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Forums -> General Info -> Re: The Goddess Nyx
Original Post:
by: CatPhoenix on Jan 26, 2014

The ancient Greek Goddess Nyx (pronounced Nox in Latin translation) is the Greek Goddess of the night. Older than the Titans and born of Chaos, she existed near the beginning of creation. According to Hesoid's Theogony, with her brother Erebus, she gave birth to children such as Aether and Hemera. On her own she gave birth to Moros, Ker, Hypnos, Thantos, Oneiroi, Momus, Oizys, the Hesperides, the Fates, the Keres, Nemisis, Apate, Philotes, Geras, and Eris. Hardly ever showing herself in mythology, when she does she shows her great power and strenght, beauty, and ability to protect what she cares for.

Sometimes depicted as a winged Goddess or riding a chariot, trailing the stars and painting the sky. She is often seen with a misty veil of darkness surrounding her or in dark garments, acccompanied by the stars in her course. She and her two sons Hypnos and Thantos reside in Tartarus. Nyx occupying a cave at the edge of the cosmos where she gives oracles.

Nyx is one of the ancient Protogeno, or the basic components of the universe, the first born elemental Gods and Goddesses. Not actually being born on this Earth, or Giya, was created, Giya is her sister. During the daytime, she stays home to take care of her children while at night she sets off on her journey through the sky, on her way meeting up with Hemera who is the Day, and just returning home from her own daily trip, greeting each other peacefully.

It is said that Day and Night reside in the same place in Tartarus though they are never there at the same time. And that they only greet each other at the threshold of where you cross the Earth where Atlas holds up heaven.

It is said that Nyx is the only other God that Zeus was afraid of because of her great age and power. In one myth, her son Hypnos who is the minor God of sleep gets caught by Zeus for putting him to sleep, causing misfortune for Heracles who was returning by sea from Laomedon's Troy. Zeus, as furious as he was would have smitten Hypnos into the great sea if he had not escaped to his mother Nyx in fear. Not wanting to anger Nyx, Zeus held his anger back. Hypnos only trifled with Zeus few times after this, each time going back to his mother who would chase Zeus away with unmeasurable fury.


I transcribed this myself from many different sources.