Hypnos god6/19/2023 ![]() An equally shadowy figure as her son, there is very little about Nox that is known other than that she was said to be one of the first deities born out of chaos. It is fitting indeed that the goddess of the night should give birth to the god of sleep. But some sources, such as Hesiod, do not specify his father at all and imply that he was one of the children Nox brought forth on her own. By some sources, Scotus, the god of darkness and one of the original deities, predating even the Titans, is considered his father. Somnus was the son of the goddess of and personification of the night itself, Nox. As the son of Nox and Scotus, both extremely powerful primordial deities, there is no doubt that Somnus too must have had immense power. The names of Somnus’ family members are far more well-known and famous as compared to the elusive god of sleep. While Hypnos does not seem an altogether willing participant in this scheme, he does agree to ally with Hera once she promises that he can marry Pasithea, one of the younger Graces, in exchange for his help.Īt any rate, it seems that both Hypnos and Somnus had to be nudged into action and were not much inclined to take part in the politics between the Greek gods willingly. Once Zeus is asleep, Hypnos travels to Poseidon to tell him that he can now help the Greeks on their course since Zeus can no longer act to stop them. Therefore, the success of the Greeks against the Trojans can be attributed in part to Hypnos. In conjunction with Hera, he is the one who puts Zeus, the champion of the Trojans, to sleep. The most significant appearance that Hypnos makes in Greek myth is in connection with the Trojan war in The Iliad by Homer. Hypnos, the Greek god of and personification of sleep, was the son of Nyx and Erebus who lived in the underworld with his brother Thanatos. However, given his parentage and the stories surrounding him, the connection to Hypnos is impossible to miss. Did he exist as a deity outside of the Greek influence? It cannot be said for sure. But it is clear that there was a lot of influence from Greek mythology when it comes to him. It is not possible to know the exact origins of Somnus as a Roman god. It is possible that the name could be derived from the Proto-Indo-European root ‘swep-no’ which means ‘to sleep.’ Hypnos: the Greek Counterpart of Somnus Insomnia makes it hard for the person to fall asleep or stay asleep for long. The Latin word ‘somnus’ means ‘sleep’ or drowsiness.’ Even now, this word is familiar to us through the English words ‘somnolence’ which is a strong desire for sleep or a general feeling of drowsiness and ‘insomnia’ which means ‘sleeplessness.’ Insomnia is one of the most common sleeping disorders in the world today. There were even guardian deities who protected people during the night and gave them dreams, such as the Lithuanian goddess Breksta.īut Somnus was the only god who was so clearly and solely associated with the act of sleeping. Somnus’ father Scotus, the Roman counterpart of the Greek Erebus, was the primordial god of darkness, making him a good match for Nox. Some examples were the Egyptian goddess Nut, the Hindu goddess Ratri, the Norse goddess Nott, the primordial Greek goddess Nyx, and her Roman equivalent Nox. Interestingly enough, most ancient cultures had a goddess of the night. Other Deities Connected with Sleep and Night In the myths in which he appears, his natural ally seems to be Queen Hera or Juno, whether that be to trick Zeus or Jupiter or to send Alcyone dreams while she is asleep. Ovid speaks of him as one who brings rest and prepares the body for the work and labor of the following day. While there are several gods and goddesses in various ancient cultures who are associated with the night, the moon, and even dreams, the idea of a specific deity connected to sleep seems to have been unique to the Greeks and, by extension, the Romans who borrowed the concept from them.Īs the personification of sleep, Somnus’ duty appears to have been to influence mortals and gods alike to fall asleep, at times at the command of another god. What Exactly Does it Mean to Be a God of Sleep? But he does not seem to have been an ominous figure for the Romans, as they believed a person should pray to him for a restful night of sleep. They had the ability to induce sleep in mortals as well as other gods.Īccording to modern sensibilities, we might be a little wary of Somnus, the brother of Death with his house in the underworld. The Roman equivalent of the Greek Hypnos, the gods of sleep in the Greco-Roman tradition are not as flashy and conspicuous as some of the other gods. Not much is known about him other than his interesting family ties and place of residence.
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