Pan - Greek God Pan

Who Is Pan?:

Pan, the noisy goat-footed god of the Greeks, looks after shepherds and woods, is a capable musician, and invented the instrument named for him, panpipes. Pan leads the nymphs in dances. He stirs up panic. He is worshiped in Arcadia and is associated with sexuality.

Occupation:

God

• Gods and Goddesses Index

Family of Origin:

There are various versions of the birth of Pan. In one, his parents are Zeus and Hybris. In another version, the father of Pan is Hermes and the mother is a nymph. In another, Pan's parents are Penelope, wife of Odysseus and her mate, Hermes or, possibly, Apollo. In Theocritus, Odysseus is Pan's father. Pan was born in Arcadia.

Roman Equivalent:

The Roman name for Pan is Faunus.

Attributes:

The attributes or symbols associated with Pan are woods, pastures, and the syrinx -- a flute. Pan is depicted with goat's feet and two horns, and wearing a lynx-pelt. In the Pan Painter's vase, a goat-headed and tailed young Pan pursues a youth.

Death of Pan:

In his Moralia Plutarch reports a rumor about the death of Pan, who as a god, couldn't die, at least in principle.

Sources:

Ancient sources for Pan include: Apollodorus, Cicero, Euripides, Herodotus, Hyginus, Nonnius, Ovid, Pausanias, Pindar, Plato, Statius, and Theocritus.

Timothy Gantz' Early Greek Myths itemizes many details about the Pan traditions.