Many ancient religions worshipped various gods, each representing a specific element. In the case of the Greeks, almost all of them lived on Mount Olympus. While it's true that many deities were part of this culture, in this article we'll talk about Selene, the goddess of the moon.
Specifically, we will explain who this deity is and tell the myth related to his family origins, as well as the myth related to his great love: Endymion. I hope you enjoy these legends.
Why is the moon called Selene?
Among the many gods worshipped by the Greeks was Selene, the goddess of the moon. This deity was also very important to the Romans. This is because, according to Greco-Roman mythology, she was responsible for preventing humanity from being plunged into darkness when her brother Helios, the sun, disappeared below the horizon. Hence, in many stories, legends, and contemporary cultures, the moon is referred to as Selene.
According to the myth surrounding this deity, the Greek moon goddess was a very beautiful woman with pale skin. She was distinguished by wearing a crescent-shaped crown. While her brother Helios traveled during the day in his own chariot, Selene traveled at night. Sometimes she rode a bull, and other times she rode in a silver chariot drawn by two winged horses or two white oxen. The latter was the most common mode of transport. As for her attire, she usually wore white tunics and was often depicted with a torch in her hand.
Since humankind has always relied on the sun and the moon to navigate time, it is no surprise that the myth of Selene, the moon goddess, held a special influence on the measurement of time. In Greek society, months were composed of three periods. Each period comprised ten days that corresponded to the different phases of the moon. In addition to being the ruler of the night, the Greeks also attributed to Selene the power to create dew.
The myth of the origin of Selene, the goddess of the moon
Now that we know a little more about Selene, the goddess of the moon, let's look at the myth associated with her. According to Greek mythology, this deity was part of the second generation of Titans. She was the daughter of Theia and Hyperion. Hyperion, despite not being mentioned frequently in the various Greek myths, is considered the god of observation. He was also often associated with the first light of day, that which appears just before sunrise.
On the other hand, Theia, the mother of the moon goddess, was not only Hyperion's wife but also his sister. This Titaness was the one who ruled over sight. In ancient times, the Greeks believed that the eyes cast a kind of beam upon things, which allowed us to see and define them. Besides this, Theia was also responsible for giving precious metals their characteristic luster.
It should be noted that Selene, as we have already mentioned, was not an only child. Hyperion and Theia had a total of three children:
- helios: the sun god
- Selena: the goddess of the moon
- eos: the goddess of dawn
According to Greek mythology, Helios was the one who began his journey across the vastness of the sky. When he finished, darkness fell. At that moment, it was Selene's turn, the goddess of the moon. She would relieve her brother to make a similar journey through the night. Meanwhile, Eos had to leave her home each day, which was located at the edge of the ocean that encircled the world, to fulfill her mission of announcing the arrival of her brother Helios, the sun god.
selene and love
As many of you already know, the Greeks were very fond of love stories and romantic entanglements among gods. In many myths, they are the main element, and very few deities escape gossipy tales. Selene, the goddess of the moon, is no exception. According to Greek mythology, this deity had several lovers, among whom were not only other gods but also mere mortals.
However , Selene's most remarkable and important love story was with a humble mortal shepherd named Endymion. According to legend, this man's beauty could only be compared to that of Narcissus or Adonis. One night, the shepherd fell asleep, and Selene, seeing him, descended in her chariot to observe him more closely. The radiance emanating from the beautiful goddess awakened the mortal, who was already in love with her, and she reciprocated his feelings from that very moment.
However, it was an impossible romance, for she was immortal and he was not. For this reason, Selene went to ask for help from Zeus himself, while Endymion went in search of Hypnos, the god of sleep, for the same purpose. Both gods helped the couple, but they could not make Endymion immortal, as that would grant him the status of a god. So they decided to leave him asleep for all eternity , thus preventing his certain death. To be with his beloved, he could only open his eyes at night. Thus, Selene and Endymion were able to live a beautiful love story, from which a total of fifty children were born, one for each of the fifty phases of the moon.
On many occasions, Greek mythology conveys explanations for natural phenomena in a very beautiful way. A good example is the myth of Selene, the goddess of the moon. This legend reflects the way in which the ancient Greeks saw and observed the world.
