AUSEKLIS

(Latvian), Lithuanian Aurine in Baltic religion, the morning star and deity of the dawn. The Latvian Auseklis was a male god, the Lithuanian Aurine a female. Related in name to the Vedic Usas and the Greek Eos, goddesses of dawn, Auseklis is associated in Latvian solar mythology with Meness (Moon) and Saule (Sun), being subordinate to the former and along with him a rival suitor of Saule's daughter, Saules meita. According to Lithuanian traditions Aurine had an adulterous relationship with the moon god, Menuo, for which Menuo was punished by the god Perkunas (Latvian: Perkons).