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. Updates? Occasionally Selenes chariot was pulled by oxen or bulls, again differentiating it from the faster vehicle of her brother. 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. Does the sculpted girl speak to women too?" "[2][150][151], The ancient Greeks called Monday "day of the Moon" ( ) after her. The name of the moon goddess is surrounded by accounts of the consorts she had and their children. [81], Philologist Max Mller's interpretation of solar mythology as it related to Selene and Endymion concluded that the myth was a narrativized version of linguistic terminology. 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. [44] The 7th century BC Greek poet Alcman makes Ersa ("Dew") the daughter of Selene and Zeus. The masculine form, Phoebus, was used in reference to either Apollo or. Magical Goddess of the Silvery Moon. [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. Selene was not the only goddess the Greeks associated with the moon. Selene The Greek God Selene is best known as the Titan Goddess of the moon. Was the Griffin a Bird from Greek Mythology? Selene featured in few myths, with the most famous ones being the tales that tell of her lovers: Zeus, Pan and the mortal Endymion. Specifically, she was a goddess who controlled the dangerous creatures of the sea. Most of the important Greek gods and goddesses had temple sites of their own. (Also, the name of the Titan Goddess Phoebe and an epithet of Artemis.). This was the mythological explanation for the movement of the moon across the sky. Cf. [31], Ampelus was a handsome young male satyr and the first love of the god Dionysus. Because the Greek endyein meant "to dive," the name Endymion ("Diver") at first simply described the process of the setting sun "diving" into the sea. Every evening, Selene ushered in nightfall and then drove her chariot through the night before giving way to dawn. Selene then turned Lilaeus into a mountain, Mt. Selene and Endymion, fresco on ceiling by Giuseppe Antonio Orelli, circa 1730-1770, Palazzo Riva. Hesiod, Catalogue of Women frag. The moon goddess was said to have had several lovers, including Zeus and the wild god Pan. The most enduring story of Selene concerns the love she felt for an ordinary human man. As the daughter of the Titan god of heavenly light, it is an apt name. fr. [115] There are indications of a similar framing by Selene and Helios of the birth of Pandora on the base of the Athena Parthenos. She was worshipped at the new and full moons. [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. While the Maenids of Dionysus were driven mad by the frenzy of their worship, however, the madness brought about by Selene could be used as a targeted punishment. What are Hades Powers that are Really Scary? Selene's Role She was the goddess of the moon, which she drove every night across the skies. (2022, December 7). In some cases, it is debated whether she indeed was the mother. 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 their stories, it is Diana, the Roman counterpart of Artemis, who falls in love with the beautiful mortal. [108], In antiquity, artistic representations of Selene/Luna included sculptural reliefs, vase paintings, coins, and gems. Accessed on 27 Feb. 2023. 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. Rheinisches Museum Fr Philologie, vol. Interestingly, this version of the myth does not involve Selene. [4] Here she is represented as a radiant goddess, wearing a crown and beautiful robes and riding a horse-drawn chariot across the night sky: From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. In memory of the beautiful Endymion, the fly still grudges all sleepers their rest and annoys them. [40][41] Furthermore, in Virgil's Aeneid, when Nisus calls upon Selene/the Moon, he addresses her as "daughter of Latona. The Theoi Project galleries contain more than 1,200 images of ancient Greek and Roman art. She was said to represent the full moon. 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? According to early Greek myths, Selene used to be a Titan goddess of the moon and Artemis used to be a goddess of hunting and animals. [8] The masculine form of mene (men) was also the name of the Phrygian moon-god Men. There is no mention of Selene as a goddess in either the Iliad or the Odyssey of Homer,[22] while her only mention in Hesiod's Theogony is as the daughter of Hyperion and Theia, and sister of Helios and Eos. Pandia (or Pandia Selene) may have personified the full moon,[130] and an Athenian festival, called the Pandia, usually considered to be a festival for Zeus,[131] was perhaps celebrated on the full moon and may have been associated with Selene. In later eras, she became associated with madness as well. Corrections? [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. Her father was the Titan god of heavenly light, while her mother represented the blue color of the sky. 2. 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). [3] Selene and Artemis were also associated with Hecate and all three were regarded as moon and lunar goddesses, but only Selene was regarded as the personification of the Moon itself. 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. Attic red-figure kylix showing Selene riding the chariot of the moon, drawn by two winged horses. She was commonly depicted as a winged goddess, clad in a sweeping robe and a veil. Sometimes this develops in later worship as they are identified with other deities or gods. [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". [100], Diodorus Siculus recorded an unorthodox version of the myth, in which Basileia, who had succeeded her father Uranus to his royal throne, married her brother Hyperion, and had two children, a son Helios and a daughter Selene, "admired for both their beauty and their chastity". While her brother was clad in shining gold, her light was softer and more clear. Lunacy takes its name from Selenes Roman counterpart, Luna. On the other hand, her eyes and hair were believed to have been as dark as the night. Her brother, Helios, is the god of the sun, and her sister, Eos, is the goddess of the dawn. Her brother Helios shone as the sun, while her sister Eos was the goddess of the dawn. [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. If you thought Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon, you are only partially right. From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. [97] Hyginus says that Selene had "nourished" the lion in a "two-mouthed cave". Way). Selene saw him as she passed overhead and fell deeply in love. Hill, D. E. "THE THESSALIAN TRICK." [25], Two other sources also mention her hair. The other gods, angered, sent him two lions to tear him apart. [2] She was often associated with cycles of growth and agriculture, female menstruation, and mysterious diseases like epilepsy and demonic possession. Selene (Greek mythology) The goddess of the Moon. [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. [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). GREEK VASE PAINTINGS GALLERY 1 (86 IMAGES) . How Did Uranus get its Name as Per Greek Mythology? 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. See esp. In another story she was loved by Pan. [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. [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. This is a relatively late text. The goddess of the hunt became associated with the moon and lunar cycles. Did a Lion-Headed Monster Exist in Greek Mythology. 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. [149][150] In addition, a type of flat, round moon-shaped cake was called 'selene' ("moon") and was offered "to the goddess. The sky was dark at night and the sun more lethargic than usual. While Selene was known for pulling the moon across the sky in her silver . . Most famous classical poets describe her beauty as so intriguing that gods and mortals alike could not resist her godly charms. She was usually shown driving a chariot or riding sidesaddle on a horse, often with her brother beside her. We knew of her that she was a goddess of the moon, but so was Artemis (Greek mythology) . Depending on the author, the chariot was either silver,[6] snow white,[7] or gold. Selene, the moon goddess, was reputed to have had many children by various fathers. Because Basileia's other brothers envied these offspring, and feared that Hyperion would try to seize power for himself, they conspired against him. 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. The Moirai In some traditions the Fates were seen as three aspects of the lunar goddess. 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. [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 many paintings and sculptures, Selene is traditionally depicted with the crescent moon in her vicinity. Selene leaving her chariot, Roman mosaic, Andalusia. All of these qualities bound Selene to the natural phenomena of time and seasons and the rejuvenation of nature as well, even apart from her ability to shed light. Chiswick House, London, UK. Most mythologists assumed that Selene was an older moon goddess that was replaced later by Artemis in myth. Selenes role in this war was not only to fight against the giants. In this aspect she was closely associated with Dionysus. This she shared with her siblings and other goddesses like Nyx. The myth of Selene, the moon goddess, is no exception. She was worshipped at the new and full moons. Perhaps the most colorful ancient description of Selene comes from Homeric Hymn 32 (the Homeric Hymn to Selene). The real lunar goddess was Selene, the Titaness who drove across the sky each night as the personified moon! Selene was more than just a lunar goddess, she was the embodiment of the moon and its light. [49] Quintus describes them as the four handmaidens of Hera, but in most other accounts their number is three; Eirene ("peace"), Eunomia ("order"), and Dike ("justice"), and their parents are Zeus and Themis instead. Her appearance matched the night sky she drove through. She was frequently distinguished by a crescent moon over her head (or occasionally a lunar disk).[9]. However, her greatest love was a lowly mortal named Endymion. In Greek, the name Endymion means one who dives and Max Muller thought that the myth was a symbolic representation of how the sun set by diving into the sea and then the moon arose. However, Selene was not one of them. The moon, in the ancient world, was heavily associated with certain kinds of womanly issues, fertility, and healing. Selene was a beautiful goddess with long, flowing . [98], According to Virgil, Selene also had a tryst with the god Pan, who seduced her with a "snowy bribe of wool". 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. [76] The Roman playwright Seneca, has Selene abandoned the night sky for Endymion's sake having entrusted her "shining" moon chariot to her brother Helios to drive. As the most important and visible features in the sky, the people of ancient Greece thought that Selene, goddess of the moon, and her brother Helios, god of the sun, were the ones responsible for the movement of the two celestial bodies across the sky. Who were Zeus' Lovers? Divine Selene watched over the earth from the sky for three days and the night lingered so that day would not dawn. [75] Cicero seems to make Selene responsible for Endymion's sleep, so that "she might kiss him while sleeping". This includes mythical sea monsters, whales, sharks, dragons, and venomous animals. 3/4, 1973, pp. 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/. In other versions, Endymion was actually taken to Mount Olympus. In this case, the story of Selene embracing Endymion, or Moon embraces Diver, refers to the sun setting and the moon rising. 80; Acusilaus, FHG 1 frag. There existed an oracular sanctuary for her in Laconia, near Thalamai. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Gods of Death It did not take long for Zeus to notice something was amiss. These were the fifty daughters who were fathered by Endymion the fifty months represented the four-year cycle of the Olympiads. The personification of the Sun, he was portrayed as driving a four-horse chariot across the sky on a daily basis. 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]. Epimenides, in the theogony that was ascribed to him, also calls her lovely haired, perhaps due to the Homeric Hymns themselves. As the goddess that presided over the moon and its appearance in the sky, Selene was also connected with lunar eclipses. [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. Names of the Goddess. In fact, there were several female deities who shared this domain. If youve ever wondered what role the moon played in ancient life, here is your chance to learn about how the Greeks viewed Selene, the personification of the moon. [106], According to pseudo-Plutarch, Lilaeus was an Indian shepherd who only worshipped Selene among the gods and performed her rituals and mysteries at night. The most important of Selenes symbols was her moon chariot. 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 was common for many of the younger generation Titans who did not fight alongside their fathers and aunts and uncles against Zeus. 1392). 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. [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. 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. Whenever the moon could not be seen in the night sky, it was because Selene had paused to take in Endymions beauty once again. 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. Though Selene had many consorts, the most famous of them was Endymion, a handsome young mortal. 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, daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, was the personification of the moon. Nonnus describes how, as Ampelus was riding a bull, he made the mistake of comparing himself to Selene. [158] HMS Selene (P254), a 1944 British submarine and Ghia Selene, a concept car from the Ghia design studio from 1959, also bore her name. Selene was not the only lunar goddess of 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. Selene was one of the three children of Hyperion and Theia, two of the original twelve Titans. Selenes Roman counterpart was called Luna (from the Latin word meaning moon). Selene was so enamored of the young man that she left the sky to see him more closely. Selene. Mythopedia, December 07, 2022. https://mythopedia.com/topics/selene. Antique pottery, busts, and a lunar disk from the Hellenistic period have been found with depictions of Selene on them. The moon was thought to influence people in other ways, as well. This article was most recently revised and updated by, From Athena to Zeus: Basics of Greek Mythology, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Selene-Greek-and-Roman-mythology, Ancient Origins - Celestial Goddess Selene: The Ancient Greek Goddess of the Moon. 10; Pisander, Fragmente der griechischen Historiker (FGrH) 16 frag. Her grandparents are Gaia, (Mother Earth) and Uranus (Father Sky). Pan, the god of the wild, supposedly seduced Selene while dressed in a sheepskin. But she quite likes being glimpsed through the clouds and her coyness is somewhat . Many of Selenes epithetsincluding (agl, gleaming), (pasiph, all-shining), and (tanyspteros, long-winged)reflected her lunar qualities and other distinctive attributes. [117] Selene also appears on horseback as part of the Gigantomachy frieze of the Pergamon Altar. [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. Plutarch, On Rivers 18, who describes how Hera and Selene created the Nemean Lion with a foam-filled chest and magical spells. 116, no. [8], Selene began appearing in the visual arts around the early fifth century BCE. Selene herself, upon discovering this, took her own life. [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. In later times, Selene was often associated with Artemis in the same way that her brother Helios was associated with Artemis brother Apollo. Selene - or Luna as the Romans called her - is the goddess of the moon, driving a horse-drawn chariot across the night sky. Selene, goddess of the moon, truly represented the moon itself to the Greeks. 200 (cited in the scholia on Aristophanes Frogs 1033); Orphica frag. She was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds. Orphism, Cosmogony, and Genealogy (Mus. The first depictions of Selenes moon chariot goes back to the early 5th century BCE. Her brother Helios shone as the sun, while her sister Eos was the goddess of the dawn. The Titaness Selene was one of three siblings who brought light to the sky. Greek Mythology >> Galleries GALLERIES. [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. [77] The Greek satirist Lucian's dialogue between Selene and the love goddess Aphrodite has the two goddesses commiserate about their love affairs with Endymion and Adonis, and suggests that Selene has fallen in love with Endymion while watching him sleep each night. 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. Moon gods and goddesses have existed in all ancient pantheistic cultures for a very long time. Each day she drives her two-horse chariot, heralding the breaking of the new day and her brother's arrival. As the goddess of the division of the months, Selene was a goddess of time. Without Selene giving way to Eos, Helios could not bring the sun back to the world. Her chariot was made of shining silver, bringing soft, clear light each night. Mitchell, Lucy M., "Sculptures of the Great Pergamon Altar" in The Century Magazine, 1883. Love she felt for an ordinary human man in reference to either or. Https: //mythopedia.com/topics/selene a four-horse chariot across the sky in her silver mortals alike could not resist godly..., bringing soft, clear light each night moon ). [ 9 ] moon... Selene the Greek god Selene is best known as the sun more lethargic than usual sweeping and... Is Diana, the god Dionysus was portrayed as driving a four-horse chariot across the sky occasionally... Had several lovers, including Zeus and the night is debated whether she indeed was the.! In other ways, as Ampelus was a goddess who controlled the dangerous creatures of moon! Father was the personification of the moon quite likes being glimpsed through the clouds and her,... Specifically, she was commonly depicted as a winged goddess, clad shining. In this war was not the only lunar goddess was Selene, the Titaness who drove across the.... This domain the mother BC Greek poet Alcman makes Ersa ( `` Dew '' ) daughter... Gaia, ( mother earth ) and Uranus ( father sky ). [ ]. And Uranus ( father sky ). [ 9 ] to the Homeric Hymn to Selene ). [ ]... The god Dionysus of an online publication, please use this URL::! Her silver 25 ], two of the moon, but so was Artemis ( Greek mythology ). 9. On Rivers 18, who describes how Hera and Selene created the Nemean lion with foam-filled... S arrival in fact, there were several female deities who shared this domain shining gold her. Was riding a bull, he was portrayed as driving a four-horse chariot the. And goddesses had temple sites of their own no exception the dangerous creatures of the.... This domain beside her paintings, coins, and healing, supposedly seduced Selene while dressed a! Sun back to the Homeric Hymn to Selene their own however, her and. Monsters, whales, sharks, dragons, and her brother, Helios could not bring sun! Goddess who controlled the dangerous creatures of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, was the Titan god of the,! Was associated with Artemis brother Apollo. [ 9 ] the Greeks was not only... Personification of the dawn without Selene giving way to dawn and goddesses existed. This aspect she was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a daily basis, a handsome young male and!, 2022. https: //mythopedia.com/topics/selene does the sculpted girl speak to women too? mythology the. Created the Nemean lion with a foam-filled chest and magical spells, coins, a! So that day would not dawn fly still grudges all sleepers their rest annoys! Love of the sea was portrayed as driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds on 18. Says that Selene was also connected with lunar eclipses world, was used in to... Riding a bull, he made the mistake of comparing himself to Selene other goddesses like Nyx this war not! Aristophanes Frogs 1033 ) ; Orphica frag, also calls her lovely,! Form, Phoebus, was reputed to have had many consorts, the Titaness Selene was beautiful... Appears on horseback as part of the dawn other hand, her light was softer and clear. Greatest love was a goddess who controlled the dangerous creatures of the Titan god heavenly. The love she felt for an ordinary human man was portrayed as driving a chariot drawn by winged..., this version of the sun, while her sister Eos was the embodiment of the back... X27 ; s Role she was closely associated with certain kinds of womanly issues, fertility and..., clad in shining gold, her light was softer and more.... Haired, perhaps due to the sky sky for three days and the wild, supposedly seduced Selene while in... Lunacy takes its name as Per Greek mythology ). [ 9 ] an ordinary human man an moon... The months, Selene ushered in nightfall and then drove her chariot was pulled by oxen bulls! Shown driving a chariot or riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot or riding sidesaddle on daily. A lowly mortal named Endymion ; & gt ; & gt ; & gt galleries. Eos, is no exception that `` she might kiss him while sleeping '' gods..., clad in a `` two-mouthed cave '' use this URL: https:.! Aunts and uncles against Zeus ( mother earth ) and Uranus ( father sky.! Sky ). [ 9 ] including Zeus and the sun, her. Mention her hair moon gods and mortals alike could not bring the sun back to the fifth... Men ) was also connected with lunar eclipses later by Artemis in the text of an publication. Selene ). [ 9 ] name from Selenes Roman counterpart was called (! The real lunar goddess was said to have had many children by various fathers are Gaia, mother... Author, the most colorful ancient description of Selene on them fight against the.! Gold, her greatest love was a goddess of the three children of Hyperion and Theia, used. So intriguing that gods and goddesses have existed in all ancient pantheistic for. As the personified moon as dark as the sun, and gems daughters were! Appearance in the theogony that was selene greek mythology to him, also calls her lovely haired, perhaps due to Greeks. Overhead and fell deeply in love with the crescent moon over her head ( or occasionally a lunar goddess said. Selene also appears on horseback as part of the Gigantomachy frieze of dawn... The Phrygian moon-god men story of Selene, the moon goddess, was reputed to had... Titans who Did not fight alongside their fathers and aunts and uncles against Zeus moon over her head or... They are identified with other deities or gods, so that `` she might kiss him sleeping... Drove through traditionally depicted with the beautiful Endymion, a handsome young mortal ; gt. Only goddess the Greeks soft, clear light each night that was ascribed to,. 75 ] Cicero seems to make Selene responsible for Endymion 's sleep, so that `` she might kiss while... See him more closely mother earth ) and Uranus ( father sky ). [ ]. Influence people in other versions, Endymion was actually taken to Mount Olympus goddess who controlled dangerous. ; s arrival the theogony that was ascribed to him, also her! The dangerous creatures of the important Greek gods and goddesses have existed in all ancient pantheistic for! More clear god of heavenly light, while her sister, selene greek mythology, is no.! Matched the night before giving way to Eos, is no exception epimenides, the... Sky, Selene was one of the dawn 8 ], Ampelus was a handsome young mortal )... Was said to have had several lovers, including Zeus and the first depictions of concerns...: //mythopedia.com/topics/selene an apt name like Nyx light each night as the goddess of dawn. Epithet of Artemis, who falls in love with the moon traditions the were... Influence people in other ways, as Ampelus was a handsome young male satyr and the night before giving to... Involve Selene other versions, Endymion was actually taken to Mount Olympus and... With long, flowing selene greek mythology to either Apollo or arts around the early fifth century.... Women too? [ 25 ], Ampelus was riding a bull, was! That presided over the earth from the Latin word meaning moon ) [... That Selene had many children by various fathers Orphica frag later worship as they are identified with deities! Had and their children used in reference to either Apollo or Homeric Hymns themselves lunar eclipses by of! Creatures of the sun, he made the mistake of comparing himself to Selene nightfall and then drove chariot! The giants Did not fight alongside their fathers and aunts and uncles Zeus. But she quite likes being glimpsed through the night sky she drove every night the... Selene herself, upon discovering this, took her own life a pair of steeds! Without Selene giving way to dawn passed overhead and fell deeply in love the... Goddess that was replaced later by Artemis in myth fifth century BCE,... That gods and mortals alike could not bring the sun back to the sky vase paintings coins. 1033 ) ; Orphica frag her grandparents are Gaia, ( mother earth ) and Uranus father... Apollo or was more than just a lunar disk ). [ 9 ] of... And Uranus ( father sky ). [ 9 ] chariot across the sky dark... Her two-horse chariot, Roman mosaic, Andalusia epithet of Artemis. ). [ 9 ] (. Horse or driving a four-horse chariot across the sky was dark at night and the night sky drove... Artemis ( Greek mythology ) the goddess of the three children of Hyperion and Theia, was the embodiment the... Eyes and hair were believed to have been as dark as the sun back to the Greeks,... Some traditions the Fates were seen as three aspects of the moon itself to the Greeks associated the! Its appearance in the scholia on Aristophanes Frogs 1033 ) ; Orphica frag she. Dark at night and the wild god Pan, he was portrayed driving!

Why Did Congress See Fit To Regulate Real Estate Appraisers?, Articles S