Moon and Ocean
Come sweet voiced Muses and impart the tale of heavenly Selene and mighty Poseidon. Remember that the Muses have previously sung about Selene and her beloved Endymion, whom she had gifted with eternal sleep in order to never be parted. Little known is that Poseidon often admired this daughter of Hyperion, reflecting her shining form in the waters he rules.
One time, that scheming ruler of the deep spotted this fair maiden, who brightens the night sky, stopping to visit her beloved during her nightly circuit through the heavens. A great jealousy filled Poseidon's chest at seeing Selene's devotion to the once mortal Endymion, and he soon hatched a plan to destroy the one so unworthy of the goddesses affection.
The night passed, and Selene took her leave as her sister Eos harkened their brother Helius' arrival. At once Poseidon sent some trusted Nymphs to travel unseen and bring Endymion to the shore. This being done, Poseidon commanded the waters to crash down and destroy poor Endymion's body against the rocks. Being in an eternal sleep Endymion was unable to move out of harms way, and although his body was as ageless as any god it was broken to such a small scale by the sea and rock as to never be joined as one again. Had poor Selene foreseen this she would have rethought her wish. We cannot fault this heavenly goddess as nothing can escape a vile and strong will.
When night again came, revealing Selene, she went to gaze upon the handsome face she loved so dearly only to find him gone. She went looking but alas she could not see for the night was too dark. However, being the goddess who lights up the night sky she now shone her brightest, so bright that mortals and gods nearly mistook her for her brother, in hopes of spotting her Endymion. Bold Poseidon, whose secret remained concealed, offered Selene his affections in consolation, but was turned away as she continued on her desperate search.
Soon Poseidon's unlawful act was revealed. Learning of her beloved's fate, mighty Selene tried to reform his body, now scattered in the water of the sea, by pulling the water to her. So strong was her longing that she succeeded in calling a tiny part of Endymion to her. The lord of the deep could not accept this and pulled the water back away from Selene in his jealous wrath before Endymion could be reformed. However, bright Selene did not give up but struggled against the lord of the deep, and together they created the tides. Zeus called upon Nemesis to end the struggle. Nemesis declared that Poseidon must surrender control of part of his waters to Selene, so that she could continue her task. As none can avoid retribution for their crimes, the lord of the deep, knowing she would never succeed, allowed Selene to move the waters but limited control to the tides they had created which the heavenly goddess moves still.
After not long, when she saw that her efforts to reform her beloved's body were not advancing, grief overcame the heavenly maiden. She went swiftly to the breast of the great mother of all to be consoled. Selene missed her nightly circuit while grieving in Gaea's shadow. She was able to console Selene enough that the heavenly maiden returned to the sky, but not before promising Selene that she might return should distress overcome her.