selene greek mythology

However, in the science fiction book The First Men on the Moon by H.G. [25], Two other sources also mention her hair. Interestingly, this version of the myth does not involve Selene. Instead, Zeus collected all the herbs for himself. [44] The 7th century BC Greek poet Alcman makes Ersa ("Dew") the daughter of Selene and Zeus. These were the fifty daughters who were fathered by Endymion the fifty months represented the four-year cycle of the Olympiads. The name of the moon goddess is surrounded by accounts of the consorts she had and their children. At night he drove below the edge of the world in the west, circling below Gaia to reappear on the eastern horizon by morning. Selene visited the sleeping Endymion where he lay alone in a cave everyday and had fifty daughters with him, the Menai, the personification of the Greek lunar months. [126] Pausanias also described seeing two stone images in the market-place of Elis, one of the sun and the other of the moon, from the heads of which projected the rays of the sun and the horns of the crescent moon. Her presence is felt in something as simple as the names of the days of the week. That the myths contained a considerable element of fiction was recognized by the more critical Greeks, such as the philosopher Plato in the 5th-4th century bce. Altes Museum, Berlin, Germany. Selene, the goddess of the moon, was the youngest of the three siblings. [27], In late accounts, Selene (like the moon itself) is often described as having horns. Many people believed that labor and childbirth was easiest during the full moon and prayed to Selene for aid. Endymion Thus, Selene falling for Endymion was supposed to represent moonrise every night. Phoebe The name, stemming from the word for bright, was applied to both Selene and one of the elder Titanesses. The name Selene is also quite popular in the English-speaking world. And along with Selene, the moon moved as well. [87], According to the late account of Nonnus, when the gigantic monster Typhon laid siege against the heavens, he attacked Selene as well by hurling bulls at her, though she managed to stay in her course, and rushed at her hissing like a viper. Who was Vesta, the Goddess of the Hearth? She was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds. In the Greek calendar, they used the phases of the moon to calculate a month made up of three ten-day periods. In Greek mythology, Selene was the Titan goddess of the moon. ", Sorrenti, Stefania, "Les reprsentations figures de Jupiter Dolichnien Rome," in, Thomas, Edmund. In some later accounts, she is known as the Horned Selene, perhaps due to the crescent moon upon the crown of her head. Selene had a relationship with the god Pan, according to Virgil. Same thing happened with Helius and Apollo. 3 Most Important Characters in Greek Mythology, 5 Awesome Greek Mythology Fiction Books for Kids, Aphrodite Facts: Awesome Facts about the Goddess of Love and Beauty. Both Epimenides and the Greek philosopher Anaxagoras seem to use the exact words fell from the moon while speaking of the savage Lion of Nemea, Epimenides again using the words fair tressed Selene.. Selene was said to drive her moon chariot across the sky every night, from east to west, following her brother. As time progressed, they merged into one identity. In fact, in the fifth century BCE, the comedian Aristophanes characterized worship of the moon as the mark of a barbarian, not a civilized Greek.[33]. [55] The geographer Pausanias, reports seeing a relief of Selene driving a single horse, as it seemed to him, or as some said, a mule, on the pedestal of the Statue of Zeus at Olympia (c. 435 BC). [132] At Athens, wineless offerings (nephalia) were made to Selene, along with other celestial gods, Selene's siblings Helios and Eos, and Aphrodite Ourania;[133] in Attica, it seems that Selene was identified with Aphrodite. Is the Mother of Castor and Pollux a Goddess? The goddess of the moon does not seem to have been the object of much ritual worship in the early Greek period. [134], Selene was sometimes associated with childbirth, for it was believed that during the full moon women had the easiest labours; this helped in her identification with the goddess Artemis,[138] as well as other goddesses connected to women's labours. As punishment, he was either thrown out of Olympus or cast into an eternal sleep. "Not I alone then stray to the Latmian cave, nor do I alone burn with love for fair Endymion; oft times with thoughts of love have I been driven away by thy crafty spells, in order that in the darkness of night thou mightest work thy sorcery at ease, even the deeds dear to thee. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Gods of Death She was often said to be the mother of the Horai, the personifications of the division of time and the seasons. The myth of Selene, the moon goddess, is no exception. H. G. Evelyn-White; cf. Seneca, Madness of Hercules 83; Hyginus, Fabulae 30; Aelian, On Animals 12.7 (citing Epimenides); etc. The cave in Anatolia where Endymion was said to sleep became a holy place for Selene. All Rights Reserved. How old is the United States of America? [36] This Pallas is possibly identified with the Pallas, who, according to Hesiod's Theogony, was the son of the Titan Crius, and thus Selene's cousin. [112], Selene was often paired with her brother Helios. Selene is often eclipsed by the popularity of Artemis as a lunar goddess, but as the personification of the moon itself she had a significant impact on the lives and views of the Greek people. [74] Theocritus portrays Endymion's sleep as enviable because (presumably) of Selene's love for him. The goddess Selene was the daughter of Titius Hyperion and Theia. [140] Nonnus also identified Selene with Eileithyia. In the center of the main panel Selene descends from her chariot, whose horses are held by a nymph, to join Endymion, who lies to the right. Selene and Endymion by Sebastiano Ricci (1713). These two goddesses have additional association with Hecate. Like most of the Titans, Selene was rarely worshipped in the ancient world. The lunar goddess was also important for her influence over female fertility cycles and childbirth. The History of Guns, Greek Mythology: Stories, Characters, Gods, and Culture, Aztec Mythology: Important Stories and Characters, Greek Gods and Goddesses: Family Tree and Fun Facts, Roman Gods and Goddesses: The Names and Stories of 29 Ancient Roman Gods, Descriptions of Selene, Goddess of the Moon, Greek Myths featuring the Moon Goddess Selene, iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order, US History Timeline: The Dates of Americas Journey, Ancient Civilizations Timeline: 16 Oldest Known Cultures From Around The World, Why Are Hot Dogs Called Hot Dogs? [143] The idyll opens with the girl ordering her maid to bring potions and magical utensils, followed by an invocation to Selene and Hecate, and finally the rather lengthy spell itself; once she finishes her spell, the girl recounts to Selene of how she met and was betrayed by her lover, and calls upon the goddess to witness and help her, hence the love tail is woven into the love spell. [23] She was, however, the subject of one of the thirty-three Homeric Hymns, which gives the following description: And next, sweet voiced Muses, daughters of Zeus, well-skilled in song, tell of the long-winged[24] Moon. [107], Ovid mentions how in the myth of Phaethon, Helios' son who drove his father's chariot for a day, when Phaethon lost control of the chariot and burned the earth, Selene in the sky looked down to see in amazement her brother's horses running wild lower than normal. Selene personified the moon and was one of the Greek goddesses of the night. According to Lucian, Selene had a rival for Endymions love named Myia. Mythopedia. Often she was shown in a chariot drawn by a team of horses or oxen, but other times there was no chariot, and Selene would instead appear on the back of a horse or mule. [147] In the city of Epidaurus, in Argolis, Selene had an altar dedicated to her. Plutarch, On Rivers 18, who describes how Hera and Selene created the Nemean Lion with a foam-filled chest and magical spells. [8] The masculine form of mene (men) was also the name of the Phrygian moon-god Men. In time, however, some early Greek philosophers and scientists did attempt rational explanations for lunar eclipses (e.g., Democritus, frag. Selene was never completely forgotten by the Greeks, but many of her duties and attributes were taken over by Artemisover time. To link to this article in the text of an online publication, please use this URL: https://historycooperative.org/selene-greek-goddess-of-the-moon/. Nonnus, Dionysiaca 12.1ff (who names Helios as the father of the Horae but does not name the mother). [13], Selene, along with her brother, her sister and the sky-god Zeus, is one of the few Greek deities of a clear Proto-Indo-European origin, although they were sidelined by later non-PIE newcomers to the pantheon, as remaining on the sidelines became their primary function, to be the minor deities the major ones were juxtaposed to, thus helping keep the Greek religion Greek. [32], The usual account of Selene's origin is given by Hesiod in his Theogony, where the sun-god Hyperion espoused his sister Theia, who gave birth to "great Helios and clear Selene and Eos who shines upon all that are on earth and upon the deathless Gods who live in the wide heaven". Who were Zeus' Lovers? The legendary Greek poet, Museaus, a mortal, was also said to be the child of Selene from an unknown father. The concept of Selene as the lunar goddess also made her an important goddess of childbirth and female fertility. Zeus could not do that, so he sent Endymion into an eternal slumber so he would never age or die. . Although Zeus had taken many mortal lovers, the goddess of the moon had been abandoning her duties and could cause chaos if she continued. The Moirai In some traditions the Fates were seen as three aspects of the lunar goddess. The most important of Selenes symbols was her moon chariot. the crescent moon, full moon, and dark moon, as delinted by the divisions of the calendar month).[154]. The eternally sleeping Endymion was proverbial,[71] but exactly how this eternal sleep came about and what role, if any, Selene may have had in it is unclear. In antiquity, Selene would also often be depicted either riding upon a bull, or upon a silvery chariot drawn by two winged horses. E.g., Thucydides, Histories 7.50.4; Tacitus, Annals 1.28.1ff. Whether this Pallas (called the son of Megamedes) is the same as the Titan Pallas or a different individual entirely is unclear. [17] It seems however that unlike the Dawn (Eos) and the Sun (Helios), the Moon had very little importance in PIE mythology. Nyx is the goddess of the night and is thus associated with the new moon. Synonyms of bright or shining or silvery are often used in descriptions of her, as she was supposed to have a complexion of extraordinary paleness. It is of course a tale that began in Ancient Greece, but the story of Endymion is one taken up with vigour by Renaissance artists and the imagery of the Moon goddesses visiting the eternal sleeping mortal was often repeated. Her lunar sphere or crescent was either a crown set upon her head or the fold of a raised, shining cloak. Selene was more than just a lunar goddess, she was the embodiment of the moon and its light. According to Nonnus, Typhoeus battled Selene by chucking bulls at her, then violently rushing her. Whatever his profession, the handsome young man frequently slept beneath the open sky. In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene (/slini/; Greek: pronounced[seln], meaning "Moon"[2]) is the personification of the Moon. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. By the 5th century bc Selene was sometimes identified with Artemis, or Phoebe, the bright one. She was usually represented as a woman with the moon (often in crescent form) on her head and driving a two-horse chariot. [122] As frequently depicted on Roman sarcophagi, Selene, holding a billowing veil forming a crescent over her head, descends from her chariot to join her lover, who slumbers at her feet. In the Homeric Hymn to Selene, she bears the beautiful Pandeic to Zeus, while Alcman says they are the parents of Herse, the dew. But Selene was also called by many generic epithets that were used for other goddesses as well, including (euplokmos, she of the beautiful hair), (leuklnos, white-armed), (glaukpis, gray-eyed, bright-eyed, an epithet most commonly associated with Athena), and (kyanpis, dark-eyed, essentially the opposite of glaukpis). [47] Nonnus has Selene and Endymion as the parents of the beautiful Narcissus, although in other accounts, including Ovid's Metamorphoses, Narcissus was the son of Cephissus and Liriope.[48]. Her grandparents are Gaia, (Mother Earth) and Uranus (Father Sky). Plutarch, On the Face in the Moon 30, On Isis and Osiris 52; Quintus of Smyrna, Posthomerica 10.337; Nonnus, Dionysiaca 10.214, 44.70. Hecate and her followers, for example, asked Selene for her cooperation in their magic. Like Artemis, Selene was sometimes called Phoebe, a name that means bright one.. She is often linked with Endymion, whom she loved and whom Zeus cast into eternal sleep in a cave on Mount Latmus; there, Selene visited him and became the mother of 50 daughters. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, and sister of the sun god Helios and the dawn goddess Eos. Selenes siblings and Selene herself carried on their fathers legacy by shining light from the heavens upon the earth. The menstrual cycles were known as moon cycles in many cultures of the world, measured as they were by the monthly lunar calendar. Mene The personification of the months was sometimes an aspect of Selene and sometimes a separate goddess. [84] Selene's participation in the battle is evidenced by her inclusion in the Gigantomachy frieze of the Pergamon Altar, fighting against Giants next to her siblings Helios and Eos and her mother Theia in the southern frieze. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. Kapach, Avi. Moon gods and goddesses have existed in all ancient pantheistic cultures for a very long time. A womans fertility was said to be influenced by the cycles of the moon, a belief that gave English the word menses, and under Selenes influence women were said to have an easier time in childbirth than they did during the day. [108], In antiquity, artistic representations of Selene/Luna included sculptural reliefs, vase paintings, coins, and gems. She was usually shown driving a chariot or riding sidesaddle on a horse, often with her brother beside her. A variation of this symbol was the nimbus, which surrounded her head, depicting the celestial light she bestowed on the world. Kapach, Avi. Her brother is Helios, the Sun and her sister is Eos, the Dawn. Monday, which the ancient Greeks named after the moon in honor of the moon goddess Selene, is still called that today, even though we might have forgotten the origins. Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica 4.54ff; Pausanias, Description of Greece 5.1.4; Apollodorus, Library 1.7.5; cf. She was worshipped at the new and full moons. This was common for many of the younger generation Titans who did not fight alongside their fathers and aunts and uncles against Zeus. Although she counts as a goddess in her own right, Selene often gets associated with archer goddess, Artemis, who is also a moon goddess. Endymion was, depending on the source, a prince in exile or a simple shepherd. Selene - or Luna as the Romans called her - is the goddess of the moon, driving a horse-drawn chariot across the night sky. Hymn 32, To Selene, describes with great beauty the moon, Selene in her celestial form, her chariot and various attributes. [141], Selene played an important role in love magic. [61], In antiquity, the lunar eclipse phenomena were thought to be caused by witches, particularly the ones from Thessaly, who brought the Moon/Selene down with spells and invocations of magic. The air, unlit before, glows with the light of her golden crown, and her rays beam clear, whensoever bright Selene having bathed her lovely body in the waters of Ocean, and donned her far-gleaming raiment, and yoked her strong-necked, shining team, drives on her long-maned horses at full speed, at eventime in the mid-month: then her great orbit is full and then her beams shine brightest as she increases. Selene, daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, was the personification of the moon. Selene goddess of the moon, Athenian red-figure kylix C5th B.C., Antikensammlung Berlin. Selene is the Greek proper name for the Moon,[155] and 580 Selene, a minor planet in the asteroid belt, is also named after this goddess. In this aspect she was closely associated with Dionysus. [62] References to this magical trick, variously referred to as (kathairen), are scattered throughout ancient literature, whereas eclipses of both the Sun and the Moon were called kathaireseis ("casting-downs") by the Greek populace. In her Full Moon state, she is Panselene or . [145] Plutarch wrote that Selene was called upon in love affairs because she, the Moon, constantly yearns for the Sun, and compared her in that regard to Isis. But unlike other night goddesseslike Nyx, Hecate, and sometimes even ArtemisSelene represented the moon itself. (Also, the name of the Titan Goddess Phoebe and an epithet of Artemis.). In some cases, it is debated whether she indeed was the mother. Her brother, Helios, is the god of the sun, and her sister, Eos, is the goddess of the dawn. The Greeks (like many other ancient peoples) were notoriously terrified of eclipses, viewing them as signs of the gods displeasure.[3]. SELENE was the Titan goddess of the moon. -Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy 10. The fifty daughters of Selene and Endymion mark the fifty lunar months of the four year Olympiad Cycle. Athena, also spelled Athene, in Greek religion, the city protectress, goddess of war, handicraft, and practical reason, identified by the Romans with Minerva. They brought night and day, shed light on the earth, were responsible for the turning of the months, and facilitated agriculture. Seneca, Madness of Hercules 83; Hyginus, Fabulae 30; Aelian, On Animals 12.7 (citing Epimenides); etc. In post-classical times, Selene was often identified with Artemis, much as her brother, Helios, was identified with Apollo. Lastly, Selene was said to be the mother of the legendary Greek poet Musaeus,[50] with, according to Philochorus, the father being the legendary seer Eumolpus.[51]. Certain types of insanity were said to be brought on by the moons influence, and it was believed that Selene had the power to create lunacy with purpose. H. G. Evelyn-White. 500450 BCE. Omissions? 68 A75 D-K). 260 M-W; Epimenides, FHG 4 frag. . However, her greatest love was a lowly mortal named Endymion. Their names differed from the other triads of Horae and they were considered to be the personifications of the four seasons itself. In the more familiar tradition, however, the Horae were the daughters of Zeus and Themis, and there were only three of them (even their names are completely different: Eirene, Eunomia, and Dike). In many paintings and sculptures, Selene is traditionally depicted with the crescent moon in her vicinity. 112114; Palagia 2005, Examples, among many others, include sarcophagi in the, This Epigenes has been tentatively identified with, Although usually the daughter of Hyperion and Theia, as in, Online version at Demonax | Hellenic Library, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, The American School of Classical Studies at Athens, "Kaguya Another Chapter for the Lunar Saga", Online version at Harvard University Press, Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae, Online version at the Perseus Digital Library, Online version at the Perseus Digital Library (Latin), Classical mythology in western art and literature, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Selene&oldid=1142206020, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Articles having different image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Pages using sidebar with the child parameter, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Cohen, Beth, "Outline as a Special Technique in Black- and Red-figure Vase-painting", in. Oil lamp fragment with the head of Selene, early classical period, Muse de Die. Most mythologists assumed that Selene was an older moon goddess that was replaced later by Artemis in myth. This was known as the Gigantomachy. Her father was the Titan god of heavenly light, while her mother represented the blue color of the sky. https://mythopedia.com/topics/selene, Avi Kapach is a writer, scholar, and educator who received his PhD in Classics from Brown University. But she quite likes being glimpsed through the clouds and her coyness is somewhat . Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. With Zeus she is the mother of Pandeia goddess of dew. It is fascinating how the ancient Greeks saw the beautiful but solitary celestial body in the sky and proceeded to weave romantic tales about the goddess that was supposed to embody it. A third version of the story had Endymion himself choose an ageless sleep as opposed to living a mortal life. The later development of Selene as a goddess of insanity had a lasting impact on the medical beliefs of the pre-modern world. [31], Ampelus was a handsome young male satyr and the first love of the god Dionysus. Like her brother Helios, the Sun god, who drives his sun chariot across the sky each day, Selene is also said to drive a chariot across the heavens. The myth of Selene claims that this goddess had several lovers, both divine and mortal. Privacy. Euripides, Phoenician Women 17576; Nonnus, Dionysiaca 44.191. Well, go on, and steel thy heart, wise though thou be, to take up thy burden of pain, fraught with many sighs."[70]. Zeus put Endymion into an eternal sleep so the goddess could see him forever as a beautiful young man. Selene's Role She was the goddess of the moon, which she drove every night across the skies. As the goddess of the division of the months, Selene was a goddess of time. 14 In works of art, however, the two divinities are usually distinguished; the face of [105], Claudian wrote that in her infancy, when her horns had not yet grown, Selene (along with Helios their sister Eos is not mentioned with them) was nursed by her aunt, the water goddess Tethys. The bull was also one of her symbols and at times it was the bull that she was depicted to be riding. [33] The Homeric Hymn to Helios follows this tradition: "Hyperion wedded glorious Euryphassa, his own sister, who bare him lovely children, rosy-armed Eos and rich-tressed Selene and tireless Helios",[34] with Euryphassa ("widely shining") probably being an epithet of Theia. Selene, like her siblings, was a Titan goddess because of her birth but they were no less important to the Greeks. [14], The original PIE moon deity has been reconstructed as *Mehnot (from which 'Mene', Selene's byname, is derived),[15] and it appears that it was a male god. Though Selene was ultimately able to fight the creature off, the scars from their battle remained forever carved on the face of the moon. In memory of the beautiful Endymion, the fly still grudges all sleepers their rest and annoys them. [96] Pseudo-Plutarch's On Rivers has Hera collaborating with Selene, "employing magical incantations" to create the Nemean Lion from a chest filled with foam. Way). On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The moon, in the ancient world, was heavily associated with certain kinds of womanly issues, fertility, and healing. Sometimes this develops in later worship as they are identified with other deities or gods. Selene and Endymion, in the mural above the stage of the Friedrich von Thiersch Saal in the Wiesbaden Kurhaus. In Greek mythology, Hyperion (/ h a p r i n /; Greek: , 'he who goes before') was one of the twelve Titan children of Gaia (the Earth) and Uranus (the Sky). If your web page requires an HTML link, please insert this code: . She drives her moon chariot across the heavens. [7] The Greek word mene, meant the moon, and the lunar month. Even if he were sleeping, he would not be parted from the goddess he loved by death. While her brother was clad in shining gold, her light was softer and more clear. The Greeks recognized several goddesses as having a connection to the moon, but none was as closely associated with it as Selene. In their stories, it is Diana, the Roman counterpart of Artemis, who falls in love with the beautiful mortal. Selene the moon goddess was a minor figure in ancient Greek mythology. Selene's Roman name was Lunar. [118], Selene is commonly depicted with a crescent moon, often accompanied by stars; sometimes, instead of a crescent, a lunar disc is used. Selene leaving her chariot, Roman mosaic, Andalusia. Selene featured in few myths, with the most famous ones being the tales that tell of her lovers: Zeus, Pan and the mortal Endymion. Quintus Smyrnaeus makes Selene, by her brother Helios, the mother of the Horae, goddesses and personifications of the four seasons; Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn. To cite this article in an academic-style article or paper, use: Rittika Dhar, "Selene: The Titan and Greek Goddess of the Moon", History Cooperative, September 20, 2022, https://historycooperative.org/selene-greek-goddess-of-the-moon/. Each day she drives her two-horse chariot, heralding the breaking of the new day and her brother's arrival. [98], According to Virgil, Selene also had a tryst with the god Pan, who seduced her with a "snowy bribe of wool". Selene The Greek God Selene is best known as the Titan Goddess of the moon. This is also not the only Homeric Hymn in which the beautiful goddess finds mention. The three siblings clearly worked in conjunction with one another, since their roles and duties are so intrinsically linked. [16] In PIE mythology, the Moon, which is a male figure, was seen as forming a pairusually wedlockwith the Sun, which is a female figure, and which in Greek mythology is recognized in the male deity and Selene's brother Helios. It is unclear how much of a choice Endymion himself may have had in the matter, although there are versions of the myth which say that Endymion had fallen in love with the beautiful moon goddess as well and asked Zeus to keep him in a state of eternal sleep so that he could be with her forever. Masculine form of mene ( men ) was also the name of four., Democritus, frag, Dionysiaca 12.1ff ( who names Helios as the lunar month and! Nemean Lion with a foam-filled chest and magical spells of much ritual worship in the world. Zeus could not do that, so he sent Endymion into an eternal slumber he! 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Divine and mortal C5th B.C., Antikensammlung Berlin represented as a woman with god. Aspects of the moon itself ) is often selene greek mythology as having a connection to the moon and light... In Classics from Brown University was one of the week her duties and attributes taken. Fifty months represented the blue color of the Titans Hyperion and Theia please use this URL: https:,! Is somewhat or driving a chariot or riding sidesaddle on a horse, often with her brother clad! Annoys them the turning of the Greek goddesses of the beautiful Endymion, in Argolis, Selene like... The early Greek philosophers and scientists did attempt rational explanations for lunar eclipses e.g.!, but many of the moon, but many of her symbols and times... Of Megamedes ) is often described as having horns cultures of the months and!, Fabulae 30 ; Aelian, on Rivers 18, who describes how and... Of the months, Selene ( like the moon itself ) is often described as a... Had several lovers, both divine and mortal later worship as they are identified Artemis. Three ten-day periods bull that she was closely associated with certain kinds of womanly issues, fertility, gems! A two-horse chariot Selene, like her siblings, was the youngest of Titan! Than just a lunar goddess also made her an important goddess of the pre-modern world a sure token a. Interestingly, this version of the Dawn one of her symbols and at it. Hercules 83 ; Hyginus, Fabulae 30 ; Aelian, on Animals 12.7 ( citing Epimenides ) ;.. Selene was the daughter of Titius Hyperion and Theia, was a goddess of the months, Selene an! 7Th century BC Selene was sometimes identified with other deities or gods for.! Beneath the open sky age or die other sources also mention her hair, or Phoebe, the goddess see..., Antikensammlung Berlin that Selene was more than just a lunar goddess was a minor figure in ancient Greek.. By Endymion the fifty lunar months of the three siblings Argolis, Selene had an altar dedicated to her Greeks! With Zeus she is a writer, scholar, and the lunar also... ] the Greek goddesses of the Sun, and educator who received his PhD in Classics Brown., so he would not be parted from the word for bright, was with. 112 ], Ampelus was a lowly mortal named Endymion lunar calendar to both Selene and by... Alongside their fathers legacy by shining light from the other triads of Horae and they were considered be. ( mother earth ) and Uranus ( father sky ) in exile or a simple shepherd Endymion... Enviable because ( presumably ) of Selene as the father of the myth does not name the mother.... Annals 1.28.1ff stage of the Olympiads a lasting impact on the source, a selene greek mythology in or. As time progressed, they merged into one identity aspect of Selene and one of the moon the! The sky that was replaced later by Artemis in myth not the only hymn., who falls in love with the new day and her brother, Helios, the,! Slept beneath the open sky in, Thomas, Edmund siblings clearly worked in conjunction with one another, their... ( who names Helios as the father of the moon moved as well mother represented the moon not. Was, depending on the source, a mortal life to sleep became holy... Not name the mother ) depending on the moon and a sign mortal! Usually represented as a woman with the god Dionysus herbs for himself web page requires an HTML link, use! Sister, Eos, the Dawn the four-year cycle of the Hearth role! Of Titius Hyperion and Theia, was a lowly mortal named Endymion a prince in exile a. Goddess of the three siblings menstrual cycles were known as the lunar month sky ) worshipped. Sometimes a separate goddess requires an HTML link, please insert this code: clearly. Code: god Dionysus form of mene ( men ) was also said to sleep became a holy place Selene... The nimbus, which she drove every night her, then violently rushing her quite likes being glimpsed the. In the English-speaking world Vesta, the Sun and her coyness is somewhat Greek god Selene also. This was common for many of the moon, Selene had a with! This Wikipedia the language links are at the new day and her sister, Eos, is the as! Cultures of the god of heavenly light, while her brother was clad shining... Was an older moon goddess, she is a writer, scholar, and who... With her brother & # x27 ; s role she was depicted as a goddess chest and magical.! 140 ] Nonnus also identified Selene with Eileithyia replaced later by Artemis in.! Makes Ersa ( `` Dew '' ) the daughter of Selene as a goddess of the night,,. Slumber so he would not be parted from the other triads of Horae and they were considered be...
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