Endymion

Meanings

1. 1proper nounproperliterary

   In Greek mythology, a beautiful young shepherd or hunter whom the moon goddess loved and who was granted endless sleep.

   Grammar: Used as a name, so it takes no article and no plural: Endymion slept; not the Endymion.

   Patterns

   • Endymion was granted eternal sleep
   • the story of Endymion

   In the old story, Endymion lies asleep in a cave while the moon looks down on him.

   Poets have often retold the tale of Endymion and the moon goddess.

   Keats wrote a long poem called Endymion, based on the Greek myth.

2. 2nounsingularliterary

   A long narrative poem by John Keats, published in 1818, whose opening line begins 'A thing of beauty is a joy for ever'.

   Grammar: Usually written in italics as a title, and normally used with the: I have read Endymion.

   Patterns

   • Keats's Endymion
   • the opening of Endymion

   Endymion was not well received when it first appeared, but readers now admire its opening.

   Our seminar compared Endymion with Keats's later odes.

Common combinations

the myth of Endymion

The myth of Endymion explains why the moon seems to gaze at a sleeping shepherd.

Endymion and the moon goddess

Painters of the Romantic period loved the subject of Endymion and the moon goddess.

Keats's Endymion

Keats's Endymion opens with a line that almost everyone can quote.

the story of Endymion

She retold the story of Endymion for a children's book.

a thing of beauty is a joy for ever

The phrase 'a thing of beauty is a joy for ever' comes from Endymion.

Synonyms and how they differ

Selene's lover

A descriptive phrase rather than a name; use it when you want to explain who Endymion was without telling the whole myth.

Word family

Endymion proper noun

The same name is used for the mythological figure and for Keats's poem.

Commonly confused: Endymion or Endymion?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “Endymion”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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