Dione
Dione was a Titan goddess, who was associated with prophecy. She presided over the oracle of Dodona, a place where pronouncements from the gods were sought, while also being the probable mother of Aphrodite, the goddess of love.
Residence: Mount Olympus
Parents: Oceanus and Tethys
Siblings: The Oceanids and The Potamoi
Consort: Zeus
Children: Aphrodite
Dione wasn’t a mere appendage to Zeus at Dodona. She was a vital part of the oracle’s power. Described as his “temple associate,” she may have played a crucial role in interpreting the pronouncements of the rustling oak leaves, a sacred symbol of Zeus at Dodona. Her daughters, the Doves, named after Aphrodite’s sacred birds, further solidified the connection between Dione, love, and the divine will spoken through the oracle.
Dione wasn’t alone in her oracular prowess. She belonged to a lineage steeped in prophecy. Her Titan sisters, Phoebe, Mnemosyne, and Themis, were all goddesses associated with oracles. Phoebe held sway over Delphi, the most renowned oracle in Greece. Mnemosyne presided over Lebadeia, another vital center of divination. Themis, perhaps the most powerful of the sisters, shared her oracular power between Delphi and Dodona.
