NAME: Morpheus.
SYMBOLS: N/A
IMAGE: Hard to say as his primary ability was being able to take the form of anyone. Down to their clothing, mannerisms and knowing what phrases they use and speaking them using their voice.
HOLY BOOKS: Ovid's Metamorphoses.
PLACE OF WORSHIP: While his father Hypnos had a number of temples, it does not appear that Morpheus was ever worshipped. Though he has appeared in many songs, poems and pieces of art over the years.
SYNODEITIES: Somnus (Roman) Who is really just a meaner version of Hypnos. Nepthys (Egyptian), Nodens (Celtic), Bormanus, Borbo or Bormo (Celtic) God associated with secrets revealed through dreams.
RELATIVES: Hypnos, God of Sleep (father), Aglia (or Pasithea) Brightness, one of the three Graces (mother), Icelus or Phobetor & Phantasus (brothers) the Oneiros ("lesser" 1000 brothers & sisters), Thanatos, God of Death, Momus, God of Sarcasm (uncles), Eris, Goddess of Discord, the Fates (aunts), Nyx, Goddess of the Night and one of the few deities whom all the other gods fear. (grandmother), Chaos, Primary Being (great grand "father.")
Great Scott! Can you imagine being invited over to Saturnalia Diner at their house?
DETAILS:
Morpheus the Greek God of dreams was the greatest of the children of Hypnos the God of sleep and the Grace known as Aglia or Brightness. Which is appropriate as what is a dream but a bit of brightness in the darkness of slumber?
While his father was the god of sleep, dreams were left to Morpheus and his siblings. Dad it seems was not the most active of deities, spending most of his time in a cave by the river Oblivion with his brother Thanatos, the God of Death, lying on a black couch surrounded by black curtains and black bird plumbs he slept a lot.
This is perhaps a remarkable insight by the ancient Greeks, as it was not until recently that discoveries in brain research showed us that the deepest levels of dreamless sleep and death are closer than we would probably like to think.
Whatever the case, according to Ovid, Hypnos fell for one of the Graces and asked his mother Nyx to help him hook up with the celestial sweet young thing. You know, I wonder why Thanatos never got hitched? I thought some women were into that whole dark "brooding" thing. But i digress....
For services rendered the two were wed and from that union came the Oneiros (dreams) unnamed black winged children who handle the dreams of lesser folk like you and me, and the three named brother of real power.
Morpheus, who was able to take the form of any human. Icelus or Phobetor who could take the form of any animal & Phantasus, who could take the form of any inanimate object.
There from the Gates of Hypnos: the Gate of Ivory, from which false dreams come, and the Gate of Horn, through which come true dreams the Brothers of the Night plied their trade.
What I wonder is, was Morpheus ever worshipped in any form at all? It seems that was not the case. For that matter was he simply the invention of Ovid the poet?
He is found in any listing of the Gods and Goddess' of Greece. But was he and his brothers solely the invention of the poet or are their other sources for him?
If his origin is with Ovid then does he "count?" He has proven popular down though the ages, so is he any less "real" than other gods?
If the writings of a poet from around the first century were inspired enough to give Morpheus transcendent reality, then why not the works of a Neil Gaiman, Diana Paxton or H.P. Lovecraft in more resent times?
If Morpheus was just `dreamed up' so to speak, then does that prevent him from being a God of Dreams with real meaning?
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