EOS was the rosy-fingered goddess of the dawn. She and her siblings Helios (the Sun) and Selene (the Moon) were numbered amongst the second-generation Titan gods. Eos rose up into the sky from the river Okeanos at the start of each day, and with her rays of light dispersed the mists of night. She was sometimes depicted riding in a golden chariot drawn by winged horses, at other times she was shown borne aloft by her own pair of wings. Eos had an unquenchable desire for handsome young men, some say as the result of a curse laid upon her by the goddess Aphrodite. Her lovers included Orion, Phaethon, Kephalos and Tithonos, three of which she ravished away to distant lands. The Trojan prince Tithonos became her official consort. When the goddess petitioned Zeus for his immortality, she neglected also to request eternal youth. In time he shrivelled up by old age and transformed into a grasshopper.
TITLES, EPITHETS & VARIANT NAME SPELLINGS
Eos had a number of poetic titles and epithets.
Greek Name Transliteration Latin Spelling Translation
Hrigeneia êrigeneia Erigenea Early-Born
Orqria Orthria Orthria Morning-Twilight
`Hmera Hêmera Hemera Day
Titw Titô Tito Day
AuwV Auôs Auos Dawn
AwV Aôs Aos Dawn
RododaktuloV Rhododaktylos Rhododactylus Rosy-Fingered
RodopacuV Rhodopakhus Rhodopachus Rosy-Armed
CrusopacuV Khrysopakhus Chrysopachus Golden-Armed
FaesforoV Phaesphoros Phaesphorus Light-Bringer
KrokopeploV Krokopeplos Crocopeplos Saffron-Robed
From: Theoi -- has tons more quotes and info
The dawn goddess, Eos with "rosy fingers" opened the gates of heaven[2] so that Apollo could ride his chariot across the sky every day. In Homer,[3] her saffron-colored robe is embroidered or woven with flowers;[4] rosy-fingered and with golden arms, she is pictured on Attic vases as a supernaturally beautiful woman, crowned with a tiara or diadem and with the large white-feathered wings of a bird.
From The Iliad:
Now when Dawn in robe of saffron was hastening from the streams of Oceanus, to bring light to mortals and immortals, Thetis reached the ships with the armor that the god had given her.
—Iliad xix.1
But soon as early Dawn appeared, the rosy-fingered, then gathered the folk about the pyre of glorious Hector.
—Iliad xxiv.776
Quintus Smyrnaeus pictured her exulting in her heart over the radiant horses (Lampos and Phaithon) that drew her chariot, amidst the bright-haired Horae, the feminine Hours, climbing the arc of heaven and scattering sparks of fire.[5]
Eos in her chariot flying over the sea, red-figure krater from South Italy, 430–420 BC, Staatliche Antikensammlungen
She is most often associated with her Homeric epithet "rosy-fingered" (rhododactylos), but Homer also calls her Eos Erigeneia:
That brightest of stars appeared, Eosphoros, that most often heralds the light of early-rising Dawn (Eos Erigeneia).
—Odyssey xiii.93
Hesiod wrote:
And after these Erigeneia ["Early-born"] bore the star Eosphoros ("Dawn-bringer"), and the gleaming stars with which heaven is crowned.
—Theogony 378-382
Thus Eos, preceded by the Morning Star (Venus), is seen as the genetrix of all the stars and planets; her tears are considered to have created the morning dew, personified as Ersa or Herse.
Eos is the daughter of Hyperion and Theia (or Pallas and Styx) and sister of Helios the sun and Selene the moon, "who shine upon all that are on earth and upon the deathless Gods who live in the wide heaven" Hesiod told in Theogony (371-374). The generation of Titans preceded all the familiar deities of Olympus, who supplanted them.
The following are lovers of Eos, described in various myths, and her children by them.
1. Orion-killed by Artemis over jealousy
2. With Astraeus-married
1. Boreas-north wind
2. Eurus-east wind
3. Notus-south wind
4. Zephyrus-west wind
5. Eosphoros-morning star
6. Hesperos-evening star
7. Phainon-Saturn
8. Phaethon-Jupiter
9. Pyroeis-Mars
10. Stilbon-Mercury
3. With Tithonus-kidnapped
1. Emathion
2. Memnon
4. With Cephalus-kidnapped
1. Phaëton
2. Tithonos
5. With Zeus
1. Carae
From: WikipediaThe Greek personification of the dawn, the daughter of the Hyperion and Theia and the sister of Helios (sun) and Selene (moon). By Astraeus she was the mother of the four winds: Boreas, Eurus, Zephyrus and Notus; and also of Heosphorus and the Stars. She was depicted as a goddess whose rosy fingers opened the gates of heaven to the chariot of the Sun. Her legend consists almost entirely of her intrigues. She first slept with Ares; this earned her the wrath of Aphrodite who punished her by changing her into a nymphomaniac. Her lovers were Orion, Cephalus and Tithonus.
From: Pantheon.orgName & Epithets
I write of Eos [Êôs or Heôs], Goddess of the Dawn, known as Aurora to the Romans, who is called Mistress [Potnia], Golden-throned [Khrusothronos], Saffron (yellow) Robed, Rosy-fingered [Rhododaktulos], Early-born [Êrigeneia] and the Dawn-Maiden.
Genealogy
Eos is the daughter of Hyperion, the One Above, Who Travels High Above the Earth, and of Theia The Divine, or, according to others, of Euryphassa, the Widely-shining One, or of Pallas (and so She is called Aurora Pallantias, Aurora of Pallas). In any case, Her parents are a Sun God and a Moon Goddess, and She is a Titaness of the second generation.
Characteristics Eos is young, highly spirited, and lovely; it is Her nature to awaken desire. Her eyelids are snowy, Her cheeks rosy and Her head crowned with beautiful, dewy tresses. She has rosy arms and fingers and large, white wings. She wears a radiant crown or a star on Her head, and sometimes She is veiled. Her robes are saffron yellow or dazzling white and purple, and she wears yellow shoes.
She rides a rose-colored, purple or golden chariot drawn by white horses. Or She may float in air, holding in each hand a pitcher, from which She pours the dew. Or again She may come riding on Pegasos and carrying a torch, for She requested Pegasos from Zeus after He punished Bellerophon.
Tender-hearted Eos is always eager for young mortal lovers; this is a punishment inflicted on Her by Aphrodite for having slept with Ares. Like Aphrodite, She brings love to mortals, but is not so easily placated as the Goddess of Love. So also Dawn brings a renewal of erotic passions and the morning erection.
Actions at Dawn
Eos lives by the streams of Ocean at the eastern end of the Earth. According to some, this is on Ortygia (or Delos), the Isle of the Rising Sun, where Apollo and Artemis were born. The cocks call Her in the morning, and She awakes and leaps eagerly from the bed of Tithonos, the deathless Trojan prince who is Her husband.
She leaves Her court, glowing with rosy light, and opens the purple Eastern Gates of pearl upon the pathway strewn with roses. Swiftly She rides forth in Her chariot drawn by two horses, Lampus [Shiner] and Phaethôn [Blazer], while Nux and Hupnos [Nox and Somnus, Night and Sleep] fly in front of Her.
Eos lifts the veil of night and chases away the hosts of stars. (So also the souls of the dead depart at daybreak.) The first light of Dawn is white, for that is the color of Her wings. Next we see the golden radiance from Her saffron robe and yellow shoes. Finally Her rosy arms and fingers stretch across the heavens. The flowers and plants, drenched by the dew that She pours from her pitchers, lift their faces to Her in gratitude for the new day.
A fresh wind is felt at Dawn's approach, for Astraios, who is the Dawn Wind, and Eos unite at dawn, to produce a fertilizing spirit. And so, by Starry Astraios, She is the mother of the strong-hearted winds: brightening Zephyros [west], Boreas [north], headlong in His course, and Notos [south]; the remaining wind is Argestês [Bringer of Brightness], which is either Apheliotês [east] or Euros [southeast].
These are the winds of morning, which bring benefits to mortals (as opposed to the other, turbulent, chaotic winds), for the beneficial winds are born of Eos, "the eternally new light of the dawning day," and Astraios, "the luminous radience of the night sky." The Four Winds help to organize human labor and to orient the sea lanes; they also define the cycle of the seasons.
To Astraios, the Ancient Father of the Stars, She also bore the star Heôsphoros [Dawn-bringer] and the other gleaming stars by which the heaven is crowned. That is, the God of the Night Sky united with Dawn to engender the Morning Star [Heôsphoros]. Others say that this Daystar, who is called Phôsphoros [Lucifer] or Phaethôn, the Illuminator, is the son of Eos and Kephalos. In any case, carrying a torch He flies by his own wings before Her chariot.
The Hindus say that Dawn is a young wife, who wakes Her children and gives them new strength for the day's work. But because "to be awakened" is "to be wise," they also say She is the Goddess who brings wisdom.
As the New Day, Eos accompanies Her brother Helios, the Sun, throughout the day, riding or walking ahead of His chariot. Therefore She is identified with daylight and is called Hêmera [Day], Titô [cf. Titan < Day] and Hêlia; She is Queen of Day. At dusk She accompanies the Sun to the west, where She is called Hespera [Evening]. Yet again, as Goddesses, Eos, Hêmera and Nux [Dawn, Day, Night] are the Maiden, Mother and Crone.
Helios is preceded on His course by Selene and Eos, His sisters; Eos is the wilder and more turbulent of the two. Observe: Selene, Eos and Helios are Night, Dawn and Day; Their colors are the Black of Night, the Red of Morning and the White of Day. Alchemically They are Quicksilver, Salt, and Sulphur; the Quicksilver (Silver Moon) and the Sulphur (Golden Sun) join together in the Salt. Aurora's complementary partner, for whom She strives, is the Green youth.
From: This archived pageOther Sites:Orphic Hymn 78 to Eos (trans. Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C. to 2nd A.D.) :
"To Eos, Fumigation from Manna. Hear me, O Goddess, whose emerging ray leads on the broad refulgence of the day; blushing Eos (Dawn), whose celestial light beams on the world with reddening splendours bright. Messenger of Titan [Helios the Sun], whom with constant round thy orient beams recall from night profound: labour of every kind to lead it thine, of mortal life the minister divine. Mankind in thee eternally delight, and none presumes to shun thy beauteous sight. Soon as they splendours break the bands of rest, and eyes unclose, with pleasing sleep oppressed; men, reptiles, birds, and beasts, with general voice, and all the nations of the deep rejoice; for all the culture of our life is thine. Come, blessed power, and to these rites incline: thy holy light increase, and unconfined diffuse its radiance on the mystics’ mind."
Myth Man's Eos Homework Help
Eos - About the Greek Goddess Eos
Eos the Goddess of Dawn
Eos: Goddess of the Dawn, mother to the Winds
Tithonus - Wikipedia
The Greek Lovers Tithonus and Eos in Myth and Art
Eos and Tithonus
Related Sites:
Aurora, Roman Goddess of the Dawn
Thesan, Etruscan dawn goddess
Aurora (mythology) - Wikipedia
Ushas {Goddess of the Week} -- Vedic dawn goddess
This is an off-site archive of the MysticWicks "Deity of the Week" threads. These threads offer information and resources to better understand the deity in focus.
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