527532; Shear, pp. The Greeks recognized several goddesses as having a connection to the moon, but none was as closely associated with it as Selene. Selene detail from a sarcophagus, imperial period. Indeed, the Greek comic playwright Aristophanes said in the 5th century BCE that the worship of the moon was a sign of barbarian communities and not to be emulated by the Greeks. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Several lovers are attributed to her in various myths, including Zeus, Pan, and the mortal Endymion. As time progressed, they merged into one identity. According to Hesiods Theogony, her parents were the Titans Hyperion and Theia; her brother was Helios, the sun god (sometimes called her father); her sister was Eos (Dawn). Names of the Goddess. Selene does not appear in modern adaptations of Greek myths, since she is not exactly one of the major Greek gods like Zeus or Aphrodite. [144] And, according to a scholium on Theocritus, Pindar wrote that lovesick women would pray to Selene for help, as Euripides apparently had Phaedra, Selene's great-niece, do in his lost play Hippolytus Veiled. Selenes role in this war was not only to fight against the giants. While Selenes best known consort may have been Endymion and the mythic romance between the moon goddess and the mortal has been documented in many places, he was not the only person that she was involved with. Other examples of lunar goddesses and gods are Selenes Roman equivalent Luna, the Mesopotamian Sin, the Egyptian god Khonsu, the Germanic Mani, the Japanese Shinto god Tsukuyomi, the Chinese Change, and the Hindu god Chandra. According to the Homeric Hymn 32, Selene and Zeus together had a daughter named Pandia. She was said to represent the full moon. Though Selene was ultimately able to fight the creature off, the scars from their battle remained forever carved on the face of the moon. . 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. The people of Sparta claimed that Ares had been nursed by a nymph called Thero. [63][66], Selene is best known for her affair with the beautiful mortal Endymion. [119] Often a crescent moon rests on her brow, or the cusps of a crescent moon protrude, horn-like, from her head, or from behind her head or shoulders. She was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds. Nonnus, Dionysiaca 12.1ff (who names Helios as the father of the Horae but does not name the mother). The Greek word for the moon was also the word used to delineate the months. She was essentially urban and civilized, the antithesis in many respects of Artemis, goddess of the outdoors. This includes mythical sea monsters, whales, sharks, dragons, and venomous animals. Interestingly, this version of the myth does not involve Selene. She fell madly in love with him and asked Zeus to let him stay asleep forever, remaining eternally young and beautiful (in some traditions, it was Endymion himself who requested this unending sleep). [59] Though the moon chariot is often described as being silver,[60] for Pindar it was golden. The masculine form, Phoebus, was used in reference to either Apollo or. Greek months began with the first new moon and were organized into three ten-day weeks that roughly followed the progression of the lunar cycle. The months had their own personifications as well, who were all born from Selene. Selenes Roman counterpart was called Luna (from the Latin word meaning moon). According to Hesiod's Theogony, her parents were the Titans Hyperion and Theia; her brother was Helios, the sun god (sometimes called her father); her sister was Eos (Dawn). Pandia was the personification of the full moon and may have originally been another name for Selene before the myths made her the daughter of Selene and Zeus. But she quite likes being glimpsed through the clouds and her coyness is somewhat . In fact, there were several female deities who shared this domain. [78] In his dialogue between Aphrodite and Eros, Lucian also has Aphrodite admonish her son Eros for bringing Selene "down from the sky". Does the sculpted girl speak to women too?" In rarer traditions, she is the daughter of the Titan Pallas. [17] It seems however that unlike the Dawn (Eos) and the Sun (Helios), the Moon had very little importance in PIE mythology. As Luna, she had temples at Rome on the Aventine and Palatine hills. In Greek literature, Eos is presented as a daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, the sister of the sun god Helios and the moon goddess Selene. In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene ( / slini /; Greek: pronounced [seln], meaning "Moon" [2]) is the personification of the Moon. Selene the moon goddess was a minor figure in ancient Greek mythology. [128], Originally, Pandia may have been an epithet of Selene,[129] but by at least the time of the late Hymn to Selene, Pandia had become a daughter of Zeus and Selene. Selene was more than just a lunar goddess, she was the embodiment of the moon and its light. Thou wouldst say far off that this was milk indeed, which is a well-spring of white water: if thou draw a little nigher, lo, the stream is fringed as though with ice, for white stone rims it round. Selene, like her siblings, was a Titan goddess because of her birth but they were no less important to the Greeks. [16][18], Although attempts have been made to connect Selene to Helene due to the similarity of their names, in two early dedications to Helen from Laconia her name is spelled with a digamma (Ancient Greek: , romanized:Welna), ruling out any possible connection between them. Seneca, Madness of Hercules 83; Hyginus, Fabulae 30; Aelian, On Animals 12.7 (citing Epimenides); etc. There are different versions of this story. Every evening, Selene ushered in nightfall and then drove her chariot through the night before giving way to dawn. Cf. Upon the head of Selene was normally found a crown that was representative of the spherical moon. 1999, Mark P. O. Morford, Robert J. Lenardon, Classical Mythology, page 43, Balancing Arria is the union of Selene and Endymion. "[42], According to the Homeric Hymn to Selene, the goddess bore Zeus a daughter, Pandia ("All-brightness"),[43] "exceeding lovely amongst the deathless gods". Her list of powers are unmatched, as far as lunar goddesses go. "On Representations of Helios and of Selene", The Journal of Hellenic Studies, Sorabella, Jean, "A Roman Sarcophagus and Its Patron. [11], Just as Helios, from his identification with Apollo, is called Phoebus ("bright"), Selene, from her identification with Artemis, is also called Phoebe (feminine form). Did a Lion-Headed Monster Exist in Greek Mythology. Two winged steeds pulled her across the sky each night. 13 In later times Selene was identified with Artemis, and the worship of the two became amalgamated. [52] There are no mentions of Selene's chariot in either Homer or Hesiod,[53] but the Homeric Hymn to Selene, gives the following description: 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 and Endymion standing next to each other, sarcophagus fragment, end of 2nd century AD. [152], According to a certain Epigenes,[153] the three Moirai, or Fates, were regarded in the Orphic tradition as representing the three divisions of Selene, "the thirtieth and the fifteenth and the first" (i.e. [75] Cicero seems to make Selene responsible for Endymion's sleep, so that "she might kiss him while sleeping". Although Zeus had taken many mortal lovers, the goddess of the moon had been abandoning her duties and could cause chaos if she continued. She was unique, however, in her relationship with the orb itself. ), The name Selene (Greek , translit. However, Selene was not one of them. Their daughter Eos was the first to appear each day. Those that do exist are somewhat generic (like the previously mentioned epithets). Nonnus describes how, as Ampelus was riding a bull, he made the mistake of comparing himself to Selene. Although Endymion slept for eternity, many sources said Selene continued to see him. [112], Selene was often paired with her brother Helios. She also had a statue, alongside Helios, in the public marketplace of Elis. Kapach, Avi. Who was Vesta, the Goddess of the Hearth? Selene was so enamored of the young man that she left the sky to see him more closely. After all, mythology is storytelling at its finest. [85][86] Selene gallops sidesaddle in advance, and wears a woolen undergarment and a mantle. The moon goddess was said to have had several lovers, including Zeus and the wild god Pan. That haunted cave [on Mount Latmos] of fair-haired Nymphai (Nymphs) where, as Endymion slept beside his kine, divine Selene watched him from on high, and slid from heaven to earth; for passionate love drew down the immortal stainless queen of night. Mene The personification of the months was sometimes an aspect of Selene and sometimes a separate goddess. From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. She was born as one of the second generation of Titans, who were overthrown by the Olympians. Selene also has a chemical element named after her, Selenium. One of the most important sources of this myth is in the Greek satirist Lucian of Samosatas Dialogues of the Gods, where Aphrodite and Selene talk about the latters love for Endymion. In this case, the story of Selene embracing Endymion, or Moon embraces Diver, refers to the sun setting and the moon rising. The moon was also believed to bring the night dew that nourished the plants and to bring sleep and rest to humankind. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The moon goddess and Artemis were occasionally shown as companions. [86] Additionally, on a rein guide for a chariot a goddess thought to be Selene with a crescent and veil over her head is depicted, who stands with Helios on a gate tower and tries to repel the attacks of snake-legged Giants. In the Greek calendar, they used the phases of the moon to calculate a month made up of three ten-day periods. Here Pasipha is used as an epithet of Selene, instead of referring to the daughter of Helios and wife of Minos. We knew of her that she was a goddess of the moon, but so was Artemis (Greek mythology) . Described by Pausanias, it contained statues of Pasipha and Helios. Her lunar sphere or crescent was either a crown set upon her head or the fold of a raised, shining cloak. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Gods of Death Some nymphs in Greek mythology were famous, but others were only known in a certain time Apollo: The God of Music, Poetry, and Light, Hecate Greek Goddess of Witchcraft : The Complete Guide. Her brother, Helios, is the god of the sun, and her sister, Eos, is the goddess of the dawn. This upset both him and Selene, who then transformed poor Myia into a fly (myia is the ancient Greek word for fly). [72] A scholiast on Apollonius says that, according to Epimenides, Endymion fell in love with Hera, and Zeus punished him with eternal sleep. Diodorus of Sicily, Library of History 3.57. Another myth describes how Selene held her own against the monster Typhoeus when he attacked the gods. Kapach, A. [91], Selene also played a small role in the first of Heracles' twelve labours; whereas for Hesiod, the Nemean Lion was born to Orthrus and the Chimera (or perhaps Echidna) and raised by Hera,[92] other accounts have Selene involved in some way in its birth or rearing. Together, they fittingly created three sources of celestial illumination. She announced the coming of her younger brother. For this the Greek gods were to be worshiped. 116, no. Mason-Dixon Line Selene, daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, was the personification of the moon. According to the Catalogue of Women, Endymion was the son of Aethlius (a son of Zeus), and Zeus granted him the right to choose when he would die. In ancient Greek mythology, Selene, is the Titan goddess of the moon and is said to drive her glowing chariot powered by beautiful white horses across the sky each night. At night he drove below the edge of the world in the west, circling below Gaia to reappear on the eastern horizon by morning. 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. Offended, she sent a gadfly to sting the bull; the surprised creature threw Ampelus and proceeded to gore him to death. [31], Ampelus was a handsome young male satyr and the first love of the god Dionysus. [103], In Lucian's Icaromenippus, Selene complains to the titular Menippus of all the outrageous claims philosophers are making about her, such as wondering why she is ever waxing or gibbous, whether she is populated or not, and stating that she is getting her stolen light from the Sun, causing strife and ill feelings between her and her brother. Selene was the Greek goddess of the moon. Like every celestial goddess , there was a yin to Selene's yang; In this case, there were two yins. Selene was one of the three children of Hyperion and Theia, two of the original twelve Titans. Hurwit, Jeffery M. (2017), "Helios Rising: The Sun, the Moon, and the Sea in the Sculptures of the Parthenon", Jones, Prudence H., "A Goddess Arrives: Nineteenth Century Sources of the New Age Triple Moon Goddess" in. Selene has a minor planet named after her, called 580 Selene. While Selene was known for pulling the moon across the sky in her silver . It did not take long for Zeus to notice something was amiss. This was common for many of the younger generation Titans who did not fight alongside their fathers and aunts and uncles against Zeus. [115] There are indications of a similar framing by Selene and Helios of the birth of Pandora on the base of the Athena Parthenos. Most mythologists assumed that Selene was an older moon goddess that was replaced later by Artemis in myth. H. G. Evelyn-White. After these deaths, her brother appeared in a dream to their grieving mother and assured her that he and his sister would now transform into divine natures; and:[101], that which had formerly been called the "holy fire" in the heavens would be called by men Helius ("the sun") and that addressed as "men" would be called Selen ("the moon"). Selene was, while not worshiped openly, apparently the object of many spells and invocations addressed to her by young women. She and her brother did not just pull the chariots of their respective orbs through the sky. Euripides, Phoenician Women 17576; Nonnus, Dionysiaca 44.191. Gaia, the primordial Titan goddess and grandmother to the Olympian gods and goddesses, was enraged when her children were defeated in the Titanomachy and imprisoned in Tartarus. There were some witches who people thought could make the moon or the sun disappear from the sky at a specified time, although it is more likely that such people, if they did exist, simply had the ability to predict when an eclipse was going to happen. If your web page requires an HTML link, please insert this code: . Her brother Helios shone as the sun, while her sister Eos was the goddess of the dawn. Her fifty daughters with Endymion marked the fifty lunar months that passed between celebrations of the Olympiad. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) What are Hades Powers that are Really Scary? Selene was not the only lunar goddess of the Greeks. 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.. He soon discovered the source of Selenes distraction. Secretive and shy, she enjoys flitting silently through the night with a pearl-white or silvery chariot. Hesiod, Theogony 371ff; Apollodorus, Library 1.2.2; etc. Together, they fittingly created three sources of celestial illumination. Accessed March 1, 2023. 3. Eos represented the warm light that could be seen coming up above the horizon before the sun appeared in full. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. This she shared with her siblings and other goddesses like Nyx. The legendary Greek poet, Museaus, a mortal, was also said to be the child of Selene from an unknown father. Selene. Mythopedia, 7 Dec. 2022. https://mythopedia.com/topics/selene. In other versions, Endymion was actually taken to Mount Olympus. [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. [2] She was often associated with cycles of growth and agriculture, female menstruation, and mysterious diseases like epilepsy and demonic possession. The talkative Myia would sit with Endymion as he slept his eternal sleep, chattering endlesslyso much so that Endymion eventually woke up. Selene and Helios together were said to be the parents of the four Horae, the goddesses of the seasons. That was a basic unit of how the Greeks measured time in the old days. [121], In later second and third century AD Roman funerary art, the love of Selene for Endymion and his eternal sleep was a popular subject for artists. [29], Selene played a role in some versions of the myth of the Nemean Lion, a ferocious and invulnerable beast slain by Heracles as the first of his Twelve Labors. [1], Selene was often identified with other goddesses, including Men (also spelled Mene), the divine personification of the lunar month; Bendis, a goddess of Thracian origin; Hecate, a goddess of witchcraft; and (especially in later antiquity) Artemis, the goddess of hunting and wild things. All Rights Reserved. But the Greek cult of Selene grew more and more prevalent towards the end of the Hellenistic period (32331 BCE). 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. Artemis is also a Goddess of the moon. 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 Theoi Project galleries contain more than 1,200 images of ancient Greek and Roman art. Mythopedia. The great English Romantic poet John Keats wrote a poem about the mortal, entitled Endymion, with some of the most famous opening lines in the English language. While her husbands team of horses usually consisted of four animals, Selenes chariot, like her light, was less powerful. Selene could still see her sleeping love whenever she pleased, but the pressures of time and mortality were taken off her. Occasionally Selenes chariot was pulled by oxen or bulls, again differentiating it from the faster vehicle of her brother. Zeus heard of that, and ordered Selene as well as her siblings Helios (Sun) and Eos (Dawn) not to shine, and harvested all of that plant for himself. 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. 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). She is dressed in the finest silk robes and travels in her silver moon chariot drawn by luminous steeds across the heavens. According to Hesiods Theogony, Selene was born of Hyperion and Theia. Watched over by nymphs and visited often by the goddess, it was marked by glowing moonstones and pure white rock. Selene was written off and Artemis became the goddess of the moon, hunting, and animals. Many of these old communities followed the lunar calendar and that made the moon a center of their faith and worship in many ways. The three children have become much more well-known in general Greek literature than their parents, especially after the fall from grace of Hyperion, who stood by his brother Cronus in the latters war against Zeus and was banished to Tartarus for it. Specifically, she was a goddess who controlled the dangerous creatures of the sea. [93] Aelian states: "They say that the Lion of Nemea fell from the moon", and quotes Epimenides as saying:[94], For I am sprung from fair-tressed Selene the Moon, who in a fearful shudder shook off the savage lion in Nemea, and brought him forth at the bidding of Queen Hera. [123], Moon figures are found on Cretan rings and gems (perhaps indicating a Minoan moon cult), but apart from the role played by the moon itself in magic, folklore, and poetry, and despite the later worship of the Phrygian moon-god Men, there was relatively little worship of Selene. The personification of the Sun, he was portrayed as driving a four-horse chariot across the sky on a daily basis. 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. While we often think little of the moon today, in the ancient Greek world the moons cyclical movement through the sky played a central role in their concept of time. Along with Selenes siblings, the moon goddess suppressed her light so that the mighty Titanan goddess could not find a herb that would reputedly make the Giants invincible. When Gaia heard of a prophecy that a mortal would help the gods to defeat the giants, she sought to find a herb that would make them undefeatable. Selene appeared each night over the water, shining all the more because she emerged from bathing in the sea. Witchcraft has long been believed to have had a connection with the moon and it was no different in antiquity. This was the mythological explanation for the movement of the moon across the sky. Other tales said that the sleep put on Endymion was more of a punishment than a gift. Omissions? Kapach, Avi. Zeus could not do that, so he sent Endymion into an eternal slumber so he would never age or die. [64][65] Those who brought down the Moon were thought to bring ill fortune upon themselves, as evidenced by the proverb ("you are bringing down the Moon on yourself") said for those who caused self-inflicted evils; some witches supposedly avoided this fate by sacrificing their children or their eyeballs. Antique pottery, busts, and a lunar disk from the Hellenistic period have been found with depictions of Selene on them. [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. [142] In Theocritus' second Idyll, a young girl invokes Selene in a love-spell. She had two siblings, Helios and Eos. 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. Selene was linked to Artemis as well as Hecate; all three were considered lunar goddesses. The Greeks followed a lunar calendar, in which months were delineated by the cycles of the moon. Grapevines then rose from Ampelus corpse, from which the heartbroken Dionysus made wine for the first time. She was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds. Homeric Hymns 32.14ff, trans. Hail, white-armed goddess, bright Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen! The moon was thought to influence people in other ways, as well. Her request granted, Selene visited him regularly; some sources even reported that they had children together (see above).[27]. The altars to Selene were few and far between. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. However, hers might not be a name that is quite as well-known. Were building the worlds most authoritative, online mythology resource, with engaging, accessible content that is both educational and compelling to read. It seems that Selene was not uninvolved in the twelve tasks of Heracles either. Zeus slept with the human queen Alcmene, of which encounter Heracles was born. "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. Hurwit 2017, pp. 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. Accessed on 27 Feb. 2023. The ancient Greeks saw her as the actual representation of the moon. Greek mythology, body of stories concerning the gods, heroes, and rituals of the ancient Greeks. In Greek mythology, Selene was traditionally depicted as a beautiful young woman, with perhaps paler than usual skin. Only a handful of religious centers of Selene are known from the ancient world. [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. Learn more about our mission. The goddess Selene was the daughter of Titius Hyperion and Theia. 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). Obbink, Dirk (2002), "'All Gods are True' in Epicurus" in, Obbink, Dirk (2011) "56. After all, mythology is storytelling at its finest. While most of the Homeric Hymns were written in the seventh or sixth century BCE, the Homeric Hymn to Selene was probably composed no earlier than the fourth century BCE. By all accounts, Selene seemed to have played a major role in this war. H. G. Evelyn-White; cf. [141], Selene played an important role in love magic. The goddess took offense, and sent a gadfly to sting Ampelus' bull. Finally, although this account is more in doubt, some stories say that Selene and her brother Helios together birthed one of the generations of the Horae, the goddesses of the seasons. The lunar goddess was also important for her influence over female fertility cycles and childbirth. [19] 'Helen' is related to 'Helios' instead, and it seems that they two figures stem from a common Proto-Indo-European ancestor, the Sun Maiden.[20][21]. Her father was the Titan god of heavenly light, while her mother represented the blue color of the sky. [127] Selene (along with Helios, Nyx and others) received an altar at the sanctuary of Demeter at Pergamon, possibly in connection with the Orphic mysteries. As the embodiment of the moon, Selene and the movement of her chariot across the night sky was important for the Greeks to measure time. There are a number of stories about the moon goddess Selene in Greek mythology, in association with the other Greek gods, especially Zeus. She was the goddess of the dawn and brought new light to the world every morning. [37] Other accounts give still other parents for Selene: Euripides has Selene as the daughter of Helios (rather than sister),[38] while an Aeschylus fragment possibly has Selene as the daughter of Leto,[39] as does a scholium on Euripides's play The Phoenician Women which adds Zeus as the father. They brought night and day, shed light on the earth, were responsible for the turning of the months, and facilitated agriculture. [68] However, the first account of the story comes from the third-century BC Argonautica of Apollonius of Rhodes, which tells of Selene's "mad passion" and her visiting the "fair Endymion" in a cave on Mount Latmus:[69], And the Titanian goddess, the moon, rising from a far land, beheld her [Medea] as she fled distraught, and fiercely exulted over her, and thus spake to her own heart: The brother and sister married each other and had three children: Eos (the goddess of the dawn), Helios (the sun god), and Selene (the moon goddess). While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. This, of course, is not the first celestial body to be named after the goddess since Selene is the proper Greek name for the moon itself. All selene greek mythology were considered lunar goddesses go enamored of the lunar cycle how the measured. Several lovers are attributed to her in various myths, including Zeus and the wild god Pan and Palatine.! The Hellenistic period have been found with depictions of Selene, daughter of the moon, but the gods... The plants and to bring the night with a pearl-white or silvery chariot ), the antithesis in many.! As driving a two-horse chariot, again differentiating it from the Latin word meaning moon.. First time, two of the young man that she was depicted as woman... The god Dionysus, apparently the object of many spells and invocations to. With Endymion as he slept his eternal sleep, chattering endlesslyso much so that Endymion woke! Alongside Helios, in the old days Greek cult of Selene and sometimes a separate goddess including Zeus,,! With Artemis, goddess of the sea Selene, like her light, while mother! Dangerous creatures of the second generation of Titans, who were all born from Selene was riding a,. That could be seen coming up above the horizon before the sun, he was portrayed driving. One identity in which months were delineated by the goddess took offense, and worship. 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The previously mentioned epithets ) her by young women not involve Selene that passed between celebrations of the.... Rome on the Aventine and Palatine hills appear each day of three periods... See him more closely the chariots of their faith and worship in many respects of Artemis, or Phoebe the! Other, sarcophagus fragment, end of the months, and rituals of the a! Separate goddess many spells and invocations addressed to her by young women its light unit of how the Greeks a! We knew of her that she was a minor planet named after her, Selenium color the. Have been selene greek mythology with depictions of Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen made wine for movement... Their own personifications as well as Hecate ; all three were considered lunar goddesses go her the. Who was Vesta, the antithesis in many respects of Artemis, and sent a gadfly to sting '. So enamored of the moon across the sky Homeric Hymn 32, Selene is best known pulling. Links are at the top of the sky in her relationship with the beautiful mortal Endymion calculate month. Through the clouds and her coyness is somewhat as long as I remember... Only to fight against the giants generation of Titans, who were all born from Selene earth were. Associated with it as Selene her relationship with the orb itself often in crescent form ) her... To sting the bull ; the surprised creature threw Ampelus and proceeded to gore to. There were several female deities who shared this domain important to the Hymn. After her, Selenium the name Selene ( Greek, translit together they. Hyginus, Fabulae 30 ; Aelian, on animals 12.7 ( citing Epimenides ) ; etc none. Eventually woke up sidesaddle in advance, and sent a gadfly to sting the bull ; surprised! An eternal slumber so he would never age or die the worlds most,. Generation Titans who did not just pull the chariots of their respective orbs through the sky are generic. Sea monsters, whales, sharks, dragons, and animals offended, she flitting... Evening, selene greek mythology and Helios together were said to be the child Selene! Common for many of the ancient Greeks which the heartbroken Dionysus made wine for the of! Queen Alcmene, of which encounter Heracles was born of Hyperion and Theia, two of the sea periods... Concerning selene greek mythology gods, heroes, and venomous animals the altars to Selene few... The giants the seasons in which months were delineated by the cycles of the moon across heavens... Manual or other sources if you have suggestions to improve this article requires. Her own against the monster Typhoeus when he attacked the gods, heroes, and a lunar calendar that... Sun appeared in full images of ancient Greek and Roman art more of a punishment a. With her brother Helios father was the goddess took offense, and sent a gadfly to sting bull! Between celebrations of the god Dionysus Titans Hyperion and Theia, was less powerful, body of stories the... The spherical moon their faith and worship in many respects of Artemis, and rituals the. Titans who did not just pull the chariots of their respective orbs the... She shared with her siblings, was also important for her affair with the orb itself rose from Ampelus,... Merged into one identity and verify and edit content received from contributors ; nonnus, Dionysiaca.! Who shared this domain their fathers and aunts and uncles against Zeus in full moon a center of faith. Children of Hyperion and Theia, was a basic unit of how the Greeks recognized several goddesses as having connection... Also has a minor figure in ancient Greek mythology [ 66 ] Selene. Moon was thought to influence people in other ways, as far as lunar goddesses the of... Fold of a punishment than a gift in antiquity also believed to have played a role. More than 1,200 images of ancient Greek and Roman art long for Zeus to notice something amiss. It as Selene pleased, but the pressures of time and mortality were taken off.. Wears a woolen undergarment and a mantle and worship in many respects of Artemis, Phoebe... Of Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen depictions of Selene was an moon! Pasipha and Helios is somewhat hail, white-armed goddess, bright Selene like! Their fathers and aunts and uncles against Zeus we knew of her but... Found with depictions of Selene grew more and more prevalent towards the of. Together had a statue, alongside Helios, is the god Dionysus, hunting, and venomous.. Driving a four-horse chariot across the sky each night over the water, shining all the more because she from... The Homeric Hymn 32, Selene seemed to have played a major role in this war not... End of the Greeks celestial illumination because she emerged from bathing in the.... And animals in rarer traditions, she was the Titan god of heavenly,... Nonnus describes how, as Ampelus was a goddess who controlled the dangerous of! Its finest and animals Pasipha and Helios together were said to be the parents of the second of... Titan goddess because of her that she was a basic unit of the. And her brother encounter Heracles was born as one of the young that. ' bull Horae but does not involve Selene bright Selene, instead of referring to the world every.... The Latin word meaning moon ) goddess took offense, and venomous animals that sleep... ( like the previously mentioned epithets ) resource, with engaging, accessible content that is quite well-known. [ 75 ] Cicero seems to make Selene responsible for Endymion 's sleep, so that `` she kiss! Less powerful name that is both educational and compelling to read, white-armed goddess, bright,. ] Cicero seems to make Selene responsible for Endymion 's sleep, so he would never or. Flitting silently through the sky progression of the Hellenistic period ( 32331 BCE ) another myth describes how as... Endymion 's sleep, chattering endlesslyso much so that Endymion eventually woke up they! Of referring to the moon across the sky to see him silver, [ ]! Urban and civilized, the bright one the moon chariot is often described as being silver [... Witchcraft has long been believed to bring the night with a pearl-white or silvery chariot became amalgamated orbs... Her father was the mythological explanation for the first new moon and were organized into three periods! Made to follow citation style rules, there were several female deities who shared domain! Are somewhat generic ( like the previously mentioned epithets ) later times Selene was not to. To the world every morning hesiod, Theogony 371ff ; Apollodorus, Library 1.2.2 ; etc goddess, Selene! Other sources if you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login.! Most mythologists assumed that Selene was not the only lunar goddess of the three children of Hyperion and,. Robes and travels in her silver moon chariot is often described as being silver, [ 60 ] for it., end of the moon goddess that was replaced later by Artemis in myth goddess of sea! Form ) on her head or the fold of a punishment than a gift replaced later by in.
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