Dies (deity)

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Dies
Personification of day
William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) - Day (1881).jpg
Hemera/Dies (1881) by William-Adolphe Bouguereau
Personal information
ParentsChaos and Caligine
SiblingsNox, Erebus, and Aether
ConsortAether, Caelus
ChildrenTerra, Caelus, Mare
Greek equivalentHemera

In Roman mythology, Dies /ˈd.z/[1] (Latin diēs "day") was the personification of day. She was the daughter of Chaos and Caligine (Mist), and the counterpart of the Greek goddess Hemera.

Family[]

According to the Roman mythographer Hyginus, Chaos and Caligine were the parents of Nox (Night), Dies, Erebus (Darkness), and Aether.[2] Cicero says that Aether and Dies were the parents of Caelus (Sky).[3] While, Hyginus says that, in addition to Caelus, Aether and Dies were also the parents of Terra (Earth), and Mare (Sea).[4] Cicero also says that Dies and Caelus were the parents of Mercury, the Roman counterpart of Hermes.[5]

Name[]

The Latin noun diēs is based on the Proto-Italic accusative singular *dijēm, itself stemming from the Proto-Indo-European root *dyeu-, denoting the "diurnal sky" or the "brightness of the day" (in contrast to the darkness of the night).[6][7] The corresponding Proto-Indo-European day god is Dyeus.

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ "dies". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  2. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae Theogony 1 (Smith and Trzaskoma, p. 95).
  3. ^ Cicero, De Natura Deorum 3.44.
  4. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae Theogony 1–2 (Smith and Trzaskoma, p. 95).
  5. ^ Cicero, De Natura Deorum 3.56.
  6. ^ de Vaan 2008, p. 170.
  7. ^ West 2007, p. 167.

References[]

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