Discover

'Aurora' is the Latin word for dawn, the Roman goddess of dawn, and an asteroid. ''Aurora'' (goddess) is comparable to the Greek goddess Eos, and to the Hindu goddess Ushas.

Contents

Roman mythology

Usage in literature

External links

Roman mythology

In ancient Roman mythology Aurora, goddess of the dawn, renews herself every morning and flies across the sky, announcing the arrival of the sun. She has two siblings, a brother (Sol, the sun) and a sister (Luna, the moon). Aurora also had four children, one for each of the four cardinal directions: North, South, East, and West.
One of her lovers was the prince of Troy, Tithonus. Tithonus was a mortal, and as such would age and die. Wanting to be with her lover for all eternity, Aurora asked Zeus to grant immortality to Tithonus. Zeus granted her wish, however Aurora had failed to ask him for eternal youth. As a result, Tithonus ended up aging eternally.

Usage in literature

In Shakespeare's ''Romeo and Juliet'' (i.i) Montague says of his lovesick son Romeo
:''But all so soon as the all-cheering sun
:''Should in the furthest east begin to draw
:''The shady curtains from Aurora's bed,
:''Away from the light steals home my heavy son...
In the poem "Tithonus" by Lord Alfred Tennyson, Aurora is described thus:
:''Once more the old mysterious glimmer steals
:''From thy pure brows, and from thy shoulders pure,''
:''And bosom beating with a heart renewed.''
:''Thy cheek begins to redden through the gloom,
:''Thy sweet eyes brighten slowly close to mine,
:''Ere yet they blind the stars, and the wild team
:''Which love thee, yearning for thy yoke, arise,
:''And shake the darkness from their loosened manes,
:''And beat the twilight into flakes of a fire''
In singer-songwriter Björk's ''Vespertine'' track, Aurora is described as such:
:''Treading the glacier head
:''Looking hard for movements of shine
:''From twilight to twilight...
:''Aurora, goddess sparkle
:''Shoot me beyond this suffer...!
:''The need is great...!
:''Aurora...
:''Aurora, goddess sparkle
:''A mountain shade suggests your shape
:''I tumble down on my knees
:''Fill the mouth with snow
:''The way it melts...
:''I wish to melt into you...
:''Aurora, spark the sun off...
:''Spark the sun off for me...''

External links

★ Aurora in ''Encyclopædia Mythica''