In Roman mythology, Dies (Latin: Diēs lit. "day") was the daughter of Chaos and Caligo (Mist), and the counterpart of the Greek goddess Hemera. She is one of the Primagenera. She is the personification and goddess of the day.
Mythology[]
Dies appears in only two sources, in Cicero's De Natura Deorum and Hyginus' Fabulae.
In Cicero's De Natura Deorum, he states that Dies and Ether were the parents of Caelus.[1]
In Cicero's De Natura Deorum, he states that Dies and Caelus were the parents of Mercury.[2]
| “ | Mercurius unus Caelo patre Die matre natus | ” |
–Cicero, De Natura Deorum | ||
In the preface of Hyginus' Fabulae, he states:
| “ | Ex Caligine Chaos: ex Chao et Caligine Nox Dies Erebus Aether. | ” |
–Hyginus, Fabulae | ||
In English, he states that Caligine and Chaos are the parents of Nox, Dies, Erebus, and Ether.[3]
In the next verse he states:
| “ | Ex Aethere et Die Terra Caelum Mare. | ” |
–Hyginus, Fabulae | ||
In English, he states that Ether and Dies are the parents of Terra, Caelus, and Mare.[4]
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). [5][6]
The corresponding Proto-Indo-European day god is *Dyeus.
References[]
- ↑ Cicero, De Natura Deorum 3.44
- ↑ Cicero, De Natura Deorum 3.56
- ↑ Hyginus, Fabulae Theogony 1
- ↑ Hyginus, Fabulae Theogony 1-2
- ↑ de Vaan, Michiel (2008). Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, p. 170.
- ↑ West, Martin L. (2007). Indo-European Poetry and Myth, p. 167.