Zeus, who steals Apollo's cattle, invents the lyre and trades it for the cattle and the art of divination. The line of Taygete and Lacedaemon leads to Hyacinth, to Asclepius, son of Apollo and Coronis, whom Zeus strikes with a thunderbolt for raising the dead, and to Tyndareus and Icarius. Zeus, as a swan, lies with Leda, who bears Helen and the Dioscuri (or, in another version, Nemesis lays Helen's egg), and Theseus carries Helen off. The kings of Greece court Helen, and Tyndareus, on Odysseus's advice, binds them by an oath to defend the chosen husband.

Euripides (4)

Euripides, Helen 68–141First episode: Teucer arrives and brings news of Troy and LedaTeucer arrives at the palace and, seeing Helen, curses her likeness to the woman who ruined the Greeks. Helen questions him, and he tells of his exile from Salamis after the death of his brother Aias, and of the sack of Troy. He says that Menelaus is reported dead, that Leda hanged herself, and that the Dioscuri are said to be both dead and gods.
Euripides, Helen 1642–1692Exodos: the Dioscuri end Theoclymenus' quarrel and foretell the futureThe Dioscuri tell Theoclymenus to spare Theonoe, and say that Helen was destined to return to Sparta. They promise a safe voyage, and say that Helen will become a goddess and that Menelaus will live on the islands of the blessed. Theoclymenus yields, and the Chorus says that the gods bring unhoped-for things to pass.
Euripides, Iphigenia at Aulis 742–800Second choral song: the coming war against Troy and Helen's birthAgamemnon is left alone and says that his efforts have been baffled and that he is foiled at every point. The Chorus sings that the gathered army will sail to Simois and besiege Troy, and prays that its own children's children may never know such wars, and doubts the story that Leda bore Helen to a swan.
Euripides, Iphigenia at Aulis 801–856Third episode: Achilles meets Clytemnestra and the wedding is deniedAchilles arrives, calling for Agamemnon and complaining that his Myrmidons are restless at the delay. He meets Clytemnestra, who gives her name and her hand, and speaks of the marriage. Achilles, who knows nothing of it, is bewildered, and she withdraws in shame. As he turns to seek the king, the old servant calls him back.

Theocritus (1)

Theocritus, Idylls 22.1–223Idyll 22: The DioscuriA hymn to Castor and Pollux, helpers of sailors and of men in battle. At a spring in the land of the Bebryces Pollux boxes with the giant Amycus and beats him, and Amycus swears never again to wrong strangers. Castor fights Lynceus and kills him, and Zeus strikes down Idas with a thunderbolt. The hymn ends with a prayer to the sons of Tyndarus and with praise of song.

Pausanias (2)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.33.1–8Attica: Brauron, Rhamnus and Phidias’ statue of NemesisAt Brauron Iphigenia is said to have left the image of Artemis. At Rhamnus stands the sanctuary of Nemesis, with Phidias’ statue made from the marble the Persians brought to set up as a trophy. Pausanias digresses on the Ethiopians shown on her bowl and on Ocean, Atlas and the sources of the Nile, notes that Nemesis was originally wingless, and explains the figures on the pedestal, where Leda brings Helen to Nemesis.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 3.16.1–11Sparta: the Leucippides, Lycurgus’ sanctuary and Artemis OrthiaPausanias describes the sanctuary of Hilaira and Phoebe, the egg said to be Leda’s, the Tunic where the women weave the garment for Apollo of Amyclae, and the house where the Dioscuri visited Phormio. He lists the shrines of Chilon and of the Athenians with Dorieus, and Lycurgus’ sanctuary and the graves nearby. He then argues that the wooden image of Artemis Orthia, in the Limnaeum, is the one brought from the Tauric land, and describes the scourging of the youths at her altar.