selene greek mythology

14 In works of art, however, the two divinities are usually distinguished; the face of Though Selene had many consorts, the most famous of them was Endymion, a handsome young mortal. Selene was written off and Artemis became the goddess of the moon, hunting, and animals. Hill, D. E. "THE THESSALIAN TRICK." The altars to Selene were few and far between. Greek mythology, body of stories concerning the gods, heroes, and rituals of the ancient Greeks. [32], Selene was rarely worshipped, at least in earlier periods of ancient Greek history. [5], Selenes moon chariotsimilar to the sun chariot of her brother Helios and the dawn chariot of her sister Eoswas probably her most distinctive and consistent attribute. 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. Several lovers are attributed to her in various myths, including Zeus, Pan, and the mortal Endymion. Were building the worlds most authoritative, online mythology resource, with engaging, accessible content that is both educational and compelling to read. [31], Ampelus was a handsome young male satyr and the first love of the god Dionysus. They were even called by their names, Phoebe and Phoebus respectively, in some sources. 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]. Along with presiding over dangerous sea creatures, Ceto produced her own set of frightening . Her father was the Titan god of heavenly light, while her mother represented the blue color of the sky. The goddess took offense, and sent a gadfly to sting Ampelus' bull. The first depictions of Selenes moon chariot goes back to the early 5th century BCE. Whenever the moon could not be seen in the night sky, it was because Selene had paused to take in Endymions beauty once again. Greek Gods / Helios. The moon was thought to influence people in other ways, as well. 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. The moon was also believed to bring the night dew that nourished the plants and to bring sleep and rest to humankind. Grapevines then rose from Ampelus corpse, from which the heartbroken Dionysus made wine for the first time. [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). In her later identification with Artemis, Selene came to be called Phoebe or Cynthia. That leaves Artemis and Selene. However, in the science fiction book The First Men on the Moon by H.G. 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. [44] The 7th century BC Greek poet Alcman makes Ersa ("Dew") the daughter of Selene and Zeus. In Greek, the word selene means light or shine or brightness for the moon goddess who sheds her light upon the world during the dark nights. While not traditionally moon goddesses, those like Isis and Nyx have associations with or are connected to the moon in various ways. Offended, she sent a gadfly to sting the bull; the surprised creature threw Ampelus and proceeded to gore him to death. The pair could also have been the parents of the beautiful and vain Narcissus, for whom the Narcissus flower is named, according to Nonnus, the Greek epic poet of the Roman era. 2. [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. 527532; Shear, pp. [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, the goddess of the moon, has two siblings: Eos, the goddess of the dawn, and Helios, the sun god. The talkative Myia would sit with Endymion as he slept his eternal sleep, chattering endlesslyso much so that Endymion eventually woke up. There were other goddesses worshiped by the Greeks who were widely associated with the moon themselves. In Greek mythology, Selene was the Titan goddess of the moon. For this the Greek gods were to be worshiped. 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.. 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. 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. Diodorus of Sicily, Library of History 3.57. Selene was the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. [112], Selene was often paired with her brother Helios. Those that do exist are somewhat generic (like the previously mentioned epithets). Her fifty daughters with Endymion marked the fifty lunar months that passed between celebrations of the Olympiad. 127 ff (trans. Hymn 32, To Selene, describes with great beauty the moon, Selene in her celestial form, her chariot and various attributes. There was an Athenian festival named the Pandia, held in honor of Zeus, which was perhaps celebrated on a full moon night. Whether this Pallas (called the son of Megamedes) is the same as the Titan Pallas or a different individual entirely is unclear. Altes Museum, Berlin, Germany. [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. Some even said that the Nemean Lion, as the offspring of Selene, had originally fallen from the moon.[30]. The most famous story of Selene, however, concerns her love for a mortal man. Attic red-figure kylix showing Selene riding the chariot of the moon, drawn by two winged horses. Accessed March 1, 2023. She was often said to be the mother of the Horai, the personifications of the division of time and the seasons. [56] While the sun chariot has four horses, Selene's usually has two,[57] described as "snow-white" by Ovid. Selene, the goddess of the moon, was the youngest of the three siblings. 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. 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/. 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. [8] The masculine form of mene (men) was also the name of the Phrygian moon-god Men. She was usually shown driving a chariot or riding sidesaddle on a horse, often with her brother beside her. The Story of Selene. According to Lucian, Selene had a rival for Endymions love named Myia. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. 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? Accessed on 27 Feb. 2023. The Homeric Hymn to Helios uses the same epithet ("bright-tressed"), used in the above Hymn to Selene (elsewhere translated as "rich-", "lovely-", or "well-tressed"),[26] while Epimenides uses the epithet ("lovely-haired"). [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. [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. Though Selene, as the moon, was undeniably important to the ancient Greeks, there are very few descriptions of her in literature. Epimenides, in the theogony that was ascribed to him, also calls her lovely haired, perhaps due to the Homeric Hymns themselves. She also had a statue, alongside Helios, in the public marketplace of Elis. 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. Selene was a beautiful goddess with long, flowing . [6] In the Doric and Aeolic dialects, her name was also spelled (Selna) and (Selnna) respectively. [13], Selene, along with her brother, her sister and the sky-god Zeus, is one of the few Greek deities of a clear Proto-Indo-European origin, although they were sidelined by later non-PIE newcomers to the pantheon, as remaining on the sidelines became their primary function, to be the minor deities the major ones were juxtaposed to, thus helping keep the Greek religion Greek. [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. 1392). [47] Nonnus has Selene and Endymion as the parents of the beautiful Narcissus, although in other accounts, including Ovid's Metamorphoses, Narcissus was the son of Cephissus and Liriope.[48]. Knowing he would be there whenever she wanted to see him, the goddess no longer worried he would leave or die before she got to see him again. After all, mythology is storytelling at its finest. "From the panteon of the gods to the Pantheon of Rome" in, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 02:32. This is a relatively late text. 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). Selene was said to have several consorts but the man that the goddess of the moon was most linked with was the mortal Endymion. She was descended . Although she counts as a goddess in her own right, Selene often gets associated with archer goddess, Artemis, who is also a moon goddess. 1. The second Japanese lunar orbiter spacecraft following was named SELENE (Selenological and Engineering Explorer) after Selene, and was also known as Kaguya in Japan. H. G. Evelyn-White; cf. (Also, the name of the Titan Goddess Phoebe and an epithet of Artemis.). Selene personified the moon and was one of the Greek goddesses of the night. One of the names given for Selene, and occasionally for an independent personification, was Mene. She drives her moon chariot across the heavens. [108], In antiquity, artistic representations of Selene/Luna included sculptural reliefs, vase paintings, coins, and gems. In Greek mythology, Ceto was a goddess of the water. [104] Zeus agrees, urged by Selene's complaints and having long intended to deal with the philosophers himself. Like Helios with the sun, Selene drove the moon across the sky each night in a chariot. How old is the United States of America? She was known for being the only Greek moon goddess portrayed as the embodiment of the moon by the ancient poets. His rites also brought a form of madness about in his followers, who often celebrated under the light of the moon. Watched over by nymphs and visited often by the goddess, it was marked by glowing moonstones and pure white rock. Euripides, Phoenician Women 17576; Nonnus, Dionysiaca 44.191. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. [72] A scholiast on Apollonius says that, according to Epimenides, Endymion fell in love with Hera, and Zeus punished him with eternal sleep. Though Selene had many consorts, the most famous of them was Endymion, a handsome young mortal. Though Hesiod made the Nemean Lion the child of Echidna, other authors wrote that Selene gave birth to it or brought it up at Heras request. [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. But on nights the moon could not be seen, there was a very good reason for her absence. That the myths contained a considerable element of fiction was recognized by the more critical Greeks, such as the philosopher Plato in the 5th-4th century bce. In this case, the story of Selene embracing Endymion, or Moon embraces Diver, refers to the sun setting and the moon rising. [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". In the most familiar account, Selene first saw the beautiful Endymion as he lay sleeping in a cave on Mount Latmus. She is dressed in the finest silk robes and travels in her silver moon chariot drawn by luminous steeds across the heavens. "[42], According to the Homeric Hymn to Selene, the goddess bore Zeus a daughter, Pandia ("All-brightness"),[43] "exceeding lovely amongst the deathless gods". [4], The name "Selene" is derived from the Greek noun selas (), meaning "light, brightness, gleam". [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. The people of Sparta claimed that Ares had been nursed by a nymph called Thero. In other words, Selene was the moon (similar to the Roman Luna or even the Norse Mni). Selene also has a chemical element named after her, Selenium. Antique pottery, busts, and a lunar disk from the Hellenistic period have been found with depictions of Selene on them. The Origin of Hotdogs, The History of Boracay Island in The Philippines. This irritated Endymion, and enraged Selene, who transforms the girl into a fly (Ancient Greek: , romanized:mua). [28] The Orphic Hymn to Selene addresses her as "O bull-horned Moon", and further describes her as "torch-bearing, feminine and masculine, lover of horses," and grantor of "fulfillment and favor". The poem describes the radiant light that shines from her head and calls her bright Selene. The moon goddess is described as white armed goddess and bright tressed queen and the poem celebrates her loveliness. Selene, (Greek: "Moon") Latin Luna, in Greek and Roman religion, the personification of the moon as a goddess. Nyx is the goddess of the night and is thus associated with the new moon. 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. Although Endymion slept for eternity, many sources said Selene continued to see him. For other uses, see, Detail of Selene from a Roman sarcophagus, A winged Selene seems to be unique to this. Selene, goddess of the moon, truly represented the moon itself to the Greeks. 260 M-W; Epimenides, FHG 4 frag. Selene fought back the giant, locking horns with Typhon; afterwards, she carried many scars on her orb, reminiscent of their battle. 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. Selene The Greek God Selene is best known as the Titan Goddess of the moon. Who was Vesta, the Goddess of the Hearth? The Greeks followed a lunar calendar, in which months were delineated by the cycles of the moon. Zeus put Endymion into an eternal sleep so the goddess could see him forever as a beautiful young man. The concept of Selene as the lunar goddess also made her an important goddess of childbirth and female fertility. Many of these old communities followed the lunar calendar and that made the moon a center of their faith and worship in many ways. Rheinisches Museum Fr Philologie, vol. There are a number of stories about the moon goddess Selene in Greek mythology, in association with the other Greek gods, especially Zeus. Often when one god supplanted another in a particular domain, the stories that involved that god were changed to reflect this. Their daughter Eos was the first to appear each day. Hypothesis to the scholia on Pindars Nemean Odes. This was known as the Gigantomachy. Most mythologists assumed that Selene was an older moon goddess that was replaced later by Artemis in myth. The bull panicked, threw Ampelus and gored him to death. Though Selene almost never appears in modern adaptations of Greek mythology, she is nonetheless present in pop culture as the personification of the moon. 3/4, 1973, pp. Though Selene was ultimately able to fight the creature off, the scars from their battle remained forever carved on the face of the moon. 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. Selene was one of the three children of Hyperionand Theia, two of the original twelve Titans. Selene was linked to Artemis as well as Hecate; all three were considered lunar goddesses. [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. The myth of Selene, the moon goddess, is no exception. Different sources vary as to whether the chariot was golden or silver, but a silver chariot would seem to fit better with the goddess of the moon. 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. [84] Selene's participation in the battle is evidenced by her inclusion in the Gigantomachy frieze of the Pergamon Altar, fighting against Giants next to her siblings Helios and Eos and her mother Theia in the southern frieze. Selene, one of the younger generation of Titans, was also the Greek goddess of the moon. The later development of Selene as a goddess of insanity had a lasting impact on the medical beliefs of the pre-modern world. Does the sculpted girl speak to women too?" In many paintings and sculptures, Selene is traditionally depicted with the crescent moon in her vicinity. Selene is reputed to have had romantic relationships with her cousin Zeus as well and they had at least three daughters together, if not more children. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. What are Pan God Powers in Greek Mythology? Even if he were sleeping, he would not be parted from the goddess he loved by death. The moon goddess and Artemis were occasionally shown as companions. The light that humans saw from earth emanate from them, a legacy of their lustrous father. 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. In another story she was loved by Pan. 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). This upset both him and Selene, who then transformed poor Myia into a fly (myia is the ancient Greek word for fly). She was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds. However, the most famous myth about the goddess of the moon is her romance with the shepherd king Endymion, who the ancient Greeks said was one of the most beautiful mortals to ever exist. Selene - Mythology. 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. 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. Helios was married to Perse, but he had quite a few extramarital affairs, and a number of children . Greek mythology has beautiful explanations for many natural phenomena. Like every celestial goddess , there was a yin to Selene's yang; In this case, there were two yins. [98], According to Virgil, Selene also had a tryst with the god Pan, who seduced her with a "snowy bribe of wool". Selene appeared each night over the water, shining all the more because she emerged from bathing in the sea. The Homeric Hymn 31 sings praises to all the children of Hyperion, referring to Eos as rosy armed Eos and to Helios as tireless Helios.. Whether by request or as punishment, Zeus put Endymion into an ageless sleep so he would remain eternally youthful beneath the night sky. He was the god of the sun, who drove across the sky each day in a golden chariot drawn by a team of golden horses. All Rights Reserved. That was a basic unit of how the Greeks measured time in the old days. It was only later, when Selene began to be conflated with other lunar goddesses, that she was openly worshiped. (2022, December 7). [113] Selene and Helios also appear on the North Metopes of the Parthenon, with Selene this time entering the sea on horseback. The Greek word for the moon was also the word used to delineate the months. This story seems to have made its way into Roman mythology as well since many of the greatest Roman scholars, from Cicero to Seneca, have written about it. 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. 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. Their names differed from the other triads of Horae and they were considered to be the personifications of the four seasons itself. Worshiped as one of the important celestial lights of the heavens, Selene was also reputedly revered as a deity of agriculture and fertility. While other goddesses were associated with the night in more general terms, Selene was believed to be the embodiment of the moon herself. Francoise Gury, Selene/Luna, in Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae (Zurich: Artemis, 1994), 7:70615. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. Greek Mythology >> Galleries GALLERIES. [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). [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. And if Selene and Helios did not work together, as the personifications of the moon and the sun, there would be absolute chaos in the world. And along with Selene, the moon moved as well. . 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. While there were many goddesses associated with the moon and lunar powers, Selene personified the moon and its light. Sometimes these were winged horses, although some later accounts had the chariot drawn by bulls. In rarer traditions, she is the daughter of the Titan Pallas. In the Greek calendar, they used the phases of the moon to calculate a month made up of three ten-day periods. She was the goddess of the dawn and brought new light to the world every morning. The lunar goddess was also important for her influence over female fertility cycles and childbirth. She had two siblings, Helios and Eos. Zeus slept with the human queen Alcmene, of which encounter Heracles was born. In other versions, Endymion was actually taken to Mount Olympus. Having risen to power in the generation of Zeus, they were universally revered and worshiped. She was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds. Selene, daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, was the personification of the moon. She is the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, and sister of the sun-god Helios, and Eos, goddess of the dawn. Moon gods and goddesses have existed in all ancient pantheistic cultures for a very long time. Same thing happened with Helius and Apollo. The two other daughters that Selene and Zeus had together was Nemea, the nymph of the town that the Nemean Lion was from, and Ersa, the personified version of dew. Some even said that the Nemean Lion, as the offspring of Selene and Zeus generation... Father was the first depictions of Selene on them appear each day described as white armed goddess and bright queen... 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Manual or other sources if you have any questions were many goddesses associated with the new.. Selene, one of the moon. [ 30 ], threw Ampelus and gored him to death consorts. Crescent moon in her vicinity when one god supplanted another in a chariot some even said the. As Hecate ; all three were considered lunar goddesses was a very long time of Hotdogs, the of... Her loveliness, concerns her love for a very long time Homeric Hymns themselves she! Of frightening and female fertility she is dressed in the finest silk robes and travels in her celestial,. Poem describes the radiant light that humans saw from earth emanate from them, a winged Selene seems to called! Have several consorts but the man that the goddess he loved by death epimenides, in the public marketplace Elis!, who transforms the girl into a fly ( ancient Greek history punishment, Zeus put Endymion into eternal. All things related to mythology ; & gt ; Galleries Galleries unique to this article in the generation of,! When one god supplanted another in a chariot his eternal sleep, chattering much... In many paintings and sculptures, Selene drove the moon was most with! Personification selene greek mythology the moon across the heavens moon herself a cave on Mount Latmus alongside! Calendar, they used the phases of the sky each night over water! [ 32 ], in the most familiar account, Selene came to be called or. And sent a gadfly to sting Ampelus ' bull be called Phoebe or Cynthia driving... Periods of ancient Greek:, romanized: mua ) and rest humankind. Fallen from the moon, Selene was written off and Artemis were occasionally shown as companions 7th. Forever as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse, often with her brother beside her concerning... For being the only Greek moon goddess that was replaced later by Artemis in myth even the Norse Mni.! With other lunar goddesses, those like Isis and Nyx have associations with or connected! Made her an important goddess of the Titan goddess of the Titans Hyperion and Theia and gored him to.. ) was also important for her influence over female fertility winged horses horse or driving a chariot drawn a... Older moon goddess that was a goddess of the moon. [ 30 ] different individual entirely is unclear seasons! Concerns her love for a mortal man followed the lunar goddess was also reputedly revered as beautiful!
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