Wandering stars

In Greco-Roman Classical Mythology, the Astra Planeta (Ancient Greek: (Astra Planêta); lit. " Wandering Stars", "Planets" (their Roman name is the ''Stellae Errantae'')) are brothers, and are five of Eos' and Astraeus' children--along with the '' Anemoi'' and ''Astraea''--personifying the Classical planets (minus the Sun and the Moon (Eos' siblings), and the Earth ( Gaia)); Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are not included, as they are invisible to the naked eye and were thus unknown to the ancient Hellenic peoples.
The ''Astra Planeta''s names are:
# ''Phainon'' (Ancient Greek: (Phainôn); lit. "Shining" (phainô)); the personification of the planet Saturn. Associated with the god, '' Kronus''/'' Saturn'' (''Kronion'').
# ''Phaethon'' (Ancient Greek: (Phaethôn); lit. "Blazing", "Shining" (phaethô)); the personification of the planet Jupiter. Associated with the god, ''Zeus/Jupiter/Jove'' (''Dios''). ''Phaethon'' also shares a similar name with ''Phaethon'', the son of ''Helios'' and a queen of Aethiopia; after his disastrous attempt at driving the solar chariot, ''Phaethon'' was struck down by ''Zeus'' and placed into the sky as (also) the god of Zeus' planet - Jupiter.
# ''Pyroeis'' (Ancient Greek: (Pyroeis); lit. "Fiery" (pyroeis, pyra)); the personification of the planet Mars (see also History of Mars observation). He was also called ''Mesonyx'' (from middle-night), the Midnight Star. Associated with the gods, ''Mars''/''Ares'' &/or ''Herakles''/''Heracles''.
# ''Eosphorus''/''Phosphorus'' and ''Hesperus'' (Ancient Greek: (Eôsphoros); lit. "Dawn-Bringer") / (Ancient Greek: (Hesperos / Hesperus); lit. "Evening"); the personification of the planet Venus (see also Observations and explorations of Venus). Associated with the goddess, ''Aphrodite/Venus''. The name, ''Eosphoros''/''Phosphorus'', is specific to Venus in the morning, as the "Morning Star", and the name, ''Hesperus'', is specific to Venus in the evening, as the "Evening Star"; while it was once believed that ''Venus'' in the morning and ''Venus'' in evening were two different celestial bodies, these two star-gods were later combined.
# '' Stilbon'' (Ancient Greek: {{lang, grc, Στιλβων (Stilbôn); lit. "Gleaming", "Glittering" (stilbô)); the personification of the planet Mercury. Associated with the god, ''Hermes''/'' Mercury''.

The term ''Astra Planeta'' can be translated as “star wanderer”, but of course are more commonly known as the “wandering stars” or the classical planets; and in antiquity, the planets ''Mercury'', ''Venus'', ''Mars'', ''Jupiter'' and ''Saturn'' were all believed to be heavenly bodies that moved across the sky differently compared to the fixed stars and constellations. Thus the five ''Astra Planeta'' were ''Phainon'' (representing the planet Saturn), ''Phaethon'' (representing the planet Jupiter), ''Pyroeis'' (representing the planet Mars), ''Eosphoros''/''Hesperus'' (representing the planet Venus), and ''Stilbon'' (representing the planet Mercury). The planets or wandering stars-themselves would all subsequently be named after Roman deities (confusingly)--as were the later identified ''Uranus'', ''Neptune'' and ''Pluto''--although this was explained by the fact that the planets were sacred to that deity rather than the god/''Astra Planeta'' being present there; therefore, in Greek mythology, the planet ''Saturn'' was sacred to the Titan, ''Cronus'', the planet ''Jupiter'' was sacred to the Olympian, ''Zeus'', the planet ''Mars'' sacred to the Olympian, ''Ares'' (due to Mars' reddish tint), the planet ''Venus'' sacred to Olympian, ''Aphrodite'', and the planet ''Mercury'' sacred to Olympian, ''Hermes'' (being the one that moved the fastest).

The ''Astra Planeta'' were naturally considered to reside in the sky, but also as their journey would see them disappear below the horizon. They were also considered to have homes within the River '' Oceanus''/''Okeanos'', the earth-encircling river into which other constellations, the sun and moon also disappeared. The ''Astra Planeta'' are the entourage of their mother, ''Eos'' (with ''Eosphoros''/''Hesperus'' (as the morning star) preceding her), and their uncle, '' Helios''; in Greco-Roman artwork (Greek vase paintings, etc.), as-such all five of the ''Astra Planeta'' brothers are depicted as youths diving back-down into the river ''Oceanus'', the endless ocean, along with ''Helios'' riding his chariot, and at daybreak the next day, they would all arise with their uncle, with the rising of the sun each day.

''Astra Planeta'' is also the name/title that is given, by-extension, to all star deities, collectively, in Greco-Roman mythology; during Cronus' reign, fearing them for their overpowering numbers and as potential enemies, Cronus banished them from the earth to live up in the abodes of his brother, ''Coeus'' (the personification of the celestial axis around which the heavens revolve) in their true forms, arranging into formations, becoming the first constellations--''Eos'' and ''Astraeus'' siring ''Phainon'', ''Phaethon'', ''Pyroeis'', ''Eosphoros''/''Hesperus'' and ''Stilbon'' all-afterwards.

See Also

* Wufang Shangdi (the Classical planets in Chinese mythology).

External links

Theoi Project: Astra Planeta

Greek gods
Stellar gods
Children of Eos
Titans (mythology)
Personifications in Greek mythology