Selene is the Titaness (or Titan Goddess) and true personification of the Moon in Greek Mythology.
Genealogy and Family[]
A painting by the French painter Albert Aublet depicting Selene (right) with Endymion.
Selene is a second generation Titaness, being the daughter of Hyperion, the Titan of Divine Light and Theia, the Titaness of Sight, she is the younger sister of Helios, the Titan of the Sun and older sister of Eos, the Titaness of the Dawn.
Romantically, Selene is best known for being the lover and later the wife of the mortal, Endymion, whom she had 50 daughters with. According to one account by Nonnus, she and Endymion are also the parents of Narcissus, the handsome hunter from Boeotia who fell in love with his own reflection in a stream. Zeus and Selene also became lovers and they bore Pandeia, the Goddess of the full Moon and Ersa, the Goddess of Dew. One source also claim Selene and Helios to be the parents of four members of The Horae (Goddesses of the seasons and the portions of time).
Role and Significance[]
Selene was responsible for moving the moon every night, completing this by riding the moon chariot, a heavenly vehicle, pulled by white horses that would give the night its light.
Selene was also seen as having dominion over the months, childbirth, the growth of plants and animals, lunacy and moonstone.
Like most of the Titans, Selene was rarely worshipped in the ancient world. Eventually, she became identified with Artemis, goddess of the wilderness, who was sometimes associated with the moon and even took over her duty of riding the moon chariot. (Similarly, Selene's brother Helios came to be identified with Artemis' brother Apollo.)
In Ancient Greece, Selene's festivals were Dikhomenia celebrated in the middle of every lunar month and Noumenia celebrated the first day of each lunar month. Her primary cult centres were in Olympia and Elis.
Stories[]
Appearance and Personality[]
Based on the myths, Selene can be described as a seductive, peaceful and kind goddess, as well as very secluded and timid; whilst her brother, Helios, is flashy, she prefers to be hidden in the shadows. In art, she is depicted as a youthful, beautiful woman with pale skin and an ethereal glow wearing a crescent moon tiara, and in luxurious garments, and sometimes riding her moon chariot. She has also been depicted in art holding the Earth's moon, sitting on the moon or standing beside it.
Descriptions in Ancient Greek Literature[]
The Goddess Selene was described in the Homeric Hymns:
"From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. 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. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men...Hail, white-armed goddess, bright Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen!
Two other sources also mention her hair. The Homeric Hymn to Helios uses the same epithet εὐπλόκαμος ("bright-tressed"), used in the above Hymn to Selene (elsewhere translated as "rich-", "lovely-", or "well-tressed"), while Epimenides uses the epithet ἠυκόμοιο ("lovely-haired").
In late accounts, Selene (like the moon itself) is often described as having horns. 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". Empedocles, Euripides and Nonnus all describe her as γλαυκῶπις (glaukṓpis, "bright-eyed", a common epithet of the goddess Athena) while in a fragment from a poem, possibly written by Pamprepius, she is called κυανῶπις (kyanṓpis, "dark-eyed"). Mesomedes of Crete calls her γλαυκὰ (glaukà, "silvery grey").
Powers and Abilities[]
Like all major deities, Selene is immortal, self healing and eternally youthful. She has perfect health and is immune to tiredness and any diseases, disorders and illnesses humans may have.
Selene can fly and ride and control a chariot.
Symbols[]
Selene's sacred symbols are a crescent and full Moon, veil, billowing cloak and chariot, cymbals and torches .Animals sacred to her are the horse, bull and mule.
Titles and Epithets[]
Some of Selene's Epithets were: Aiglê meaning 'Radiance', Eileithyia meaning 'Come to Aid', Mênê meaning 'Moon' and Pasiphae meaning 'All-Shining', Tanysipteros meaning 'long-winged', Leukolenos meaning 'white-armed', Glaukopis meaning 'grey/bright eyed' and Kyanopis meaning 'dark eyed'.
Relationships[]
Endymion-[]
Endymion is a human man and a shepherd that Selene fell in love with, watching over him whilst he slept beside his cattle, the two eventually met and were enchanted by each other, becoming lovers and marrying, which is strange for a Goddess and a human to do, the couple had 50 daughters and by one source, a son, Narcissus.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
The name "Selene" is derived from the Greek noun selas (σέλας), meaning "light, brightness, gleam". Selene's name is spelt Σεληνη in Greek.
Selene is also called Mene.
Selene's Roman Counterpart is Luna whilst her Phrygian counterpart is Men.
Artemis and Hecate are also Moon Goddesses.
Selene and her sister, Eos, both fell in love with and had children with mortal men.