GANYMEDE


Meaning of GANYMEDE in English

n.

In Greek legend, the son of King Tros (or Laomedon) of Troy.

Because of his unusual beauty, he was carried off by Zeus disguised as an eagle, and he became cupbearer to the gods. Other versions of the legend trace his abduction to other gods or to King Minos of Crete. The story has long been held to have homosexual implications, and the word catamite is derived from his Latin name, Catamitus.

Ganymede and Zeus in the form of an eagle, antique marble statue; in the Vatican Museum

Anderson

Alinari from Art Resource/EB Inc.

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.      Краткая энциклопедия Британика.