Editing Leto (section)

== Family and attributes ==
Leto is the daughter of the [[Titans]] [[Phoebe (Titaness)|Phoebe]] and [[Coeus]].<ref>[[Hesiod]], ''[[Theogony]]'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0130%3Acard%3D404 404–408]; Gantz, p. 37; Hard, [https://books.google.com/books?id=r1Y3xZWVlnIC&pg=PA37 p. 37]; Caldwell, pp. 11-12; Grimal, s.v Leto; Tripp, s.v. Leto; Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DL%3Aentry+group%3D12%3Aentry%3Dleto-bio-1 s.v. Leto]; [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DLibrary%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D2%3Asection%3D2 1.2.2]; [[Diodorus Siculus]], [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/5D*.html#67.2 5.67.2]; [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#0.2 Preface]; cf. [[Aeschylus]], ''[[The Eumenides]]'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0006%3Acard%3D1 5&ndash;8]. For a genealogical table of the family of Leto, see Grimal, p. 557.</ref><ref>[[Hesiod]], ''[[Theogony]]'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0130%3Acard%3D404 409–411].</ref> Leto is also sometimes called the daughter of Coeus with no mother specified.<ref>[[Ovid]], [[Metamorphoses]] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0028%3Abook%3D6%3Acard%3D146 6.146 ff.]; ''[[Orphic Hymns|Orphic Hymn]]'' 35 ''to Leto'' 1 (Athanassakis and Wolkow, p. 31); Pindar, [https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page%3AOdes_of_Pindar_(Myers).djvu/204 fr. ''Processional-Song in Honour of Delos''].</ref> The island of [[Kos]], in the southeast [[Aegean Sea]], is claimed to be her birthplace.<ref>[[Tacitus]], ''[[Annals (Tacitus)|The Annals]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0078%3Abook%3D12%3Achapter%3D61 12.61]</ref> However, [[Diodorus Siculus]] states clearly that Leto was born in [[Hyperborea]] and not in Kos.<ref>[[Diodorus Siculus]], [https://topostext.org/work/133#2.47.1 2.47.1].</ref>

Her sister is [[Asteria]], who is, by the Titan [[Perses (Titan)|Perses]], the mother of [[Hecate]]. Both sisters captured Zeus's heart; first Leto, and then Asteria, who caught his attention after Leto had already been impregnated with his twins.<ref>[[Maurus Servius Honoratus|Servius]], ''Commentary on [[Virgil]]'s [[Aeneid]]'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0053%3Abook%3D3%3Acommline%3D73 3.73]</ref> Unlike Leto, Asteria did not reciprocate his love and escaped his advances by transforming herself into a bird and then a wandering island, later renamed [[Delos]]. 

In Homeric texts, Leto is shown standing next to Zeus in the absence of Hera almost in the manner of a married wife, and not just one mistress among the many.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/brill-s-new-pauly/leto-e702410# |date=2006 |access-date=April 19, 2023 |translator=Christine F. Salazar |website=referenceworks-brillonline-com.idm.oclc.org/subjects |last=Graf |first=Fritz |location=Columbus, Ohio |title=Leto |editor-first1=Hubert |editor-last1=Cancik |editor-first2=Helmuth |editor-last2=Schneider |doi=10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e702410}}</ref> 

[[Hesiod]] describes Leto as "always mild, kind to men and to the deathless gods, mild from the beginning," the gentlest goddess in all [[Mount Olympus|Olympus]].<ref>Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White.</ref> [[Plato]] also makes references to Leto's softness when trying to link etymologically her name to the word ''ἐθελήμονα'' ("willing", i.e. to assist those asking for her help),<ref>[[Plato]], ''[[Cratylus (dialogue)|Cratylus]]'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0172%3Atext%3DCrat.%3Asection%3D406a 406a].</ref> as well as ''λεῖον'' ("mild").<ref>[[Plato]], ''[[Cratylus (dialogue)|Cratylus]]'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0172%3Atext%3DCrat.%3Asection%3D406b 406b].</ref> Next to [[Demeter]], Leto was the most celebrated mother of the ancient world.<ref name=":bell">Bell, s. v. [https://archive.org/details/womenofclassical00bell/page/278/mode/2up? Leto]</ref>

Hesiod describes Leto as "dark-gowned"<ref>[[Hesiod]], ''[[Theogony]]'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0130%3Acard%3D404 406].</ref> and the ''[[Orphic Hymns|Orphic Hymn]]'' 35 ''to Leto'' describes her as "dark-veiled" and "goddess who gave birth to twins" (''θεός διδυματόκος'').<ref>''[[Orphic Hymns|Orphic Hymn]]'' 35 ''to Leto'' 1 (Athanassakis and Wolkow, p. 31).</ref> In the ''[[Homeric Hymn]] to Apollo'', she is described as golden-haired.<ref>''[[Homeric Hymn]] 3 to [[Apollo]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0138%3Ahymn%3D3%3Acard%3D179 205]; Barker, p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=XX_A_hOLUI8C&pg=PA41 41]</ref>