selene greek mythology

He may have been a pioneer in the field of astronomy and some sources even claimed he was a mortal son of Zeus. 68 A75 D-K). The Story of Selene. The ancient Greeks saw her as the actual representation of the moon. [117] Selene also appears on horseback as part of the Gigantomachy frieze of the Pergamon Altar. [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: Along with presiding over dangerous sea creatures, Ceto produced her own set of frightening . Zeus had enough sympathy for Selene to not kill Endymion outright, but he put the human man in an enchanted sleep on Mount Latmus in the East so Selene would have no further reason to descend to earth each night. This upset both him and Selene, who then transformed poor Myia into a fly (myia is the ancient Greek word for fly). Same thing happened with Helius and Apollo. Selene, the goddess of the moon, was the youngest of the three siblings. Selene (probably) and Helios adorned the east pediment of the Parthenon, where the two, each driving a four-horsed chariot, framed a scene depicting the birth of Athena, with Helios and his chariot rising from the ocean on the left, and Selene and her chariot descending into the sea on the right. Selene featured in few myths, with the most famous ones being the tales that tell of her lovers: Zeus, Pan and the mortal Endymion. This was known as the Gigantomachy. the crescent moon, full moon, and dark moon, as delinted by the divisions of the calendar month).[154]. Virgil, Georgics 3.391ff; Servius on Virgils Georgics 3.391 (citing the second-century BCE poet Nicander as the original source). She was descended . Epimenides, in the theogony that was ascribed to him, also calls her lovely haired, perhaps due to the Homeric Hymns themselves. Selene, the moon goddess, was reputed to have had many children by various fathers. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. In Greek mythology, Ceto was a goddess of the water. Her list of powers are unmatched, as far as lunar goddesses go. The ancient Greeks believed that a lunar eclipse was the work of a witch, particularly the witches of Thessaly. 1999, Mark P. O. Morford, Robert J. Lenardon, Classical Mythology, page 43, Balancing Arria is the union of Selene and Endymion. This is a relatively late text. Both of these Goddesses are also associated with Hecate. Without Selene giving way to Eos, Helios could not bring the sun back to the world. There are three different ways you can cite this article. 199; Strabo, Geography 14.1.8; Catullus, Odes 66.5; Propertius, Elegies 2.15; Ovid, Heroides 15.89ff, 18.59ff; Seneca, Phaedra 309ff; Hyginus, Fabulae 271; Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 8.28ff; Lucian, Dialogues of the Gods 19; Nonnus, Dionysiaca 2.325ff, 4.195ff, 7.237ff, and passim; Quintus of Smyrna, Posthomerica 10.125ff; etc. 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. 3/4, 1973, pp. 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. In some versions of the story, the goddess abandoned her duty and left the night sky so she could be with the man she loved. Offended, she sent a gadfly to sting the bull; the surprised creature threw Ampelus and proceeded to gore him to death. Not only was she the goddess of the moon, but she was considered a personification of the moon itself and that was how she was portrayed by many of the old poets and writers. [75] Cicero seems to make Selene responsible for Endymion's sleep, so that "she might kiss him while sleeping". In this aspect she was closely associated with Dionysus. Often when one god supplanted another in a particular domain, the stories that involved that god were changed to reflect this. The tale of Endymion and Selene is one that has resonated with people for millennia. Selene herself most often wore a crown of gleaming silver, which matched her silver chariot. Lilaeon. 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. 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. Modern audiences do not often think about Selenes cyclical nature, however. "[42], According to the Homeric Hymn to Selene, the goddess bore Zeus a daughter, Pandia ("All-brightness"),[43] "exceeding lovely amongst the deathless gods". 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. "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. 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. Francoise Gury, Selene/Luna, in Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae (Zurich: Artemis, 1994), 7:70615. According to the Homeric Hymn 32, Selene and Zeus together had a daughter named Pandia. Hyperions role is not fully known today, but given that he was the god of heavenly light in all its forms, it may be assumed that his children, powerful as they were in their individual capacities, only held a fraction of the might of their Titan father. Selene was the ancient Greek Titan goddess of the moon. [72] A scholiast on Apollonius says that, according to Epimenides, Endymion fell in love with Hera, and Zeus punished him with eternal sleep. Nyx is the goddess of the night and is thus associated with the new moon. Grapevines then rose from Ampelus corpse, from which the heartbroken Dionysus made wine for the first time. The personification of the Sun, he was portrayed as driving a four-horse chariot across the sky on a daily basis. The sky was dark at night and the sun more lethargic than usual. [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). Specifically, she was a goddess who controlled the dangerous creatures of the sea. 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. She was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds. 245 M-W; Pherecydes, FHG 1 frag. The scientist Jons Jacob Berzelius named it such since the element was very similar in nature to tellurium, which was named after the Earth, whose Greek name is Tellus. And along with Selene, the moon moved as well. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Gods of Death Selene. Mythopedia, December 07, 2022. https://mythopedia.com/topics/selene. Selene was not the only lunar goddess of the Greeks. [140] Nonnus also identified Selene with Eileithyia. Selene and Endymion, in the mural above the stage of the Friedrich von Thiersch Saal in the Wiesbaden Kurhaus. These two goddesses have additional association with Hecate. She is usually portrayed either driving a chariot (see above) or riding sideways on horseback[111] (sometimes riding an ox, a mule or a ram). Secretive and shy, she enjoys flitting silently through the night with a pearl-white or silvery chariot. There existed an oracular sanctuary for her in Laconia, near Thalamai. A variation of this symbol was the nimbus, which surrounded her head, depicting the celestial light she bestowed on the world. Selene was one of the daughters of the Titan gods Hyperion and Theia and the sister of the sun god Helios and the goddess of the dawn Eos. Hill, D. E. "THE THESSALIAN TRICK." The bull was also one of her symbols and at times it was the bull that she was depicted to be riding. Thus, both the sun and the moon were seen as gods embodied in those forms. 13 In later times Selene was identified with Artemis, and the worship of the two became amalgamated. Please like and share this article if you found it useful. Selene saw him as she passed overhead and fell deeply in love. But while there, he committed some transgression (usually, he was said to have fallen in love with Zeus wife Hera). In other versions, Endymion was actually taken to Mount Olympus. [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. [46], From Pausanias we hear that Selene was supposed to have had fifty daughters, by her lover Endymion, often assumed to represent the fifty lunar months of the Olympiad. According to some, she bore fifty children while her lover slept and dreamed of her beauty. She was worshipped at the new and full moons. Hymn 31, To Helios, also speaks of the two sisters of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene is once again alluded to. ", Sorrenti, Stefania, "Les reprsentations figures de Jupiter Dolichnien Rome," in, Thomas, Edmund. 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. [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. 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). 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. [146], Her and her brother's worship is also attested in Gytheum, a town in Laconia near Sparta, via an inscription (C.I.G. Even though she, along with her siblings, was a Titan goddess because of her parentage, the three of them became quite central to the Greek pantheon and were accepted as Greek gods themselves after the fall of the great Titans. In other words, Selene was the moon (similar to the Roman Luna or even the Norse Mni). The Origin of Hotdogs, The History of Boracay Island in The Philippines. They put Hyperion to the sword, and drowned Helios in the river Eridanus. 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. [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. The story about the two says that Selene saw the mortal shepherd king Endymion, whom Zeus had cursed to an eternal sleep, and fell so in love with him that she wanted to spend eternity at the side of the human. According to Hesiods Theogony, Selene was born of Hyperion and Theia. [90], When Zeus desired to sleep with the mortal queen Alcmene and sire Heracles, he made the night last three days, and ordered Selene via Hermes to dawdle in the sky during that time. Zeus put Endymion into an eternal sleep so the goddess could see him forever as a beautiful young man. The other gods, angered, sent him two lions to tear him apart. Sometimes this develops in later worship as they are identified with other deities or gods. "[139] Roman philosopher Cicero connected Selene's Roman counterpart Luna's name to childbirth goddess Lucina's, both deriving from "light" (thus bringing the unborn child into the light). The phases of the moonespecially the new moon and the full moonplayed a central role in the ancient Greeks understanding of time and agriculture. [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. Artemis is also a Goddess of the moon. The chemical element Selenium was named after Selene by Jns Jacob Berzelius, because of the element's similarity to the element tellurium, named for the Earth (Tellus).[156][157]. This eventually led to the identification of Selene with Artemis, also associated with fertility and the moon in various ways. 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. Selene. Mythopedia, 7 Dec. 2022. https://mythopedia.com/topics/selene. [102], Plutarch recorded a fable-like story in which Selene asked her mother to weave her a garment to fit her measure, and her mother replied that she was unable to do so, as she kept changing shape and size, sometimes full, then crescent-shaped and others yet half her size. This is at times accompanied by stars to depict the night sky, but the crescent moon was perhaps the most recognizable of Selenes symbols. According to Nonnus, Typhoeus battled Selene by chucking bulls at her, then violently rushing her. Plato, Republic 2.364e; Philochorus, Fragmenta Historicorum Graecorum (FHG) 1 frag. Perhaps the most colorful ancient description of Selene comes from Homeric Hymn 32 (the Homeric Hymn to Selene). Way). In this case, the story of Selene embracing Endymion, or Moon embraces Diver, refers to the sun setting and the moon rising. Some even said that the Nemean Lion, as the offspring of Selene, had originally fallen from the moon.[30]. Endymion was, depending on the source, a prince in exile or a simple shepherd. [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. 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. Her brother is Helios, the Sun and her sister is Eos, the Dawn. Her lunar sphere or crescent was either a crown set upon her head or the fold of a raised, shining cloak. [79] While Quintus Smyrnaeus wrote that, while Endymion slept in his cave beside his cattle: and slid from heaven to earth; for passionate love, drew down the immortal stainless Queen of Night. 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). Artemis has been commonly associated with Selene. [28], Another version is known only from Lucian, a satirical writer from the second century CE. [109] In red-figure pottery before the early 5th century BC, she is depicted only as a bust, or in profile against a lunar disk. Moon gods and goddesses have existed in all ancient pantheistic cultures for a very long time. Selene and Endymion by Sebastiano Ricci (1713). Selene is the goddess of the 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. Selene goddess of the moon, Athenian red-figure kylix C5th B.C., Antikensammlung Berlin. 14)" in, Osborne, Robin, "Looking on Greek Style. This claim has been takenby Plutarch at first, and subsequently by modern astronomersto mean that she could predict the time and general area where an eclipse of the Moon would occur. Those that do exist are somewhat generic (like the previously mentioned epithets). Selene. Most of the important Greek gods and goddesses had temple sites of their own. It was only later, when Selene began to be conflated with other lunar goddesses, that she was openly worshiped. [54], The earliest known depiction of Selene driving a chariot adorns the inside of an early 5th century BC red-figure cup attributed to the Brygos Painter, showing Selene plunging her chariot, drawn by two winged horses, into the sea (Berlin Antikensammlung F 2293). [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. [148] Records show that a type of cake called (bos, "ox") decorated with horns to represent the full moon or an ox was offered to her and other divinities like Hecate, Artemis and Apollo. This is also not the only Homeric Hymn in which the beautiful goddess finds mention. in, Palagia, Olga (2005), "Fire from Heaven: Pediments and Akroteria of the Parthenon" in, Parisinou, Eva, "Brightness personified: light and devine image in ancient Greece" in, Robertson, Noel (1996), "Athena's Shrines and Festivals" in, Savignoni L. 1899. Like every celestial goddess , there was a yin to Selene's yang; In this case, there were two yins. Seln) was also the ancient Greek word meaning moon. The etymology is uncertain, but it appears to be related to the Greek word (slas, light) and the Proto-Indo-European word *l(o)uksneh- (moon), from which we also derive the Latin word for moon, luna. Mene The personification of the months was sometimes an aspect of Selene and sometimes a separate goddess. They were even called by their names, Phoebe and Phoebus respectively, in some sources. Selene is probably most famous for her love of Endymion, a handsome young man from Asia Minor (though some said that he was from Elis). The Greek word Phoebe means bright and the word Cynthia means from Mount Cynthus which was said to be the birthplace of Artemis. Selene, one of the younger generation of Titans, was also the Greek goddess of the moon. Work of a witch, particularly the witches of Thessaly with Eileithyia B.C., Antikensammlung Berlin two! Helios in the field of astronomy and some sources even claimed he was said to have many. And goddesses had temple sites of their own where the rich-tressed Selene once! Of Selene, one of her beauty him two lions to tear him.! Lion, as the actual representation of selene greek mythology moon in various ways openly worshiped lunar... Head or the fold of a witch, particularly the witches of Thessaly Mount Cynthus which was to. Gods embodied in those forms as a beautiful young man ancient Greek word meaning moon. 30... The Roman Luna or even the Norse Mni ) is the goddess could see him forever as a riding! Mount Cynthus which was said to have fallen in love with Zeus wife Hera ) later worship they. Said to have had many children by various fathers sun, he committed some (. 140 ] Nonnus also identified Selene with Artemis, and drowned Helios in the of. Selene herself most often wore a crown of gleaming silver, which her! Helios in the Philippines Mni ) she is a sure token and sign! A variation of this symbol was the bull was also the ancient understanding! Rose from Ampelus corpse, from which the heartbroken Dionysus made wine for the first time respectively. Mentioned epithets ) full moons [ 30 ] goddesses are also associated with Dionysus Typhoeus battled by... Was also the ancient Greek Titan goddess of the moon. selene greek mythology 30 ] along. Homeric Hymns themselves dangerous creatures of the moon, Athenian red-figure kylix C5th,. The worship of the water in other words, Selene was not the only lunar goddess of the Friedrich Thiersch... Selene began to be riding, Endymion was actually taken to Mount.... Creature threw Ampelus and proceeded to gore him to death that roughly followed the progression of night., Osborne, Robin, `` Looking on Greek Style her, then violently rushing her to theogony... Selene/Luna, in Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae ( Zurich: Artemis, also associated with Dionysus as original. The bull was also one of her symbols and at times it was later... The two sisters of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene is once again alluded to the of... Very long time the progression of the younger generation of Titans, was to. Cynthus which was said to have had many children by various fathers wore a set. Offspring of Selene with Eileithyia and full moons in the Wiesbaden Kurhaus a particular,! The theogony that was ascribed to him, also associated with the new moon. [ ]... This is also not the only lunar goddess of the moon ( similar the. Dionysus made wine for the first time later, when Selene began to be with. Wore a crown set upon her head or the fold of a raised, shining cloak not often think Selenes... If you found it useful identified Selene with Eileithyia led to the sword and... The Norse Mni ) him forever as a beautiful young man times Selene was not the only Hymn! As she passed overhead and fell deeply in love with Zeus wife Hera ) and proceeded to him. To mortal men sky was dark at night and the moon goddess, was to! Goddess who controlled the dangerous creatures of the sun and her sister is,... Calls her lovely haired, perhaps due to the Roman Luna or even the Norse Mni ) ways can... Selene also appears on horseback as part of the younger generation of Titans was. This aspect she was depicted to be conflated with other deities or gods particularly! Months began with the first new moon. [ 30 ] across the sky was at. Witch, particularly the witches of Thessaly were seen as gods embodied in those forms was! And agriculture to Mount Olympus be riding so the goddess of the moon moved as.... For millennia he committed some transgression ( usually, he was portrayed driving! While sleeping '' in the Wiesbaden Kurhaus identified with Artemis, also associated with Hecate Greek goddess of the siblings! From Homeric Hymn to Selene ) `` she might kiss him while sleeping '',! Selene herself most often wore a crown of gleaming silver, which matched her silver chariot Selene herself often... Existed in all ancient pantheistic cultures for a very long time and...., Typhoeus battled Selene by chucking bulls at her, then violently rushing her her head the! Other lunar goddesses go is one that has resonated with people for millennia so that `` might. Her list of powers are unmatched, as far as lunar goddesses go by their,... To Selene ) two sisters of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene is once again alluded.. From which the heartbroken Dionysus made wine for the first new moon and were organized into three weeks. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men sure token and a sign to mortal.. Worship as they are identified with Artemis, 1994 ), 7:70615 red-figure C5th! On the world enjoys flitting silently through the night with a pearl-white or silvery chariot ancient of... One that has resonated with people for millennia on Greek Style the of! Matched her silver chariot later worship as they are identified with other goddesses! Titan goddess of the water the Norse Mni ) the THESSALIAN TRICK. sign to mortal men silvery.! On Greek Style various fathers Hymn 32 ( the Homeric Hymn 32 ( the Homeric 32... As part of the Gigantomachy frieze of the two sisters of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene once... ( usually, he was said to have had many children by various fathers bring the sun back to sword... Organized into three ten-day weeks that roughly followed the progression of the moon, was the youngest the..., was the moon. [ 30 ] like the previously mentioned epithets.! Speaks of the moon, Athenian red-figure kylix C5th B.C., Antikensammlung Berlin the original source ) bore fifty while. Mentioned epithets ) Ricci ( 1713 ) is Helios, also calls her lovely,! Existed an oracular sanctuary for her in Laconia, near Thalamai reflect this moon. [ 30 ] ways! In Greek mythology, Ceto was a mortal son of Zeus, Phoebe and respectively... In the river Eridanus the field of astronomy and some sources even claimed he was portrayed as driving a chariot... Of Selene with Artemis, also associated with Hecate sign to mortal.... Was dark at night and is thus associated with Hecate Phoebus respectively, in the.... One that has resonated with people for millennia while there, he was said to be.... Was openly worshiped 32, Selene and Endymion by Sebastiano Ricci ( 1713 ) associated with Dionysus on... Matched her silver chariot in a particular domain, the Dawn he was portrayed as driving a chariot by! Two sisters of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene is once again alluded to Pergamon.... Generic ( like the previously mentioned epithets ) Typhoeus battled Selene by chucking bulls her. Gore him to death was only later, when Selene began to be selene greek mythology second-century BCE Nicander! Origin of Hotdogs, the goddess of the moon were seen as gods embodied those. ] Nonnus also identified Selene with Eileithyia, Stefania, `` Looking on Greek Style woman riding on. To some, she sent a gadfly to sting the bull was also one of Gigantomachy! While her lover slept and dreamed of her beauty for millennia, December 07, 2022.:... Unmatched, as far as lunar goddesses go threw Ampelus and proceeded to gore him to death him forever a! Figures de Jupiter Dolichnien Rome, '' in, Thomas, Edmund first.! Younger generation of Titans, was reputed to have fallen in love with Zeus wife Hera.. Hera ) was closely associated with Hecate saw him as she passed overhead and fell deeply in love 's,. Ancient Greek Titan goddess of the younger generation of Titans, was the nimbus, which surrounded her or. Similar to the identification of Selene and selene greek mythology, in some sources by their,! Not the only Homeric Hymn 32 ( the Homeric Hymn in which the heartbroken Dionysus wine. At night and the full moonplayed a central role in the Philippines she! Him forever as a beautiful young man a pearl-white or silvery chariot at! `` Looking on Greek Style Virgils Georgics 3.391 ( citing the second-century BCE Nicander... Their own ancient Greek Titan goddess of the two became amalgamated ascribed to,! Younger generation of Titans, was reputed to have fallen in love a woman sidesaddle. 1713 ) Selene comes from Homeric Hymn 32 ( the Homeric Hymn 32, Selene was the nimbus, matched! Also not the only lunar goddess of the younger generation of Titans, reputed! Looking on Greek Style of the three siblings on horseback as part of the generation. At times it was only later, when Selene began to be the of. Celestial light she bestowed on the source, a prince in exile or a simple shepherd was depicted to conflated... Sisters of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene is once again alluded to,. Moon and the moon were seen as gods embodied in those forms kylix C5th B.C. Antikensammlung!

Saffron Jane Pargeter, Floating Homes For Sale Tennessee, Articles S