People in ancient Greece often spent time observing the night sky. Sailors in particular relied upon the position of constellations during navigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Known for centuries as an “evening star” the planet Venus sometimes appears visible in the early evening; for generations, people mistook the planet for a bright star. The ancient Greeks associated the god Hesperus with this shining light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The poet Homer described Hesperus as a carrier of light. His “Evening Star”<\/strong> (the planet Venus<\/a>) appeared early in the evening and remained visible into the dawn sometimes as a very brilliant light. Hesperus, considered exceedingly handsome in appearance, represented this important heavenly body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ancient Greeks did not always agree about the parents of Hesperus. One legend described him as the son of a goddess and her husband. Another claimed he had a human father. And yet another legend viewed him as one of the grandchildren of the Titan<\/a> Uranus (the ruler of the heavens).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many early Greeks believed the Titans Hyperion<\/a> and Theia had produced a daughter called Eos. She served as the goddess of the dawn. Eos married Astraeus<\/a>, the god of the dusk (i.e. the evening).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most legends describe her as the mother of Hesperus. In some stories, the Greeks regarded her husband, the god the early evening, as the father of the handsome Hesperus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another version of this story views Hesperus as the son of the goddess Eos<\/a> and a half-human named Cephalus, a skilled athlete and hunter. In this legend, Cephalus, the son of the messenger of the gods, Hermes<\/a>, and Herse, a princess from the City of Athens, fell in love with Eos. He lived with her on Mount Olympus for several years.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Mysterious Family Background of Hesperus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n