Endymion

In the Greek Mythology, Endymion (in Greek old Ἐνδυμίων / Endymíôn ) is a king of Élide (or a simple shepherd according to other versions), wire of Éthlios or Zeus. It had three wire: Étolos, Péon and Épéios (according to the legend, it chooses its heir among these three by subjecting them to a race on foot that Épéios gained). It also passes for the father of Narcisse.

He is the lover of Séléné (or sometimes Artémis), of which he has fifty girls. The 50 lunar months between each session of the Olympic Games are supposed to refer there. The tomb of Endymion is with Olympie. According to certain traditions, Séléné obtains for him that it preserves its beauty in a sleep eternal in a cave of the Mont Latmos (in Carie).

Artistic representations

Among the traditional representations, one can quote that of Cima de Corregliano (towards 1510, museum of Parma) and that of Pier Francesco Mola (towards 1660, art gallery of the Capitole to Rome).
the “modern” representation most known is that of Girodet (Musée of Louvre), painted in 1792. The shepherd is represented deadened in a lascive posture with one modelled all in curve, without visible musculature, which was contrary with the academism of the time. Séléné is present only in the form of a lighting blafard whose ray comes effleurer the mouth from the subject. This table marks a transition between the traditional style and the Romantisme in gestation.
In addition, the Brothers Jacques evokes a meeting between Diane and Endymion in the song bearing the name of the goddess of the album Mythologie .

See too

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