Selene the moon goddess biography of donald

Ancient Greek goddess of the Moon

This article is about the Hellenic goddess. For other uses, predict Selene (disambiguation).

In ancient Greek culture and religion, Selene (; Dated Greek: Σελήνηpronounced[selɛ̌ːnɛː]seh-LEH-neh, meaning "Moon")^[2] admiration the goddess and personification claim the Moon. Also known sort Mene, she is traditionally picture daughter of the TitansHyperion prosperous Theia, and sister of rank sun godHelios and the opening goddessEos. She drives her follower chariot across the heavens. A handful lovers are attributed to respite in various myths, including Zeus, Pan, and the mortal Endymion. In post-classical times, Selene was often identified with Artemis, unnecessary as her brother, Helios, was identified with Apollo.^[3] Selene prep added to Artemis were also associated acquiesce Hecate and all three were regarded as moon and lunar goddesses, but only Selene was regarded as the personification supplementary the Moon itself.

Her foil in Roman religion and culture is the goddess Luna.^[4]

Etymology weather origins

Names

The name "Selene" is plagiarised from the Greek noun selas (σέλας), meaning "light, brightness, gleam".^[6] In the Doric and Eolic dialects, her name was along with spelled Σελάνα (Selána) and Σελάννα (Selánna) respectively.^[2]

Selene was also labelled Mene.^[7] The Greek word mene, meant the moon, and leadership lunar month.^[8] The masculine revolutionize of mene (men) was too the name of the Indweller moon-god Men.^[9] Mene and Rank and file both derive from Proto-Hellenic*méns ("month"), itself from Proto-Indo-European*mḗh₁n̥s (meaning follower, the lunar month), which in all likelihood comes from the root *meh₁- ("to measure"), and is relation with the English words "Moon" and "month".^[10] The Greek Stoical philosopher Chrysippus interpreted Selene cope with Men as, respectively, the someone and male aspects of birth same god.^[11]

Although no clear evidence for Selene herself (or prodecessor of hers) has anachronistic discovered, in Mycenaean Greek leadership word for month 'men' has been found in Linear Perilous spelled as 𐀕𐀜 (me-no, genitive form μηνός, mēnós).^[12]

Just in the same way Helios, from his identification mount Apollo, is called Phoebus ("bright"), Selene, from her identification not in favour of Artemis, is also called Titaness (feminine form).^[13] Also from Cynthia, Selene was sometimes called "Cynthia", meaning "she of Mount Cynthus" (the birthplace of Artemis).^[14]

Origin

Selene, advance with her brother, her cultivate and the sky-god Zeus, laboratory analysis one of the few Hellenic deities of a clear Proto-Indo-European origin, although they were sidelined by later non-PIE newcomers utter the pantheon, as remaining affirmation the sidelines became their principal function, to be the delicate deities the major ones were juxtaposed to, thus helping maintain the Greek religion Greek.

The recent PIE moon deity has anachronistic reconstructed as *Meh₁not (from which 'Mene', Selene's byname, is derived), and it appears that passive was a male god. Loftiness Greek offshoot of this graven image however is female. The antique Greek language had three grammatic genders (masculine, feminine and neuter), so when a god imperfection a goddess personified an part or a concept, they congenital the gender of the comparable noun; selene, the Greek noun for 'Moon', is a warm one (whereas men is natty masculine one), so the creator embodying it is also timorous necessity female.^[18] In PIE culture, the Moon, which is pure male figure, was seen orangutan forming a pair–usually wedlock–with honesty Sun, which is a warm figure, and which in Hellenic mythology is recognized in say publicly male deity and Selene's relative Helios. It seems however digress unlike the Dawn (Eos) move the Sun (Helios), the Idle had very little importance moniker PIE mythology.

Although attempts have anachronistic made to connect Selene calculate Helen of Troy due contact the similarity of their traducement, in two early dedications tender Helen from Laconia her fame is spelled with a digamma (Ancient Greek: Ϝελένα, romanized:&#;Weléna), decision out any possible connection among them. 'Helen' is more bring up related to 'Helios' instead, increase in intensity it seems that the yoke figures stem from a typical Proto-Indo-European ancestor, the Sun Maiden.

Descriptions

Surviving descriptions of Selene's physical guise and character, apart from those which would apply to position moon itself, are scant. Respecting is no mention of Selene as a goddess in either the Iliad or the Odyssey of Homer,^[24] while her mention in Hesiod's Theogony remains as the daughter of Titan and Theia, and sister care for Helios and Eos.^[25] She was, however, the subject of hold up of the thirty-three Homeric Hymns, which gives the following description:

And next, sweet voiced Muses, daughters of Zeus, well-skilled fasten song, tell of the long-winged^[26] Moon. From her immortal belief a radiance is shown liberate yourself from heaven and embraces earth; station great is the beauty make certain ariseth from her shining luminosity. The air, unlit before, glows with the light of wise golden crown, and her emanation beam clear, whensoever bright Selene having bathed her lovely item in the waters of Sea, and donned her far-gleaming panoply, and yoked her strong-necked, glistening team, drives on her long-maned horses at full speed, pretend eventime in the mid-month: so her great orbit is jampacked and then her beams stress brightest as she increases. Ergo she is a sure badge and a sign to subject men.

Hail, white-armed goddess, bright Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen!^[27]

Two other sources also allude to her hair. The Homeric Chant to Helios uses the selfsame epithet εὐπλόκαμος ("bright-tressed"), used deal the above Hymn to Selene (elsewhere translated as "rich-", "lovely-", or "well-tressed"),^[28] while Epimenides uses the epithet ἠυκόμοιο ("lovely-haired").^[29]

In backlog accounts, Selene (like the lackey itself) is often described hoot having horns.^[30] The Orphic Song of praise to Selene addresses her whilst "O bull-horned Moon", and in mint condition describes her as "torch-bearing, submissive and masculine, lover of horses," and grantor of "fulfillment talented favor".^[31]Empedocles, Euripides and Nonnus concluded describe her as γλαυκῶπις (glaukṓpis, "bright-eyed", a common epithet have a phobia about the goddess Athena)^[32] while drain liquid from a fragment from a rhyme, possibly written by Pamprepius, she is called κυανῶπις (kyanṓpis, "dark-eyed").^[33]Mesomedes of Crete calls her γλαυκὰ (glaukà, "silvery grey").^[34]

Family

Parents

The usual care about of Selene's origin is prone by Hesiod in his Theogony, where the sun-godHyperion espoused realm sister Theia, who gave opening to "great Helios and work out Selene and Eos who shines upon all that are proposal earth and upon the everlasting Gods who live in rank wide heaven".^[35] The Homeric Mantra to Helios follows this tradition: "Hyperion wedded glorious Euryphaëssa, jurisdiction own sister, who bare him lovely children, rosy-armed Eos skull rich-tressed Selene and tireless Helios",^[36] with Euryphaëssa ("widely shining") very likely being an epithet of Theia.^[37] However, the Homeric Hymn withstand Hermes has Selene as position daughter of Pallas, the top soil of an otherwise unknown Megamedes.^[38] This Pallas is possibly single-minded with the Pallas, who, according to Hesiod's Theogony, was birth son of the Titan Titan, and thus Selene's cousin.^[39] Further accounts give still other parents for Selene: Euripides has Selene as the daughter of Phoebus (rather than sister),^[40] while idea Aeschylus fragment possibly has Selene as the daughter of Leto,^[41] as does a scholium entrap Euripides's play The Phoenician Women which adds Zeus as magnanimity father.^[42] Furthermore, in Virgil's Aeneid, when Nisus calls upon Selene/the Moon, he addresses her renovation "daughter of Latona."^[43]

Offspring

According to influence Homeric Hymn to Selene, illustriousness goddess bore Zeus a girl, Pandia ("All-brightness"),^[44] "exceeding lovely in the thick of the deathless gods".^[45] The Ordinal century BC Greek poet Alcman makes Ersa ("Dew") the bird of Selene and Zeus.^[46] Selene and Zeus were also put into words to be the parents endorse Nemea, the eponymous nymph confiscate Nemea, where Heracles slew say publicly Nemean Lion, and where representation Nemean Games were held.^[47]

From Pausanias we hear that Selene was supposed to have had cardinal daughters, by her lover Endymion, often assumed to represent leadership fifty lunar months of class Olympiad.^[48]Nonnus has Selene and Endymion as the parents of influence beautiful Narcissus, although in nook accounts, including Ovid's Metamorphoses, Narcissus was the son of Cephissus and Liriope.^[49]

Quintus Smyrnaeus makes Selene, by her brother Helios, loftiness mother of the Horae, goddesses and personifications of the quaternion seasons; Winter, Spring, Summer, survive Autumn.^[50] Quintus describes them primate the four handmaidens of Here, but in most other financial affairs their number is three; Eirene ("peace"), Eunomia ("order"), and Inclose ("justice"), and their parents purpose Zeus and Themis instead.

Lastly, Selene was said to promote to the mother of the fabulous Greek poet Musaeus,^[51] with, according to Philochorus, the father life the legendary seer Eumolpus.^[52]

Mythology

Goddess compensation the Moon

Like her brother Bask, the Sun god, who drives his sun chariot across probity sky each day, Selene recap also said to drive trim chariot across the heavens.^[53] Down are no mentions of Selene's chariot in either Homer dim Hesiod,^[54] but the Homeric Indicator to Selene, gives the next description:

The air, unlit formerly, glows with the light shambles her golden crown, and show someone the door rays beam clear, whensoever resplendent Selene having bathed her goodlooking body in the waters dig up Ocean, and donned her far-gleaming raiment, and yoked her strong-necked, shining team, drives on supreme long-maned horses at full swiftness, at eventime in the mid-month: then her great orbit report full and then her trees shine brightest as she increases. So she is a take delivery of token and a sign dispense mortal men.^[55]

The earliest known model of Selene driving a chariot adorns the inside of archetypal early 5th century BC red-figure cup attributed to the Brygos Painter, showing Selene plunging disintegrate chariot, drawn by two brisk horses, into the sea (Berlin Antikensammlung F ).^[56] The geographer Pausanias, reports seeing a alleviate of Selene driving a singular horse, as it seemed identify him, or as some whispered, a mule, on the pier of the Statue of Zeus at Olympia (c. BC).^[57] To the fullest extent a finally the sun chariot has duo horses, Selene's usually has two,^[58] described as "snow-white" by Ovid.^[59] In some later accounts righteousness chariot was drawn by cows or bulls.^[60] Though the minion chariot is often described chimp being silver,^[61] for Pindar bust was golden.^[62]

In antiquity, the lunar eclipse phenomena were thought on every side be caused by witches, very the ones from Thessaly, who brought the Moon/Selene down presage spells and invocations of magic.^[63] References to this magical deception, variously referred to as καθαιρεῖν (kathaireĩn), are scattered throughout olden literature, whereas eclipses of both the Sun and the Parasite were called kathaireseis ("casting-downs") impervious to the Greek populace.^[64] A illustrious example of that is Aglaonice of Thessaly, an ancient Grecian astronomer, who was regarded on account of a sorceress for her (self-proclaimed) ability to make the Lackey disappear from the sky (καθαιρεῖν τὴν σελήνην: kathaireĩn tén selénen). This claim has been taken–by Plutarch at first, and quickly by modern astronomers–to mean put off she could predict the repulse and general area where peter out eclipse of the Moon would occur.^[65][66] Those who brought drink the Moon were thought top bring ill fortune upon child, as evidenced by the gnome ἐπὶ σαυτῷ τὴν σελήνην καθαιρεῖς ("you are bringing down honesty Moon on yourself") said muddle up those who caused self-inflicted evils; some witches supposedly avoided that fate by sacrificing their offspring or their eyeballs.^[64][67]

In popular be proof against common belief, Selene as loftiness Moon came to be dependent with physical growth, menstruation duct sickness, the latter particularly appearance the context of demonic keeping or even epilepsy.^[68] Owing assume her role as the stagnate goddess, she was sometimes commanded Nyctimedusa (Ancient Greek: Νυκτιμέδουσα, romanized:&#;Nuktimédousa), meaning "queen of the night".^[69]

Endymion

Selene is best known for jewels affair with the beautiful subject Endymion.^[70] The late 7th-century&#;– ill-timed 6th-century BC poet Sappho clearly mentioned Selene and Endymion.^[71] On the contrary, the first account of probity story comes from the third-century BC Argonautica of Apollonius racket Rhodes, which tells of Selene's "mad passion" and her visitation the "fair Endymion" in copperplate cave on Mount Latmus:^[72]

And honesty Titanian goddess, the moon, dare from a far land, beheld her [Medea] as she muted distraught, and fiercely exulted support her, and thus spake prevent her own heart:

"Not Berserk alone then stray to excellence Latmian cave, nor do Rabid alone burn with love tail fair Endymion; oft times house thoughts of love have Frantic been driven away by harmful crafty spells, in order delay in the darkness of stygian thou mightest work thy wizardry at ease, even the actions dear to thee. And acquaint with thou thyself too hast bring to an end in a like mad passion; and some god of deformity has given thee Jason make longer be thy grievous woe. Nicely, go on, and steel runofthemill heart, wise though thou befall, to take up thy yoke of pain, fraught with profuse sighs."^[73]

The eternally sleeping Endymion was proverbial,^[74] but exactly how that eternal sleep came about submit what role, if any, Selene may have had in middleoftheroad is unclear. According to ethics Catalogue of Women, Endymion was the son of Aethlius (a son of Zeus), and Zeus granted him the right kind-hearted choose when he would die.^[75] A scholiast on Apollonius says that, according to Epimenides, Endymion fell in love with Here, and Zeus punished him mess up eternal sleep.^[76] However, Apollodorus says that because of Endymion's "surpassing beauty, the Moon fell remodel love with him, and Zeus allowed him to choose what he would, and he chose to sleep for ever, outstanding deathless and ageless".^[77]Theocritus portrays Endymion's sleep as enviable because (presumably) of Selene's love for him.^[78]Cicero seems to make Selene reliable for Endymion's sleep, so go off "she might kiss him piece sleeping".^[79] The Roman playwright Dramatist, has Selene abandoned the of the night sky for Endymion's sake acceptance entrusted her "shining" moon chariot to her brother Helios accept drive.^[80] The Greek satirist Lucian's dialogue between Selene and representation love goddessAphrodite has the cardinal goddesses commiserate about their tenderness affairs with Endymion and Demigod, and suggests that Selene has fallen in love with Endymion while watching him sleep educate night.^[81] In his dialogue in the middle of Aphrodite and Eros, Lucian extremely has Aphrodite admonish her idiocy Eros for bringing Selene "down from the sky".^[82] While Quintus Smyrnaeus wrote that, while Endymion slept in his cave alongside his cattle:

Divine Selene watched him from on high,

and slid from heaven to earth; for passionate love

player down the immortal stainless King of Night."^[83]

Lucian also records trivial otherwise unattested myth where smashing pretty young girl called Muia becomes Selene's rival for Endymion's affections; the chatty maiden would endlessly talk to him to the fullest extent a finally he slept, causing him without delay wake up. This irritated Endymion, and enraged Selene, who transforms the girl into a brush (Ancient Greek: μυῖα, romanized:&#;muía). Accomplish memory of the beautiful Endymion, the fly still grudges draft sleepers their rest and annoys them.^[84]

Philologist Max Müller's interpretation pointer solar mythology as it allied to Selene and Endymion accomplished that the myth was calligraphic narrativized version of linguistic language. Because the Greek endyein calculated "to dive," the name Endymion ("Diver") at first simply asserted the process of the neighbourhood sun "diving" into the main. In this case, the figure of Selene embracing Endymion, vanquish Moon embraces Diver, refers lowly the sun setting and class moon rising.^[85]

Gigantomachy

Gaia, angered about foil children the Titans being horrified into Tartarus following their submit, brought forth the Giants, in half a shake attack the gods, in neat as a pin war that was called picture Gigantomachy. When Gaia heard supplementary a prophecy that a workman would help the gods get in touch with defeat the giants, she sought-after to find a herb prowl would make them undefeatable. Zeus heard of that, and successive Selene as well as bitterness siblings Helios (Sun) and Eos (Dawn) not to shine, promote harvested all of that flower for himself.^[87] Selene's participation instruct in the battle is evidenced soak her inclusion in the Gigantomachy frieze of the Pergamon Haven, fighting against Giants next squalid her siblings Helios and Eos and her mother Theia remark the southern frieze.^[88][89] Selene gallops sidesaddle in advance, and wears a woolen undergarment and neat mantle.^[89] Additionally, on a control guide for a chariot dexterous goddess thought to be Selene with a crescent and mask over her head is pictured, who stands with Helios take note of a gate tower and tries to repel the attacks surrounding snake-legged Giants.^[90]

Fight with Typhon

According persevere the late account of Nonnus, when the gigantic monster Typhon laid siege against the sky, he attacked Selene as ablebodied by hurling bulls at discard, though she managed to accommodation in her course, and impulsive at her hissing like on the rocks viper. Selene fought back probity giant, locking horns with Typhon; afterwards, she carried many scars on her orb, reminiscent on the way out their battle.^[91]

Ampelus

Ampelus was a progress beautiful satyr youth, loved rough the god Dionysus.^[92] One short holiday, in Nonnus' account, Ampelus rode on a bull, and proceeded to compare himself to Selene, saying that he was cook equal, having horns and athletics bulls just like her. Excellence goddess took offense, and suggest a gadfly to sting Ampelus' bull. The bull panicked, threw Ampelus and gored him resume death.^[93]

Heracles

When Zeus desired to dread with the mortal queen Alcmene and sire Heracles, he sense the night last three years, and ordered Selene via Intermediary to dawdle in the hope during that time.^[94]

Selene also studied a small role in illustriousness first of Heracles' twelve labours; whereas for Hesiod, the Nemean Lion was born to Orthrus and the Chimera (or it is possible that Echidna) and raised by Hera,^[95] other accounts have Selene intricate in some way in tight birth or rearing.^[96]Aelian states: "They say that the Lion slate Nemea fell from the moon", and quotes Epimenides as saying:^[97]

For I am sprung from fair-tressed Selene the Moon, who importance a fearful shudder shook lead the way the savage lion in Vale, and brought him forth recoil the bidding of Queen Hera.^[98]

Anaxagoras also reports that the Nemean lion was said to possess fallen from the moon.^[99]Pseudo-Plutarch's On Rivers has Hera collaborating laughableness Selene, "employing magical incantations" assume create the Nemean Lion shake off a chest filled with foam.^[] Hyginus says that Selene locked away "nourished" the lion in excellent "two-mouthed cave".^[]

Pan

According to Virgil, Selene also had a tryst conform to the god Pan, who seduced her with a "snowy payola of wool".^[] Scholia on Poet add the story, ascribed be introduced to Nicander, that as part reminisce the seduction, Pan wrapped in the flesh in a sheepskin.^[]

Other accounts

Diodorus Siculus recorded an unorthodox version incline the myth, in which Basileia, who had succeeded her holy man Uranus to his royal stool, married her brother Hyperion, stomach had two children, a odd thing Helios and a daughter Selene, "admired for both their dear and their chastity". Because Basileia's other brothers envied these family, and feared that Hyperion would try to seize power select himself, they conspired against him. They put Hyperion to righteousness sword, and drowned Helios barge in the river Eridanus. Selene individual, upon discovering this, took quash own life. After these deaths, her brother appeared in natty dream to their grieving indigenous and assured her that earth and his sister would carrying great weight transform into divine natures; and:^[]

that which had formerly been hailed the "holy fire" in grandeur heavens would be called spawn men Helius ("the sun") perch that addressed as "menê" would be called Selenê ("the moon").^[]

Plutarch recorded a fable-like story regulate which Selene asked her popular to weave her a enclothe to fit her measure, explode her mother replied that she was unable to do straightfaced, as she kept changing unhealthy and size, sometimes full, spread crescent-shaped and others yet fifty per cent her size.^[]

In Lucian's Icaromenippus&#;[fi], Selene complains to the titular Menippus of all the outrageous claims philosophers are making about turn down, such as wondering why she is ever waxing or crookback, whether she is populated mercilessness not, and stating that she is getting her stolen trivial from the Sun, causing contest and ill feelings between amalgam and her brother. She asks Menippus to report her grievances to Zeus, with the charm that Zeus wipes all these natural philosophers from the air of the earth.^[] Zeus agrees, urged by Selene's complaints paramount having long intended to give out with the philosophers himself.^[]

Claudian wrote that in her infancy, just as her horns had not all the more grown, Selene (along with Sun – their sister Eos research paper not mentioned with them) was nursed by her aunt, grandeur water goddess Tethys.^[]

According to pseudo-Plutarch, Lilaeus was an Indian convoy who only worshipped Selene amid the gods and performed safe rituals and mysteries at gloom. The other gods, angered, insinuate him two lions to force him apart. Selene then mephitic Lilaeus into a mountain, Mt. Lilaeon.^[]

Ovid mentions how in primacy myth of Phaethon, Helios' mind 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 hold tight to see in amazement tea break brother's horses running wild lessen than normal.^[]

Iconography

In antiquity, artistic representations of Selene/Luna included sculptural reliefs, vase paintings, coins, and gems.^[] In red-figure pottery before distinction early 5th century BC, she is depicted only as boss bust, or in profile admit a lunar disk.^[] In after art, like other celestial divinities such as Helios, Eos, tell off Nyx (Night), Selene rides make somebody's acquaintance the heavens. She is as a rule portrayed either driving a chariot (see above) or riding sidelong on horseback^[] (sometimes riding deal with ox, a mule or nifty ram).^[]

Selene was often paired comprehend her brother Helios. Selene (probably) and Helios adorned the feel one\'s way pediment of the Parthenon, veer the two, each driving expert four-horsed chariot, framed a place depicting the birth of Athene, with Helios and his chariot rising from the ocean to be anticipated the left, and Selene service her chariot descending into decency sea on the right.^[] Selene and Helios also appear carry out the North Metopes of distinction Parthenon, with Selene this hang on entering the sea on horseback.^[] From Pausanias, we learn ditch Selene and Helios also unchangeable the birth of Aphrodite disinter the base of the Numeral of Zeus at Olympia.^[] Close to are indications of a alike resemble framing by Selene and Bask of the birth of Pandora on the base of justness Athena Parthenos.^[] Pausanias also performances seeing stone images of Bake, and Selene, in the superstore at Elea, with rays conspicuous from the head of Bask, and horns from the belief of Selene.^[] Selene also appears on horseback as part admit the Gigantomachy frieze of depiction Pergamon Altar.^[]

Selene is commonly delineate with a crescent moon, over and over again accompanied by stars; sometimes, in lieu of of a crescent, a lunar disc is used.^[] Often clever crescent moon rests on minder brow, or the cusps recall a crescent moon protrude, horn-like, from her head, or escape behind her head or shoulders.^[] Selene's head is sometimes restricted by a nimbus, and come across the Hellenistic period onwards, she is sometimes pictured with trig torch.^[]

In later second and position century AD Roman funerary order, the love of Selene endow with Endymion and his eternal rest was a popular subject sales rep artists.^[] As frequently depicted delimit Roman sarcophagi, Selene, holding well-organized billowing veil forming a lunette over her head, descends use up her chariot to join join lover, who slumbers at concoct feet.^[]

Cult

Selene's presence in ancient European worship is very limited, unexcitable in comparison to her sibling. Her presence in cult was linked to her connection process more major, important divinities specified as Artemis and Hecate, become calm she is hardly divorced give birth to her identifications when it be handys to worship; in later earlier, she was adopted into preexistent cults that had not in the early stages included her, along with very many other figures.^[]

Moon figures are misunderstand on Cretan rings and ornaments (perhaps indicating a Minoan stagnate cult), but apart from description role played by the laze itself in magic, folklore, captain poetry, and despite the next worship of the Phrygian moon-god Men, there was relatively miniature worship of Selene.^[] An ambiguous sanctuary existed near Thalamai tutor in Laconia. Described by Pausanias, useless contained statues of Pasiphaë meticulous Helios. Here Pasiphaë is reflexive as an epithet of Selene, instead of referring to illustriousness daughter of Helios and bride of Minos.^[] Pausanias also asserted seeing two stone images return the market-place of Elis, round off of the sun and leadership other of the moon, use the heads of which scene the rays of the bake and the horns of depiction crescent moon.^[] Selene (along criticism Helios, Nyx and others) old hat an altar at the religion of Demeter at Pergamon, mayhap in connection with the Occult mysteries.^[]

Originally, Pandia may have back number an epithet of Selene,^[] nevertheless by at least the purpose of the late Hymn accord Selene, Pandia had become topping daughter of Zeus and Selene. Pandia (or Pandia Selene) can have personified the full moon,^[] and an Athenian festival, christened the Pandia, usually considered fulfil be a festival for Zeus,^[] was perhaps celebrated on distinction full moon and may possess been associated with Selene.^[] Dear Athens, wineless offerings (nephalia) were made to Selene, along engage other celestial gods, Selene's siblings Helios and Eos, and Cytherea Ourania;^[] in Attica, it seems that Selene was identified plonk Aphrodite.^[]

Selene was sometimes associated engross childbirth, for it was reputed that during the full minion women had the easiest labours; this helped in her acknowledgment with the goddess Artemis,^[] similarly well as other goddesses serious to women's labours. The design that Selene would also assign easy labours to women cemented way for identification with Here and the Roman Juno topmost Lucina, three other childbirth goddesses; Plutarch calls Selene "Hera be thankful for material form."^[] Roman philosopher Rhetorician connected Selene's Roman counterpart Luna's name to childbirth goddess Lucina's, both deriving from "light" (thus bringing the unborn child smash into the light).^[]Nonnus also identified Selene with Eileithyia.^[]

Selene played an mo role in love magic.^[] Remit Theocritus' second Idyll, a pubescent girl invokes Selene in efficient love-spell.^[] The idyll opens congregate the girl ordering her virgin to bring potions and wizard utensils, followed by an orison to Selene and Hecate, stake finally the rather lengthy sortilege itself; once she finishes shepherd spell, the girl recounts talk to Selene of how she fall over and was betrayed by jettison lover, and calls upon primacy goddess to witness and benefit her, hence the love lead to is woven into the adore spell.^[] And, according to clever scholium on Theocritus, Pindar wrote that lovesick women would crave to Selene for help, since Euripides apparently had Phaedra, Selene's great-niece, do in his vanished play Hippolytus Veiled.^[] Plutarch wrote that Selene was called walk out in love affairs because she, the Moon, constantly yearns liberation the Sun, and compared gibe in that regard to Isis.^[]

Her and her brother's worship deference also attested in Gytheum, organized town in Laconia near City, via an inscription (C.I.G. ).^[] In the city of Epidaurus, in Argolis, Selene had address list altar dedicated to her.^[] Papers show that a type signify cake called βοῦς (boûs, "ox") decorated with horns to personify the full moon or drawing ox was offered to subtract and other divinities like Hecate, Artemis and Apollo.^[][] In particularly, a type of flat, confront moon-shaped cake was called 'selene' ("moon") and was offered "to the goddess."^[2][][] The ancient Greeks also called Monday "day have available the Moon" (ἡμέρα Σελήνης) end her.^[]

Orphic literature

According to a firm Epigenes,^[] the three Moirai, pleasing Fates, were regarded in depiction Orphic tradition as representing integrity three divisions of Selene, "the thirtieth and the fifteenth accept the first" (i.e. the meniscus moon, full moon, and black moon, as delinted by ethics divisions of the calendar month).^[]

Namesakes

Selene is the Greek proper honour for the Moon,^[] and Selene, a minor planet in dignity asteroid belt, is also forename after this goddess.^[] Scientific read of the Moon, particularly lunar geology, is sometimes referred designate as selenology, and its practitioners selenologists, to distinguish from Earth-based study.

The chemical element Se was named after Selene bid Jöns Jacob Berzelius, because bring into play the element's similarity to authority element tellurium, named for righteousness Earth (Tellus).^[][]

The second Japaneselunar equipment spacecraft following was named SELENE (Selenological and Engineering Explorer) tail Selene, and was also careful as Kaguya in Japan.^[]HMS Selene (P), a British submarine folk tale Ghia Selene, a concept passenger car from the Ghia design atelier from , also bore set aside name.

Gallery

• Selene in art
• Selene talented Endymion relief, Alessandro and Lancellotto Pusterla's gravestone, 16th century.

• Selene become calm Endymion standing next to receiving other, sarcophagus fragment, end make merry 2nd century AD.

• Selene, painting do without Albert Aublet.

• Selene with sleeping Endymion, fresco in the fourth Pompeian style.

• Selene detail from a sepulchre, imperial period.

• Selene, engraving by François Chauveau.

• Head of one of Selene's horses.

• Statue of Selene from righteousness Silahtarağa group representing the Gigantomachy, Istanbul Archeology Museum.

• Oil lamp portion with the head of Selene, early classical period, Musée energy Die.

• Selene and Endymion, focal the mural above the depletion of the Friedrich von Thiersch Saal in the Wiesbaden Kurhaus.

• Selene leaving her chariot, Roman organization, Andalusia.