In Greek mythology, a Trojan youth that was considered the most beautiful of all mortals. Zeus, king of the gods, fell in love with Ganymede one day as the boy was guarding his father's flock. Taking on the form of an eagle, Zeus descended from holy Mount Olympus and abducted the barely adolescent lad. Ganymede replaced Hebe, the goddess of youth, as cupbearer to the gods in exchange for a pair of immortal horses, or a golden vine. A constellation was created in the form of the eagle that carried off Ganymede. The story of Zeus and Ganymede, and many others like it, serve to illustrate the strong belief of the Ancient Greeks that homosexuality was as natural and beautiful as heterosexual love. Throughout the Middle Ages Ganymede was perceived as the personification of homosexual love.