Leto facts for kids

Leto is a special goddess in Greek mythology. She was the daughter of two powerful Titans named Coeus and Phoebe. Leto is most famous for being the mother of two very important twin gods: Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, and Apollo, the god of music and light. Their father was the mighty king of the gods, Zeus.

Leto is known as the goddess of motherhood. After her children were born, she didn't play a huge role in many other Greek myths.

The Birth of Artemis and Apollo

Hera, who was Zeus's wife and the queen of the gods, found out that Leto was going to have Zeus's children. This made Hera very, very angry. Because of her anger, Hera made a rule: Leto was not allowed to give birth on any land or island that was known to people.

Leto searched for a safe place. She finally found a small island called Delos. This island was special because it floated in the sea, so it wasn't really a "mainland" or a "known island." This meant Hera's rule didn't apply there!

On Delos, Leto first gave birth to Artemis without any trouble. But giving birth to Apollo was much harder. Leto was in labor for a very long time—nine days and nine nights! Luckily, her newborn daughter, Artemis, was there to help her mother finally give birth to Apollo.

Related Pages

• Latona Fountain

Images for kids

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  Statue of Leto in the Yelagin Palace, St. Petersburg.

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  Leto with her children, by William Henry Rinehart

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  Leto on the run with Artemis and Apollo, Roman statue circa 350-400 AD

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  Latona with her children Apollo and Diana, oil painting, Anton Raphael Mengs, 1769

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  Leto with Artemis and Apollo, votive relief, 5th century BC, National Archaeological Museum of Athens.

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  Phoebe pacifying Leto and Niobe while two Niobids play knucklebones, fresco of Herculaneum, 1st century AD, National Archaeological Museum, Naples.

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  Ruined ancient sanctuary Letoon, next to the lake

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  Statue of Leto, from the Roman theatre, 2nd century AD, Hierapolis Archaeological Museum, Turkey.

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  Latona and the Lycian Peasants, ca. 1605, by Jan Brueghel the Elder.

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  Python pursuing Leto and her children, engravings on wood from a vase

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  Leto in the Fountain on Herreninsel, Chiemsee.

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  Cult statue of Leto at Delphi.

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  Marble relief from Mantinea, Arcadia.

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  Etruscan statue of Leto holding the infant Apollo.

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  Leto and the Lycian peasants.

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  Fountain of Latona, Versailles.

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  Leto on an ancient vase between Apollo and Hermes.

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  Bronze statue of Leto.

See also

In Spanish: Leto para niños