[81], Philologist Max Mller's interpretation of solar mythology as it related to Selene and Endymion concluded that the myth was a narrativized version of linguistic terminology. [158] HMS Selene (P254), a 1944 British submarine and Ghia Selene, a concept car from the Ghia design studio from 1959, also bore her name. In another story she was loved by Pan. Greek mythology has beautiful explanations for many natural phenomena. She was worshipped at the new and full moons. 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/. Upon the head of Selene was normally found a crown that was representative of the spherical moon. But in other versions of the Endymion myth, Selene begged Zeus to make her lover immortal so they could be forever. 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. While Selene was known for pulling the moon across the sky in her silver . Her sister Eos was the light of dawn and their brother Helios drew the chariot of the sun across the sky each day. [125] An oracular sanctuary existed near Thalamai in Laconia. 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. Festivals and feasts were determined by the lunar calendar, giving Selene as Mene an important role in the worship of all the gods and goddesses. 127 ff (trans. the crescent moon, full moon, and dark moon, as delinted by the divisions of the calendar month).[154]. Whatever his profession, the handsome young man frequently slept beneath the open sky. 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. How old is the United States of America? [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. She was the Greek goddess of the Moon and her sisters were the Eos and Helios. Hymn 31, To Helios, also speaks of the two sisters of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene is once again alluded to. Pandia was the personification of the full moon and may have originally been another name for Selene before the myths made her the daughter of Selene and Zeus. Like every celestial goddess , there was a yin to Selene's yang; In this case, there were two yins. [104] Zeus agrees, urged by Selene's complaints and having long intended to deal with the philosophers himself. Pandia Usually said to be the daughter of Selene and Zeus, Pandia was also sometimes given as another name for Selene herself. Thus, both the sun and the moon were seen as gods embodied in those forms. [128], Originally, Pandia may have been an epithet of Selene,[129] but by at least the time of the late Hymn to Selene, Pandia had become a daughter of Zeus and Selene. According to the Homeric Hymn 32, Selene and Zeus together had a daughter named Pandia. Selene, daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, was the personification of the moon. 3/4, 1973, pp. [10] The Greek Stoic philosopher Chrysippus interpreted Selene and Men as, respectively, the female and male aspects of the same god. 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. We learn of Selenes family, her parents and siblings and the children that she went on to have, from various different sources and Greek myths. Privacy Policy. According to Lucian, Selene had a rival for Endymions love named Myia. In Greek mythology, Selene was traditionally depicted as a beautiful young woman, with perhaps paler than usual skin. [14], The original PIE moon deity has been reconstructed as *Mehnot (from which 'Mene', Selene's byname, is derived),[15] and it appears that it was a male god. This might have had a role in the later identification of Selene with Hecate, who was, after all, the goddess of witchcraft and spells. Selene has a minor planet named after her, called 580 Selene. Though Selene, as the moon, was undeniably important to the ancient Greeks, there are very few descriptions of her in literature. This is a relatively late text. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. [8], Selene began appearing in the visual arts around the early fifth century BCE. It was only later, when Selene began to be conflated with other lunar goddesses, that she was openly worshiped. 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). As punishment, he was either thrown out of Olympus or cast into an eternal sleep. [11], Just as Helios, from his identification with Apollo, is called Phoebus ("bright"), Selene, from her identification with Artemis, is also called Phoebe (feminine form). [79] While Quintus Smyrnaeus wrote that, while Endymion slept in his cave beside his cattle: and slid from heaven to earth; for passionate love, drew down the immortal stainless Queen of Night. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In her Full Moon state, she is Panselene or . "[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). The story about the two says that Selene saw the mortal shepherd king Endymion, whom Zeus had cursed to an eternal sleep, and fell so in love with him that she wanted to spend eternity at the side of the human. [28] The Orphic Hymn to Selene addresses her as "O bull-horned Moon", and further describes her as "torch-bearing, feminine and masculine, lover of horses," and grantor of "fulfillment and favor". Though Selene had many consorts, the most famous of them was Endymion, a handsome young mortal. Selene was one of the three children of Hyperion and Theia, two of the original twelve Titans. [99] Scholia on Virgil add the story, ascribed to Nicander, that as part of the seduction, Pan wrapped himself in a sheepskin. Many of Selenes epithetsincluding (agl, gleaming), (pasiph, all-shining), and (tanyspteros, long-winged)reflected her lunar qualities and other distinctive attributes. [59] Though the moon chariot is often described as being silver,[60] for Pindar it was golden. In this case, the story of Selene embracing Endymion, or Moon embraces Diver, refers to the sun setting and the moon rising. Selene was the ancient Greek Titan goddess of the moon. 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. There existed an oracular sanctuary for her in Laconia, near Thalamai. [85][86] Selene gallops sidesaddle in advance, and wears a woolen undergarment and a mantle. 245 M-W; Pherecydes, FHG 1 frag. [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. 116, no. Selene, (Greek: "Moon") Latin Luna, in Greek and Roman religion, the personification of the moon as a goddess. [34] She also had a sacred statue (which stood alongside one of her brother Helios) in the public market of Elis.[35]. Way). In Dionysica, Selene promises the god that she will work with him to punish his enemies with fits of insanity. Selene also has a chemical element named after her, Selenium. Both of these Goddesses are also associated with Hecate. As the moon, Selene occupied an important place in popular religion. The months had their own personifications as well, who were all born from Selene. There are three different ways you can cite this article. In many paintings and sculptures, Selene is traditionally depicted with the crescent moon in her vicinity. "On Representations of Helios and of Selene", The Journal of Hellenic Studies, Sorabella, Jean, "A Roman Sarcophagus and Its Patron. The fifty daughters of Selene and Endymion mark the fifty lunar months of the four year Olympiad Cycle. 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. [32], The usual account of Selene's origin is given by Hesiod in his Theogony, where the sun-god Hyperion espoused his sister Theia, who gave birth to "great Helios and clear Selene and Eos who shines upon all that are on earth and upon the deathless Gods who live in the wide heaven". This was common for many of the younger generation Titans who did not fight alongside their fathers and aunts and uncles against Zeus. 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. Zeus put Endymion into an eternal sleep so the goddess could see him forever as a beautiful young man. 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. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. She was also well known for her many affairs with men and her love that possibly . Cf. She was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds. [140] Nonnus also identified Selene with Eileithyia. 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, of course, is not the first celestial body to be named after the goddess since Selene is the proper Greek name for the moon itself. Accessed March 1, 2023. 3. Nonnus describes how, as Ampelus was riding a bull, he made the mistake of comparing himself to Selene. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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? For the people of old, natural phenomena was an important part of their worship. Homeric Hymns 32.14ff, trans. 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. Who were Zeus' Lovers? Selenes Roman counterpart was called Luna (from the Latin word meaning moon). Selene and Helios together were said to be the parents of the four Horae, the goddesses of the seasons. 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. Her lunar sphere or crescent was either a crown set upon her head or the fold of a raised, shining cloak. Secretive and shy, she enjoys flitting silently through the night with a pearl-white or silvery chariot. Although Zeus had taken many mortal lovers, the goddess of the moon had been abandoning her duties and could cause chaos if she continued. [13], Selene, along with her brother, her sister and the sky-god Zeus, is one of the few Greek deities of a clear Proto-Indo-European origin, although they were sidelined by later non-PIE newcomers to the pantheon, as remaining on the sidelines became their primary function, to be the minor deities the major ones were juxtaposed to, thus helping keep the Greek religion Greek. There are a number of stories about the moon goddess Selene in Greek mythology, in association with the other Greek gods, especially Zeus. These were Eiar, Theros, Cheimon, and Phthinoporon, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The first depictions of Selenes moon chariot goes back to the early 5th century BCE. [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 the moon goddess was a minor figure in ancient Greek mythology. [27], In late accounts, Selene (like the moon itself) is often described as having horns. [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. 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. According to Hesiods Theogony, Selene was born of Hyperion and Theia. Endymion was, depending on the source, a prince in exile or a simple shepherd. In Greek mythology, Ceto was a goddess of the water. Chiswick House, London, UK. Though Selene almost never appears in modern adaptations of Greek mythology, she is nonetheless present in pop culture as the personification of the moon. 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 Homeric Hymn 31 sings praises to all the children of Hyperion, referring to Eos as rosy armed Eos and to Helios as tireless Helios.. 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). 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). Who was Vesta, the Goddess of the Hearth? It was devoted to Selene, under the name Pasiphae, and to Helios. Often when one god supplanted another in a particular domain, the stories that involved that god were changed to reflect this. "From the panteon of the gods to the Pantheon of Rome" in, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 02:32. Not only was she the goddess of the moon, but she was considered a personification of the moon itself and that was how she was portrayed by many of the old poets and writers. [84] Selene's participation in the battle is evidenced by her inclusion in the Gigantomachy frieze of the Pergamon Altar, fighting against Giants next to her siblings Helios and Eos and her mother Theia in the southern frieze. Selene was the goddess of the moon. The people of Sparta claimed that Ares had been nursed by a nymph called Thero. In post-classical times, Selene was often identified with Artemis, much as her brother, Helios, was identified with Apollo. 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. The most well-known story of Selene is her love of the mortal man Endymion. The bull panicked, threw Ampelus and gored him to death. 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. Selene fought back the giant, locking horns with Typhon; afterwards, she carried many scars on her orb, reminiscent of their battle. 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. This is also not the only Homeric Hymn in which the beautiful goddess finds mention. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) 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. Mythopedia. The menstrual cycles were known as moon cycles in many cultures of the world, measured as they were by the monthly lunar calendar. In memory of the beautiful Endymion, the fly still grudges all sleepers their rest and annoys them. . Her brother Helios shone as the sun, while her sister Eos was the goddess of the dawn. [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. [149][150] In addition, a type of flat, round moon-shaped cake was called 'selene' ("moon") and was offered "to the goddess. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. The great English Romantic poet John Keats wrote a poem about the mortal, entitled Endymion, with some of the most famous opening lines in the English language. This is at times accompanied by stars to depict the night sky, but the crescent moon was perhaps the most recognizable of Selenes symbols. Selene's Role She was the goddess of the moon, which she drove every night across the skies. Learn more about our mission. Together, they fittingly created three sources of celestial illumination. But unlike other night goddesseslike Nyx, Hecate, and sometimes even ArtemisSelene represented the moon itself. 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. They put Hyperion to the sword, and drowned Helios in the river Eridanus. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. The Titaness Selene was one of three siblings who brought light to the sky. Well, go on, and steel thy heart, wise though thou be, to take up thy burden of pain, fraught with many sighs."[70]. [141], Selene played an important role in love magic. In rarer traditions, she is the daughter of the Titan Pallas. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Gods of Death Selene was said to have several consorts but the man that the goddess of the moon was most linked with was the mortal Endymion. His rites also brought a form of madness about in his followers, who often celebrated under the light of the moon. 200 (cited in the scholia on Aristophanes Frogs 1033); Orphica frag. Selene appeared each night over the water, shining all the more because she emerged from bathing in the sea. In fact, there were several female deities who shared this domain. Euripides, Phoenician Women 17576; Nonnus, Dionysiaca 44.191. The other gods, angered, sent him two lions to tear him apart. 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. 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. Seneca, Madness of Hercules 83; Hyginus, Fabulae 30; Aelian, On Animals 12.7 (citing Epimenides); etc. Selene had an altar at Pergamon, at the sanctuary of Demeter, the goddess of spring. [61], In antiquity, the lunar eclipse phenomena were thought to be caused by witches, particularly the ones from Thessaly, who brought the Moon/Selene down with spells and invocations of magic. Ceto - Goddess of the Water. [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. [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. 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 . This eventually led to the identification of Selene with Artemis, also associated with fertility and the moon in various ways. The Origin of Hotdogs, The History of Boracay Island in The Philippines. Has a minor figure in ancient Greek mythology has beautiful explanations for many natural phenomena moon state, she the! 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