Hypnos

In Hesiod's genealogy Hypnos is born of Nyx (Night) and is the twin brother of Thanatos (Death). Classical accounts place him among the offspring of primordial Night; other literary variations (Homeric) associate him with a dream-island (Lemnos). He is integrated into the Greek cosmogony as the personalized divine agent of sleep rather than a mere abstraction.

Traditionally represented as a winged god in ancient art, Hypnos is described in mythic description as dwelling in a dark grotto or cave whose entrance is ringed with poppies and other soporific plants. He is described as having an ebony bed and being associated with Lethe (Forgetfulness) water in iconography (for example, vases showing him dripping Lethean water upon sleeping figures).

Hypnos' primary power is to induce sleep in both mortals and gods; mythic narratives record him putting Zeus to sleep at Hera's request, enabling other divine action. He acts on behalf of other deities when petitioned and is portrayed as calm and gentle, aiding humans and possessing influence over the dream state. He is closely associated with Thanatos and the liminal geography between waking and death.