1. The Story of Endymion
By Cameron Gibson

2. Info About Endymion
Endymion was either an Aeolian shepherd, hunter, astronomer, or king (other stories portray him as a prince)
King Endymion ruled in Olympia at Elis
The city that hosted the first Olympic Festival
Gradually developed into the Olympic Games
Said to be incredibly handsome
Also said to reside on Mount Latmus in Caria
First human to observe the movements of the moon
Led to Selene’s interest in him
According to the astronomer Pliny the Elder

3. Selene and Endymion
Selene, (Diana in the Roman stories) the Titanian goddess of the moon, falls in love with the mortal, Endymion
Visited him in cave on Mount Latmus
She is so in love that she begs Zeus (his father) to grant him eternal youth
Endymion doesn’t have to leave her for Hades
Selene and Endymion had 50 daughters
The “50 months of the Olympiad” (four year period between Olympian Game
Endymion later recognized as the personification of sleep or sunset

4. Selene and Endymion (alt.)
Selene admires E. in his sleep
Selene one day comes down and enchants him with a kiss, putting him into an eternal, deathless slumber
Visits him every night where he slept
She is said to be visiting him on nights when there is a new moon
Explains the moon’s “disappearance”
Or…
Other stories state that his eternal sleep was a punishment set by Zeus for attempting sexual relations with Hera