The Moon was new last Saturday, which means that this week we get the romance of a waxing crescent moving up the sky over the western horizon all week.
And not only do we get the waxing crescent, but the Moon will make a spectacular meeting with Jupiter on Thursday night, October 3rd ~ and this is where the romance kicks in.
In Ancient Greek mythology, the Moon was known as Selene, a Titan Goddess, while Jupiter was known as Zeus, king of the Olympians, wielder of thunderbolts, and sometimes granter of wishes!
The story is that one night Selene had risen up into the night over a mountain, and when her light spilled into a cavern there, it fell upon the sleeping shepherd Endymion. Selene fell in love at once, and pleaded with Zeus, that he grant Endymion eternal youth and sleep, so that she could meet him each night in dream. And he did!
This week, we can imagine that Selene comes begging the fulfillment of love’s wish again, when she encounters Jupiter Zeus on Thursday night.
If you would seek the same, then go out to greet the Moon, and take with you these few lines from the Homeric Hymn to Selene:
From Selene’s immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that arises from her shining light. The air, unlit before, glows with the light of her golden crown, and her rays beam clear, whensoever bright Selene has bathed her lovely body in waters of Ocean…she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men.