The god of sleep had power even over Zeus, although he was reluctant to use it. He even played a role in one of Greek culture’s most well-known stories, the Iliad.Īccording to Homer, Hera called on Hypnos when she wished to distract Zeus from the ways she meddled in human affairs. He was one of the daimones, personifications of common elements of the world.īecause he played an important role in people’s daily lives, however, Hypnos had a more well-defined character and story than many other gods. While he could bring temporary peace in the form of a relaxing night of sleep, he could also be accompanied by hallucinations, frightening dreams, and even death. Hypnos was therefore a god who was well-loved by the Greek people but was also to be treated with some measure of caution. During sleep, people could forget their worries and the trials of the day for a period of time. This is likely why he was said to live near the River Lethe, the Underworld’s river for forgetfulness. However difficult a person’s life was, Hypnos could bring them relief during the night. People spent as much time being directly influenced by him and his sons, the gods of dreams, as they did all the other gods combined.īecause he brought people rest, he was generally regarded as a kind and helpful god. While these were minor gods, his role was particularly important in Greek life.Īs the Greek god of sleep, he was said to rule over nearly half of a person’s life. Hypnos was one of many daimones in Greek mythology. Hypnos married one of the Graces and his role in influencing the Trojan War was never discovered. The combination of Aphrodite and Hypnos’s powers had such a calming effect that Zeus never questioned them. Hypnos, on Hera’s orders, sent the message to Poseidon that the Danaans could win a victory without opposition from Zeus. Zeus fell into a deep sleep with his wife in his arms. He was so focused on his love for his wife that he did not notice Hypnos lulling him to sleep. Hera used a charm from Aphrodite, who she had also deceived, to make Zeus irresistibly attracted to her. He had always been attracted to the young Grace, so he agreed to help Hera again. She swore on the River Styx that if Hypnos helped her, he would be married to Pasithea. Eventually, she won him over by promising a marriage. Hera tried to bribe the Greek god, but he would not accept her offer of a fine golden throne. Zeus had been furious the first time he had been put to sleep and Hypnos had only escaped his anger by hiding with Nyx. When Hera asked Hypnos for help again so she could influence the Trojan War against his orders, the god of sleep was understandably hesitant to offer it. She asked the god of sleep to help her keep Zeus from seeing her wreck the hero’s ship. The first time he helped Hera, her goal had been to punish Heracles for sacking the city of Troy. Homer tells the story of how Hera twice convinced Hypnos to work for her against Zeus. His most well-known appearance is in the Iliad. Because he induced sleep, he was more active in many stories than some of the more rarely-encountered daimones. Hypnos appeared in several well-known stories, however, because he was essential to their plots. There were uncountable Oneiroi, the daimones who brought both peaceful dreams and nightmares. He lived in a cave in the realm of his father, the primordial darkness of Erebos.Įach night, Hypnos traveled around the world with his sons, the gods of dreams. The word hypnos meant “sleep,” and like other daimones he had little characterization beyond his function.įittingly, Hynos was the son of Nyx, the primordial goddess of the night. He was a type of minor deity called a daimon that personified his domain. The most famous story of the Greek god of sleep showed that even the king of the gods was subject to the workings of Hypnos. All people, and even the gods, were influenced by him for a large portion of their lives.īecause of this, Hypnos played a role in several well-known stories. These spirits were defined by their role and typically had no true mythology beyond it.Īs the Greek god of sleep, however, Hypnos played a more prominent role in life than many other minor gods and goddesses. He was one of hundreds of minor gods that influenced the world and the people in it. In the ancient world, this role was filled by a god instead of a fairy-tale being. Children in the modern world hear stories about the Sandman, a magical being that puts the people of the world to sleep each night.
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