Selene
Selene drives her silvery chariot across the night sky, embodying the moon’s calm light. She famously loves the mortal Endymion, casting him into eternal sleep to preserve his beauty, and governs tides, timekeeping, and gentle illumination.
Story beats
- 1) Titan-born, Selene rides with a crescent crown and luminous horses (or bulls).
- 2) She falls for Endymion, requesting Zeus grant him unaging sleep—or casting the spell herself.
- 3) Each night she visits his cave, while mortals mark months by her phases.
- 4) Her light guides sailors and lovers alike; eclipses mark moments of awe and omen.
Context & symbolism
Selene personifies the moon’s steady rhythm and distant tenderness. Her myth with Endymion explores desire balanced with preservation—immortality that is also stasis. As timekeeper, she anchors calendars and agricultural cycles.
Her chariot and veil convey soft power—subtle influence over tides, fertility, and moods, distinct from sun’s blaze and Artemis’ hunt.
Motifs
- Crescent crown and silver chariot
- Sleeping shepherd Endymion
- Luminescent veil across the sky
- Phases marking time and tides
Use it in play
- Time-sensitive quest keyed to lunar phases set by Selene.
- Negotiate with Selene to wake or keep Endymion asleep for a prophecy.
- Navigate by moon chariot’s path when stars are hidden.
- Appease her during an eclipse to prevent omens from turning ill.