Ganymede definition, a Trojan youth who was abducted by Zeus and taken to Olympus, where he was made the cupbearer of the gods and became immortal. In later stories, it was assumed that Ganymede replaced Hebe in this role. 10 Zeus compensated the father for his loss with the present of a pair of divine horses, 11 and Hermes, … The West’s Darkest Hour The site for priests of the 14 words. Ganymede was a Trojan prince in Greek mythology, known for his beauty. This may be due to the cultural ties that come along with something that is not of our time-period. Ganymede was there, passing the time of exile many heroes undergo in their youth, by tending a flock of sheep or, alternatively, during the chthonic or rustic aspect of his education, while gathering among his friends and tutors. Ganymede is the largest satellite in the solar system. Ganymede was a handsome young prince in Greek mythology. He was the son of the king Tros of Dardania, after whom Troy took its name, and Callirrhoe. He considered "Cosmian Stars" and settled on "Medicean Stars". The story of Zeus and Ganymede reflects the Greek tradition of paiderastia in which older, usually married, men took younger men as their lovers. He was also depicted as a playmate of Eros and a rival to Hera. Io had to flee, in bovine form, to Egypt. The statue completed by Hermann Hubacher in 1952 does not, however, depict this abduction instead symbolizes man's longing to ascend Mount Olympus. Today, in our culture we may consider this to be pedophilia, however to the Greeks, this was a behavior that their very own Gods partook in. . According to a myth, Zeus turned into an eagle and abducted Ganymede, bringing him to Mount Olympus. View top-quality stock photos of Zeus And Ganymedes. The omnipotent Zeus did not waiver in his affection for Ganymedes who would carry a golden cup as he accompanied the powerful god on his travels. Ganymede was Zeus's royal cupbearer. Because of his unusual beauty, he was carried off either by the gods or by Zeus, disguised as an eagle, or, according to a Cretan account, by Minos, to serve as cupbearer. Ganymede definition: a beautiful Trojan youth who was abducted by Zeus to Olympus and made the cupbearer of... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples The king of the gods flew down in the form of a giant eagle and carried the boy to Olympus. Homer describes Ganymede as the most beautiful of mortals, and in one version of the myth, Zeus falls in love with his beauty and abducts him in the form of an eagle to serve as cup-bearer in Olympus. As a young man Ganymede was abducted by Zeus and taken to Mount Olympus to be his cupbearer. Other forms of sex were deviant and therefore not discussed. This is an important point of notice for queer culture because there was a time where rather than being sin, which is the dogma many religions currently preach, men having sex with men was to the Greeks a behavior of the Gods. Zeus transports him to Mt. While the Greeks believed in the necessity of marriage, some found greater satisfaction and connection in a socially-accepted same-sex relationship. The supposed strength of these relationships can be seen in Ganymede’s legend. Except…, “If it was truly necessary to make room for illegitimate sexualities, it was reasoned, let them take their infernal mischief elsewhere: to a place where they could be reintegrated, if not in the circuits of production, at least in those of profit. Non-heterosexual behavior was essentially demonized. In Greek mythology, Ganymede is a divine hero whose homeland was Troy. It is not viewed as pedophilia to us, however if it was rewritten without ties to an ancient culture, you could almost guarantee that if would be controversial. Ganymede first encountered Zeus when he was herding his flock of sheep. Ganymede and Zeus accidentally end up in Athens during the Kronia festival, summer counterpart to the Roman Saturnalia. It is important to question why when reading about Ganymedes and Zeus the reader’s focus is on the beauty of the young male, not the actions of Zeus. By taking a younger male lover, Greek men could form emotional bonds while still maintaining that power structure. Her own daughter Hebe, Goddess of Youth, previously held the favored position of cupbearer. He was a handsome, young Trojan who was, as Homer describes, “the most beautiful of mortals.” In the myth of Ganymedes and Zeus, Ganymedes is herding his flock on the mountainside when Zeus sees him and is determined to make Gaynmedes his lover. He was once a mortal Trojan prince, but ended up captivating Zeus and become his lover. Poets described him as having golden hair that fell in curls while artists gave him a lean body and perfectly shaped face. Galileo claimed the right to name the moons he'd discovered. By falsely claiming that they were following Zeus’s example they could practice paiderastia for their own selfish reasons. The act of Zeus abducting Ganymedes to be. The story of Zeus and Ganymede, and classical reactions to it, sheds light on Greek views of homosexuality and relationships. Growing up in a world where same-sex relationships are streamlined in religious tests and stories could ultimately result in a more accepting environment. In the myth of Ganymedes and Zeus, Ganymedes is herding his flock on the mountainside when Zeus sees him and is determined to make Gaynmedes his lover. The daughter of Zeus and Hera had previously been her parents’ cupbearer but retired from that position when she married Heracles after his ascent to Olympus. Homer describes Ganymede as the most beautiful of mortals, and in one version of the myth, Zeus falls in love with his beauty and abducts him in the form of an eagle to serve as cup-bearer in Olympus. According to Greek mythology, Ganymede, the handsome king's son, was abducted by Zeus and taken up to the top of Mount Olympus. He was most often shown in his duties as cupbearer, serving wine and nectar to the gods as they feasted. Ganymede is, also, the holder of the constellation of Aquarius. Ganymede was a handsome young prince in Greek mythology. A gift of horses is sometimes specified as a dowry in mythology, for example in the story of Perseus. Ganymede, finding out what's about to happen, can't keep his upset private enough for Zeus to simply ignore it until whatever has caused it goes away. The myth was a … Men who had little in common with their wives could have deeper bonds with partners of the same sex. One explanation is that the eagle is a dramatic flourish added later in antiquity. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th – 4th B.C.). His father was compensated with a team of immortal horses and was content in the knowledge that his youngest son had become an immortal in the household of the king of the gods. Ganymede was the son of King Tros of Dardania and who is the basis for the kingdom of Troy in Phrygia from Greek mythology. While most of Zeus’s female lovers went on to marry other men, Ganymede was made immortal and lived in Zeus’s household in a position of honor. In the beginning of the “The History of Sexuality” Foucault claims: “Sexual practices had little need of secrecy; words were said without undue reticence, and things were done without too much concealment; one had a tolerant familiarity with the illicit”, However, a very apparent switch was then made and sex was “moved into the home” where it could be carefully confined. Paiderastia, for example, did not equate to homosexuality. Zeus, in the form of an eagle, abducts the young Ganymedes and carries him off to Mount Olympus to be the god’s lover and cupbearer. Eventually, Ganymedes, recognizing the thirst of the mortals, no longer coveted his role and, refusing his position as Zeus’ cupbearer, decided to pour out all the wine, ambrosia, and water of the gods. Of course, he could not accuse the king of the gods of being guilty of something he believed was sinful. While it was a common practice, paiderastia was not universally accepted in the Greek world. To both honor him and keep him safe from Hera’s jealousy, Zeus placed Ganymede in the sky as a constellation. Ganymede was often shown in art as a handsome young man pouring the gods’ wine. Zeus abducted Ganymede from near Troy while Ganymede had been tending sheep, a humble pursuit characteristic of a hero’s boyhood before his destiny is revealed. Please like and share this article if you found it useful. he is abducted by Zeus, in the form of an eagle, to serve as cup-bearer in Olympus ID: G1D9RK (RM) Trojan hero Ganymede offering a bowl to Zeus in the form of an eagle. Ganymede, unfamiliar with the celebration as he is, as well as the background for it, doesn't expect Zeus' displeasure. Conveyed to heaven . It is also impossible to know what the focus of the myth was intended to be. He was also, as one of the youngest residents of Olympus, sometimes a playmate of youthful gods such as Eros. Zeus kissed him, long and deep, and Ganymede reflected that the King of the Gods had always had a thing for illicit liasons, even if everybody knew about them. Directed by Mark Pope. Zeus, in the form of an eagle, abducts the young Ganymedes and carries him off to Mount Olympus to be the god’s lover and cupbearer. Select from premium Zeus And Ganymede of the highest quality. It was adjacent to Aquila, the Eagle, which was one of Zeus’s symbols as well as the form in which he took Ganymede. Ida practicing Olympic games with his friends was abducted by Zeus in the form of an eagle. After Hebe left the role of Cupbearer of Olympus, Zeus put Ganymede in her place, to protect him from Hera 's wreath, kidnapping him in the form of an eagle. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. Plato was particularly opposed to paiderastia not because of the young age of some participants but because of its homosexual nature. In this examination of Greek mythological stories, we explore a short but famous story: Zeus' abduction and rape of Ganymede. The people of Crete, who in mythology were often accused of crimes against the Greek mainland, bore the blame in Plato’s mind. Foucault would argue, in his repressive hypothesis, that since the rise of the bourgeoisie if Ganymedes and Zeus were to be rewritten it would be worthy of sending Zeus to a mental institution. Zeus turned into an eagle to transport the youth to Mount Olympus. Greek mythology often portrays Ganymedes as the God of Homosexuality. King Tros had three sons who were each without fault, but Ganymede in particular was renowned for his beauty. The early legend simply states that Ganymede was carried off that he might be the cup-bearer of Zeus, in which office he was conceived to have succeeded Hebe: 9 but later writers describe him as the beloved and favorite of Zeus, without allusion to his office. It leads to a rare confrontation and some reassurance. The story of Zeus and Ganymede bears many of the hallmarks of the god’s love affairs. Ganymede pouring Zeus a libation (c, 490-480 BCE). The Furies were terrifying goddesses, so why were they sometimes called The Kindly Ones? Instead, Zeus set Ganymedes’ image among the stars as the constellation and God Aquarius, making him immortal and fulfilling Ganymedes wish of sending rain down to the people of the earth who were in need. One day Zeus either sent an eagle or transformed into an eagle, and kidnapped Ganymede to be cupbearer to the gods on Mt. He is portrayed in numerous museum quality paintings and sculptures, including Peter Paul Rueben’s, The Rape of Ganymede, which is on display at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, and Rembrandt’s version with t… Ganymedewas a Trojan boy of great beauty whom Zeus carried away to be cup bearer to the gods. The constellation Aquarius was said to have been placed in the sky in part to protect the beautiful youth from Hera’s jealousy. In Greek mythology, Ganymede /ˈɡænɪmiːd/ or Ganymedes /ɡænɪˈmiːdiːz/ (Ancient Greek: Γανυμήδης Ganymēdēs) is a divine hero whose homeland was Troy. Most ancient sources make it clear that their relationship was a romantic one. . Plato, for example, rationalized the myth of Ganymede as an invention of the Cretan people to legitimize their “unnatural” relationships. Olympus where he … Find the perfect Zeus And Ganymede stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Using language that would be echoed for many centuries, be described same-sex relationships of any form as “contrary to nature” and rooted in “slavery to pleasure.”. Find premium, high-resolution stock photography at Getty Images. This myth is often depicted through artwork of Ganymedes and an Eagle, or Ganymedes and Zeus, seen on canvas, pottery, and multiple other mediums of art. However, it is common to be taught various Greek myths in classrooms, which cover similar content. Although Zeus, a notoriously angry god, first wanted to punish Ganymedes, he eventually realized he had been unkind to the boy. Read more... Circe: The Famous Sorceress of Greek Legend, golden hair that fell in curls while artists gave. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. The idea of the king of the gods having a same-sex relationship may seem surprising, but in the Greek world it was reflective of a fairly common practice. In the Iliad Homer even states “godlike Ganymede, / Who was the loveliest born of the race of mortals” . And dark, unknown irony, for many decades into the future Troy will fall regardless of what Zeus or Ganymede wants. As a young man Ganymede was abducted by Zeus and taken to Mount Olympus to be his cupbearer. Hera, Goddess of Women and Marriage, and wife of Zeus, upon hearing that Ganymedes was to be cupbearer as well as Zeus’ … His story had less in common with those of the great heroes, however, than it did with many of the princesses. Ganymedes, a handsome young man of beauty only comparable to that of Endymion, Hyacinthus 1, Narcissus, Adonis, Hermaphroditus, Hylas or Chrysippus 2, was abducted for the sake of his beauty, and taken to heaven to be the gods' cupbearer.. Instead, Plato claimed that the story was untrue and not even of Greek origin. Ganymede synonyms, Ganymede pronunciation, Ganymede translation, English dictionary definition of Ganymede. While modern readers understand these relationships as exploitative, the Greeks saw them as a way for men to create bonds not available in most heterosexual marriages while also maintaining socially-mandated structures of power and authority within relationships. However we still read Ganymedes and Zeus in a positive frame of light. Foucault would link this to his repressive hypothesis. We’ve seen how Zeus can take advantage of mortals, and how his wife, Hera, responds. “Thus the image of the imperial prude is emblazoned on our restrained, mute, and hypocritical sexuality.”. The difference between this story and those of Zeus’s many mistresses, however, was that Ganymede was a male. Sometimes these relationships can only be inferred from the stories that survive, but other stories are more explicit. The love the king of the gods bore for Ganymede was explicitly described as romantic and based on physical attraction. Ganymede is much larger than Pluto. Olympus. Men often lusted after other men, and as can be seen in the myth of Ganymedes and Zeus, the Gods themselves could not resist the allures of the youthful man.