Many artists of the Renaissance were fascinated with their story, due to the mystery surrounding life, death, and immortality.
The most significant ones can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Louvre Museum in Paris.įrom the Renaissance onwards, the story of Selene and Endymion became a popular motif in paintings and sculptures. There are about a hundred different versions of Selene and Endymion in various Roman sarcophagi. Cultural Representations of EndymionĮndymion and Selene were popular subjects in Roman Sarcophagi, and were represented as an emblem of eternal love, marital bliss, pleasure, and longing. Diana has the same attributes of Selene and is also a lunar goddess. The Roman goddess Diana became associated with the Endymion myth during the Renaissance period. The Greek goddess Artemis was the Olympian god connected to the moon, but because she was a virgin and was strongly associated with chastity, the Endymion myth couldn’t be attached to her easily. When the Olympian gods became prominent, it was natural that many of the older myths were transferred to these newer gods. She is regarded as the personification of the moon. Selene is the Titan goddess of the moon and is pre-Olympian. Endymion and the Moon Goddesses (Selene, Artemis and Diana) Due to this, there are two burial sites for Endymion, in both Elis and Mount Latmus. Others state that Endymion passed away on Mount Latmus. Some people believe that Endymion was buried in Elis, at the very place where he organized a competition for his sons. Just as there are different narratives on the origins of Endymion, there are several accounts regarding his death and burial. Hypnos made Endymion sleep with his eyes open, in order to admire his loveliness. In this account, Hypnos, the god of sleep, fell in love with Endymion’s beauty, and granted him with eternal slumber. While most narratives speak of the love between Endymion and Selene, there’s a lesser known story involving Hypnos. The Menai became lunar goddesses and represented each lunar month of the Greek calendar. Selene and Endymion gave birth to fifty daughters, who were collectively called the Menai. Irrespective of the motive, Zeus granted Selene’s wish, and she came down to earth every night to be with Endymion. In another account, Zeus put Endymion to sleep as a punishment for his affections towards Hera, Zeus’ wife. Selene requested Zeus to grant Endymion eternal youth, so that they could be together forever. In one account, Selene saw Endymion in deep slumber upon the caves of Mount Latmus and fell in love with his beauty. The romance between Endymion and Selene has been narrated by several Greek poets and writers. Later poets and writers have further augmented the mysticism around Endymion and given him the title as the world’s first astronomer. In some other narratives, Endymion was born in Caria, and made his living as a shepherd. It was in Caria that Endymion met Selene, the goddess of the moon. Epeius’ great, great, grandson was Diomedes, a valiant hero of the Trojan war.Īfter the city’s fate was secure with Epeius, Endymion left for Caria, and lived there as a shepherd. Endymion’s son, Epeius, won the competition and became the next king of Elis. As Endymion grew older, he organized a competition to decide who would be his successor. There are many perceptions regarding who Endymion married, but it’s certain that he had four children – Paeon, Epeius, Aetolus, and Eurycyda.Įndymion founded the city of Elis and declared himself as its first king and led a group of Aeolians into Elis as his subjects and citizens. When Endymion came of age, he married either Asterodia, Chromia, Hyperippe, Iphianassa, or a Naid nymph. There are many different stories regarding the origins of Endymion, but according to the most popular narrative, Endymion was the son of Calyce and Aethlius. Let’s take a closer look at the various myths and stories surrounding the hero and sleep. As a result of their union, Endymion fell into an eternal and blissful sleep. According to the Greeks, Endymion was an attractive hunter, king, or shepherd, who fell in love with the moon goddess, Selene. “ To sleep the sleep of Endymion” is an ancient Greek proverb that reflects the myth of Endymion, a mythological character and hero. Endymion and the Moon Goddesses (Selene, Artemis and Diana).
0 kommentar(er)
