Aquarius

The story

Aquarius' mythological ancestor is Ganymede — the beautiful prince of Troy, the most beautiful of mortals. Zeus saw him and fell in love; transformed into an eagle to seize him, flew him to Olympus. There Ganymede became the gods' water-bearer — replacing Hebe (goddess of youth), serving nectar (drinking it makes one immortal) to the gods forever. While the king of Troy (Ganymede's father) lived in pain at losing his son, Zeus gave him safe horse-herds and the assurance that Ganymede was immortal. Ganymede is in the sky — the Aquarius constellation, the figure pouring water from a cup. One of mythology's oldest examples of a mortal's ascent to immortality. Aquarius's themes of "novelty, transformation, the unconventional" come from this myth.

Into the sky

To honor Ganymede's ascent from mortal birth to immortal service, Zeus placed him in the sky. Aquarius pours water (nectar) from his cup to the gods — forever young, forever in service.

Themes

• Ganymede's water-bearing
• the young beauty's abduction
• gods' cup
• pouring