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There is little written about the physical appearance of the Goddess Asteria. In a way, Hera respects Asteria and spares her for her integrity in choosing to live in the waters alone as an island rather than befell her marriage. Ex Machina. Therefore, she asks Leto to swear before the gods that Apollo will build a glorious temple here first, to become an oracle for men. Astraea was the virgin goddess of justice, purity, innocence, and precision. However, Astraea is accepted as its most popular ambassador. Abilities Master combatant: Asteria is one of the greatest and most legendary warriors of the Amazons. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Astraea was the daughter of Eos and Astraeus. While she wasnt the most well-known Greek goddess, her reputation of purity and justice stuck with many throughout Ancient Greece and beyond. In response to Letos request, Delos rejoices and promises to provide a safe haven for her nephews birth. In some instances, Asteria is a Titaness who gave birth to Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, whose father is the Titan Perses. Together, the couple may have functioned as the primal font of all knowledge. After the fall of the Titanes, Asteria was pursued by the god Zeus. Greek goddess of beauty, splendor, glory, magnificence and adornment. Goddess of the Magic Power of the Night she is believed to be the goddess of the powers of the night including things like necromancy, prophetic dreams, dream divination, and astrology. If you use any of the content on this page in your own work, please use the code below to cite this page as the source of the content. Both sisters would eventually be pursued by Zeus. She has dominion over various magical arts, including astrology, divination, dreaming, and necromancy. Others include the four Anemoi winds, Boreas, Notus, Eurus, and Zephyrus. Titans. But it was believed by the ancient Greeks that Asteria echoed much of her daughters exploits in her own sorcery, such as appearing to men in dreams or spelling messages for them in the stars. He tells us in the processional song of Delos,For a foretime, that isle was tossed on the waves by all manner of whirling winds; but when Leto, the daughter of Koios (Coeus), in the frenzy of her imminent pangs of travail, set foot on her, then it was that four lofty pillars rose from the roots of the earth, and on their capitals held up the rock with their adamantine bases. She was the sister of the Titaness Leto and, thus, the aunt of the Greek gods, Apollo and Artemis. She was also the daughter of the Titaness phoebe. Lesser . She was also closely associated with the protogenic Goddess of Night Nyx. When the Titans fell to the Olympian Gods and Goddesses, Asteria and her sister Leto were allowed to remain on Mount Olympus. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; He was always pursuing beautiful women and the sisters were no exception. Astera) is derived from the Greek word (astr) meaning "star". Later on, she symbolized the fall of humanity and the hope that a new age of innocence would one day return. She was able to effortlessly catch a heavy falling pole. There are many clues, however, that show that Asteria was a goddess of more than just one natural phenomenon. [1] According to Hesiod, by the Titan Perses she had a single child, a daughter named Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft. This could have been through astrology or oneiromancy, the interpretation of oracles sent through dreams. According to the poems of Orpheus, Nyx occupies a cave like her daughter Hekate, in which she gives oracles. [6][2] In one account attributed to Musaeus, Asteria is the mother of Hecate not by Perses but by Zeus. [8] In order to escape the amorous advances of the god, who in the form of an eagle pursued her,[9] she transformed herself into a quail (ortux) and flung herself into the Aegean Sea. There are some sources that say that she could have also been worshipped as the Goddess of dream oracles as Brizo on the Island of Delos. Hekate is the goddess of magic, crossroads, ghosts, the moon, necromancy, and witchcraft. As the island of Delos, Asterias story would continue. There was no agriculture on Delos as it was mostly barren, but it became wealthy and was celebrated as Apollos birth place, with a temple built on the island to the God. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. Heres more information about her: In the Greek stories, Asteria is portrayed as the daughter of the Titans, Coeus and Phoebe. They are nymphs and minor goddesses associated and presiding over the stars, constellations and stellar energies. Moon Goddess. She is a Titaness of the third generation, daughter of Asteria and Perses, and serves the goddess Persephone as her attendant and minister. The goddess was heavily covered by Latin author Gaius Julius Hyginus, French author Honor dUrf, and more. Astraea is the goddess of justice, innocence, purity, precision, and Libra. She was born into the Golden Age when the Titans ruled the cosmos under the reign of Cronos. ASTRAIA (Astraea) was the virgin-goddess of justice. Although Asterias island was known by several names, she was most often identified with Delos. Aphea (Greek) - goddess of the island of Aegina. She fled his advances, transforming herself into a quail and leaping into the sea where she became the island of Delos. Knowing that she would not be able to outrun him forever, the goddess resorted to drastic measures to escape from him. Claiming: When Astraeus claims his children, the child's zodiac constellation appears over his/her head. Howbeit I honour her exceedingly for that she did not desecrate my bed, but instead of Zeus preferred the sea (Callimachus, Hymn 4 to Delos). Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), Warner Bros. Pictures Presents Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, General Mills Presents Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Man of Steel: The Early Years: Junior Novel, Man of Steel: The Official Movie Novelization, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Cross Fire, Suicide Squad: The Official Movie Novelization, Wonder Woman: The Official Movie Novelization. 73.). The Amazon Games are held each year in her honor, and a large golden statue of her likeness stands in the center of the coliseum. Instead, she fled from him. In most cases, artists depicted her as a beautiful winged maiden. Other ideas propose that Asteria had become the island known as Delos, which some belief was another name for the island of Ortigia. Mythology associated Asteria with an island, but her name shows historians her true function. Nyx and Erebus (darkness) are sometimes given as Hekate's alternative parentage. Asteria is notable for her pursuit by the amorous god Zeus, who desired her. However, Asteria can also be seen as quite heroic and honourable, for she outwits both of the Olympians and denies the pair of them of what they really wantsomething few others have ever gotten away with. Asteria may not have had a rich part to play in her more human form upon Olympus, other than escaping Zeus. Hecate is the Greek goddess of magic, the Mist, crossroads, necromancy, the night and the moon. Asteria, Greek goddess of stars art, star goddess Asteria art print, night sky deity poster, Greek mythology nocturnal goddess Bizarrella . As you might expect, she is a very different personality and I will cover her in another post.) Amazon Asteria moved around the Mediterranean Sea in the form of the island, Delos. Like the other female Titans, Asteria and her sister were welcomed among the Olympians after the Titanomachy. [15], A different version was added by the poet Nonnus who recounted that, after Asteria was pursued by Zeus but turned herself into a quail and leapt into the sea, Poseidon instead took up the chase. Most accounts say that she was transformed by Zeus himself, serving as a celestial symbol to remind humans of their failure. Rackham), Pindar -Processional Song on Delos (trans. However, according to some authors, she had a short temper and could be wrathful and merciless to those who offended her. References She ran across the sky to escape him and eventually turned into a quail, diving into the sea to avoid the king of the gods. Many historians also believe that she was a goddess with prophetic powers. The Story of Medusa in Greek Mythology Explained Why Kill Medusa? The other goddesses suggested . Originally named Ortygia, the Greek word for quail, the island would eventually be called Delos. However, this brought them both under the scrutiny of the head Greek god, Zeus. [3], At some point, presumably in 1984, Asteria saved a baby from a falling pole, which garnered her thanks from the baby's mother.[3]. It was when things became unfixable that she fled and never returned. There, it can be said that she had no intention of changing herself into an island, now that she was free of Zeus. Along with her sisters, she flung herself into the sea and was transformed into a kingfisher . The vase life extends from 5 to 14 days, based on the type of Aster. Deor. Some might say here then that because Leto found sanctuary on Delos or Ortigia. In this version, Zeus demonstrates the traits of a mad lover who cannot handle rejection. There it was that she gave birth to and beheld her blessed offspring.. Read Captulo 2 from the story Galaxy Supernova by AlexiisGrey (Alexis Grey . amzn_assoc_linkid = "c3473f5272e0a6903b6ecef8d8bc4cf6"; She was called the Queen of ghosts. ALSO KNOWN AS: Astraea; Astraia ORIGIN: Greece In all beliefs, the goddess had roughly the same powers: she represented the Moon and the mysteries of death. Instead, those stories said that she was the progeny of Zeus and Themis. Leto addresses Delos and asks her to become the abode of her son Apollo and for her to make him a rich temple that men far and wide will come to worship. She is often labelled as "Delos. After she was transfigured, Zeus turned his attention to her sister Leto. She became the constellation Virgo, so all forms of this name would be especially appropriate for a child born in late August or early September. The oracle of dreams was found there. This brought her to the attention of Hera. What goddess is associated with stars? Asteria flung herself into the Aegean Sea in the form of a quail in order to escape the advances of Zeus. Like the astrological sign, Astraea is a virgin goddess, although as the fifth sign of the zodiac she rules the harvest season: Aug. 23 and Sept. 22. In Greek mythology, Asteria was one of the younger Titanesses. Sandys), Pseudo-Apollodorus Bibliotheca (trans. Autonomous Systems Technology Related Airborne Evaluation & Assessment ( ASTRAEA) is a project to develop unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to fly in civil airspace. Though connections between the two appear to be scarce. Her daughter Hecate became the goddess of witches and, like Apollo, Asteria was likely believed to have powers of divination. Hymn. Asteria (Greek) - goddess of the stars. Aura (Greek) - Titan of the breeze . In Phoenicia, a small sect believed that Asteria, rather than Alcmene, was the mother of Heracles. Alias(es) I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. As could be expected from her story, she was an important figure in the local traditions of the island of Delos. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. It was a barren, uninviting place. [12] According to Hyginus, Leto was borne by the north wind Boreas at the command of Zeus to the floating island, at the time when Python was pursuing her, and there clinging to an olive, she gave birth to Apollo and Artemis. Known for his advances on the ladies and his, shall we say, tenacious pursuit of them, it would not be beyond Zeus to try his luck with a Titaness. The Bibliotheca by Pseudo-Apollodorus tells us, Of the daughters of Koios (Coeus), Asteria, in the form of a quail (ortux), threw herself into the sea while fleeing a sexual union with Zeus. In order to escape from his embraces, she got metamorphosed into a quail (ortux), threw herself into the sea, and was here metamorphosed into the island Asteria (the island which had fallen from heaven like a star), or Ortygia, afterwards called Delos. Variation of Nymph Physiology and Stellar Deity. She is closely associated with the Greek goddess of justice, Dike WP (daughter of Zeus and Themis ). Title(s) Asteria provided safety for her sister to give birth to her children, Artemis and Apollo. in Del. Asteria is the wife of fellow Titan God Perses the Titan God of destruction and the mother of Hekate the Goddess of witchcraft making her one of the only goddesses to only have one child. Alive Astraea has a close association with the goddess of justice, Dike. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Still, her sister Leto was not so lucky. It preserved her role as a goddess who, like much of her family, was linked to divination and the sky. Asteria, Titan goddess of nocturnal oracles and the stars. A polis was originally named Asteria after her: later on, it became Delos. amzn_assoc_title = "My Amazon Picks"; Manage Settings During this time, the Golden Race of humanity lived. She represented all that was good in the world. Asteria (labelled) taking part in the Gigantomachy. Leto, like Asteria, had become a target for the amorous attentions of Zeus. Hecate was once worshipped as a major goddess of the heavens, earth, and . There Poseidon took up the chase, so she transformed herself into the island of Delos.. Titaness, second generation. Film(s) Although she was supposed to be Zeus' and Themis' daughter, there are few accounts of it . In an attempt to escape the clutches of the pursuing sea god, she transformed herself into a floating island. 16) makes her the mother of the fourth Heracles by Zeus. According to Hesiod, she was the mother of Hecate (Hekate), the goddess of witchcraft, by the Titan Perses. Poseidon started pursuing Asteria through the oceans. Online version at the Topos Text Project. In mid-flight, she ended up falling into the ocean. However, those versions of the tale could confuse Astraea with her Dike, with whom she has a strong association. Asteria was a Titan goddess and the daughter of Coeus and Phoebe and sister of Leto. Asteria's golden armor was found by Diana at some point after the latter left Themyscira. She was often placed at the entrance of homes to help protect against the evil forces of the world. According to the Fabulaethought to be written by 2nd century Latin author Gaius Julius Hyginus, Zeus became frustrated with rejection. When she does, they hope shell usher in a new Golden Age for humanity. Hesiod tells us in the Theogony that Asteria was also the wife of Persesa titan who would come to be known as a god of destruction and whom she would bear her daughter Hecate to. ix. Beds line the two side walls. Zeus had originally sought Leto's sister, Asteria. Leto was the famous mother of Artemis and Apollo in Greek mythology, but how much do you know about her sister. After the fall of the Titans, Asteria fled the advances of Zeus tricking him by turning herself into a quail. She was one of their greatest warriors ever, having even earned the title The Golden Warrior. The Virgo constellation, which depicts the virgin, is close to the Libra constellation. In some versions, Zeus had already grabbed Asteria. Asteria (Greek: ) is the Titaness goddess of oracles, prophetic dreams, astrology and necromancer. Alternative spellings of Astraeas name include Astria and Astrea. The spelling of Astraia is common in Romanized Greek. The goddess was forever linked to Dike, the goddess of justice. However, others say that the goddess held out until the final Iron Age. Super empathy, while not a very popular power, can be useful in some situations. Her Roman counterpart is Diana. Nyx and Erebus (darkness) are sometimes given as Hekate's alternative parentage. It may be the case that she adopted this ability from her father, the titan Coeus. Historians believe, therefore, that the cult of Ino-Pasiphae may have actually been one dedicated to Asteria. Base. Astraea is sometimes confused with Asteria, the Goddess of the stars and the daughter of Koios and Phoebe." Sources: Monaghan, Patricia. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. She was actually the second, though. Although they were recorded under different names, local goddesses of both Lacedaemon and Delos are likely versions of Asteria. [13][6], Hera, despite being enraged that Asteria had defied her and allowed Leto to give birth to the products of Zeus' liaison, did no harm to Asteria, out of respect for her for not sleeping with Zeus when he chased her, and instead preferring the sea over him, thus not further defiling Hera's marriage. Olympians. Before falling in love with Leto, Zeus pursued Asteria. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) In order to escape the amorous advances of the god, who in the form of an eagle pursued her, she transformed herself into a quail (ortux) and flung . Disgusted by how much the human race had fallen. There are no windows in the cabin. It would be fitting for the goddess who personified them to have the ability to see the future, as well. Asteria may have been a goddess not only of prophecy, but of magic in general. This is why she was revealed to be the Godkiller in the first Wonder Woman film, because only one god can kill another. Wonder Woman possesses powers beyond those of the other Amazons because she is a daughter of the gods - specifically a daughter of Zeus. Either way, she was one of the last to stick by the sides of humans. Although her husband was likely imprisoned in Tartarus with the other Titans, Asteria was not receptive to Zeus advances. The two deities had a close connection, and their relationship is evident in the stars. Magic Powers. The height varies from 8 inches to 8 feet, and you find Asters in most of the gardens. She is seen with a halo of stars surrounding her head with the night sky behind her. Asteria is an Anglicized spelling of the Greek Astraea or Astraia, the goddess of justice and innocence. Artemis was conceived by Zeus and the . Astraea is always associated with the Greek Goddess of justice, Dike, who used to live on Earth but left, sickened by human greed. She and her twin brother Apollo are known as the "Twin Archers." Artemis drives the moon chariot across the sky at night, a role she received when Selene, the original moon deity, faded. p. 392; Hygin. Children of Asteria have the limited power of necromancy, or the power to summon, communicate with, and control dead things. Many believe that the eighth Major Arcana tarot card, Justice, features symbolism related to Astraea. (Apollod. [14] Asteria's power to withstand Hera's threats seems to stem from her parentage as the daughter of two Titans. Her story grew into prominence during the European Rennaisance, representing the concepts of renewal. Asteria is the Titan goddess of nocturnal oracles and the island of Delos. Public Domain. [7], Asteria was an inhabitant of Olympus, and like her sister Leto was beloved by Zeus. [3], After Diana left the island, she sought the warrior of legend, but could only find her golden armor. The most commonly accepted myth is that she was the daughter of the descendants of Titans. As seen from this part of the text, Asteria successfully evaded Zeus by transforming herself into an island. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "coh-2018-20"; Detail of the sculpted relief of the Pergamon Altar (2nd century BCE). Her name meant "star-. This was most often identified as Delos, which would soon after become the birthplace of her niece and nephew, Artemis and Apollo. For example, the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice is an organization that works to advance human rights worldwide. Asteria was the Goddess of oracles and prophecies of the night, such as prophetic dreams, astrology and necromancy (communication with the dead). She was essentially urban and civilized, the antithesis in many respects of Artemis, goddess of the outdoors. Its referred to as 5 Astraea. The goddess also lends her name to a genus for plants and sea snails! Astraeas name roughly translates to Star Maiden.. ASTERIA was the Titan goddess (perhaps) of the oracles and prophecies of night, including prophetic dreams, the reading of the stars (astrology), and necromancy. Some also associated her with divination by stars, what we now call astrology. " / Twitter - Picture, 2022 by My Site. iii. Upon Asterias transformation into a quail, he did catch herbut instead threw her into the sea himself. amzn_assoc_asins = "1910191078,B00EI4UKMW,1905297238,1555404278,B0053RZTQK,B01BE2R60Y,B01CPUE7C4"; 2010-2018, Covenant of Hekate. Asclepius and Epione: Asteria: Greek goddess of nocturnal oracles and falling stars. Still, she can also be regarded as a protective sister, for she risks everything, including imminent destruction by Hera, to provide sanctuary to Leto and her unborn son. Goddess of dream oracles some sources say that she could have been worshipped as Brizo the Goddess of dream oracles on Delos her sacred Island. Lynda Carter. In Greek mythology, Asteria or Asterie (/stri/; Ancient Greek: or , romanized:Astera/Aster, lit. ASTERIA was the Titan goddess (perhaps) of the oracles and prophecies of night, including prophetic dreams, the reading of the stars (astrology), and necromancy. Atalanta (Greek) - warrior Goddess, could run faster than the fastest man. Greek text available from the same website, Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library, Classical mythology in western art and literature, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteria_(Titaness)&oldid=1135961156, Metamorphoses into birds in Greek mythology, Metamorphoses into terrain in Greek mythology, Articles with incomplete citations from January 2022, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles having different image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 January 2023, at 23:04. The ancient writer Hesiod called upon them across the world as the nine muses: Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia . [16], The element of Asteria fleeing from Zeus as the origin of Delos was probably introduced by Callimachus, as in the Homeric Hymn to Apollo, nothing in the conversation between Leto and Delos indicates of such a past for Delos, let alone that they are sisters. Because of her fall into the sea, Asteria is often thought of as the goddess of shooting stars. Much later, Nonnus claimed that Asteria had survived her initial dive. Wonder Woman 1984: The Junior Novel (mentioned) While the island was often called by her name, she was also identified with Ortygia, which translates as Quail Island. A few stories, however, claimed that there was more to the story. Portrayed by Real name In order to escape him and his advances, she transformed herself into a bird and then a wandering island. She is often accompanied by a . This Asteria is: The goddess of the stars had run from him, however, eventually leaping into the Mediterranean to become a rock in order to make her escape. Astraea has a close association with the goddess of justice, Dike. Her siblings, the original Titans . For the Goddess of Purity, see Astraea Asteria is originally the Titan goddess of oracles, constellations and falling or shooting stars in Greek Mythology, who later transformed into the island, Delos. After Apollo and Artemis were born on her, the island received the name of Delos, and Apollo fixed it in place, making it his sacred land. i. Nationality He was the god of the northern axis of heaven, that which all the constellations revolved around. Asteria was the goddess of nocturnal oracles and shooting stars. Zeus pursued her, but Asteria instead turned into a quail and fell into the Aegean to escape. Pindar, Processional Song on Delos (trans. Interestingly, of all the titans who endured the punishment of Zeus, most if not all appear to have been of the male variety. Furthermore, she proves to be a goddess who is not afraid of making hard choices, whether this is diving into the ocean, sacrificing her form in favour of an island or defying the more powerful gods and goddesses for what she believed was right. Asteria was once an inhabitant of Olympus, and, like her sister Leto, was beloved by Zeus, despite already be married to Perses. She was one of the main gods worshiped in Athenian households as a protective goddess and one who bestowed prosperity and daily blessings on the family. Asteria, also known as Asterie, was Greek Titan goddess, who was the daughter of Coeus and Phoebe. Astraeas strong connection to justice also led to some aggressive accessories. Her abilities were innate and men feared and revered her. Instead, Asteria appears to be an original creation, though as it . While Asteria is often remembered only as Letos sister, she was also an important goddess in her own right. Zeus and Hera were married shortly after he took power, but it did not stop the new king of the gods from noticing the other goddesses of Olympus. Her name was derived from two Greek words: ' phoibos ' meaning 'radiant' or 'bright' and ' phoibao ' which means 'to purify'. References Asteria - Goddess of the stars and the last immortal to live with man Atalanta - A competitive warrior and runner she was a famous mortal in Greek mythology and not a Goddess who was turned into a lion by Aphrodite. According to most versions of her story, when she hit the water she was turned into an island. Fab. In many ancient cultures, falling stars were often seen as omens. O heaven-built isle, most lovely scion of the children of bright-haired Leto, O daughter of the sea, thou unmoved marvel of the spacious earth, by mortal men called Delos, but by the blessed gods of Olympus known as the far-seen star of the dark-blue earth.. Asteria was the Goddess of oracles and prophecies of the night, such as prophetic dreams, astrology and necromancy (communication with the dead). Different versions of the stories place Hecates birth either before the Titans fell or after the floating island of Delos became permanently attached to the sea bed. After Zeus had impregnated Leto, his attention was next captured by her sister Asteria. She was the goddess of night and childbirth, the woman who had powers in all three worlds: celestial, terrestrial, and marine. Pausanias also notes, however, that Pasiphae was a name used for Selene, who was not a native goddess to the region. In some accounts, Astraea flees humanity and turns into the constellation of Virgo. Golden Warrior AsteriaFallen Hero During the Golden Age, humankind was at its peak. Like mother, like daughter: Asteria may be Hekate 's mother. This fits with the story of Zeuss pursuit not across land, but across the heavens. As nightfall and daybreak, the two deities produce many children. She became the "quail island" of Ortygia. Leto and her son Apollo being associated with the prophetic oracular powers of light and heaven, whereas Asteria and her daughter Hekate presided over the powers of the night, astrology through the stars, chthonian darkness and the ghosts of the dead. Nymphs of the Stars and Constellations Stellar Nymph Mimicry/Physiology The Asteriai or The Asteriae A user with this ability either is or can transform into a Asteriai. Asteria's own husband was her cousin Perses, the son of Crius and Eurybia. Asteria wanted to evade Zeus attention and decided to flee Olympus. In order to escape the amorous advances of the god, who pursued her in the form of an eagle, she transformed herself into a quail and flung herself into the Aegean Sea. Themysciran Unlike the usual accounts, the rejections do not fuel him to try harder. The female titans, on the other hand, the Titanesses take a far less prominent role in mythology and appear to have gone somewhat overlooked, if not for the appetite of Zeus. According to the epic Greek poem Dionysiaca, once Asteria had dived into the ocean, Poseidon took up the pursuit. Astraea was the daughter of Eos, the goddess of the dawn, and Astraeus, the god of dusk. Some writers said she was the daughter of Zeus and Themis which would have made Dike her sister and not just a companion. Astraeas name means starry night or star-maiden. She was the last of the immortals to live among humans during the Golden Age. As humans became increasingly wicked during the Iron Age, Astraea fled Earth to the heavens and transformed in the constellation Virgo. According to one story, Zeus turned her into Virgo. Virgos nearness to the constellation Libra (the Scales) is said to represent Astraeas association with Dike. According to legend, Astraea will return to Earth one day and usher in a new Golden Age. Astraea is mentioned in the works of the Roman poet Ovid (43 BC 18 AD) and the scholar Hyginus (64 BC 18 AD). During the Renaissance, people viewed Astraea as a symbol of cultural renewal. Some English writers, for example, identified her with Elizabeth I, the virgin queen who was credited with bringing a new Golden Age to England. Honor dUrf (1568-1625) wrote an extremely popular romantic series called LAstre that featured a heroine named after Astraea. The Italian artist Salvator Rosa (1615-1673) depicted the goddess in his painting Astraea. Aphra Behn (1640 1689) was an English writer and spy who used Astraea as one of her code names. 5 Astraea is a large asteroid in the asteroid belt that was discovered in 1845. The British Royal Navy has built several ships named after Astraea over the years. The French Navy has built ships and submarines called Astre. One of them was captured by the Nazis during World War II. Astraea is also the name of a plant genus and a sea snail genus.