The last New Moon of the Spring happens this week on Wednesday, and for the occasion, the night sky is getting decked out in its favorite jewels: the evening star and the starry crown. And in between, a beautiful imagination develops over the Western edge of the world, where the ancient goddesses known as the Hours join in the dances of the gods.
The Hours, or Horai were Ancient Greek goddesses of the hours of the day that guided the high path of the Sun as he journeyed across the sky. The Hours were 12 in number, and were considered the handmaidens of Harmonia, the Allmother whose hall in the vault of heaven was shaped like the great universe with its four quarters joined in one. The hall had four portals standing strong against the four Winds.
The Hour of the setting Sun that protected Harmonia’s hall from the west wind was named Dysis, and in addition to guarding the west gate, she was regarded as the nurse of the world. Dysis was the attendant of the Moon, so it’s easy to imagine that the ancient Greeks experienced the sacred activity of this goddess on evenings when the Moon was a waxing crescent in the west, just after sunset, like it will be later this week.
It is said that when Venus/Aphrodite was born, Dysis and her sister Hours welcomed her joyously, clothing her with heavenly garments and placing on her head a crown of gold, which makes her a brilliant evening star.
You can watch for all of this later this week, when the crescent Moon rises into the sky Thursday and Friday, attended by the guardian Hour of the setting Sun, Dysis. The Moon and Dysis will then join hands with the evening star Venus as they all make ready for the beautiful dance of the gods under the starry skies.
