#. | from her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth (selene)

[singofus]

// Since today is the solar eclipse, I'm reminded of the myth of Selene and the witches

It was said that on the solar eclipse days, where Selene and Helios' paths meet, witches of Thessalia plotted to lure Selene down from the sky so that they may harvest her blood for a ritual of theirs.

But Selene was saved by her own followers banging drums, singing loudly and playing music to overpower the enchanting songs the witches played. Saving her from that fate.

#. | from her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth (selene)

[seleniiium]

☽ Divine Selene ☾

"From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth, and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. The air, unlit before, glows with the light of her golden crown, and her rays beam clear,..."

Exert from the Homeric hymn to Selene.

#Selene #Greek Mythology #Greek Myth #Mythology #Seleniiium #art #Titan

[dionysianfreak]

Selene Phaethô

Titan Goddess of the moon. forever shining, radiant Selene

"From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. 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 Okeanos (Oceanus), and donned her far-gleaming raiment, and yoked her strong-necked, shining team, and drives on her long-maned horses at full speed" — Homeric Hymn 32 to Selene (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th - 4th B.C.)

#selene #selene deity #moon goddess #moon worship #hellenism #titan worship #hellenic #helpol #hellenic pagan #greek gods #paganism #pagan #moodboard #devotional aesthetic #aesthetic

[hellenic-reconstructionism]

Worshiping Selene

Pottery depicting Selene from theoi.com

Selene, or Mene, is the goddess of the moon frequently invoked in spells and prayers recorded in the Greek Magical Papyri, especially as a goddess overlapping roles with Artemis and Hekate. However, unlike Artemis and Hekate she is not a virgin goddess. She was worshipped in the sanctuary of Ino at Thalamae and in the agora marketplace of Elis. She was worshipped in conjunction with the Anatolian moon god Mēn in the Hellenistic kingdom of Pontus.

Bust of Mēn from Wikimedia Commons

Historically accurate offerings for her:

Libations (wine, milk, honey, water, oil -- the regular)

Meat (like most theoi)

Juniper wood

Cretan storax

For spells:

For ‘good’ ends: Uncut frankincense, bay, myrtle, fruit pit, stavesacre, cinnamon leaf, and kostos mixed with Mendesian wine and honey and made into pills

Not gonna list the ‘bad’ ends since it uses animal parts which is complicated and controversial (some plants were named like animal parts)

Epithets

Αιγλη (Aiglê) - Gleaming, Radiant

Πασιφαε (Pasiphae) - All-Shining

Ειλειθυια (Eileithyia) - Aiding/Relieving (in Childbirth)

Homeric Hymn to Selene:

"And next, sweet voiced Mousai (Muses), daughters of Zeus, well skilled in song, tell of the long-winged Mene (Moon) [Selene]. From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. 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 Okeanos (Oceanus), and donned her far-gleaming raiment, and yoked her strong-necked, shining team, and 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. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. Once Kronides (Cronides) [Zeus] was joined with her in love; and she conceived an bare a daughter Pandeia, exceeding lovely amongst the deathless gods. Hail, white-armed goddess, bright Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen! And now I will leave you and sing the glorious of men half-divine, whose deeds minstrels, the servants of the Mousai, celebrate with lovely lips.”

Orphic Hymn to Selene:

"To Selene (Moon), Fumigation from Aromatics. Hear, goddess queen (thea basileia), diffusing silver light, bull-horned, and wandering through the gloom of night. With stars surrounded, and with circuit wide night's torch extending, through the heavens you ride: female and male, with silvery rays you shine, and now full-orbed, now tending to decline. Mother of ages, fruit-producing Mene (Moon), whose amber orb makes night's reflected noon: lover of horses, splendid queen of night, all-seeing power, bedecked with starry light, lover of vigilance, the foe of strife, in peace rejoicing, and a prudent life: fair lamp of night, its ornament and friend, who givest to nature's works their destined end. Queen of the stars, all-wise Goddess, hail! Decked with a graceful robe and amble veil. Come, blessed Goddess, prudent, starry, bright, come, moony-lamp, with chaste and splendid light, shine on these sacred rites with prosperous rays, and pleased accept thy suppliants' mystic praise."

“Prayer to Selene for any spell” from the PGM (slightly adapted):

“Come to me, O Beloved Mistress, Three-faced

Selene; kindly hear my Sacred Chants;

Night's Ornament, young, bringing Light to Mortals,

O Child of Morn who ride upon the Fierce Bulls,

O Queen who drive your Car on Equal Course

With Helios, who with the Triple Forms

Of Triple Graces dance in Revel with

The Stars. You're Justice (Dike) and the Moirai’s Threads:

Klotho and Lachesis and Atropos

Three-headed, You're Persephone, Megaira,

Allekto, Many-Formed, who arm your Hands

With Dreaded, Murky Lamps, who shake your Locks

Of fearful Serpents on your Brow, who sound

The Roar of Bulls out from your Mouths, whose Womb

Is decked out with the Scales of Creeping Things,

With Pois'nous Rows of Serpents down the Back,

Bound down your Backs with horrifying chains

Night-Crier, Bull-faced, loving solitude,

Bull-headed, You have eyes of bulls, the voice

Of dogs; You hide your forms in shanks of lions,

Your ankle is wolf-shaped, Fierce dogs are dear

To you, wherefore they call you Hekate,

Many-named, Mene, cleaving air just like

Dart-shooter Artemis, Persephone,

Shooter of deer, night shining, triple-sounding,

Triple-headed, triple-voiced Selene

Triple-pointed, triple-faced, triple-necked,

And goddess of the triple ways, who hold

Untiring flaming fire in triple baskets,

And you who oft frequent the triple way

And rule the triple decades, unto me

Who'm calling you be gracious and with kindness

Give heed, you who protect the spacious world

At night, before whom Daimons quake in fear

And Gods immortal tremble, Goddess who

Exalt men, you of many names, who bear

Fair offspring, bull-eyed, horned, mother of gods

And men, and nature, mother of all things,

For you frequent Olympos, and the broad

And boundless chasm you traverse. Beginning

And end are you, and you alone rule all.

For all things are from you, and in you do

All things, eternal one, come to their end.

As everlasting band around your temples

You wear great Kronos' chains, unbreakable

And unremovable, and you hold in

Your hands a golden scepter. Letters 'round

Your scepter Kronos wrote himself and gave

To you to wear that all things stay steadfast:

Subduer and subdued, Mankind's subduer,

And Force-subduer; Chaos, too, you rule.

Hail, Goddess, and attend your epithets,

I burn for you this spice, O Child of Zeus,

Dart-shooter, Heav'nly one, Goddess of harbors,

Who roam the mountains, Goddess of crossroads,

O Nether and Nocturnal, and Infernal,

Goddess of dark, Quiet and frightful one,

O you who have your meal amid the graves,

Night, Darkness, Broad Chaos: Necessity

Hard to escape are you; You're Moira and

Erinys, Torment, Justice and Destroyer,

And you keep Kerberos in chains, with Scales

Of serpents are you dark, O you with hair

Of Serpents, Serpent-girded, who drink blood,

Who bring Death and Destruction, and who feast

On hearts, Flesh eater, who devour Those Dead

Untimely, and you who make grief resound

And spread madness, come to my sacrifices,

And now for me do you fulfill this matter.”

Sources:

https://www.theoi.com/Titan/Selene.html#Cult

The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation by Hans Dieter Betz

Strabo 12.3.31

#selene #hellenismos #hellenic paganism #hellenic pagan #hellenic polytheism #pagan #paganism

[otherworldseekers]

Auraugust Day 7: Moon

And next, sweet voiced Muses, daughters of Zeus, well-skilled in song, tell of the long-winged Moon. From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. 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...

~Homeric Hymn to Selene

Severia Zetsuen as Moon Goddess

#Auraugust #Severia Zetsuen #Moon #Moon Goddess #Selene #Just Severia

[piristephes]

Regarding the Moon Situation!

Theoi has an interesting bit about Selene, Lady Moon herself, and ancient witches who tried to mess with Her. “Lunar eclipses and the phenomena of the "red moon" were believed to be caused by the evil magics of Thessalian witches, who drew the goddess down from the sky in order to extract her blood. It was customary for villagers to beat cymbals at these times, to negate the witches' power and restore the goddess to the sky. “ (source) 

So, yeah, a bunch of witches tried hexing up the Moon, which is funny to think about. And if you guys wanna do something nice to Selene in her honour, we all could chant one for hymns and beat some cymbals (or maybe just clap, get creative).

I’ll leave one for hymns here. Praise Selene! Khaire, Aigle Selene!

Homeric Hymn 32 to Selene (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th - 4th B.C.) :

"And next, sweet voiced Mousai (Muses), daughters of Zeus, well skilled in song, tell of the long-winged Mene (Moon) [Selene]. From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. 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 Okeanos (Oceanus), and donned her far-gleaming raiment, and yoked her strong-necked, shining team, and 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. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. Once Kronides (Cronides) [Zeus] was joined with her in love; and she conceived an bare a daughter Pandeia, exceeding lovely amongst the deathless gods. Hail, white-armed goddess, bright Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen! And now I will leave you and sing the glorious of men half-divine, whose deeds minstrels, the servants of the Mousai, celebrate with lovely lips."

 May the Moon guide us, lovely pagans! 

#moon witch #THE MOON #Selene #Selenedeity #Selene devotee #hellenic witch #hellenic polytheism #witchcraft #witchblr #witchtok

[xsheepfangirlx-blog]

LOONA Greek Mythology 1/12

Heejin - Selene

From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light.

#loona #aesthetic #greek mythology #heejin #selene #kpop #girl of the month

[hellenismo]

Τετάρτη Μεσοῦντος/ Τετρὰς ἐπὶ δέκα/ Τεσσαρεκαιδεκάτη, XIV day From today's sunset: fourteenth day of Elaphebolion. Full Moon. Conclusion of the Megala Dionysia in the City; Pandia, very ancient festival, celebrated after the Dionysia, in honor of Selene, Zeus and Pandia “And next, sweet voiced Muses, daughters of Zeus, well-skilled in song, tell of the long-winged Moon. From Her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from Her shining light. 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. So She is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. 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. Hail, white-armed Goddess, bright Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen! “HH 32 1 (Selene, I BCE. From Pompeii, now in Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Napoli)

#Greek Mythology #greek religion #Selene #full moon #calendar

[singofus]

@nectaric asked: ❛ i know it feels like no one understands, but i'm listening now. ❜ hades to selene

Empathetic RP Prompts | Accepting

A deep breath is taken, eyes darting around even as her pale hands reach for his, trying to ground herself and focus on him. But is so, so hard when she can hear whispers of witches chants, feel the shiver it creates across her skin - bringing back memories of when they had charmed her, brought her in to harvest her. Her hands squeeze his as she turns her head sharply to see a robed shadow in the corner leering at her. She moved in closer to him, breath hastened though she tried now to find words to explain.

"You - can you see a robed woman in the corner? I-" She glanced over again and they were still there, still. She could feel their smirk even from the shadows. "Are they there? Lately I've...mother tells me she cannot see them so I believe she is right, but my mind tells me they are...I see things, Hades. And I can make others see things...but I would never make you, so please tell me."

Her demeanour now was a vast departure from her usual stoic calm. She truly is disturbed by what she sees, over the two days and three now she has seen them, heard them.

#. | from her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth (selene) #. | a beacon in the cosmos (adulthood) #nectaric #psychosis tw #hallucination tw

[singofus]

@nectaric asked: you touched me, and i came alive. - hades to selene?

PROMPTS FOR YEARNING, LOTS OF YEARNING... | Accepting

Selene smiles to him, a hand cupping his cheek - the thumb gently rubbing the apple of his cheek. For such a serious god, he could also be so poetic when alone.

"Then I shall add that to my list of powers." She gives a huff of amusement and moves her hand to neaten some of his hair briefly.

"As should you, for even your gaze can do the same with me."

Sometimes she could get lost in thought, or her schedule, or her darknesses. But a look from him was always enough to draw her out of it, to steer her attention to him. Though it was unfortunately rare that she got the privelidge. They both had their duties that could not be missed.

"My touch is all yours."

#. | from her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth (selene) #. | a beacon in the cosmos (adulthood) #. | selene/hades tbt #nectaric

[singofus]

@nectaric asked: 7. to catch my muse naked - hades n selene, maybe? either way around

nsfw prompts | Accepting

One thing being on Olympus was good for, was examining the constellations and starry cosmos. Here the constellations were closer and clearer than down on Hellas, and whilst she was glad it was a new moon and her time away from work, she always had been drawn to the sky.

Mind buzzing from nectar and alcohol, Mene had slipped away from the party and made her way to a quiet courtyard - a place she'd gone sometimes before when this urge occurred. Here, with a giggle in delighted anticipation, she removed her clothes and jewels and stepped into the depths of the natural-appearing lake whose inky waters reflected back the twinkling lights from above. The gentle trickle of the waterfall and muffled noise of the party now the only sounds about as she walked in towards the centre - taking her time and watching the ripples her hands made as they swept along the surface.

Once content with her spot, she moved then to float and peer up into the sky - silver ends of her hair glowing gently beneath the water. Water-muffled ears took in the sounds of the gentle waterfall, and of the fish beneath the surface, and it was all a perfect backdrop to the beauty of above. With deep breaths taken, she let herself just truly relax and abandon all thoughts and just enjoy the fuzzy happiness she felt, and the connection between herself and the cosmos.

She did not know how much time had passed, but suddenly she felt a prickling on her skin, as if she were being watched. Immediately she lifted her head, moving to stand as she tried to spot the onlooker. Ready to shout, but then she spotted Hades and that urge died.

Perhaps it was the alcohol, but instead she just went right back to floating, though looked over at him - uncaring that her naked body was in plain view beneath the light of the torches and the stars.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Though it was not the sky she looked at as she said that. Her eyes glowed a light silver as she produced images of minature constellations about Hades' head. Haloing him in starlight. Making him look radiant, moreso than usual.

Then her smile grew, as a thought she could no longer suppress bubbled out of her lips.

"Did you miss me?"

#. | from her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth (selene) #suggestive tw #. | a beacon in the cosmos (adulthood) #. | selene/hades tbt #nectaric #(drunk mene is cute) #(i had a lot of muse for this!)

[singofus]

Selene headcanon - her hair

Selene's hair is usually a mixture of black and glistening silver, but the amount that it is either depends on the phase of the moon. It is not only her crown that changes, but her hair.

At new moon, her hair is entirely pitch black.

At full moon, it is entirely silver and glows lightly.

At the portions in between, either her haiir is growing more silver from the tips of the hair up or black from the roots down. The proportion of which depends on the current phase.

#. | from her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth (selene)

[singofus]

HEADCANON - Selene - Mental Health

There are some myths/literature that discuss some aspects of mental health. E.g. there is a play in which Dionysus calls upon Selene to instill visual and auditory hallucinations into someone.

To me, because the moon is often associated with emotions (i.e. in tarot, lycanthropy in some ways, changes in behaviour) then that comes from a place of being able to instill into other people what she experiences herself.

For this reason, Selene herself has bouts of psychosis/hallucinations. This particularly takes hold after she was the victim of an attempted kidnapping by witches attempting to steal her blood (which is wild). It becomes often a common theme in her psychosis and comes with quite severe paranoia.

She also can experience periods of severe depression, especially in her youth and after Endymion's 'death'. With grief, it turns into dissassociation and derealisation (i could go into hypnos' interactions with selene but that's a story for another day).

#. | from her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth (selene)

[singofus]

HEADCANON - Selene

During her fight with Typhon, Selene’s face was gouged by his horns - forming a deep cut across her face and nose. This is healed but the scar remains, just hidden by a glamour to everyone around. Yet her lunar crown remains cracked - the lines repaired with lead - which is why it appears scarred to mortals.

#. | from her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth (selene)

[singofus]

@nectaric asked: "your touch does not need to be soft. i will not break." hades to selene ;-;

a collection of my own writings … sentence starters | Accepting

She smiles to herself as he says that, his cheek in her hand and her thumb tracing the soft skin beneath his eye. "And what if I want it to be soft?" She challenges first, making him realise it's not out of worry. It's out of want, desire to give him the touch that she often craved herself.

"But if you want something different, then by all means show me." She moves her hand from his face and coyly holds out her hands in front of her, palms facing up and waiting. It is playful, with mischief in her eyes. Ready was she for him to take this in any direction.

#. | from her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth (selene) #. | a beacon in the cosmos (adulthood) #. | selene/hades tbt #nectaric

[singofus]

@nectaric asked : 💋 surprise me!!

They sat together now, amongst the trees in this small grove - talking as if he had not first come across her floating naked in the fountain now pleasantly flowing before them. The only remnants were her haggardly tied chiton, and damp hair that glowed softly in the dark of this place.

There came a point in their conversation where Mene grew bolder, leaning herself ever so slightly against him, seeking a physical aspect of the peace he seemed to emanate.

In sobriety, she had always been able to remind herself of her self-control, that the impulses of her mind could stay simply intrusions. That they needn't define her or this formed friendship. Wine had melted through each one of those binding chains of control.

Despite her mind feeling as if it lay on a bed of cotton, the pale skin of her bangle-adorned arm thrummed with tingles - her body acutely aware of how close she was to the god who had occupied an embarrassing number of her thoughts and dreams. Enough for her to threaten the dreams she had never to send word to the Lord, lest they feel her wrath.

His lips were warm against hers in her sleep, his hands firm against her waist - keeping her close. Somehow she could see him even with her closed eyes, enjoying the furrow of his eyebrows in focus as they kissed.

Her tongue wetted drying lips, a murmur of acknowledgement given as she realised vaguely she had not responded in a while. He seemed to pull away then, and in that moment her wine-filled mind could not bear even the idea of him leaving without more. So without a thought, she grasped his wrist to keep him sat and leant in to press a hasty kiss to his lips - silver-filled eyes squeezed shut. Despite the haze of everything else, this moment would be etched in her brain, sober or not.

#. | from her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth (selene) #. | each day she shines and brings colour and light to the world (adulthood) #. | selene/hades tbt #nectaric #a little continuation of our other post if thats okay!