Jupiter and Ganimede

Ganymede

Statue of Ganymede used as garden ornament in Vaux-le-Vicomte, France.
Click on image for full size (44K JPEG)
Image courtesy of Corel Corporation.

Ganymede was a son of Tros, first king of the classical land known as Troy. He lived on the island of Crete, and tended sheep there on the slopes of Mount Ida. One day Zeus caught a glimpse of the young boy and was overwhelmed with a desire to bring Ganymede to Olympus to serve as the cup bearer of the gods. Zeus thereby changed his shape into that of an eagle, swooped down and carried the boy off to the home of the gods.

Now it so happens that this position was already filled by Hebe,the daughter of Zeus and his wife Juno. Once Ganymede arrived at the royal court a competition began between Hebe and Ganymede for the honor of serving the gods. Eventually Ganymede won the post, and stayed on also as the favored companion to Zeus.

To honor the events surrounding the elevation of Ganymede to "cup bearer and servant of the gods," Zeus placed the eagle, a shape he assumed when abducting Ganymede to Olympus, into the heavens as the constellation Aquila (eagle), and immortalized Ganymede as the constellation Aquarius (water bearer). One of Jupiter's moons is also named after Ganymede.

The constellation Aquarius, the waterbearer.

Last modified prior to September, 2000 by the Windows Team

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Ganymede

Statue of Ganymede used as garden ornament in Vaux-le-Vicomte, France. Click on image for full size (44K JPEG) Image courtesy of Corel Corporation.

Statue of Ganymede used as garden ornament in Vaux-le-Vicomte, France.
Click on image for full size (44K JPEG)
Image courtesy of Corel Corporation.