The God Pan: From Myth To Oblivion

Pan, the Greek god of shepherds, hunters, and the wilds, was believed to have died in the 1st century AD. According to the ancient historian Plutarch, an Egyptian sailor named Thamus heard a voice proclaim The great god Pan is dead while sailing to Italy. The story of Pan's death spread, and early Christians believed it to be simultaneous with the death of Christ.

In Greek mythology, Pan is often depicted as a half-man, half-goat creature, with horns, a beard, and goat's feet. He is considered one of the oldest Greek gods and is associated with nature, wooded areas, and pasturelands. He is often depicted playing the pan flute, an instrument he is said to have created from reeds.

Nature, The Wild, Shepherds, Flocks, Goats, Mountain Wilds

Pan, the god of nature, was associated with the wild, shepherds, flocks, goats, and mountain wilds. He was born in Arcadia, a region known for its wild and rustic landscape. As the god of shepherds, he was also the protector and guide of flocks.

Pan was depicted as a man with the horns, legs, and tail of a goat, a thick beard, a snub nose, and pointed ears. His unusual appearance startled mortals, and nymphs were not fond of his looks either. He was often found in the company of wood nymphs and other deities of the forest.

Pan was considered one of the oldest Greek gods and was frequently referenced in Greek mythology. He was associated with nature, wooded areas, and pasturelands, from which his name was derived. The worship of Pan began in rustic and rural areas, and he was the patron god of Arcadia.

Pan was believed to be the son of Hermes and a Dryad, either Dryope or Penelope of Mantineia. However, some accounts claimed he was the son of Zeus or Penelope, the wife of Odysseus. According to one unusual story, Pan was the result of an orgy between Penelope and all of her suitors.

Pan was a precocious child, and his distinct appearance delighted the gods. He was energetic and sometimes frightening, with the wild, unbridled creative force of nature. He was known for his romantic pursuits of nymphs, who often transformed into plants or objects to escape his advances. One such nymph was Syrinx, who was turned into reeds to hide from Pan. He cut the reeds and created the first set of panpipes, an instrument that became closely associated with him.

Pan was also known for causing sudden, uncontrollable fear in humans, known as "panic." It was believed that his unseen presence in lonely and mountainous places could cause people to be overwhelmed with a feeling of frantic agitation and distress.

Male. Also a satyr (half man, half-goat)

The god Pan was a half-man, half-goat figure in Greek mythology, born in Arcadia to the god Hermes and a Dryad (a type of tree nymph). Pan's lower half was that of a goat, while his upper half resembled that of a man, albeit with horns on his head. His unusual appearance startled his nurse, who fled as soon as she saw him, but the gods were delighted, and he was taken to live on Mount Olympus.

Pan was the god of shepherds, hunters, flocks, and the wild. He was associated with nature, wooded areas, and pasturelands, and was often depicted playing the panpipes, an instrument he is said to have created. He was also known for causing "panic" in humans—a sudden, uncontrollable fear that leads to irrational behaviour.

Pan was a lecherous god, pursuing many nymphs, including Syrinx, Pitys, Echo, and Selene. Syrinx, a follower of Artemis, was transformed into a bunch of marsh reeds by river nymphs to save her from Pan's advances. When Pan realised he was holding reeds instead of Syrinx, he cut them into different lengths and joined them together to create the first set of panpipes, which he named after his lost love.

In the 1st century AD, a passing ship headed to Italy heard a voice cry out, "The great god Pan is dead!" The source of the voice was never discovered, but the story spread, and some early Christians believed it to be simultaneous with the death of Christ.

Corsican Pine, Water-Reed

The god Pan, born with hooves, shaggy legs, a furry tail, and horns, was the Greek god of shepherds, hunters, and the wild. He was also the god of mountain forests and meadows, and was often depicted wandering through valleys, mountains, and glades.

The Corsican Pine and the Water-Reed were among Pan's sacred plants. The Corsican Pine, a genus variant of the black pine, is native to the island of Corsica and is now common throughout Europe. It is known for its magnificent height and longevity, and its wood is highly sought after in carpentry. The Water-Reed, on the other hand, was used by Pan to craft his pipes after the nymph Syrinx, who he pursued, was turned into a clump of reeds.

In the 1st century AD, a passing ship headed to Italy heard a voice cry, "The great god Pan is dead!" The source of the voice was never discovered, but the message spread. This announcement symbolised the end of the old pagan religions and the shift to Christian monotheism, as well as the loss of nature due to the growth of ancient empires.

Despite the declaration of Pan's death, ancient worshippers continued to believe in his power and performed rituals and pilgrimages at his shrines and sacred caves.

Hermes and Penelope (some accounts vary)

The god Pan was born to Hermes and Penelope, an Arcadian nymph and the daughter of Dryops, also known as "Oak-Face", the craggy old god of Mount Kyllene.

However, some accounts vary, with some ancient writers constructing stories to explain how Odysseus' wife, Penelope, came to abscond to Arcadia and give birth to a goatish god. In these accounts, Penelope is seduced by Antinous, one of her suitors, and returned to her father Icarius by Odysseus. When she reaches Mantinea in Arcadia, she gives birth to Pan.

In other accounts, Penelope is conflated with the nymphs Sose and Thymbris, who are otherwise named as the mother of Pan. Penelope is also said to be the same person as Penelope, the wife of Odysseus in the Odyssey. However, it has been suggested that the Penelope given as Pan's mother is a nymph and a separate figure to Odysseus' wife.

Other significant others: The 12 Panes (mountain spirits), various others including Iynx, Silenos and Krotos

The 12 Panes were rustic spirits, or daimones, of the mountains and highland pastures. They were depicted as goat-footed men with the horns, tail, beard, snub nose and ears of a goat, and sometimes had actual goat-heads. They were lascivious fertility spirits and were often depicted with erect members.

The Panes were a multiplication of the Arcadian god Pan and were closely connected with the Satyroi, creatures with asinine tails and ears in contrast to the goatish features of the Panes. Some were sons of Hermes, Zeus, and the prime Pan.

The 12 Panes were:

• Kelaineus
• Argennon
• Aigikoros
• Eugeneion
• Omester
• Daphoineus
• Phobos
• Philamnos
• Xanthos
• Glaukos
• Argos
• Phorbas

The Panes were attendants of Dionysus and Rhea. They joined Dionysus in his war against the Indians.

Other significant others of Pan include:

• Iynx, daughter of Echo
• Silenos, who was present at the wedding of Cupid and Psyche
• Krotos, son of Eupheme

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