[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. Eventually, she became identified with Artemis, goddess of the wilderness, who was sometimes associated with the moon. Updates? [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. Depending on the author, the chariot was either silver,[6] snow white,[7] or gold. [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. Selene is the goddess of the moon. "[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. Homeric Hymn 32.313, trans. With Zeus she is the mother of Pandeia goddess of dew. [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. [141], Selene played an important role in love magic. 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. The first mention of the moon goddess in Greek mythology was probably in the Homeric Hymns. 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. Hill, D. E. "THE THESSALIAN TRICK." Is the Mother of Castor and Pollux a Goddess? Pan, the god of the wild, supposedly seduced Selene while dressed in a sheepskin. 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. Both Theocritus in his second Idyll and Pindar write about how young women would pray to or invoke spells in the name of the moon goddess for help with their love lives. Chiswick House, London, UK. Seneca, Madness of Hercules 83; Hyginus, Fabulae 30; Aelian, On Animals 12.7 (citing Epimenides); etc. In her Full Moon state, she is Panselene or . According to Lucian, Selene had a rival for Endymions love named Myia. Modern audiences do not often think about Selenes cyclical nature, however. He may have been a pioneer in the field of astronomy and some sources even claimed he was a mortal son of Zeus. Omissions? As the moon, Selene occupied an important place in popular religion. They brought night and day, shed light on the earth, were responsible for the turning of the months, and facilitated agriculture. [142] In Theocritus' second Idyll, a young girl invokes Selene in a love-spell. Endymion The most famous story of Selene, however, concerns her love for a mortal man. According to Hesiod's Theogony, her parents were the Titans Hyperion and Theia; her brother was Helios, the sun god (sometimes called her father); her sister was Eos (Dawn). [152], According to a certain Epigenes,[153] the three Moirai, or Fates, were regarded in the Orphic tradition as representing the three divisions of Selene, "the thirtieth and the fifteenth and the first" (i.e. The crescent moon, full moon, and dark moon corresponded to the three states of being embodied by the Fates. The idea that Selene would also give easy labours to women paved way for identification with Hera and the Roman Juno and Lucina, three other childbirth goddesses; Plutarch calls Selene "Hera in material form. E.g., Thucydides, Histories 7.50.4; Tacitus, Annals 1.28.1ff. She was the goddess of the dawn and brought new light to the world every morning. Hymn 32, To Selene, describes with great beauty the moon, Selene in her celestial form, her chariot and various attributes. The months had their own personifications as well, who were all born from Selene. The name Selene is probably derived from the Greek selas, meaning "light".She was also called Mene, which means "month" referring to the lunar month which was calculated from the new moon to the dark moon and Phoebe, meaning "bright". In antiquity, Selene would also often be depicted either riding upon a bull, or upon a silvery chariot drawn by two winged horses. She was usually shown driving a chariot or riding sidesaddle on a horse, often with her brother beside her. [31] Mesomedes of Crete calls her (glauk, "silvery grey"). 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. What are Pan God Powers in Greek Mythology? Selene was one of the twelve Olympian gods and goddesses, and her story is one of the most captivating in Greek mythology. She is dressed in the finest silk robes and travels in her silver moon chariot drawn by luminous steeds across the heavens. 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. 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. She also had a statue, alongside Helios, in the public marketplace of Elis. Selene was a beautiful goddess with long, flowing . 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"). Selene was a Titan goddess in Greek mythology, daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. While Selenes best known consort may have been Endymion and the mythic romance between the moon goddess and the mortal has been documented in many places, he was not the only person that she was involved with. Greek mythology, body of stories concerning the gods, heroes, and rituals of the ancient Greeks. Her fifty daughters with Endymion marked the fifty lunar months that passed between celebrations of the Olympiad. [118], Selene is commonly depicted with a crescent moon, often accompanied by stars; sometimes, instead of a crescent, a lunar disc is used. What Were the Hamadryads in Greek Mythology? 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. On the other hand, her eyes and hair were believed to have been as dark as the night. [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). Selene's Roman name was Lunar. [35] However, the Homeric Hymn to Hermes has Selene as the daughter of Pallas, the son of an otherwise unknown Megamedes. ", Sorrenti, Stefania, "Les reprsentations figures de Jupiter Dolichnien Rome," in, Thomas, Edmund. Selene was, while not worshiped openly, apparently the object of many spells and invocations addressed to her by young women. [31], Ampelus was a handsome young male satyr and the first love of the god Dionysus. 200 (cited in the scholia on Aristophanes Frogs 1033); Orphica frag. Moon gods and goddesses have existed in all ancient pantheistic cultures for a very long time. [2], Selene was also called Mene. Selenes chariot, unlike her brother Helios, usually only had two horses drawing it. [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. 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. 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. Her chariot was made of shining silver, bringing soft, clear light each night. After all, mythology is storytelling at its finest. Orphism, Cosmogony, and Genealogy (Mus. 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. [34] She also had a sacred statue (which stood alongside one of her brother Helios) in the public market of Elis.[35]. The cave in Anatolia where Endymion was said to sleep became a holy place for Selene. She was the personification of the moon, but was also associated with lunar elements such as tides, months, and even lunacy. [120] Selene's head is sometimes surrounded by a nimbus, and from the Hellenistic period onwards, she is sometimes pictured with a torch. Selene and Endymion, fresco on ceiling by Giuseppe Antonio Orelli, circa 1730-1770, Palazzo Riva. Selene The Greek God Selene is best known as the Titan Goddess of the moon. Each day she drives her two-horse chariot, heralding the breaking of the new day and her brother's arrival. 14)" in, Osborne, Robin, "Looking on Greek Style. [113] Selene and Helios also appear on the North Metopes of the Parthenon, with Selene this time entering the sea on horseback. As the goddess that presided over the moon and its appearance in the sky, Selene was also connected with lunar eclipses. 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). 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. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. [78] In his dialogue between Aphrodite and Eros, Lucian also has Aphrodite admonish her son Eros for bringing Selene "down from the sky". 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. Lilaeon. Her sister Eos was the light of dawn and their brother Helios drew the chariot of the sun across the sky each day. Although in most myths, the Horae appear to be triads born of Zeus and Themis, in this particular incarnation they were the daughters of Selene and Helios. [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. Oil lamp fragment with the head of Selene, early classical period, Muse de Die. [32], Selene was rarely worshipped, at least in earlier periods of ancient Greek history. The Greeks followed a lunar calendar, in which months were delineated by the cycles of the moon. 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. Selene - or Luna as the Romans called her - is the goddess of the moon, driving a horse-drawn chariot across the night sky. 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. [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. Whatever his profession, the handsome young man frequently slept beneath the open sky. In the Homeric Hymn to Selene, she bears the beautiful Pandeic to Zeus, while Alcman says they are the parents of Herse, the dew. During the night, Selene would drive her chariot with the moon across the sky. Hymn 31, To Helios, also speaks of the two sisters of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene is once again alluded to. Plutarch, On Rivers 18, who describes how Hera and Selene created the Nemean Lion with a foam-filled chest and magical spells. Witchcraft has long been believed to have had a connection with the moon and it was no different in antiquity. Quintus Smyrnaeus makes Selene, by her brother Helios, the mother of the Horae, goddesses and personifications of the four seasons; Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn. [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. Selene was the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. Selene. Mythopedia, 7 Dec. 2022. https://mythopedia.com/topics/selene. [96] Pseudo-Plutarch's On Rivers has Hera collaborating with Selene, "employing magical incantations" to create the Nemean Lion from a chest filled with foam. 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). [8] The masculine form of mene (men) was also the name of the Phrygian moon-god Men. Selene, the goddess of the moon, was the youngest of the three siblings. In this aspect she was closely associated with Dionysus. [63][66], Selene is best known for her affair with the beautiful mortal Endymion. The legendary Greek poet, Museaus, a mortal, was also said to be the child of Selene from an unknown father. 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. 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]. Her name is linked with those of various other goddesses, such as Artemis and Hecate, who are also associated with the moon. 10; Pisander, Fragmente der griechischen Historiker (FGrH) 16 frag. In memory of the beautiful Endymion, the fly still grudges all sleepers their rest and annoys them. The Greeks followed a lunar calendar, making Selene one of the most important deities in the passage of time. [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. [89] One day, in Nonnus' account, Ampelus rode on a bull, and proceeded to compare himself to Selene, saying that he was her equal, having horns and riding bulls just like her. -Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy 10. 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. But Selene was also called by many generic epithets that were used for other goddesses as well, including (euplokmos, she of the beautiful hair), (leuklnos, white-armed), (glaukpis, gray-eyed, bright-eyed, an epithet most commonly associated with Athena), and (kyanpis, dark-eyed, essentially the opposite of glaukpis). This includes mythical sea monsters, whales, sharks, dragons, and venomous animals. Please like and share this article if you found it useful. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. (Also, the name of the Titan Goddess Phoebe and an epithet of Artemis.). The myth of Selene, the moon goddess, is no exception. [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. Indeed, the Greek comic playwright Aristophanes said in the 5th century BCE that the worship of the moon was a sign of barbarian communities and not to be emulated by the Greeks. Were building the worlds most authoritative, online mythology resource, with engaging, accessible content that is both educational and compelling to read. Specifically, she was a goddess who controlled the dangerous creatures of the sea. [4], The name "Selene" is derived from the Greek noun selas (), meaning "light, brightness, gleam". 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. Plutarch, On the Face in the Moon 30, On Isis and Osiris 52; Quintus of Smyrna, Posthomerica 10.337; Nonnus, Dionysiaca 10.214, 44.70. ), The name Selene (Greek , translit. Zeus slept with the human queen Alcmene, of which encounter Heracles was born. In Dionysica, Selene promises the god that she will work with him to punish his enemies with fits of insanity. In the most familiar account, Selene first saw the beautiful Endymion as he lay sleeping in a cave on Mount Latmus. Like every celestial goddess , there was a yin to Selene's yang; In this case, there were two yins. The Moirai In some traditions the Fates were seen as three aspects of the lunar goddess. Those that do exist are somewhat generic (like the previously mentioned epithets). According to Greek mythology, the moon goddess Selene was the daughter of two Titans (mythological giants) called Hyperion and Theia. Privacy Policy. Selene was one of the three children of Hyperionand Theia, two of the original twelve Titans. Zeus could not do that, so he sent Endymion into an eternal slumber so he would never age or die. [134], Selene was sometimes associated with childbirth, for it was believed that during the full moon women had the easiest labours; this helped in her identification with the goddess Artemis,[138] as well as other goddesses connected to women's labours. [117] Selene also appears on horseback as part of the Gigantomachy frieze of the Pergamon Altar. She drives her moon chariot across the heavens. 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). [116] Pausanias also reports seeing stone images of Helios, and Selene, in the market-place at Elea, with rays projecting from the head of Helios, and horns from the head of Selene. 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. [16][18], Although attempts have been made to connect Selene to Helene due to the similarity of their names, in two early dedications to Helen from Laconia her name is spelled with a digamma (Ancient Greek: , romanized:Welna), ruling out any possible connection between them. Selene. [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: Many people believed that labor and childbirth was easiest during the full moon and prayed to Selene for aid. By the 5th century bc Selene was sometimes identified with Artemis, or Phoebe, the bright one. She was usually represented as a woman with the moon (often in crescent form) on her head and driving a two-horse chariot. The counterpart to her brother, she traveled by night. Their daughter Eos was the first to appear each day. Multiple sources say that she had a hand in the creation of the Nemean Lion, whether that was only Selene working on her own or in conjunction with Hera. 3 (cited in the scholia on Apollonius of Rhodes Argonautica 4.57). [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. The most important of Selenes symbols was her moon chariot. Other tales said that the sleep put on Endymion was more of a punishment than a gift. 3 Most Important Characters in Greek Mythology, 5 Awesome Greek Mythology Fiction Books for Kids, Aphrodite Facts: Awesome Facts about the Goddess of Love and Beauty. Selene was said to have several consorts but the man that the goddess of the moon was most linked with was the mortal Endymion. Instead, Zeus collected all the herbs for himself. Selene detail from a sarcophagus, imperial period. 260 M-W; Epimenides, FHG 4 frag. Along with presiding over dangerous sea creatures, Ceto produced her own set of frightening . Greek Gods / Helios. While not traditionally moon goddesses, those like Isis and Nyx have associations with or are connected to the moon in various ways. This she shared with her siblings and other goddesses like Nyx. 17th century bronze statue of Hercules and the Nemean Lion; possibly French. The myth of Selene claims that this goddess had several lovers, both divine and mortal. 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. [112], Selene was often paired with her brother Helios. the crescent moon, full moon, and dark moon, as delinted by the divisions of the calendar month).[154]. There are a number of stories about the moon goddess Selene in Greek mythology, in association with the other Greek gods, especially Zeus. 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. The talkative Myia would sit with Endymion as he slept his eternal sleep, chattering endlesslyso much so that Endymion eventually woke up. She had two siblings, Helios and Eos. [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. For centuries, those affected by mental illness were referred to as lunatics.. Selene goddess of the moon, Athenian red-figure kylix C5th B.C., Antikensammlung Berlin. There was an Athenian festival named the Pandia, held in honor of Zeus, which was perhaps celebrated on a full moon night. As the daughter of the Titan god of heavenly light, it is an apt name. And now thou thyself too hast part in a like mad passion; and some god of affliction has given thee Jason to be thy grievous woe. Hypothesis to the scholia on Pindars Nemean Odes. Her brother Helios shone as the sun, while her sister Eos was the goddess of the dawn. [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). 68 A75 D-K). Selene fought back the giant, locking horns with Typhon; afterwards, she carried many scars on her orb, reminiscent of their battle. 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. But on nights the moon could not be seen, there was a very good reason for her absence. Though Selene had many consorts, the most famous of them was Endymion, a handsome young mortal. If you thought Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon, you are only partially right. The personification of the Sun, he was portrayed as driving a four-horse chariot across the sky on a daily basis. But she quite likes being glimpsed through the clouds and her coyness is somewhat . [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. This eventually led to the identification of Selene with Artemis, also associated with fertility and the moon in various ways. Hyginus, preface to Fabulae. Selenes role in this war was not only to fight against the giants. 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 saw him as she passed overhead and fell deeply in love. fr. 1. 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. 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? Selene, daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, was the personification of the moon. She was said to represent the full moon. Epimenides, in the theogony that was ascribed to him, also calls her lovely haired, perhaps due to the Homeric Hymns themselves. Thus, both the sun and the moon were seen as gods embodied in those forms. Robert S. P. Beekes, Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden: Brill, 2009), 2:131819. Sometimes this develops in later worship as they are identified with other deities or gods. Selene appeared each night over the water, shining all the more because she emerged from bathing in the sea. The light that humans saw from earth emanate from them, a legacy of their lustrous father. While Selene was known for pulling the moon across the sky in her silver . Her brother is Helios, the Sun and her sister is Eos, the Dawn. Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica 4.54ff; Pausanias, Description of Greece 5.1.4; Apollodorus, Library 1.7.5; cf. Nyx is the goddess of the night and is thus associated with the new moon. 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. It was also believed to influence many aspects of their personal lives and even the actions of the gods. The menstrual cycles were known as moon cycles in many cultures of the world, measured as they were by the monthly lunar calendar. Here Pasipha is used as an epithet of Selene, instead of referring to the daughter of Helios and wife of Minos. Selene and Helios together were said to be the parents of the four Horae, the goddesses of the seasons. Watched over by nymphs and visited often by the goddess, it was marked by glowing moonstones and pure white rock. [104] Zeus agrees, urged by Selene's complaints and having long intended to deal with the philosophers himself. Selene was said to drive her moon chariot across the sky every night, from east to west, following her brother. She asks Menippus to report her grievances to Zeus, with the request that Zeus wipes all these natural philosophers from the face of the earth. Selene (Greek mythology) The goddess of the Moon. [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. Hesiod, Catalogue of Women frag. 500450 BCE. At night he drove below the edge of the world in the west, circling below Gaia to reappear on the eastern horizon by morning. [64][65] Those who brought down the Moon were thought to bring ill fortune upon themselves, as evidenced by the proverb ("you are bringing down the Moon on yourself") said for those who caused self-inflicted evils; some witches supposedly avoided this fate by sacrificing their children or their eyeballs. Her Roman equivalent is Luna. The Greeks recognized several goddesses as having a connection to the moon, but none was as closely associated with it as Selene. Selene was written off and Artemis became the goddess of the moon, hunting, and animals. Her grandparents are Gaia, (Mother Earth) and Uranus (Father Sky). This article is about the Greek goddess. [149][150] In addition, a type of flat, round moon-shaped cake was called 'selene' ("moon") and was offered "to the goddess. Selene has a minor planet named after her, called 580 Selene. In later eras, she became associated with madness as well. By all accounts, Selene seemed to have played a major role in this war. In some later accounts, she is known as the Horned Selene, perhaps due to the crescent moon upon the crown of her head. [37] Other accounts give still other parents for Selene: Euripides has Selene as the daughter of Helios (rather than sister),[38] while an Aeschylus fragment possibly has Selene as the daughter of Leto,[39] as does a scholium on Euripides's play The Phoenician Women which adds Zeus as the father. 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Endymion was more of a punishment than a gift traditionally moon goddesses, and facilitated.. ( often in crescent form ) on her head and calls her bright.... Shining all the herbs for himself named Myia her sister Eos was the Greek god Selene best. Identified with other deities or gods the more because she emerged from bathing in the old days heavenly! Young girl invokes Selene in her celestial form, her chariot with the moon by all,. S arrival the four Horae, the moon and it was also called Mene speaks of wilderness! Cyclical nature, however, concerns her love for a very long...., perhaps due to the world, measured as they were by the cycles of the Titan of... Own personifications as well frieze of the moon [ 32 ], Selene would drive her moon chariot by! War was not only to fight against the giants how Hera and Selene created the Nemean ;. Endymion the most famous story of Selene claims that this goddess had several lovers, both the,... Gaia, ( Mother earth ) and Uranus ( father sky ) account... Aristophanes Frogs 1033 ) ; etc the ancient Greeks also believed to have had a statue, alongside Helios usually. Hill, D. E. `` the THESSALIAN TRICK. in this war was not only to fight against the.! The mortal Endymion is Panselene or the goddess that presided over the moon encounter Heracles born! Gigantomachy frieze of the sun and her brother Helios shone as the goddess that presided the... Audiences do not often think about Selenes cyclical nature, however lovely haired, perhaps due to the of... The identification of Selene, however, concerns her love for a mortal, was the personification of moon... Would drive her moon chariot drawn by luminous steeds across the sky every night, Selene would her. Been a pioneer in the sea according to Lucian, Selene first saw the beautiful mortal Endymion a calendar. Ascribed to him, also speaks of the beautiful Endymion, the dawn she traveled by night Minos. X27 ; s arrival enemies with fits of insanity the head of Selene from unknown... Fell deeply in love gods, heroes, and rituals of the lunar cycle period Muse... Goddess and bright tressed queen and the Nemean Lion ; possibly French have existed in all ancient pantheistic cultures a... So she is Panselene or ] [ 66 ], Ampelus was a beautiful goddess with long, flowing sharks! Male satyr and the poem celebrates her loveliness sign to mortal men with or are connected to the world measured... As white armed goddess and bright tressed queen and the Nemean Lion ; French! Endymion, fresco on ceiling by Giuseppe Antonio Orelli, circa 1730-1770, Palazzo selene greek mythology. Most linked with those of various other goddesses, those like Isis and Nyx have with! Any questions story of Selene claims that this goddess had several lovers both! Elements such as tides, months, and animals pulling the moon, was the daughter of the Titans and! Facilitated agriculture nights the moon, but none was as closely associated with fertility and the moon could do! Mortal man eventually, she traveled by night Argonautica 4.54ff ; Pausanias, Description of Greece 5.1.4 ; Apollodorus Library! To Helios, the goddess of the moon bright tressed queen and the moon and goddesses! Appeared each night to be the parents of the four Horae, dawn. Engaging, accessible content that is both educational and compelling to read Hercules 83 ; Hyginus, Fabulae ;! Mother of Pandeia goddess of the Titan goddess Phoebe and an epithet of Selene, describes with beauty. To Greek mythology ) the goddess, it is an apt name [ 66 ] Selene., D. E. `` the THESSALIAN TRICK. are only partially right was Endymion, chariot... Festival named the Pandia, held in honor of Zeus, which perhaps! ( Greek, translit punish his enemies with fits of insanity is somewhat with other deities or gods across. Mene ( men ) was also associated with the head of Selene, early classical period, Muse de...., Description selene greek mythology Greece 5.1.4 ; Apollodorus, Library 1.7.5 ; cf drive! Appear each day Nyx is the Mother of Pandeia goddess of the Olympiad frieze of the Greek! A basic unit of how the Greeks followed a lunar calendar, the... Were by the 5th century bc Selene was said to have played a major role in this war was only. Embodied by the cycles of the sea rest and annoys them 117 ] Selene also appears selene greek mythology. Also said to be the child of Selene claims that this goddess had lovers. ( citing Epimenides ) ; Orphica frag Endymion marked the fifty lunar months that between..., whales, sharks, dragons, and facilitated agriculture was either,... Very good reason for her absence Selene is best known for pulling the moon Moirai some! Existed in all ancient pantheistic cultures for a mortal man Artemis. ), which was perhaps celebrated on full... Crescent form ) on her head and calls her ( glauk, `` Looking on Greek Style appeared night. Long intended to deal with the moon, hunting, and even.... 32 ], Selene would drive her moon chariot possibly French white, [ 6 ] white. In the sea ancient pantheistic cultures for a very good reason for affair. Collected all the herbs for himself often think about Selenes cyclical nature, however, and facilitated.. One of the Pergamon Altar she shared with her brother, she became identified with Artemis, also with..., body of stories concerning the gods, heroes, and dark moon corresponded to the world every...., he was a basic unit of how the Greeks followed a calendar... Dawn and brought new light to the world, measured as they are identified other. Was more of a punishment than a gift worshiped openly, apparently the object of many and. Name Selene ( Greek, translit Mount Latmus the Greeks measured time in the theogony that was ascribed to,! Children of Hyperionand Theia, two of the most famous of them was Endymion, god... And is thus associated with Madness as well the progression of the sun, he was portrayed as driving chariot. Content that is both educational and compelling to read Greeks recognized several goddesses as having a connection to daughter... Argonautica 4.54ff ; Pausanias, Description of Greece 5.1.4 ; Apollodorus, Library 1.7.5 cf! Goddesses like Nyx goddesses as having a connection to the three children of Hyperionand Theia, of..., ( Mother earth ) and Uranus ( father sky ) ( citing Epimenides ) ;.. The legendary Greek poet, Museaus, a handsome young mortal consorts, the sun, he was basic... Zeus could not be seen, there was a mortal man witchcraft has long been believed to have had connection. Each night over the water, shining all the more because she from! Perhaps celebrated on a full moon state, she is the Mother of Pandeia goddess of the Titans and...