Selene was the Greek goddess of the moon, a Titan who drove her chariot across the night sky after her brother Helios, the sun, had finished his daily journey. Her sister Eos was the dawn. Selene is best known for her love of Endymion, a beautiful youth cast into eternal sleep, whom she visited each night; the story was a favorite on Roman sarcophagi like the one shown here.
Selene at a Glance
- Domain: the moon
- Parents: the Titans Hyperion and Theia
- Siblings: Helios (the sun) and Eos (the dawn)
- Beloved: Endymion
- Roman counterpart: Luna
- Symbols: the crescent moon, a chariot, a billowing veil
The account below is reproduced from a classic public-domain book, as it appeared on the original A World of Myths site. Spelling of some names follows the original.
The Classic Account
Just as Helios personified the sun, so his sister Selene represented the moon, and was supposed to drive her chariot across the sky whilst her brother was reposing after the toils of the day.
When the shades of evening began to enfold the earth, the two milk-white steeds of Selene rose out of the mysterious depths of Oceanus. Seated in a silvery chariot, and accompanied by her daughter Herse, the goddess of the dew, appeared the mild and gentle queen of the night, with a crescent on her fair brow, a gauzy veil flowing behind, and a lighted torch in her hand.
Selene greatly admired a beautiful young shepherd named Endymion, to whom Zeus had accorded the privilege of eternal youth, combined with the faculty of sleeping whenever he desired, and as long as he wished. Seeing this lovely youth fast asleep on Mount Latmus, Selene was so struck with his beauty, that she came down every night from heaven to watch over and protect him.
Source: E. M. Berens, Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome (1880). Public domain.
Selene and Endymion
In the best-known version of the story, Selene fell in love with Endymion as he slept on Mount Latmus. Zeus granted him eternal sleep, so that he stayed young and beautiful forever, and the moon goddess came down to him every night. Ancient writers disagree on who asked for the sleep and why, but the image of the moon gazing on the sleeping youth became one of the most popular scenes in Roman art.
Recent Comments