Leto (mythology)

Leto is Titan that became a goddess after her marriage to Zeus. She is known as the goddess of modesty, motherhood, kindness, childbirth, fertility, meekness, caring and protection. She is described as a being who is mild and gentle.
She is one of the many lovers of Zeus. Leto is the mother of the twin deities Artemis and Apollo. Like her son Apollo Leto has no roman equivalent and is also known as Latona instead of Leto. Latona is a name for Leto in both Greek and Roman mythology, which are mainly one mythology, and that is Greek mythology.
==Biography==
Born on the island of Kos Leto was the daughter of Coeus and Phoebe not much is known about Leto before and after the war between the Titans and the Olympians. However after the war Leto became the wife of Zeus and given the title of goddess through their marriage.
Hera the wife of Zeus hated Leto as much as she hated all of women that Zeus loved. When Hera learned that Leto was pregnant she placed a curse on the female Titan that prevented her from giving birth on land. Hera then sent the scared earth serpent know as Python one of the many children of Gaia to kill Leto and the children before their birth.
Leto felled Olympus and traveled the world looking for a place to give birth and protection from Hera and the Python. Leto came across a newly formed island know as Delos. An island created by her sister Asteria who refused to marry Zeus to escape his lust. Poseidon god of the sea looked after the island and helped Asteria so when Leto came to Delos Poseidon took pity on her and let her stay on the island.
Angered at what Poseidon did, Hera decided to kidnap Eilethyia the goddess of childbirth to keep her from helping with birth. The rest of the gods seeing the pain that Leto was going through asked for for Hera to allow Eilethyia to help Leto. Eventually Hera showed some kindness towards Leto but still had hate for her. Eventually Leto gave birth to Artemis and Apollo though Hera showed some pity for Leto she would still send the earth dragon Python to kill Leto and her new born babies.
Not long after their birth Apollo decided to go hunt down the the monster know as Python to protect his mother. Apollo was successful although because of Python being a child of Gaia and a guardian of the earth Zeus told Apollo he had to be punished. Zeus told Apollo to create the Pythian Games to honor the earth serpent. Apollo agreed so the humans of Delphi honored Apollo for helping them kill the serpent but also honored the dragon for being a scared guardian of the earth know as Gaia.
When Zeus talked about punishing Apollo Leto didn't agree that he should be punished and believed that both Apollo and the Python should be honored. Over the years Leto wasn't mentioned in the myths and stories as much as the other gods.
As her children grew up around the gods Hera showed the same hate for Leto's children as much as she did for Leto herself. But Hera has shown more hate to Leto and her daughter Artemis the most. Leto was the most gentle out of the gods and never showed any anger towards Hera no matter what she did. After the Python failed to kill Leto as Artemis and Apollo got older Hera decided to send a giant after Leto.
The giant that Hera sent was named Tityos son Elara and Zeus. Leto was raped by the giant on her way to Delphi to visit her son Apollo who was now ruler of Delphi. Artemis was visiting Apollo in Delphi at the time when thir mother was raped. Apollo faced the giant to protect his mother. After Apollo defeated the giant Zeus throw a lightning bolt at the ground and sent Tityos to Tartarus he gave the giant the same punishment as Prometheus.
Being more humble Leto doesn't crave as much attention or worship as the other gods. Instead she prefers to do small kind acts like helping Zeus, Artemis and Apollo placing Callisto in the night sky as a constellation, convincing Zeus not to send Apollo to Tartarus with Artemis, helping Artemis to get Zeus to revive Apollo's son Asclepius and make him a a god, offering support to Troy soldiers and healing them during the Trojan war. She also helped Artemis turn Orion into a constellation, although not because Artemis wanted, because she hated Orion, but because Poseidon helped Leto give birth to Artemis, thus Artemis, even though hated and had to kill Orion for his evil goals of killing innocent animals, placed him in the night sky, because he was Poseidon's son.
Although Hera the queen of the gods was the only who could make Zeus the king of the gods do what she wanted those acts had normally been do out of rage. But Leto always used her sweet kindness to talk Zeus into helping someone, also into showing mercy and pity for others. Another difference between Hera and Leto was that Zeus allowed Hera to do what ever she wanted and told others who wished for her to pay for her actions that he has no control over her.
Another difference between Hera and Leto is how Hera became enraged over Zeus's affairs with other women. But much like Zeus and the other deities Hera had affairs as well and wasn't exactly loyal to Zeus either. Leto however never got upset with thing Zeus has done his affairs never bothered her.
Unlike the other gods and goddesses living on Olympus Leto had no affairs with anyone once she married Zeus. Leto was more loyal than all the other Greek gods and goddesses spouses combined together. Also unlike the others Greek deities Leto didn't seek control or power like Hera and the other deities. Leto preferred to keep her head down hardly ever speaking up or bringing attention to herself.
==Personality==
Leto is more forgiving than most of the other deities never getting upset at Hera, Python, the giants of Tityos for all the things they have done to her. Leto is a goddess who always takes the high road, she always turns the other cheek, let's everything roll off her back.
No matter what someone does to her she lets it slide. She is always meek and speaking with soft speaking voice and is extremely shy. Leto always remains calm and keeps her cool she aslo sweet and friendly to everyone she meets. She is a peace lover and peace maker but she also a goddess who puts the safety of others before her own.
Leto is not afraid take the punishments meant for someone else if it means no harm comes to the other being. Even if the other being deserves what is about to happen to them even if they had it coming Leto will still protect them. She doesn't care what others say or think of her or how they treat her. Leto would walk a thousand miles out of her way to stay out of a fight.
Even those who have done bad or wrong deeds Leto still loves them and still forgives. Leto is a hold out who doesn't give up others around her even the rest of the deities give up on someone. Leto is one of the few deities who doesn't force her will on to others like the rest of the gods and goddesses who demand for mortals to obey them. Leto always made sure to avoid the drama between the other deities because she wanted no part of it.
While most of the gods and goddesses relied heavily on Olympus and huge cities as support for their rule keep power and control Leto was fine and had no need for Olympus or cities she could survive easily without those things. Leto is a woman who can be trusted and who will have your back when you need her. Leto also believes that the gods and goddesses shouldn't be quick to past judgement or throw stones at others when they are guilty of the same deeds committed by others.
Leto believes no one had the business to tell others what to do. Leto prefers the simple and common things she prefers to be free and shy. Leto prefers to help those in need she has also witnessed how most of the Greek deities give into greed and easy get jealous. Leto follows the path of think before you speak, think before you act and look before you leap. But Leto also doesn't back up and won't back down.
Leto is ok with others loving her or hating her she is fine with that she also knows that anyone her don't know her as well as they think. She is one of the few are far between friends who will be there for you through thick and thin as she has shown for her husband Zesus and for the other Olympians. Leto is an example of someone who believes what do you think about that when she meets someone who doesn't like her.
Those who don't like what Leto has to say when finally speaks up and shed her meekness she let's others know hey I'm just saying. Despite the fact she is a titan and goddesses Leto prefers to be thought of and viewed as a common woman. She does not display her goddess with pride like most of the other deities.
Because she is meek, quite and shy their people and deities who make the mistake of thinking she is weak. Because of her kindness, friendliness, sweetness, peaceful, generous, and because she humble sometimes other make the mistake thinking that she is to soft.
==Navigation==
Category:Mythology Heroes
Category:Deities
Category:Spouses
Category:Female
Category:Immortals
Category:Nature-Lovers
Category:Healers
Category:Protectors
Category:Theology Heroes
Category:Nurturers
Category:Selfless
Category:Pacifists
Category:Pure Good
Category:Humanoid
Category:Harmonizers
Category:Honest
Category:Honorable
Category:Voice of Reason
Category:Protectors of Innocence
Category:Philanthropists
Category:Bond Protectors
Category:Magic
Category:Animal Kindness
Category:Scapegoat
Category:Siblings
Category:Victims
Category:Passionate Learners