His special interests include pottery, architecture, world mythology and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share in common. Mark is a history writer based in Italy. Pan, in Greek religion and mythology, is the god of shepherds and flocks, of mountain wilds, hunting and rustic music, as well as the companion of the nymphs.

He is said to have talked Psyche out of committing suicide over her thwarted love for the god Some ancient writers have mentioned He looks after shepherds and woods, is a capable musician, and invented the instrument named after him—panpipes.

Associated with music and its magical … A wide assortment of myths surround Pan’s parentage but Other female figures who aroused the affections of Pan were the nymphs Echo and Pitys and also Selene, the personification of the moon. Not fully human in form, his legs are that of a goat and he has horns sprouting from his head. DeTraci Regula is a freelance writer who has specialized in Greek travel and tours for 18 years. He shares this aspect with He is worshiped in Arcadia and is associated with sexuality. Finally, in some myths, Pan also had amorous intentions towards the goddess Caves were often associated with worship of the god, notably, the Korkykeion cave on the slopes of Mt. Mythology. Had the body of a satyr (legs of a goat and body of a human). His mischievous side can turn very dark in an instant. In Greek mythology, Pan was the son of Hermes, and the god of shepherds. In Classical Mythology, he is the original bad boy. He leads the nymphs in dances and stirs up panic. He was a member of a race of alien explorers, who visited Earth thousands of years ago and posed as gods. In Ancient Greece and Greco-Egypt, the God Pan had signified “all things.” The meaning of the name of Pan, is an old word denoting to close or join together. The name Pan is also a Greek prefix meaning "all" and, at one time, Pan may have been a much more powerful, all-encompassing figure. Pan was the Ancient Greek god of pastures, flocks, the mountain wilds and rustic music. Shepherds, in particular, sacrificed to the god, usually kids, goats or sheep or offered small herdsmen statues made of clay as votive offerings. His name originates within the Greek language, from the word paein, meaning "to pasture." For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide.Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week:Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including We have also been recommended for educational use by the following publications:Some Rights Reserved (2009-2020) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted.Associated with music & its magical powers he is credited with inventing the panpipes. Pan The Story of Pan The mythical story and history of Pan by E.M. Berens.

He can incite 'panic', a mindless fear or rage, sometimes at the order of the goddess If you happened to be in his vicinity, you might notice his slightly musky or goat-like smell.

He has the hindquarters, legs, and horns of a goat, in the same manner as a faun or satyr. One interesting fact about pan was that he was half man and half goat with the top half of a man and the lower half being a goat, also called a satyr or a silenos. Another cave used as a point of worship was the Vari cave in Attica. He holds an MA in Political Philosophy and is the Publishing Director at AHE. In fact, he likes loud, chaotic noise in general. He watches over flocks, forests, mountains, and all wild things. Pan is the universal agent known as phosphorus, that gives light and life to the world. Silver stater of the Archadian League, c. 360 BCE. A Parian marble statue group of Aphrodite, Eros, and Pan. Some of them,  such as his sea-god aspect, even puzzled Classical Greek writers, again suggesting that his origin tradition was so ancient it was forgotten by classical times. Instead, they were probably in grottos and caves. Parnassos which was dedicated to the worship of both Pan and the Nymphs. By using ThoughtCo, you accept ourThe Twelve Olympian Gods and Goddesses of Greek MythologyThe Centaur: Half Human, Half Horse of Greek Mythology