Selene.
The moon in motion
Selene: Greek Goddess of the MoonThe silver light of the night sky takes shape in , a goddess whose monthly rhythm marks the passage of time.
More than a myth.
belongs to the family of heavenly lights: daughter of and , sister of and . Her presence makes the moon a divine traveler, shining over the earth from a chariot.
The short to describes her radiance and the fullness of her orb as a sign to mortals. Other ancient traditions tell of her love for the beautiful Endymion. She remains distinct from in early , although later writers and artists frequently bring the two together.
There’s more to the myth.
Lesser-known moments, places of worship, and stories that change with the storyteller. Follow each reference to the ancient voices behind it.
A moon that measures time
The to follows her bathing in , dressing in radiant clothing and driving her horses across the sky. It singles out the full moon at mid-month as a sign for people below. Her beauty also serves a practical purpose: it makes time visible.
READ THE SOURCEHomeric Hymn 32 to SeleneWho chose Endymion’s sleep?
In the , grants Endymion a choice, and he chooses endless, ageless sleep. records disagreement about his final resting place between Elis and the people near Mount Latmus. These accounts resist the modern habit of reducing the entire story to simply putting her lover to sleep.
READ THE SOURCEPseudo-Apollodorus, Library 1.56; Pausanias, Description of Greece 5.1.4–5The moon’s horns
saw stone images of Sun and Moon in the marketplace at Elis. had rays projecting from his head; had horns. The paired descriptions help decode a common visual shorthand: crescent shapes can identify the moon even when an ancient image carries no written name.
READ THE SOURCEPausanias, Description of Greece 6.24.6One figure. Many visions.
Selene, reimagined in 12 art styles. Follow familiar symbols through unfamiliar worlds, and open any artwork for a closer look.
Selene
Echoes in Plaster
Selene
Dreams of the Cosmos
Selene
The Floating World
Selene
Ink & Thunder
Selene
The Gilded Garden
Selene
Small Worlds, Great Myths
Selene
A Cathedral of Light
Selene
Blueprints of Myth
Selene
Threads of Eternity
Selene
Greek Myth, in Print
Selene
Little Figures, Big Legends
Selene
Beyond the Oracle
New AI-created interpretations, inspired by mythology. These are not images of ancient artifacts.
It’s a family affair.
The stories of Selene.
Continue with the ancient accounts.
This story collection does not yet include a full retelling centered on Selene. Explore the cited sources below and the connected profiles for more of the surviving accounts.
Ancient voices.
Enduring stories.
Myths have many tellings. These are the ancient works behind this profile, linked to freely available English translations.
Theogony
Lines 371–374
Hymn to Selene
Hymn 32
Library
Book 1.7.5
Explore the collected passages
Ancient testimonies, alternative versions and depictions, gathered by Theoi.