Head of Leda by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519).
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Leda
For the ancient Greeks, the constellation
Cygnus, which means "swan", was related to the myth of
Zeus(called Jupiter by Romans) and the goddess Nemesis. In order to escape from Zeus, Nemesis
changed herself into many different animals. When she changed into a
goose, Zeus transformed himself into a wonderful swan and won the love of Nemesis.
The goddess delivered an egg and then abandoned it. A shepherd found the egg and gave it to Leda, the wife of Tyndareus, the king
of Sparta. From that egg came Helen of Troy. Helen was so beautiful that Leda claimed her
as her own child. The constellation Cygnus was formed to celebrate the lovely swan.
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