May 31, 2025

Hypnos, God of Sleep

a close up of some white flowers in a field

Written by lara

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You know a subject everyone likes? Greek Mythology. We all heard of those Greek gods and heroes; Zeus, Aphrodite, Athéna, Hades, Jason, Odysseus, Hercules and many, many more. Those are the popular ones though. It’ll be cool to learn about someone less heard off, don’t you think? So let me tell you about Hypnos, the personification god of Sleep. (Somnus is the Roman equivalent translation)

Continue Reading: 5 min Read

According to the mythology, Hypnos is one of the many children of the goddess Nyx (personification of the Night and one of the key primordial goddesses; one of who even Zeus himself is said to fear) and the god Erebus (personification of Darkness)

Furthermore, it is said that Hypnos has a twin, Thanatos who personifies Death. Both siblings live in the Underworld, realm of Hades..

It is said Hypnos lived on his very own dream island, Lemnos, by the river of forgetfulness and oblivion, Leth, one of the five rivers in the underworld, in a dark cave where neither sound nor light can come through (according to Homer and according to Book XI of Ovid’s Metamorphoses).

Hypnos and Pasithea

Pasithea, one of the Charites/Graces (known for their beauty and elegance, is his wife, given to him in marriage by none other than Hera, goddess of the gods, as well as goddess of birth and marriage to reward him because he has helped her lure her husband Zeus to fall asleep during the Trojan War. Hypnos having always been in love with Pasithea, Hera convinced him to help her deceive the god of gods by giving her Pasithea in exchange.

So, you might wonder how does the God of Sleep, well…sleep? Hypnos’s bed is made of ebony wood whilst at the cave’s entrance poppies grow. The poppy flower, as you may or may not know, is a sleep-inducing plant. These elements, combined with the darkness of his cave is what allows the God to indulge into a peaceful slumber.
It is said that Hypnos is a peaceful and gentle God, helping mortals to rest from the troubles and miseries of the human life. Owning half their life due to their necessary and vital sleep, he is considered by many a a kind God, allowing them well-needed breaks in the mist of their daily troubles.

If you want an overview of the entire story of Greek mythology, I’d really suggest this video. It’s long, but exhaustive and covers almost everything :
The Life Guide. (2023, April 2). The ENTIRE Story of Greek Mythology explained | Best Greek Mythology Documentary [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M-4M4LyUB

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