#Helios myths series

The original PIE moon deity has been reconstructed as *Meh₁not (from which 'Mene', Selene's byname, is derived), and it appears that it was a male god. Selene, along with her brother, her sister and the sky-god Zeus, is one of the few Greek deities of a clear Proto-Indo-European origin, although they were sidelined by later non-PIE newcomers to the pantheon, as remaining on the sidelines became their primary function, to be the minor deities the major ones were juxtaposed to, thus helping keep the Greek religion Greek. Also from Artemis, Selene was sometimes called 'Cynthia', meaning 'she of Mount Cynthus' (the birthplace of Artemis). Just as Helios, from his identification with Apollo, is called Phoebus ('bright'), Selene, from her identification with Artemis, is also called Phoebe (feminine form). Īlthough no clear attestation for Selene herself (or any prodecessor of hers) has been discovered yet in Mycenaean Greek, the word for month 'men' has been found in Linear B spelled as 𐀕𐀜 (me-no, from genitive form μηνός, mēnós). The Greek Stoic philosopher Chrysippus interpreted Selene and Men as, respectively, the female and male aspects of the same god. Mene and Men both derive from Proto-Hellenic *méns ('month'), itself from Proto-Indo-European *mḗh₁n̥s (meaning moon, the lunar month), which probably comes from the root *meh₁- ('to measure'), and is cognate with the English words 'Moon' and 'month'. The masculine form of mene ( men) was also the name of the Phrygian moon-god Men. The Greek word mene, meant the moon, and the lunar month. In the Doric and Aeolic dialects, her name was also spelled Σελάνα ( Selána) and Σελάννα ( Selánna) respectively. The name 'Selene' is derived from the Greek noun selas ( σέλας), meaning 'light, brightness, gleam'.

#Helios myths series

Part of a series onĮtymology and origins Names Detail of a sarcophagus depicting Endymion and Selene, shown with her characteristic attributes of lunate crown and billowing veil ( velificatio) Her equivalent in Roman religion and mythology is the goddess Luna. Selene and Artemis were also associated with Hecate and all three were regarded as moon and lunar goddesses, but only Selene was regarded as the personification of the Moon itself. In post-classical times, Selene was often identified with Artemis, much as her brother, Helios, was identified with Apollo. Several lovers are attributed to her in various myths, including Zeus, Pan, and the mortal Endymion. She drives her moon chariot across the heavens. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, and sister of the sun god Helios and the dawn goddess Eos. In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene ( / s ɪ ˈ l iː n iː/ Greek: Σελήνη pronounced seh- LEH-neh, meaning 'Moon') is the goddess and personification of the Moon. Detail of Selene from a Roman sarcophagusĬrescent, chariot, torch, billowing cloak, bull, moonįifty daughters, Narcissus, Pandia, Ersa, Horae, Musaeus