Selene saw him as she passed overhead and fell deeply in love. "From the panteon of the gods to the Pantheon of Rome" in, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 02:32. 1. 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. Selene, one of the younger generation of Titans, was also the Greek goddess of the moon. 260 M-W; Epimenides, FHG 4 frag. The goddess Selene was the daughter of Titius Hyperion and Theia. Even now, this moon goddess of the ancient world has not quite gone out of our lives and her presence can be felt in small but subtle reminders. In her later identification with Artemis, Selene came to be called Phoebe or Cynthia. This was the mythological explanation for the movement of the moon across the sky. Along with presiding over dangerous sea creatures, Ceto produced her own set of frightening . They included: The lunar goddesses sometimes worked together. 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 walked as quietly as possible to avoid frightening Endymion as he slept. "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. "[80], Lucian also records an otherwise unattested myth where a pretty young girl called Muia becomes Selene's rival for Endymion's affections; the chatty maiden would endlessly talk to him while he slept, causing him to wake up. Selene's Role She was the goddess of the moon, which she drove every night across the skies. Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica 4.54ff; Pausanias, Description of Greece 5.1.4; Apollodorus, Library 1.7.5; cf. Myth Early History Selene was the daughter of the titans, Hyperion and Theia, sister to Helios (the sun) and Eos (dawn). 527532; Shear, pp. H. G. Evelyn-White. In the Homeric Hymn to Selene, she bears the beautiful Pandeic to Zeus, while Alcman says they are the parents of Herse, the dew. But she quite likes being glimpsed through the clouds and her coyness is somewhat . 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. This is a relatively late text. [141], Selene played an important role in love magic. Selene detail from a sarcophagus, imperial period. It seems that Selene was not uninvolved in the twelve tasks of Heracles either. Whenever the moon could not be seen in the night sky, it was because Selene had paused to take in Endymions beauty once again. [97] Hyginus says that Selene had "nourished" the lion in a "two-mouthed cave". The legendary Greek poet, Museaus, a mortal, was also said to be the child of Selene from an unknown father. [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. It was only later, when Selene began to be conflated with other lunar goddesses, that she was openly worshiped. For centuries, those affected by mental illness were referred to as lunatics.. The bull panicked, threw Ampelus and gored him to death. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. Interestingly, this version of the myth does not involve Selene. The real lunar goddess was Selene, the Titaness who drove across the sky each night as the personified moon! In the center of the main panel Selene descends from her chariot, whose horses are held by a nymph, to join Endymion, who lies to the right. Hecate and her followers, for example, asked Selene for her cooperation in their magic. The months had their own personifications as well, who were all born from Selene. Selene was one of the three children of Hyperionand Theia, two of the original twelve Titans. Occasionally she asked her brother to take over her duties so she could spend more time on the ground with Endymion. In Greek mythology, Selene was traditionally depicted as a beautiful young woman, with perhaps paler than usual skin. Seneca, Madness of Hercules 83; Hyginus, Fabulae 30; Aelian, On Animals 12.7 (citing Epimenides); etc. It is of course a tale that began in Ancient Greece, but the story of Endymion is one taken up with vigour by Renaissance artists and the imagery of the Moon goddesses visiting the eternal sleeping mortal was often repeated. Homeric Hymn 32.313, trans. [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. Here Pasipha is used as an epithet of Selene, instead of referring to the daughter of Helios and wife of Minos. 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? 1392). We knew of her that she was a goddess of the moon, but so was Artemis (Greek mythology) . Euripides, Phoenician Women 17576; Nonnus, Dionysiaca 44.191. Selene, the moon goddess, was reputed to have had many children by various fathers. In the Greek calendar, they used the phases of the moon to calculate a month made up of three ten-day periods. Offended, she sent a gadfly to sting the bull; the surprised creature threw Ampelus and proceeded to gore him to death. This eventually led to the identification of Selene with Artemis, also associated with fertility and the moon in various ways. 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. Selene was not the only goddess the Greeks associated with the moon. iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order She was often said to be the mother of the Horai, the personifications of the division of time and the seasons. She was said to represent the full moon. [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 her Full Moon state, she is Panselene or . Although Endymion slept for eternity, many sources said Selene continued to see him. 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). The ancient Greeks saw her as the actual representation of the moon. Selene was more than just a lunar goddess, she was the embodiment of the moon and its light. These were Eiar, Theros, Cheimon, and Phthinoporon, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. [12] Also from Artemis, Selene was sometimes called "Cynthia", meaning "she of Mount Cynthus" (the birthplace of Artemis). In some versions, Zeus cursed Endymion because he fell in love with Queen Hera, wife of Zeus. [67] The late 7th-century early 6th-century BC poet Sappho apparently mentioned Selene and Endymion. How Did Uranus get its Name as Per Greek Mythology? Selene is a Titan goddess. Selene and Endymion, fresco on ceiling by Giuseppe Antonio Orelli, circa 1730-1770, Palazzo Riva. It was also believed to influence many aspects of their personal lives and even the actions of the gods. According to Greek mythology, the moon goddess Selene was the daughter of two Titans (mythological giants) called Hyperion and Theia. Whatever his profession, the handsome young man frequently slept beneath the open sky. Selene with sleeping Endymion, fresco in the fourth Pompeian style. Selenes siblings and Selene herself carried on their fathers legacy by shining light from the heavens upon the earth. In their stories, it is Diana, the Roman counterpart of Artemis, who falls in love with the beautiful mortal. Helius, Selene, Eos, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Nike, Boreas, Zephyrus, Astra) GREEK VASE PAINTINGS GALLERY 8 (83 IMAGES) And a memorial of her couch abides still neath the oaks; for mid the copses round was poured out milk of kine; and still do men marvelling behold its whiteness. They put Hyperion to the sword, and drowned Helios in the river Eridanus. [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. 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. 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. Were building the worlds most authoritative, online mythology resource, with engaging, accessible content that is both educational and compelling to read. In some stories, Selene herself entreated Zeus to save her lover from the ravages of old age that would come for him as a mortal. "[2][150][151], The ancient Greeks called Monday "day of the Moon" ( ) after her. She was worshipped at the new and full moons. 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. Attic red-figure kylix showing Selene riding the chariot of the moon, drawn by two winged horses. 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. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). She was commonly depicted as a winged goddess, clad in a sweeping robe and a veil. 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). In post-classical times, Selene was often identified with Artemis, much as her brother, Helios, was identified with Apollo. Selene was written off and Artemis became the goddess of the moon, hunting, and animals. 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]. 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. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Another myth describes how Selene held her own against the monster Typhoeus when he attacked the gods. Those that do exist are somewhat generic (like the previously mentioned epithets). The lunar goddess was also important for her influence over female fertility cycles and childbirth. 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. She was the personification of the moon, but was also associated with lunar elements such as tides, months, and even lunacy. Selene was one of the twelve Olympian gods and goddesses, and her story is one of the most captivating in Greek mythology. [73] However, Apollodorus says that because of Endymion's "surpassing beauty, the Moon fell in love with him, and Zeus allowed him to choose what he would, and he chose to sleep for ever, remaining deathless and ageless". Selene could still see her sleeping love whenever she pleased, but the pressures of time and mortality were taken off her. [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: [104] Zeus agrees, urged by Selene's complaints and having long intended to deal with the philosophers himself. Updates? [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. [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). This irritated Endymion, and enraged Selene, who transforms the girl into a fly (Ancient Greek: , romanized:mua). What are Hades Powers that are Really Scary? It did not take long for Zeus to notice something was amiss. Seeking vengeance, she instigated a war between her other children, the Giants, and the Olympian gods. Often when one god supplanted another in a particular domain, the stories that involved that god were changed to reflect this. With Zeus she is the mother of Pandeia goddess of dew. In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene ( / slini /; Greek: pronounced [seln], meaning "Moon" [2]) is the personification of the Moon. The Greeks (like many other ancient peoples) were notoriously terrified of eclipses, viewing them as signs of the gods displeasure.[3]. She was descended . Selene was linked to Artemis as well as Hecate; all three were considered lunar goddesses. [95], Anaxagoras also reports that the Nemean lion was said to have fallen from the moon. 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