Selene was the Greek goddess of the Moon. According to the poet Hesiod, Selene was the daughter of the Titans Theia and Hyperion making the goddess the sister of Helios (the Sun) andEos (the Dawn). However, other ancient sources claim that she was the child of Pallas and Euryphaessa.
Regardless of her ancestry, Selene, as the personification of the Moon, was an influential goddess. One of her best known myths involves the handsomeEndymion . The moon-goddess fell in love with this mortal, and she therefore engaged in an affair with Endymion that resulted in the birth of fifty daughters. But Endymion was, alas, human, and so susceptible to aging and eventually death. Selene could not bear the thought of this cruel fate. According to one version of the myth, she made certain that Endymion would remain eternally youthful by casting a spell that would cause him to sleep forever. In this way, Endymion would always live, sleeping through the ages.
It is also important to note that some Classical authors identified Selene with the Olympian goddess Artemis (indeed, in time Artemis was increasingly recognized as a moon goddess in her own right).
Selene was important enough to the ancient Greeks to inspire a Homeric Hymn. The Hymn to Selene describes the beauty and power of the goddess of the moon.
Homeric Hymn to Selene
"Muses, sweet-speaking daughters of Zeus Kronidesand mistresses of song, sing next of long-winged Moon!From her immortal head a heaven-sent glowenvelops the earth and great beauty arisesunder its radiance. From her golden crown the dim airis made to glitter as her rays turn night to noon,whenever bright Selene, having bathed her beautiful skinin the Ocean, put on her shining rainmentand harnessed her proud-necked and glittering steeds,swiftly drives them on as their manes playwith the evening, dividing the months. Her great orbit is fulland as she waxes a most brilliant light appearsin the sky. Thus to mortals she is a sign and a token."
Selene was called Luna in Roman mythology.
2 comments:
Luna means moon right?.. beautiful job on this one.
Munchie,
Luna as in lunatic -- people thought that the moon controlled people's attitudes. Some still believe this since the moon controls the tides and humans are mostly water. deep huh? (sorry bad pun)
Post a Comment