Pan
Pan, Pan, son of Mercury, god of woods and shepherds, often represented as half man, half goat
Frieze-Dennison Vergil
- = Πάν, Pan, the god of the woods and of shepherds, the son of Mercury and Penelope, Cic. N. D. 3, 22, 56; Hyg. Fab. 224: Pan erat armenti custos, Pan numen equarum, Ov. F. 2, 277: Panos de more Lycaei, Verg. A. 8, 344. He was represented under the form of a goat; hence, semicaper Pan, Ov. M. 14, 515; cf. Sil. 13, 327. His mistress, Syrinx, was transformed, at her request, by the nymphs into a thicket of reeds, from which Pan made the shepherd's pipe (σῦριγξ), Lucr. 4, 586; Ov. M. 1, 691. He is also said to have fallen in love with Luna, and to have gained her favor by the present of a ram, Verg. G. 3, 391 Serv. In war he was regarded as the producer of sudden, groundless (panic) terrors, Val. Fl. 3, 46 sqq.—He was called at a later period the god of All (τὸ πᾶν), Macr. S. 1, 22.—
- II In plur.: Panes, gods of the woods and fields resembling Pan, Ov. H. 4, 171; id. M. 14, 638.—Gen. Panum, Mel. 3, 9, 6.—Acc. Panas, Col. poët. 10, 427.
lupercal, templum Panos
Pan, deus Arcadiae vel pastorum
Arcades, gens ‥ quae colebat Pana
Pan indeclinabile, i. deus pastorum
Pan lingua Archadum ubi colitur
hujusmodi autem Pana dicunt antiqui, pan autem interpretatur omne, unde tocius in se mundi formam habere dicitur
Pan ‥ deus est nature et interpretatur omne
Pani dii moncium dicti a pan, totum
Pan, incibus [l. incubus ]
(Πάν), the great god of flocks and shepherds among the Greeks; his name is probably connected with the verb πάω. Lat. pasco, so that his name and character are perfectly in accordance with each other. Later speculations, according to which Pan is the same as τὸ πᾶν, or the universe, and the god the symbol of the universe, cannot be taken into consideration here. He is described as a son of Hermes by the daughter of Dryops (Hom. Hymn. 7.34), by Callisto (Schol. ad Theocr. 1.3), by Oeneis or Thymbris (Apollod. 1.4.1; Schol. ad Theocrit. l.c.), or as the son of Hermes by Penelope, whom the god visited in the shape of a ram (Hdt. 2.145; Schol. ad Theocrit. 1.123 ; Serv. ad Aen. 2.43), or of Penelope by Odysseus, or by all her suitors in common. (Serv. ad Virg. Georg. 1.16; Schol. ad Lycoph. 766; Schol. ad Theocrit. 1.3.) Some again call him the son of Aether and Oeneis, or a Nereid, or a son of Uranus and Ge. (Schol. ad Theocrit. 1.123; Schol. ad Lycoph. l.c.) From his being a grandson or great grandson of Cronos, he is called Κρόνιος. (Eur. Rh. 36.) He was from his birth perfectly developed, and had the same appearance as afterwards, that is, he had his horns, beard, puck nose, tail, goats' feet, and was covered with hair, so that his mother ran away with fear when she saw him ; but Hermes carried him into Olympus, where all (πάντες) the gods were delighted with him, and especially Dionysus. (Hom. Hymn. 7.36, &c.; comp. Sil. Ital. 13.332; Lucian, Dial. Deor. 22.) He was brought up by nymphs. (Paus. 8.30.2.)
The principal seat of his worship was Arcadia and from thence his name and his worship afterwards spread over other parts of Greece; and at Athens his worship was not introduced till the time of the battle of Marathon. (Paus. 8.26.2; Verg. Ecl. 10.26; Pind. Frag. 63, ed. Boeckh.; Hdt. 2.145.) In Arcadia he was the god of forests, pastures, flocks, and shepherds, and dwelt in grottoes (Eur. Ion 501; Ov. Met. 14.515), wandered on the summits of mountains and rocks, and in valleys, either amusing himself with the chase, or leading the dances of the nymphs. (Aeschyl. Pers. 448; Hom. Hymn. 7.6, 13, 20 ; Paus. 8.42.2.) As the god of flocks, both of wild and tame animals, it was his province to increase them and guard them (Hom. Hymn. 7.5; Paus. 8.38.8; Ov. Fast. 2.271, 277 ; Virg. Eclog. 1.33); but he was also a hunter, and hunters owed their success to him, who at the same time might prevent their being successful. (Hesych. s. v. Ἀγρεύς.) In Arcadia hunters used to scourge the statue, if they hunted in vain (Theocrit. 7.107); during the heat of mid day he used to slumber, and was very indignant when any one disturbed him. (Theocrit. 1.16.) As god of flocks, bees also were under his protection, as well as the coast where fishermen carried on their pursuit. (Theocrit. 5.15; Anthol. Palat. 6.239, 10.10.) As the god of every thing connected with pastoral life, he was fond of music, and the inventor of the syrinx or shepherd's flute, which he himself played in a masterly manner, and in which he instructed others also, such as Daphnis. (Hom. Hymn. 7.15 ; Theocrit. 1.3; Anthol. Palat. 9.237, 10.11; Verg. Ecl. 1.32, 4.58; Serv. ad Virg. Edloq. 5.20.) He is thus said to have loved the poet Pindar, and to have sung and danced his lyric songs, in return for which Pindar erected to him a sanctuary in front of his house. (Pind. P. 3.139, with the Schol.; Plut. Num. 4.) Pan, like other gods who dwelt in forests, was dreaded by travellers to whom he sometimes appeared, and whom he startled with a sudden awe or terror. (Eur. Rh. 36.) Thus when Pheidippides, the Athenian, was sent to Sparta to solicit its aid against the Persians, Pan accosted him, and promised to terrify the barbarians, if the Athenians would worship him. (Hdt. 6.105 ; Paus. 8.54.5, 1.28.4.) He is said to have had a terrific voice (V. Fl. 3.31), and by it to have frightened the Titans in their fight with the gods. (Eratosh. Catast. 27.) It seems that this feature, namely, his fondness of noise and riot, was the cause of his being considered as the minister and companion of Cybele and Dionysus. (V. Fl. 3.47; Pind. Fragm. 63, ed. Boeckh; Lucian, Dial. Deor. 22.) He was at the same time believed to be possessed of prophetic powers, and to have even instructed Apollo in this art. (Apollod. 1.4.1.) While roaming in his forests he fell in love with Echo, by whom or by Peitho he became the father of lynx. His love of Syrinx, after whom he named his flute, is well known from Ovid (Ov. Met. 1.691, &c.; comp. Serv. ad Virg. Eclog. 2.31; and about his other amours see Georg. 3.391; Macr. 5.22). Fir-trees were sacred to him, as the nymph Pitys, whom he loved, had been metamorphosed into that tree (Propert. 1.18. 20), and the sacrifices offered to him consisted of cows, rams, lambs, milk, and honey. (Theocrit. 5.58; Anthol. Palat. 2.630, 697, 6.96, 239, 7.59.) Sacrifices were also offered to him in common with Dionysus and the nymphs. (Paus. 2.24.7; Anthol. Palat. 6.154.) The various epithets which are given him by the poets refer either to his singular appearance, or are derived from the names of the places in which he was worshipped. Sanctuaries and temples of this god are frequently mentioned, especially in Arcadia, as at Heraea, on the Nomian hill near Lycosura, on mount Parthenius (Paus. 8.26.2, 38.8, 54.5), at Megalopolis (8.30.2, 3.31.1), near Acacesium, where a perpetual fire was burning in his temple, and where at the same time there was an ancient oracle, at which the nymph Erato had been his priestess (8.37.8, &c.), at Troezene (2.32.5), on the well of Eresinus, between Argos and Tegea (2.24.7), at Sicyon 2.10.2), at Oropus (1.34.2), at Athens (1.28.4; Hdt. 6.105), near Marathon (1.32. in fin.), in the island of Psyttaleia (1.36.2 ; Aeschyl. Pers. 448), in the Corycian grotto near mount Parnassus (10.32.5), and at Homala in Thessaly. (Theocrit. 7.103.)
The Romans identified with Pan their own god Inuus, and sometimes also Faunus. Respecting the plural (Panes) or beings with goat's feet, see Satyri. In works of art Pan is represented as a voluptuous and sensual being, with horns, puck-nose, and goat's feet, sometimes in the act of dancing, and sometimes playing on the syrinx. (Hirt, Mythol. Bilderb. ii. p. 161, &c.) [L.S]
- , Πάν, Pan, son of Mercury, god of woods and shepherds, often represented as half man, half goat: Panos de more Lycaei, V.: semicaper, O.—Plur, gods like Pan, gods of the woods and fields, O.
(Πάν). The Greek god of flocks and shepherds, described as the son of the Arcadian shepherd deity Hermes and Dryops, by others as the son of Hermes and Penelopé (Herod.ii. 145), and by still others as the offspring of Penelopé by all the suitors. (See Penelopé.) The Homeric hymn describes him as delighting all the gods, and thus getting his name. He was perfectly developed from his birth; and when his mother saw him she ran away through fear; but Hermes carried him to Olympus, where all the gods were delighted with him, especially Dionysus. He was originally only an Arcadian god; and Arcadia was always the principal seat of his worship. From this country his name and worship afterwards spread over other parts of Greece; but at Athens his worship was not introduced until the time of the battle of Marathon. In Arcadia he was the god of forests, pastures, flocks, and shepherds, and dwelt in grottoes, wandered on the summits of mountains and rocks, and in valleys, either amusing himself with the chase, or leading the dances of the nymphs. As the god of flocks, both of wild and tame animals, it was his province to increase and guard them; but he was also a hunter, and hunters owed their success or failure to him. The Arcadian hunters used to scourge the statue of the god if they had been disappointed in the chase (Theocr. vii. 107). During the heat of midday he used to slumber, and was very indignant when any one disturbed him. As the god of flocks, bees also were under his protection, as well as the coast where fishermen carried on their pursuit. As the god of everything connected with pastoral life, he was fond of music, and the inventor of the syrinx or shepherd's flute, which he himself played in a masterly manner, and in which he instructed others also, such as Daphnis. He is thus said to have loved the poet Pindar, and to have sung and danced his lyric songs, in return for which Pindar erected a sanctuary to him in front of his house.
Pan, like other gods who dwelt in forests, was dreaded by travellers, to whom he sometimes appeared, and whom he startled with sudden awe or terror. Thus, when Phidippides, the Athenian, was sent to Sparta to solicit its aid against the Persians, Pan accosted him, and promised to terrify the barbarians if the Athenians would worship him. Hence, sudden fright without any visible cause was ascribed to Pan, and was called a Panic fear (πανικὸν δεῖμα). He is further said to have had a terrible voice, and by it to have frightened the Titans in their fight with the gods. It seems that this feature—namely, his fondness of noise and riot— was the cause of his being considered the minister and companion of Cybelé and Dionysus. He was at the same time believed to be possessed of prophetic powers, and to have even instructed Apollo in this art. While roaming in the forests, he fell in love with the nymph Echo, by whom, or by Pitho, he became the father of Iynx. His love of Syrinx, after whom he named his flute, is well known from Ovid (Met. i. 691 foll.). Fir-trees (πίτυες) were sacred to him, since the nymph Pitys, whom he loved, had been metamorphosed into that tree; and the sacrifices offered to him consisted of cows, rams, lambs, milk, and honey. Sacrifices were also offered to him in common with Dionysus and the nymphs. The various epithets which are given him by the poets refer either to his singular appearance, or are derived from the names of the places in which he was worshipped. The Romans identified with Pan their own god Inuus, and also Faunus, which name is merely another form of Pan. In works of art Pan is represented as a voluptuous and sensual being, with horns, snub-nose, and goat's feet, sometimes in the act of dancing, and sometimes playing on the syrinx. His attendant deities or demons were known as Panes or Panisci (Πανίσκοι). Famous representations of Pan in sculpture are the so-called Barberini Faun at Munich, the Dancing Pan at Naples, and the Pan (or Faun) of Praxiteles at Rome, which suggested to Hawthorne his famous romance, The Marble Faun. In English literature, besides this romance, Pan is the subject of Landor's Pan and Pitys (see above), Cupid and Pan, Buchanan's Pan, Browning's Pan and Luna, and Swinburne's Pan and Thalassius. See Satyri.
- Paus. 8.26.2
- one of the "youngest" Greek gods: Hdt. 2.145
- identified with the Egyptian Mendes: Hdt. 2.42, Hdt. 2.46, Hdt. 2.145
- son of Zeus and Hybris: Apollod. 1.4.1
- said to have been borne by Penelope to Hermes: Apollod. E.7.37
- hunts on mountains: Paus. 8.42.3
- invents pipe: Paus. 8.38.11
- heard piping on Mount Maenalus: Paus. 8.36.8
- represented with pipe: Paus. 8.31.3
- gives oracles: Paus. 8.37.11
- causes panic fears: Paus. 10.23.7
- discovers mourning Demeter in cave: Paus. 8.42.3
- appears to Philippides: Paus. 1.28.4, Paus. 8.54.6
- his cult at Athens: Paus. 1.28.4, Hdt. 6.105
- sacrifices to Pan and Dionysus: Paus. 2.24.6
- caves sacred to: Paus. 1.32.7, Paus. 10.32.7
- mountains sacred to: Paus. 1.32.7, Paus. 8.24.4, Paus. 8.36.8
- oak-tree sacred to: Paus. 8.54.4
- tortoises sacred to: Paus. 8.54.7
- his herd of goats: Paus. 1.32.7
- his altars: Paus. 1.34.3, Paus. 2.11.1, Paus. 5.15.8, 9, Paus. 8.53.11
- images: Paus. 1.36.2, Paus. 1.44.9, Paus. 2.10.2, Paus. 8.30.2, 6, Paus. 8.31.3, Paus. 8.37.2
- sanctuaries: Paus. 2.32.6, Paus. 8.36.7, Paus. 8.37.11, Paus. 8.38.5, 11, Paus. 8.54.4, 6
- temple: Paus. 8.26.2
- Pans: Paus. 8.37.2
- Titles--Deliverer: Paus. 2.32.6
- Nomian: Paus. 8.38.11
- Oenois: Paus. 8.30.2
- Scolitas: Paus. 8.30.6