Thanatos is the Greek god of peaceful death and a psychopomp. Naturally, the “gods below” means the Underworld, and all the chthonic deities that shy away from the shining sun. This phenomenon is referenced in Alcestis, when Thanatos states that “all whose hair is cut in consecration by this blade’s edge are devoted to the gods below.” The sword was used to cut hair from a dying person, thus signifying their death. In accordance with Greek mythology, Thanatos’ sword held great significance. In few artworks, Thanatos appeared as a dark-haired man with an impressive beard. Further, it was rare to have him depicted without his twin brother, Hypnos, who was identical to him save for a few minor details. When he was, he would be a handsome winged youth, wearing black and sporting a sheathed sword.
What does Thanatos Look like?Īs a mere personification of death, Thanatos was not portrayed often. He did not traditionally manifest at the scene of violent deaths, as those were the realm of his sisters, the Keres. Thanatos presented himself – regardless of his reputation as ancient Greece’s all-encompassing death god – during a peaceful, or otherwise non-violent death. Examples of these concepts include love, death, memory, fear, and yearning. Both are used to refer to divine beings.Īccording to Katsae (2014), Homer’s use of daimon could denote “a specific but unnamed superhuman agent, a named god or goddess, a collective divine force, a chthonic power or an unaccountable strain in mortal behaviour.” As such, these personified spirits tended to be embodiments of more abstract concepts than tangible elements. The epic poet Homer uses the term daimon interchangeably with theos (god). Like many children of Nyx, Thanatos could be labeled as a personified spirit or a daimon rather than a full-fledged god. He is the son of Nyx (Night) and Erebus (Darkness) and the twin brother of Hypnos. In Greek mythology, Thanatos is the shadowy god of death. What was Thanatos’ Relationship with Other Gods?.
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