Eos
Eos, Goddess of Dawn, is the sister of Helios and Selene. Every morning, at dawn, she opens the gates of the sky with her rosy fingers so that Helios can ride. She is the dawn: when dawn is visible, that means Eos is present. She is a golden goddess who wears robes dyed gold, orange, and crimson with saffron, Earth’s most expensive, luxurious spice. Native to Western Asia, saffron is believed to have been first cultivated in Greece. It produces beautiful dyes, long associated with spirituality: the robes of Buddhist monks are dyed with saffron. The color ranges from yellow to deep red. Saffron is also an aphrodisiac: Eos is a lusty goddess, a free spirit who takes lovers as she will. She is a spirit of fertility: she and Astraios are the parents of the winds, many stars, and the planet Venus. Eos is a warrior goddess: she emerges at dawn to drive off recalcitrant nocturnal Demons. They flee at her presence. Her son, Memnon, an Ethiopian king, fought on the side of the Trojans during the Trojan War and was killed by Achilles. Eos’ tears moved Zeus, another of her lovers, to resurrect Memnon and grant him immortality. The image of Eos cradling the corpse of her naked bearded son was immensely popular and may have served as a model for the Christian Pietà. The poses are virtually identical. Eos is a goddess of wisdom and a defender against Demons. Ask her to banish malevolent nocturnal spirits. She is an erotic goddess of fertility and may be petitioned for assistance with romance and conception.
ORIGIN:
Greece
CLASSIFICATION:
Titan
MANIFESTATION:
Eos is a radiantly beautiful woman. She may have wings.
ICONOGRAPHY:
Eos is portrayed flying across the sky of her own volition, powered by her wings, or driving a golden chariot pulled by winged horses.
Plant:
Saffron crocus
Creature:
Snake
SEE ALSO:
- Aurora
- Helios
- Selene
- Thetis
SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses– Written by Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.