Some legends speak of Zeus' eagle kidnapping Ganymede:Ganymede was a beautiful Trojan prince who caught the eye of Zeus. Zeus sent His eagle down to bring Ganymede to Olympus to be His cup-bearer. - an excerpt from the Hellenic Temple of Apollon, Zeus, and Pan While other accounts speak of the eagle actually being Zeus himself, transformed into the eagle to carry out this task:Ganymede, a handsome boy, excited the passion of Zeus who, in the guise of an eagle, bore him away to Mount Olympus. - an excerpt from The Encyclopedia of Mythology by Arthur Cotterell.