Gods, Myths and Heroes - Part 83

Zephyrus

Zephyrus was the ancient Greek god of the west wind.  There were four Greek gods of the winds.  Boreas, the north wind, was cold and blustery.  Notus, the south wind, was hot and summery.  Eurus, the east wind, was rainy and stormy.  But Zephyrus, the west wind, was mild, with gentle breezes, and he was associated with spring.  Even today, a zephyr means a mild, pleasant breeze.

Above, a fresco of Zephyrus from Pompeii.

Above, The Funeral Pyre of Patroclus by John Flaxman, 1805, depicts a story in the Iliad where Achilles' friend and lover Patroclus has died but the funeral pyre won't light.  Achilles prays to the wind gods, including Zephyrus, to start and fan the fire, and they do.

We've already seen the myth of Eros (Cupid) and Psyche.  Zephyrus is the god who transports the beautiful girl Psyche to a remote place where Eros can make love to her.  Above, Zephyr and Psyche by Henri-Joseph Ruxthiel, 1814, shows Zephyrus carrying Psyche.

But Zephyrus had his own love interests.  He fell in love with a handsome Spartan prince called Hyacinthus.  Above, a 5th century BC ceramic showing Zephyrus and Hyacinthus having intercrural sex (a form of sex in which Zephyrus' penis goes between Hyacinthus' thighs).

A 5th century BC vase depicting Zephyrus pursuing Hyacinthus.  But Hyacinthus had other admirers, in particular the god Apollo, and he decided to leave Zephyrus and go with Apollo.

Apollo invited Hyacinthus to play a game of throwing the discus with him.  Above is a Roman copy of a Greek statue c. 390 BC showing Hyacinthus with a discus.

But the jealous god Zephyrus hadn't gotten over Hyacinthus leaving him.  When Apollo threw his discus, Zephyrus blew it off course so it hit Hyacinthus in the head.  Apollo tried to save him, but Hyacinthus died.  Above, The Death of Hyacinthos by Jean Broc, 1801.  Unable to save him, Apollo then turned the youth into the hyacinth flower.