Leda

Leda

                             In Greek mythology, Leda was the daughter of King Thestius of Aetolia and wife of King Tyndareus of Lacedaemon (or Sparta). Zeus fell in love with Leda and lusted after her.  Zeus visited her in form of swan, and fell into her arms for protection from a pursuing eagle. Zeus seduce her in the form of a swam. 

On the same night Leda had intercourse with her husband Tyndareus. As a result Leda laid two eggs each of which contain one child of Zeus, Pollux in one and Helen in the other, and one child each of her husband,  Castor and Clytemnestra. According to other version Leda laid an egg from which were hatched the twins Castor and Pollux, both sons of Zeus. Another version states that Nemesis was the mother of Helen, and was also impregnated by Zeus in the form of a swan. A shepherd found the egg and gave it to Leda. She carefully kept it in a chest until the egg hatched. Leda adopted Helen as her daughter.  Leda also had other daughter by Tyndareus- Timandra, Phoebe, and Philonoe.   

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