Wednesday 18 June 2014

Hypnos

                                                     In Greek mythology, Hypnos was the personification of sleep.  Hypnos was the son of Nyx without any union. In some versions, Hypnos was described as the son of Nyx and Erebus.  
Hypnos with his mother Nyx

                                               Hypnos lived in the dark cave, in the underworld or Erebus, the land of eternal darkness beyond the gates of rising sun. The dark cave entrance was full of poppies and other hypnotic plants. The river Lethe, also know as the river of forgetfulness, flows through  the cave. In one version, Hypnos was described to live in the cave under island Lemnos.  
Hypnos, the god of sleep with his brother Thanatos, the god of death

                                  Hypnos was represented as a gentle young man, usually with wings attached to his temples or shoulder. Hypnos was often paired with his twin brother Thanatos (peaceful death).

                                Hypnos wife Pasithea, was one of the youngest of the Graces and was promised to him by Hera, the goddess of marriage and birth. Pasithea was the deity of hallucination or relaxation.  According to one version, Hypnos and Pasithea had thousand children and in other version they had four sons, the Onerioi (dreams)- Morpheus, Ikelos, Phobetos, and Phantasos. According to some version, the Oneino were sons of Nyx and brothers of Hypnos.

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