Under the power of noble joys, malignant pain is subdued and dies, whenever god-sent Fate lifts prosperity on high. Her son also became a god even though Semele was born a mortal. She was brought back from Hades by her son, Dionysos, and was allowed to join the gods.

But at the proper time Zeus undid the stitches and gave birth to Dionysus, and entrusted him to Hermes.Īpollodorus, Library 3.4, translation by Sir James George Frazer. On the death of Semele the other daughters of Cadmus spread a report that Semele had bedded with a mortal man, and had falsely accused Zeus, and that therefore she had been blasted by thunder. But Semele expired of fright, and Zeus, snatching the sixth-month abortive child from the fire, sewed it in his thigh. Unable to refuse, Zeus came to her bridal chamber in a chariot, with lightnings and thunderings, and launched a thunderbolt. Now Zeus had agreed to do for her whatever she asked, and deceived by Hera she asked that he would come to her as he came when he was wooing Hera. But Zeus loved Semele and bedded with her unknown to Hera. Ino was married to Athamas, Autonoe to Aristaeus, and Agave to Echion. Another strange birth!Īnd to Cadmus were born daughters, Autonoe, Ino, Semele, Agave, and a son Polydorus. Zeus saved the baby, Dionysos, by sewing him into his thigh. As a result, however, Semele was consumed by fire after seeing him. At the time when Semele was pregnant, Hera, jealous as usual, convinced Semele to ask Zeus to reveal himself to her. She was from Thebes, the daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia. Is she the only mortal to be the mother of a god? She was one of the many mortal women loved by Zeus. Semele herself is a mortal but she is the mother of Dionysus. Homeric Hymn to Helios, translated by Hugh G. For Hyperion wedded glorious Euryphaessa, his own sister, who bare him lovely children, rosy-armed Eos and rich-tressed Selene and tireless Helios who is like the deathless gods. And yet, Euryphaessa might simply be an epithet of Theia.Įuryphaessa, the far-shining one, bare to the Son of Earth and starry Heaven. However, in the Homeric Hymn to Helios 4 (the Sun), she is the daughter of Euryphaessa and Hyperion, and the sister of the Sun and of Eos. In Hesiodic poetry she is the daughter of Theia and Hyperion.Īnd Theia, overcome in the embrace of Hyperion, brought forth the great Sun, and bright Moon, and Dawn, that shines for all that-dwell-on-the-earth, and for immortal gods, who occupy the broad sky. Another epithet used for her is “rich-tressed”. Her epithet is “shining, brilliant, bright”. And she is praised and sung to by the Muses.

She is cited in Hesiod 3 as one of the gods and goddesses of “the holy race of all the other deathless ones that are for ever”. Homeric Hymn to Selene, translated by Hugh G. Hail, white-armed goddess, bright Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen! And now I will leave you and sing the glories of men half-divine, whose deeds minstrels, the servants of the Muses, celebrate with lovely lips. Once the Son of Cronos was joined with her in love and she conceived and bare a daughter Pandia, exceeding lovely amongst the deathless gods. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. The air, unlit before, glows with the light of her golden crown, and her rays beam clear, whensoever bright Selene having bathed her lovely body in the waters of Ocean, and donned her far-gleaming raiment, and yoked her strong-necked, shining team, drives on her long-maned horses at full speed, at eventime in the mid-month: then her great orbit is full and then her beams shine brightest as she increases.

From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. And next, sweet voiced Muses, daughters of Zeus, well-skilled in song, tell of the long-winged Moon. There is also the mention of Selene as the mother of Pandia in the Homeric Hymn to Selene. Selene – also known as Menē in Pindar 1 and in the Hymn to Selene 2 – is a goddess and spends her days driving her golden or silver chariot she may have wings and enjoys bathing in the ocean. However their stories are very dissimilar and poles apart. No wonder we sometimes confuse one for the other. Both have enchanting and melodious names in ancient Greek with the same type of resonance. Semele and Selene, one was born a mortal and the other a goddess.

Semele sweet gj sentinel