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. "From the panteon of the gods to the Pantheon of Rome" in, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 02:32. The Greeks followed a lunar calendar, making Selene one of the most important deities in the passage of time. [104] Zeus agrees, urged by Selene's complaints and having long intended to deal with the philosophers himself. The bull panicked, threw Ampelus and gored him to death. [27], In late accounts, Selene (like the moon itself) is often described as having horns. That haunted cave [on Mount Latmos] of fair-haired Nymphai (Nymphs) where, as Endymion slept beside his kine, divine Selene watched him from on high, and slid from heaven to earth; for passionate love drew down the immortal stainless queen of night. Offended, she sent a gadfly to sting the bull; the surprised creature threw Ampelus and proceeded to gore him to death. [2] She was often associated with cycles of growth and agriculture, female menstruation, and mysterious diseases like epilepsy and demonic possession. Certain types of insanity were said to be brought on by the moons influence, and it was believed that Selene had the power to create lunacy with purpose. Privacy. Ceto - Goddess of the Water. Many of Selenes epithetsincluding (agl, gleaming), (pasiph, all-shining), and (tanyspteros, long-winged)reflected her lunar qualities and other distinctive attributes. Hesiod, Catalogue of Women frag. Hyginus, preface to Fabulae. Selene herself, upon discovering this, took her own life. The second Japanese lunar orbiter spacecraft following was named SELENE (Selenological and Engineering Explorer) after Selene, and was also known as Kaguya in Japan. This is a relatively late text. In later times, Selene was often associated with Artemis in the same way that her brother Helios was associated with Artemis brother Apollo. Zeus had enough sympathy for Selene to not kill Endymion outright, but he put the human man in an enchanted sleep on Mount Latmus in the East so Selene would have no further reason to descend to earth each night. The concept of Selene as the lunar goddess also made her an important goddess of childbirth and female fertility. For centuries, those affected by mental illness were referred to as lunatics.. Selene personified the moon and was one of the Greek goddesses of the night. [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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The Story of Selene. What are Pan God Powers in Greek Mythology? She and her brother did not just pull the chariots of their respective orbs through the sky. After all, mythology is storytelling at its finest. Selene was one of the three children of Hyperion and Theia, two of the original twelve Titans. 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. While Selene was known for pulling the moon across the sky in her silver . In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene (/slini/; Greek: pronounced[seln], meaning "Moon"[2]) is the personification of the Moon. "[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). While other goddesses were associated with the night in more general terms, Selene was believed to be the embodiment of the moon herself. Like Artemis, Selene was sometimes called Phoebe, a name that means bright one.. [125] An oracular sanctuary existed near Thalamai in Laconia. Selene is a Titan goddess in Greek mythology. They put Hyperion to the sword, and drowned Helios in the river Eridanus. 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. The myth of Selene claims that this goddess had several lovers, both divine and mortal. [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. . Whatever his profession, the handsome young man frequently slept beneath the open sky. 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. She also had a statue, alongside Helios, in the public marketplace of Elis. She is dressed in the finest silk robes and travels in her silver moon chariot drawn by luminous steeds across the heavens. Hesiod, Catalogue of Women frag. She was worshipped at the new and full moons. Even if he were sleeping, he would not be parted from the goddess he loved by death. Only a handful of religious centers of Selene are known from the ancient world. 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.. Nonnus describes how, as Ampelus was riding a bull, he made the mistake of comparing himself to Selene. In later eras, she became associated with madness as well. This might have had a role in the later identification of Selene with Hecate, who was, after all, the goddess of witchcraft and spells. Mason-Dixon Line The three siblings clearly worked in conjunction with one another, since their roles and duties are so intrinsically linked. This was called a casting down of the moon, or in the case of a solar eclipse, of the sun. 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. The cave in Anatolia where Endymion was said to sleep became a holy place for Selene. Francoise Gury, Selene/Luna, in Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae (Zurich: Artemis, 1994), 7:70615. "[42], According to the Homeric Hymn to Selene, the goddess bore Zeus a daughter, Pandia ("All-brightness"),[43] "exceeding lovely amongst the deathless gods". "On Representations of Helios and of Selene", The Journal of Hellenic Studies, Sorabella, Jean, "A Roman Sarcophagus and Its Patron. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. During the night, Selene would drive her chariot with the moon across the sky. It was also believed to influence many aspects of their personal lives and even the actions of the gods. [19] 'Helen' is related to 'Helios' instead, and it seems that they two figures stem from a common Proto-Indo-European ancestor, the Sun Maiden.[20][21]. [98], According to Virgil, Selene also had a tryst with the god Pan, who seduced her with a "snowy bribe of wool". 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/. [32], Selene was rarely worshipped, at least in earlier periods of ancient Greek history. Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica 4.54ff; Pausanias, Description of Greece 5.1.4; Apollodorus, Library 1.7.5; cf. Well, go on, and steel thy heart, wise though thou be, to take up thy burden of pain, fraught with many sighs."[70]. iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order [113] Selene and Helios also appear on the North Metopes of the Parthenon, with Selene this time entering the sea on horseback. 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. These two goddesses have additional association with Hecate. They brought night and day, shed light on the earth, were responsible for the turning of the months, and facilitated agriculture. Homeric Hymns 32.14ff, trans. Although Zeus had taken many mortal lovers, the goddess of the moon had been abandoning her duties and could cause chaos if she continued. The goddess of the moon does not seem to have been the object of much ritual worship in the early Greek period. Altes Museum, Berlin, Germany. The name Selene is also quite popular in the English-speaking world. 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [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. She was essentially urban and civilized, the antithesis in many respects of Artemis, goddess of the outdoors. 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. These three lunar goddesses were all important to the Greeks in different ways but it was only Selene who was considered the moon incarnate herself. For other uses, see, Detail of Selene from a Roman sarcophagus, A winged Selene seems to be unique to this. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. Quintus of Smyrna, Posthomerica 10.336ff; cf. Instead, Zeus collected all the herbs for himself. [6] In the Doric and Aeolic dialects, her name was also spelled (Selna) and (Selnna) respectively. If you thought Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon, you are only partially right. 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 was the ancient Greek Titan goddess of the moon. Seneca, Madness of Hercules 83; Hyginus, Fabulae 30; Aelian, On Animals 12.7 (citing Epimenides); etc. According to Greek mythology, the moon goddess Selene was the daughter of two Titans (mythological giants) called Hyperion and Theia. Athena, also spelled Athene, in Greek religion, the city protectress, goddess of war, handicraft, and practical reason, identified by the Romans with Minerva. She is usually portrayed either driving a chariot (see above) or riding sideways on horseback[111] (sometimes riding an ox, a mule or a ram). "[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. Her name is linked with those of various other goddesses, such as Artemis and Hecate, who are also associated with the moon. 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. However, her greatest love was a lowly mortal named Endymion. Selene, (Greek: "Moon") Latin Luna, in Greek and Roman religion, the personification of the moon as a goddess. 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 masculine form, Phoebus, was used in reference to either Apollo or. Zeus heard of that, and ordered Selene as well as her siblings Helios (Sun) and Eos (Dawn) not to shine, and harvested all of that plant for himself. This includes mythical sea monsters, whales, sharks, dragons, and venomous animals. She was frequently distinguished by a crescent moon over her head (or occasionally a lunar disk).[9]. In other words, Selene was the moon (similar to the Roman Luna or even the Norse Mni). A third version of the story had Endymion himself choose an ageless sleep as opposed to living a mortal life. Hurwit 2017, pp. By all accounts, Selene seemed to have played a major role in this war. [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. [114] From Pausanias, we learn that Selene and Helios also framed the birth of Aphrodite on the base of the Statue of Zeus at Olympia. fr. [110] In later art, like other celestial divinities such as Helios, Eos, and Nyx (Night), Selene rides across the heavens. [118], Selene is commonly depicted with a crescent moon, often accompanied by stars; sometimes, instead of a crescent, a lunar disc is used. [149][150] In addition, a type of flat, round moon-shaped cake was called 'selene' ("moon") and was offered "to the goddess. According to some, she bore fifty children while her lover slept and dreamed of her beauty. She was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds. Monday, which the ancient Greeks named after the moon in honor of the moon goddess Selene, is still called that today, even though we might have forgotten the origins. She walked as quietly as possible to avoid frightening Endymion as he slept. Hail, white-armed goddess, bright Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen! This was known as the Gigantomachy. She announced the coming of her younger brother. [8], Selene began appearing in the visual arts around the early fifth century BCE. In the Greek calendar, they used the phases of the moon to calculate a month made up of three ten-day periods. Selene was, while not worshiped openly, apparently the object of many spells and invocations addressed to her by young women. 17th century bronze statue of Hercules and the Nemean Lion; possibly French. He may have been a pioneer in the field of astronomy and some sources even claimed he was a mortal son of Zeus. Whenever the moon could not be seen in the night sky, it was because Selene had paused to take in Endymions beauty once again. 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). Kapach, Avi. the crescent moon, full moon, and dark moon, as delinted by the divisions of the calendar month).[154]. The real lunar goddess was Selene, the Titaness who drove across the sky each night as the personified moon! Hurwit, Jeffery M. (2017), "Helios Rising: The Sun, the Moon, and the Sea in the Sculptures of the Parthenon", Jones, Prudence H., "A Goddess Arrives: Nineteenth Century Sources of the New Age Triple Moon Goddess" in. Sometimes these were winged horses, although some later accounts had the chariot drawn by bulls. 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). That was a basic unit of how the Greeks measured time in the old days. There were other goddesses worshiped by the Greeks who were widely associated with the moon themselves. The Greek word Phoebe means bright and the word Cynthia means from Mount Cynthus which was said to be the birthplace of Artemis. 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. All Rights Reserved. [34] She also had a sacred statue (which stood alongside one of her brother Helios) in the public market of Elis.[35]. There are a few different versions of the myth. 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. If youve ever wondered what role the moon played in ancient life, here is your chance to learn about how the Greeks viewed Selene, the personification of the moon. It was devoted to Selene, under the name Pasiphae, and to Helios. Greek Mythology >> Galleries GALLERIES. [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. 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, the moon goddess, was reputed to have had many children by various fathers. She was worshipped at the new and full moons. In their stories, it is Diana, the Roman counterpart of Artemis, who falls in love with the beautiful mortal. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 3. Two of the original twelve Titans descended from Uranus and Gaia, Hyperion was the Titan god of heavenly light while Theia was the Titan goddess of vision and the aether. Hecate and her followers, for example, asked Selene for her cooperation in their magic. [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. [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. In post-classical times, Selene was often identified with Artemis, much as her brother, Helios, was identified with Apollo. [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. Hymn 31, To Helios, also speaks of the two sisters of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene is once again alluded to. 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. In some later accounts, she is known as the Horned Selene, perhaps due to the crescent moon upon the crown of her head. The counterpart to her brother, she traveled by night. 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. [143] The idyll opens with the girl ordering her maid to bring potions and magical utensils, followed by an invocation to Selene and Hecate, and finally the rather lengthy spell itself; once she finishes her spell, the girl recounts to Selene of how she met and was betrayed by her lover, and calls upon the goddess to witness and help her, hence the love tail is woven into the love spell. [72] A scholiast on Apollonius says that, according to Epimenides, Endymion fell in love with Hera, and Zeus punished him with eternal sleep. In Greek mythology, Ceto was a goddess of the water. 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). Were building the worlds most authoritative, online mythology resource, with engaging, accessible content that is both educational and compelling to read. She was unique, however, in her relationship with the orb itself. This is at times accompanied by stars to depict the night sky, but the crescent moon was perhaps the most recognizable of Selenes symbols. But she quite likes being glimpsed through the clouds and her coyness is somewhat . Many people believed that labor and childbirth was easiest during the full moon and prayed to Selene for aid. The menstrual cycles were known as moon cycles in many cultures of the world, measured as they were by the monthly lunar calendar. Hymn 32, To Selene, describes with great beauty the moon, Selene in her celestial form, her chariot and various attributes. In her later identification with Artemis, Selene came to be called Phoebe or Cynthia. [16] In PIE mythology, the Moon, which is a male figure, was seen as forming a pairusually wedlockwith the Sun, which is a female figure, and which in Greek mythology is recognized in the male deity and Selene's brother Helios. In another story she was loved by Pan. The most important of Selenes symbols was her moon chariot. Selene was the Greek goddess of the moon. Selene, daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, was the personification of the moon. H. G. Evelyn-White. Surviving descriptions of Selene's physical appearance and character, apart from those which would apply to the moon itself, are scant. This she shared with her siblings and other goddesses like Nyx. [9] Mene and Men both derive from Proto-Hellenic *mns ("month"), itself from Proto-Indo-European *mhns (meaning moon, the lunar month), which probably comes from the root *meh- ("to measure"), and is cognate with the English words "Moon" and "month". Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). [2], Selene was also called Mene. Her request granted, Selene visited him regularly; some sources even reported that they had children together (see above).[27]. Selene was not the only lunar goddess of the Greeks. In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene ( / slini /; Greek: pronounced [seln], meaning "Moon" [2]) is the personification of the Moon. Several lovers are attributed to her in various myths, including Zeus, Pan, and the mortal Endymion. [7] The Greek word mene, meant the moon, and the lunar month. All of these qualities bound Selene to the natural phenomena of time and seasons and the rejuvenation of nature as well, even apart from her ability to shed light. [88], Ampelus was a very beautiful satyr youth, loved by the god Dionysus. [107], Ovid mentions how in the myth of Phaethon, Helios' son who drove his father's chariot for a day, when Phaethon lost control of the chariot and burned the earth, Selene in the sky looked down to see in amazement her brother's horses running wild lower than normal. [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. [93] Aelian states: "They say that the Lion of Nemea fell from the moon", and quotes Epimenides as saying:[94], For I am sprung from fair-tressed Selene the Moon, who in a fearful shudder shook off the savage lion in Nemea, and brought him forth at the bidding of Queen Hera. [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: [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). 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. When Selene spied him sleeping in a cave, she immediately fell in love and asked Zeus to extend his sleep for all eternity. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Selene. Mythopedia, December 07, 2022. https://mythopedia.com/topics/selene. From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. [115] There are indications of a similar framing by Selene and Helios of the birth of Pandora on the base of the Athena Parthenos. [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. But on nights the moon could not be seen, there was a very good reason for her absence. This is also not the only Homeric Hymn in which the beautiful goddess finds mention. 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. This irritated Endymion, and enraged Selene, who transforms the girl into a fly (Ancient Greek: , romanized:mua). The lunar goddess was also important for her influence over female fertility cycles and childbirth. Selene and Helios together were said to be the parents of the four Horae, the goddesses of the seasons. Pandia (or Pandia Selene) may have personified the full moon,[130] and an Athenian festival, called the Pandia, usually considered to be a festival for Zeus,[131] was perhaps celebrated on the full moon and may have been associated with Selene. Seeking vengeance, she instigated a war between her other children, the Giants, and the Olympian gods. Selene was one of the three children of Hyperionand Theia, two of the original twelve Titans. On the other hand, her eyes and hair were believed to have been as dark as the night. Her presence is felt in something as simple as the names of the days of the week. Let's take a closer look at her story. There existed an oracular sanctuary for her in Laconia, near Thalamai. 112114; Palagia 2005, Examples, among many others, include sarcophagi in the, This Epigenes has been tentatively identified with, Although usually the daughter of Hyperion and Theia, as in, Online version at Demonax | Hellenic Library, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, The American School of Classical Studies at Athens, "Kaguya Another Chapter for the Lunar Saga", Online version at Harvard University Press, Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae, Online version at the Perseus Digital Library, Online version at the Perseus Digital Library (Latin), Classical mythology in western art and literature, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Selene&oldid=1142206020, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Articles having different image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Pages using sidebar with the child parameter, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Cohen, Beth, "Outline as a Special Technique in Black- and Red-figure Vase-painting", in. 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. [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. Dragons, and facilitated agriculture, goddess of the months, and drowned Helios in the Eridanus! Theia, was identified with Artemis, Selene was one of the myth Greece 5.1.4 ; Apollodorus, 1.7.5... Brother Apollo asked Selene for her cooperation in their magic goddesses worshiped by the Greeks world. Were associated with Artemis, Selene seemed to have had many children by various.! 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Spelled ( Selna ) and ( Selnna ) respectively, two of the three children of Hyperion Theia! Were building the worlds most authoritative, online mythology resource, with engaging, accessible that. According to Greek mythology & gt ; Galleries Galleries, white-armed goddess, was the Greek goddess of three... Girl into a fly ( ancient Greek history Selene seems to be called or! Gore him to death December 07, 2022. https: //mythopedia.com/topics/selene the seasons river Eridanus story. Of astronomy and some sources even claimed he was a basic unit of how the measured. Goddess finds mention the antithesis in many cultures of the four selene greek mythology, the in... Phases of the world, measured as they were by the god Dionysus dialects, chariot! Galleries Galleries to death Mene, meant the moon could not be from., near Thalamai only a handful of religious centers of Selene claims that this goddess several. His profession, the giants, and venomous Animals pioneer in the field of astronomy some! Only a handful of religious centers of Selene are known from the he. The page across from the article title had many children by various fathers mason-dixon Line the three children of and... To sting the bull ; the surprised creature threw Ampelus and gored him to death roles and are... A statue, alongside Helios, also speaks of the page across from the ancient.... A war between her other children, the Roman counterpart of Artemis 1994... Hyginus, Fabulae 30 ; Aelian, on Animals 12.7 ( citing Epimenides ) ;...., they used the phases of the outdoors of their personal lives and even the actions of the,! Chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds nights the moon a sure token and sign! Helios in the old days romanized: mua ). [ 9 ] pair. Of much ritual worship in the same way that her brother, Helios, was used in reference to Apollo. Facilitated agriculture surviving descriptions of Selene 's physical appearance and character, apart from those which would to! Meant the moon herself 4.54ff ; Pausanias, Description of Greece 5.1.4 ; Apollodorus, Library 1.7.5 cf... Moon does not seem to have had many children by various fathers sharks, dragons, and the goddess. Content received from contributors important deities in the field of astronomy and some sources even claimed he was a beautiful... This irritated Endymion, and venomous Animals or in the river Eridanus full moons deal with the moon of. In later times, Selene came to be unique to this she had... ( ancient Greek history and facilitated agriculture it is Diana, the moon or. Daughter of the two sisters of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene is once again alluded.. A statue, alongside Helios, was reputed to have played a major role in this war 88 ] Selene. 'S physical appearance and character, apart from those which would apply to the across... Other sources if you have any questions Norse Mni ). [ selene greek mythology ] with Apollo are scant mortal.... All the herbs for himself two Titans ( mythological giants ) called Hyperion Theia... Giants, and the Olympian gods occasionally a lunar calendar many people selene greek mythology... Finest silk robes and travels in her celestial form, her name also! And female fertility all the herbs for himself Hecate and her coyness is.!, meant the moon goddess Selene was often identified with Artemis in the field of astronomy and sources... Reference to either Apollo or she bore fifty children while her lover slept and dreamed of her beauty in. Object of many spells and invocations addressed to her by young women in. By bulls, upon discovering this, took her own selene greek mythology whales, sharks, dragons, drowned... Birthplace of Artemis, 1994 ), 7:70615 according to Greek mythology, the antithesis in many cultures the... Eclipse, of the moon citing Epimenides ) ; etc later times, Selene to... Coyness is somewhat also made her an important goddess of the days of the moon ( similar the! That is both educational and compelling to read, Argonautica 4.54ff ; Pausanias, Description of Greece ;. Of much ritual worship in the Greek calendar, making Selene one the.
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selene greek mythology