1/12/2024 0 Comments Helios mythsOther versions of the story claim that the goddess Selene loved the mortal Endymion so much, that she cast a spell so he would sleep forever so that he would never die and remain unchanged for eternity. There were authors who believed he slumbered for other reasons: for instance, Cicero, the Roman orator, believed it was so that Selene could lay him while he slept, which she did every night. Now, despite the numerous references to Endymion and Selene, it is unknown for certain if Zeus was the reason he slept for eternity. Endymion famously responded that he would remain ageless and deathless, thus he was placed under an eternal sleep. ![]() It is said that he was the grandson of Zeus, and that Zeus offered Endymion the gift of choosing when he would die. These include the Homeric Hymns, Quintus of Smyrna's The Fall of Troy and, most appropriately, the poems of the ancient female Greek poet named Sappho, who quite enjoyed retelling romances.Įndymion, as the tales go, was a mortal shepherd who lived on Mount Latmos in Greece. However, there are numerous other references to Selene and Endymion's love story in various ancient texts. The tale of Selene and Endymion has unknown origins, though it is believed to stem from Apollonius of Rhodes' Argonautica, or The Voyage of the Argo. The most popular story for which Selene is known is that of her relationship, if it can be called such, with the human Endymion. The earliest depictions of the ancient Greek goddess Selene date back to the fifth century BC and illustrate her trip across the sky transforming the golden day into the silvery night.Įndymion and Selene, by Sebastiano Ricci (1713). ( Public domain ) The Love Story of the Goddess Selene and Endymion Her sister, Eos, in her own way, melded the two, blending her brother's and her sister's duties in the beautiful sunrise of dawn. While Selene was known for pulling the moon across the sky in her silver chariot drawn by two beautiful, long-haired horses (sometimes oxen or bulls), Selene's brother Helios drew the sun across the sky in his fiery chariot. The moon goddess Selene had two siblings - the sun and the dawn, also known as Helios and Eos respectively. ![]() Like every celestial goddess, there was a yin to Selene's yang In this case, there were two yins. Deciphering the Role of Helios, the Sun God of Greek Mythology.Hyperion: Titan God of Heavenly Light, Son of Gaia and Uranus.Also known by the epithets Phoebe (not to be confused with her aunt Phoebe) and Mene, goddess Selene was considered by the ancient Greeks to be the physical personification of the moon, not merely the symbol or emblem of it. The daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, Selene was the original and principal moon goddess in early ancient Greek mythology. ( Public domain ) The Mythical Family of Selene, Goddess of the Moon From left to right: Helios (or sun god Apollo) personifying Day, Eos (or Hesperos) embodying Dawn, and Selene (or Diana, Luna) personifying Night or the Moon. ![]() Three paintings showing three deities of Greek mythology as personifications of the times of the day. As the goddess of the moon, Selene captivated the hearts of ancient poets, authors, and orators, becoming as much a symbol of the glorious night as the proverbial light in the darkness. With silver wings and a golden diadem, the goddess Selene shone brightly throughout the lands of ancient Greece.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |