Ganymede
The largest moon in the solar system, named after Ganymede, the beautiful Trojan prince abducted by Zeus to serve as cupbearer of the gods on Olympus
The Meaning of Ganymede
Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system, larger even than the planet Mercury, and one of the four Galilean moons of Jupiter. It was named after Ganymede, a Trojan prince of extraordinary beauty whom Zeus abducted to serve as cupbearer of the gods on Olympus. In the most common version of the myth, Zeus transformed himself into a great eagle and seized the youth from the slopes of Mount Ida near Troy. As compensation, Zeus gave Ganymede's father King Tros a pair of divine horses. On Olympus, Ganymede replaced Hebe as cupbearer, serving nectar to the gods at their feasts. The myth was widely represented in Greek art, and the constellation Aquarius (the water-bearer) was identified with Ganymede. The moon Ganymede is the only moon in the solar system known to possess its own magnetic field, and like Europa, it is believed to harbour a subsurface ocean of salt water beneath a thick crust of ice. Ganymede was discovered by Galileo in January 1610 alongside the other three large moons, and their existence provided crucial evidence that not all celestial bodies orbited the Earth.
Parents
None recorded
Symbols
Fun Fact
Ganymede is the only moon in the solar system with its own magnetic field, and it is larger than the planet Mercury
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
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