El Refugio de la Brujita: The Saffron Mother

The Saffron Mother

#pink #golden #saffron

The Saffron-goddess had a substantially greater role in Crete than in later antiquity. In Greece & Rome she came to be identified as Eos or Aurora the Goddess of the Dawn, with herself, her throne, her sacred robes, even her wedding bed, all the color of gold & saffron.

Dawn-goddesses were frequently warlike, arising each morning to battle with things of the Night such as Eos single-handedly chased out of the sky. Ovid among others called Eos the "Saffron mother," & many ancient poets allude to her rosy-red (saffron-dyed) fingers. She arrived on the earth each morning in a war-chariot drawn by bright roan horses. The Dionysiaca calls her "Farshooting Eos" since she is a mistress of archery.

Eos is the Goddess of the dawn in Greek mythology. Romans call her Aurora. Eos appears in the sky every morning in her chariot drawn by her two horses Firebright and Daybright. Eos is the Titaness who opens the gates of heaven to allow Helios, the God of the Sun, to pass through each morning. Helios, the sun, and Selene the moon goddess are her equally powerful siblings. Eos is preceded only by her son Phosphorus who slowly marches in front of his mother’s chariot carrying a torch with which he lights the planet Venus. Because of this, Phosphorus is called the Morning Star. He has a twin brother called Hesperus who is the Evening Star because he also lights up Venus, but in the evening. The planet Venus shines more than the stars.

I always loved Eos artistically because she was not described like the other ones (EXTREMELY BEAUTIFUL) but she was very popular among poets, who love to sing about her saffron robes and pink fingers and golden sandals. When now Aurora… with her rosy luster purpled o’er the lawn… Soon as the early, rosy-fingered dawn appeared… (Homer) In gold sandals Dawn like a thief fell upon me. (Sappho) The Odyssey notes that Eos's golden robe was an embroidered "flowery cloth" & The Iliad says "she lays her saffron robes upon the earth", a protective action.