|
This
page contains only the mythology that surrounds Luna, Artimis, and
Diana.
|
In
Egypt, Bast became the goddess of cats. Artimis was her equivalent
according to the Greeks, and Diana to the Romans. Luna was Latin for
Selene (so approoriate that she's Usagi's/Serenity's cat). Artemis/Diana
was the goddess of the hunt. Artemis, as the twin sister of Apollo (the
sun), came to be identified with Selene. Diana, besides being the
goddess of the hunt, was said to be the Moon goddess too.
Meaning "mew," Mau is an alternate name for the fire and cat
goddess Bast. Bast or Bastet, the Egyptian goddess, was not only
depicted with the head of a cat and held the cat as her sacred animal,
but she also had a connection to the moon. In the manga, Mau is the
planet the three kitties come from.
Luna: Latin name for the goddess of the Moon, sometimes coupled with
Sol, the sun. Many times the Moon was the creatress, or she might
represent fire and water, along with Sol.
Artimis: Daughter of Zeus and Leto, sister to Apollo. She was the
goddess of fertility, childbirth, hunt, and wilderness. Sometimes she
was depicted with the crescent on her forehead. Sometimes she was
identified with Selene, as she became a goddess of illuminating the
night. She carried the bow and arrows. She was also a healing deity, but
at the same time she might spread disease. She honored her purity above
all else, and punished severely any who would attempt any dishonor to
herself or her maidens. She was also a protectress of the young,
especially young girls (this could be why Artimis was made Sailor Venus'
guardian).
Diana: Her name is the feminine counterpart to Ianus. She was goddess of
the chase, childbirth, and moon. She became identified with Artimis and
Hecate. Her chief worshippers were women, praying for a successful birth
or marriage.
Cat: Ancient Egyptians believed the cat to be an animal of the Moon. The
cat-bodied or cat-headed goddess Bast represented the Moon's power over
pregnant women. Her son was believed to be the Moon, with the function
of making women fruitful, so that the human germ might grow in the
mother's womb, activated by the Moon's light. In Japan, the cat is
prized among sailors. They believe the cat will keep at bay any spirits
of the deep. Also, Japanese cats have been attributed to have
supernatural powers or to be able to bewitch humans. Diana and Artimis
were said to have assumed the form of a cat. Cats have been linked to
the Moon in various beliefs. In ancient Rome, the cat was a liberty
symbol. And a black cat crossing your path, in Japan, is good luck.
|
