(PD) Photo of a painting: Antonio da Correggio Zeus transformed himself into a swan, to seduce Leda; this is one of many tales of gods and goddesses, humans, hybrids, mystical forces, sea creatures, nymphs, winged avengers such as Harpies and more which formed the basis of Greek culture. These stories have been a vital part of Western civilization and have been source material for Renaissancepainters such as Correggio. Pictured: Leda and the Swan.Painting circa 1532.