1. This was called a casting down of the moon, or in the case of a solar eclipse, of the sun. She drives her moon chariot across the heavens. Phoebe The name, stemming from the word for bright, was applied to both Selene and one of the elder Titanesses. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Athena, also spelled Athene, in Greek religion, the city protectress, goddess of war, handicraft, and practical reason, identified by the Romans with Minerva. Selene herself most often wore a crown of gleaming silver, which matched her silver chariot. 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). [59] Though the moon chariot is often described as being silver,[60] for Pindar it was golden. 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. She was unique, however, in her relationship with the orb itself. 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. [29] Empedocles, Euripides and Nonnus all describe her as (glaukpis, "bright-eyed", a common epithet of the goddess Athena)[30] while in a fragment from a poem, possibly written by Pamprepius, she is called (kyanpis, "dark-eyed"). Mythopedia. [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. Indeed, it reflects the fascinating way the Greeks observed the . [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. 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. 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. Kapach, A. [31] Mesomedes of Crete calls her (glauk, "silvery grey"). While other goddesses were associated with the night in more general terms, Selene was believed to be the embodiment of the moon herself. 527532; Shear, pp. With Zeus she is the mother of Pandeia goddess of dew. 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. The light that humans saw from earth emanate from them, a legacy of their lustrous father. 3 (cited in the scholia on Apollonius of Rhodes Argonautica 4.57). [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. She was said to represent the full moon. In the Greek calendar, they used the phases of the moon to calculate a month made up of three ten-day periods. [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. In Dionysica, Selene promises the god that she will work with him to punish his enemies with fits of insanity. This is also not the only Homeric Hymn in which the beautiful goddess finds mention. With his sister, the Titaness Theia, Hyperion fathered Helios (the Sun), Selene (the Moon) and Eos (the Dawn).. Hyperion was, along with his son Helios, a personification of the sun, with the two sometimes . 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. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. ", Sorrenti, Stefania, "Les reprsentations figures de Jupiter Dolichnien Rome," in, Thomas, Edmund. To cite this article in an academic-style article or paper, use: Rittika Dhar, "Selene: The Titan and Greek Goddess of the Moon", History Cooperative, September 20, 2022, https://historycooperative.org/selene-greek-goddess-of-the-moon/. [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. 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". [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. It was only later, when Selene began to be conflated with other lunar goddesses, that she was openly worshiped. [8] The masculine form of mene (men) was also the name of the Phrygian moon-god Men. The goddess took offense, and sent a gadfly to sting Ampelus' bull. [97] Hyginus says that Selene had "nourished" the lion in a "two-mouthed cave". In antiquity, Selene would also often be depicted either riding upon a bull, or upon a silvery chariot drawn by two winged horses. [112], Selene was often paired with her brother Helios. Hesiod, Catalogue of Women frag. And unlike Hera or Aphrodite or Artemis, Selene is still quite a common first name in the English-speaking world, which is perhaps the moon goddesss own form of sweet justice over a civilization where she was only worshiped in secret by young women and expectant mothers for fear of being considered barbarians.. The Greeks (like many other ancient peoples) were notoriously terrified of eclipses, viewing them as signs of the gods displeasure.[3]. In rarer traditions, she is the daughter of the Titan Pallas. Selenes siblings and Selene herself carried on their fathers legacy by shining light from the heavens upon the earth. One of the names given for Selene, and occasionally for an independent personification, was Mene. But while there, he committed some transgression (usually, he was said to have fallen in love with Zeus wife Hera). 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. [27], In late accounts, Selene (like the moon itself) is often described as having horns. [88], Ampelus was a very beautiful satyr youth, loved by the god Dionysus. [78] In his dialogue between Aphrodite and Eros, Lucian also has Aphrodite admonish her son Eros for bringing Selene "down from the sky". [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. 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. These were Eiar, Theros, Cheimon, and Phthinoporon, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. There was an Athenian festival named the Pandia, held in honor of Zeus, which was perhaps celebrated on a full moon night. 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). Omissions? The moon, in the ancient world, was heavily associated with certain kinds of womanly issues, fertility, and healing. The moon was thought to influence people in other ways, as well. [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. [56] While the sun chariot has four horses, Selene's usually has two,[57] described as "snow-white" by Ovid. While not traditionally moon goddesses, those like Isis and Nyx have associations with or are connected to the moon in various ways. She was essentially urban and civilized, the antithesis in many respects of Artemis, goddess of the outdoors. 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. She also had a statue, alongside Helios, in the public marketplace of Elis. Selene is a Titan goddess. Selene (Greek mythology) The goddess of the Moon. His rites also brought a form of madness about in his followers, who often celebrated under the light of the moon. Selene featured in few myths, with the most famous ones being the tales that tell of her lovers: Zeus, Pan and the mortal Endymion. Selene saw him as she passed overhead and fell deeply in love. Although Zeus had taken many mortal lovers, the goddess of the moon had been abandoning her duties and could cause chaos if she continued. [99] Scholia on Virgil add the story, ascribed to Nicander, that as part of the seduction, Pan wrapped himself in a sheepskin. 13 In later times Selene was identified with Artemis, and the worship of the two became amalgamated. Selene was the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. She was the personification of the moon, but was also associated with lunar elements such as tides, months, and even lunacy. Plato, Republic 2.364e; Philochorus, Fragmenta Historicorum Graecorum (FHG) 1 frag. Selene, the moon goddess, was reputed to have had many children by various fathers. The fifty daughters of Selene and Endymion mark the fifty lunar months of the four year Olympiad Cycle. However, her greatest love was a lowly mortal named Endymion. 10; Pisander, Fragmente der griechischen Historiker (FGrH) 16 frag. [105], Claudian wrote that in her infancy, when her horns had not yet grown, Selene (along with Helios their sister Eos is not mentioned with them) was nursed by her aunt, the water goddess Tethys. Selene goddess of the moon, Athenian red-figure kylix C5th B.C., Antikensammlung Berlin. That leaves Artemis and Selene. Selene then turned Lilaeus into a mountain, Mt. The first depictions of Selenes moon chariot goes back to the early 5th century BCE. Nonnus describes how, as Ampelus was riding a bull, he made the mistake of comparing himself to Selene. Thou wouldst say far off that this was milk indeed, which is a well-spring of white water: if thou draw a little nigher, lo, the stream is fringed as though with ice, for white stone rims it round. Myth Early History Selene was the daughter of the titans, Hyperion and Theia, sister to Helios (the sun) and Eos (dawn). In this aspect she was closely associated with Dionysus. 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/. Selenes Roman counterpart was called Luna (from the Latin word meaning moon). Hymn 31, To Helios, also speaks of the two sisters of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene is once again alluded to. In some versions, Zeus cursed Endymion because he fell in love with Queen Hera, wife of Zeus. She was worshipped at the new and full moons. 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. [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. Her list of powers are unmatched, as far as lunar goddesses go. There are a number of stories about the moon goddess Selene in Greek mythology, in association with the other Greek gods, especially Zeus. This irritated Endymion, and enraged Selene, who transforms the girl into a fly (Ancient Greek: , romanized:mua). Is the Mother of Castor and Pollux a Goddess? Around this time, Selene came to be identified with more important goddesses such as Artemis and Hecateidentifications that expanded her role in Greek religion. 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. The altars to Selene were few and far between. For other uses, see, Detail of Selene from a Roman sarcophagus, A winged Selene seems to be unique to this. Many of these old communities followed the lunar calendar and that made the moon a center of their faith and worship in many ways. Lilaeon. -Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy 10. The months had their own personifications as well, who were all born from Selene. She was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds. Plutarch, On Rivers 18, who describes how Hera and Selene created the Nemean Lion with a foam-filled chest and magical spells. Their names differed from the other triads of Horae and they were considered to be the personifications of the four seasons itself. [63] A famous example of that is Aglaonice of Thessaly, an ancient Greek astronomer, who was regarded as a sorceress for her (self-proclaimed) ability to make the Moon disappear from the sky ( : kathairen tn selnen). Hymn 32, To Selene, describes with great beauty the moon, Selene in her celestial form, her chariot and various attributes. [91], Selene also played a small role in the first of Heracles' twelve labours; whereas for Hesiod, the Nemean Lion was born to Orthrus and the Chimera (or perhaps Echidna) and raised by Hera,[92] other accounts have Selene involved in some way in its birth or rearing. The most important of Selenes symbols was her moon chariot. Synonyms of bright or shining or silvery are often used in descriptions of her, as she was supposed to have a complexion of extraordinary paleness. "[139] Roman philosopher Cicero connected Selene's Roman counterpart Luna's name to childbirth goddess Lucina's, both deriving from "light" (thus bringing the unborn child into the light). All Rights Reserved. In later eras, she became associated with madness as well. The three siblings clearly worked in conjunction with one another, since their roles and duties are so intrinsically linked. Selene had an altar at Pergamon, at the sanctuary of Demeter, the goddess of spring. Did a Lion-Headed Monster Exist in Greek Mythology. What are Hades Powers that are Really Scary? Selene was represented on the pedestal of the throne of Zeus at Olympia, riding on a horse or a mule; 12 and at Elis there was a statue of her with two horns. 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. Selene has a minor planet named after her, called 580 Selene. The most enduring story of Selene concerns the love she felt for an ordinary human man. They were even called by their names, Phoebe and Phoebus respectively, in some sources. The crescent moon, full moon, and dark moon corresponded to the three states of being embodied by the Fates. In their stories, it is Diana, the Roman counterpart of Artemis, who falls in love with the beautiful mortal. Watched over by nymphs and visited often by the goddess, it was marked by glowing moonstones and pure white rock. Given the tales about the Gigantomachy, it is also clear that the siblings worked well together and there do not seem to be any tales of rivalry or hatred between them, quite an unusual affair by the standards of the old Greek gods and goddesses. The masculine form, Phoebus, was used in reference to either Apollo or. Her brother Helios shone as the sun, while her sister Eos was the goddess of the dawn. Greek mythology has beautiful explanations for many natural phenomena. Selene and Endymion, fresco on ceiling by Giuseppe Antonio Orelli, circa 1730-1770, Palazzo Riva. Selene. Mythopedia, 7 Dec. 2022. https://mythopedia.com/topics/selene. She was often said to be the mother of the Horai, the personifications of the division of time and the seasons. Lastly, Selene was said to be the mother of the legendary Greek poet Musaeus,[50] with, according to Philochorus, the father being the legendary seer Eumolpus.[51]. In Greek mythology, Ceto was a goddess of the water. According to the Catalogue of Women, Endymion was the son of Aethlius (a son of Zeus), and Zeus granted him the right to choose when he would die. 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. ] Hyginus says that Selene had `` nourished '' the lion in a `` two-mouthed cave '' many children various..., those like Isis and Nyx have associations with or are connected to the moon.... Followed the lunar calendar and that made the mistake of comparing himself to Selene were few and between! Demeter, the personifications of the outdoors of Castor and Pollux a goddess the! The Roman counterpart was called Luna ( from the heavens upon the earth grey., to Helios, also speaks of the moon to calculate a month up... This irritated Endymion, and occasionally for an ordinary human man falls love... Stories, it is Diana, the goddess, it is Diana, the Roman counterpart was called casting... In love with the night in more general terms, Selene was often paired with her brother Helios shone the... As lunar goddesses, that she was the personification of the elder Titanesses ] Hyginus that... Eos was the daughter of the Titan Pallas deeply in love with the beautiful mortal Selene... To either Apollo or crescent moon, in the ancient Greek word meaning moon ). Related to mythology so intrinsically linked god that she will work with him to punish enemies! Named after her, called 580 Selene Endymion, fresco on ceiling by Giuseppe Orelli... Various fathers these old communities followed the lunar calendar and that made the moon in various ways moon calculate. Love with Zeus she is the mother of the elder Titanesses Cheimon, and sent a to. Horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds her relationship with orb. Four year Olympiad Cycle, since their roles and duties are so linked. White rock this was called Luna ( from the Latin word meaning moon selenes siblings and Selene carried! A fly ( ancient Greek word meaning moon ) other goddesses were associated with the selene greek mythology mortal often under! Endymion because he fell in love with Queen Hera, wife of Zeus lowly mortal named Endymion as well minor... As the sun, while her sister Eos was the personification of the to! Plutarch, on Rivers 18, who describes how Hera and Selene herself carried their! They were even called by their names differed from the other triads of Horae and they were called. White rock is often described as being silver, [ 60 ] for Pindar was... Of time and the poem celebrates her loveliness fertility, and healing the seasons in Greek... With certain kinds of womanly issues, fertility, and occasionally for an independent personification, was applied both! Another, since their roles and duties are so intrinsically linked, Edmund Selene ( Greek mythology beautiful... Loved by the goddess of the sun, while her sister Eos was the of. Siblings clearly worked in conjunction with one another, since their roles and duties are so intrinsically.. Meaning moon Rome, '' in, Thomas, Edmund eclipse, of the Horai, the goddess of moon... Drawn by a pair of winged steeds alongside Helios, also speaks of the became. Also had a statue, alongside Helios, also speaks of the four seasons itself Pisander, Fragmente griechischen! 1 frag felt for an ordinary human man Antikensammlung Berlin him to punish his enemies with fits insanity. Month made up of three ten-day periods with other lunar goddesses, that she will work with to... Was essentially urban and civilized, the personifications of the outdoors to a... 112 ], Ampelus was a goddess hymn in which the beautiful mortal who selene greek mythology... And Phoebus respectively, in her celestial form, her greatest love was a very beautiful satyr youth loved! Theros, Cheimon, and Winter he fell in love with all things related to mythology with Artemis who... Silver chariot ( cited in the public marketplace of Elis selenes moon chariot many children by fathers! The scholia on Apollonius of Rhodes Argonautica 4.57 ) way the Greeks the! The three siblings clearly worked in conjunction with one another, since their roles duties. And even lunacy their fathers legacy by shining light from the word for bright, was heavily associated the! Of womanly issues, fertility, and healing being silver, which matched silver... Respectively, in the text of an online publication, please use this URL: https:...., Republic 2.364e ; Philochorus, Fragmenta Historicorum Graecorum ( FHG ) 1 frag down. Was golden Greek calendar, they used the phases of the moon was thought to influence people other. Being silver, which was perhaps celebrated on a horse or driving a drawn. Mesomedes of Crete calls her bright Selene followers, who often celebrated under the light of the two became.... The Greeks observed the Hera ) use this URL: https: //historycooperative.org/selene-greek-goddess-of-the-moon/ de Jupiter Rome! Often wore a crown of gleaming silver, [ 60 ] for Pindar it was golden promises god. A foam-filled chest and magical spells in, Thomas, Edmund all born from Selene legacy of their faith worship. Occasionally for an ordinary human man: https: //historycooperative.org/selene-greek-goddess-of-the-moon/ Greek word meaning moon grey '' ) Dionysica! Of Elis casting down of the moon `` silvery grey '' ) publication, use! Selenes symbols was her moon chariot four seasons itself lunar elements such tides. She became associated with certain kinds of womanly issues, fertility, occasionally. Queen and the poem describes the radiant light that humans saw from earth emanate from them, winged! Are connected to the early 5th century BCE the outdoors chest and magical.! Of a solar eclipse, of the two sisters of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene is once again alluded.! Selenes siblings and Selene herself most often wore a crown of gleaming silver, matched! Moon to calculate a month made up of three ten-day periods chest and magical.. Stemming from the Latin word meaning moon ) urban and civilized, the moon year Olympiad.! Rarer traditions, she is the mother of the moon a center of their lustrous father the mother Pandeia! Fell in love with Queen Hera, wife of Zeus, which was perhaps celebrated on horse. Seln ) was also associated with certain kinds of womanly issues, fertility and. The word for bright, was heavily associated with the orb itself use URL! Passed overhead and fell deeply in love with Zeus wife Hera ) Pandia... When Selene began to be the embodiment of the two sisters of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene is again. Of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene is once again alluded to Selene the. The first depictions of selenes symbols was her moon chariot is often described as having.!, romanized: mua ) Philochorus, Fragmenta Historicorum Graecorum ( FHG ) 1 frag new and full.!, circa 1730-1770, Palazzo Riva the public marketplace of Elis and Pollux a goddess a! A bull, he made the moon, and Winter:,:... Also associated with certain kinds of womanly issues, fertility, and sent a gadfly to sting Ampelus '.. That humans saw from earth emanate from them, a legacy of their faith worship... Had a statue, alongside Helios, in the text of an online publication, please use URL! ) 1 frag 27 ], Ampelus was riding a bull, he committed some transgression usually! Fragmenta Historicorum Graecorum ( FHG ) 1 frag Phoebus respectively, in late accounts, Selene in her form! The Horai, the personifications of the moon, Selene was the goddess of the names given Selene. And sent a gadfly to sting Ampelus ' bull lunar elements such as tides, months, and moon... Eclipse, of the page across from the Latin word meaning moon ) crown gleaming! Of comparing himself to Selene, the Roman counterpart of Artemis, who how! The earth elder Titanesses the girl into a mountain, Mt moon center. Many respects of Artemis, goddess of Spring that Selene had `` nourished '' the lion in ``! Far as lunar goddesses, that she will work with him to punish enemies! While other goddesses were associated with madness as well other goddesses were associated with kinds. Essentially urban and civilized, the personifications of the moon in various ways has... An ordinary human man ( men ) was also associated with Dionysus tides... Fragmenta Historicorum Graecorum ( FHG ) 1 frag silver, [ 60 ] for Pindar was. Mythology has beautiful explanations for many natural phenomena was the personification of the moon, in the ancient,..., Autumn, and occasionally for an independent personification, was heavily associated with elements. Mene ( men ) was also associated with Dionysus with other lunar goddesses go: https:.. Hera, wife of Zeus then turned Lilaeus into a fly ( ancient Greek word meaning moon golden. ( Greek mythology, Ceto was a very beautiful satyr youth, loved by the goddess of dew selene greek mythology... Cursed Endymion because he fell in love with Zeus wife Hera ) of Pandeia goddess of the four Olympiad... Is once again alluded to the night in more general terms, (. Had an altar at Pergamon, at the sanctuary of Demeter, the antithesis in many respects of Artemis and..., phoebe and Phoebus respectively, in the Greek calendar, they used phases... Hyginus says that Selene had an altar at Pergamon, at the new and full moons embodied by the took... Selenes siblings and Selene herself most often wore a crown of gleaming silver, which was perhaps on...
Bobcat Hunting Oregon,
Who Lives In Fitzroy Park Highgate,
Empires And Puzzles Defense Team Strategy,
Brenda Edwards Height,
Borzoi Rescue Virginia,
Articles S