Selene

Statue of Selene

Selene (Σελήνη) is a goddess of the moon in ancient Greek religion.

Quotes about Selene

Homeric Hymn to Selene

• Muse of sweet eloquence, of Jupiter daughters, teachers | of hymns. Beautiful moon sung by swift wings. | From her comes heavenly glow to envelop the earth, | from his immortal head, from the bright rays, he pours out | Supreme Beauty: A Glowing Aura | from the golden crown, rays are scattered through the air, | When from the eddies of the sea, wash your shining limbs, | girded with her garments, Selène, who drives her gaze afar, | his foals yok from the steep cervix, radiant, | in vespers, at half a month, that his disc shines fullly; | And as she grows, bright rays are shed | from the firmament; and it is for mortals a signal and an omen. | Once, in her bed of love, she was joined by Croníde, | and she became pregnant and gave birth to Pandía, the maiden | who has, among the Blessed of Heaven, so charming his countenance. || Hail, O Lady, O Goddess of the white arm, O Selene. | Diva with beautiful curls, | benign. Starting with you, | Of the Semigods I will tell the deeds, to which the vati are wont to do, | ministers of the Muses, to sing with the amiable voices.

Anth. Pal. v. 123. Philodemus of Gadara

• Νυκτερινή, δίκερως, φιλοπάννυχε, φαῖνε, Σελήνη,
  φαῖνε, δι᾽ εὐτρήτων βαλλομένη θυρίδων
  αὔγαζε χρυσέην Καλλίστιον ἐς τὰ φιλεύντων
  ἔργα κατοπτεύειν οὐ φθόνος ἀθανάτῃ.
  ὀλβίζεις καὶ τήνδε καὶ ἡμέας, οἶδα, Σελήνη:
  καὶ γὰρ σὴν ψυχὴν ἔφλεγεν Ἐνδυμίων.
  • Shine, Moon of the night, horned Moon, who lovest to look on revels, shine through the lattice and let your light fall on golden Callistiŏn. It is no offence for an immortal to pry into the secrets of lovers. Thou dost bless her and me, I know, O Moon; for did not Endymion set thy soul afire?
    • W. R. Paton, Greek Anthology, i, pp. 186-7.
  • Shine forth, night-wandering, horned, and vigilant queen,
    Illume Callistion: for a goddess may
    Gaze on a pair of lovers while they play.
    Thou enviest her and me, I know, fair moon,
    For thou didst once burn for Endymion.
    • J. A. Symonds, Studies of the Greek Poets (1873), p. 380.
  • Shine out, O hornèd Moon, O festal night’s befriender,
      Shine through the latticed window with thy silver light;
    My golden fair illume, gaze forth in all thy splendour,—
      Immortal eyes are free to look on love’s delight:—
    Thy conscious heart, I know, is kind to us and tender,—
      Endymion, O Selene, set thine own heart’s flame alight!
    • W. G. Headlam, A Book of Greek Verse (1907), p. 253.

See also

• Moon