Hypnos HIP nuhs

Sleep - the Twin Brother of Death
Hypnos in The Iliad (reference)
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Sleep—the Twin Brother of Death

Hypnos enters the sleep of mortals and, at the bidding of the Olympians, gives them dreams of foolishness or inspiration, depending on the individual and their divine protectors or enemies.

Hypnos is husband to Aglia, one of the Graces, because he did a very dangerous favor for Hera. During the Trojan War, Hera wanted to distract Zeus from the battle so she could assist the Akhaians (Achaians), who seemed to be losing the war. She wanted Hypnos to cast a spell of sleep on Zeus but he refused. At first Hera offered Hypnos a golden throne crafted by her son Hephaistos (Hephaestus) but she was forced to raise the ante when Hypnos reminded her of the only time he had dared cast sleep on Zeus. Long before the Trojan War, Hera was angry at Herakles (Heracles) and she had persuaded Hypnos to make Zeus sleep while she tormented the hero. When Zeus awoke, he was in a rage. He searched for Hypnos and finally found him hiding in the arms of his mother, Nyx (Night). Zeus overcame his anger and simply warned Hypnos not to try such a trick again, and Hypnos went unpunished.

In preparation for this new deception, Hypnos made Hera swear oaths of her sincerity. He agreed to help her deceive Zeus for the hand of one of the Graces, Aglia (or Pasithea). He turned himself into a bird and, before Zeus could see him, hid in the tops of the trees on Mount Ida. He stayed hidden until Hera had seduced Zeus. When the father of gods was dulled by pleasure and sleep, Hypnos flew to Poseidon and urged him to increase his efforts in helping the Akhaians because Zeus was asleep and unaware of the Earth Shaker’s meddling. Poseidon strode through the ranks of soldiers and urged them on. Finally, his bellowing and screeching roused Zeus from his slumber but, in that short time, the Akhaians had turned the battle back on the Trojans. Hera’s trick had worked. Zeus never found out that Hypnos had betrayed him (again).

The Romans had a similar deity named Somnus.

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Hypnos in The Iliad (listed by book and line)

14.231 ...Hera promises Hypnos (Sleep), the brother of Thanatos (Death), many gifts if he will use his powers on Zeus
14.242 ...Hypnos (Sleep) tells Hera that he is hesitant to use his powers on Zeus because Nyx (Night) had to rescue him the last time he did such a thing
14.264 ...Hera promises to give Hypnos (Sleep) one of the Graces in marriage if he will use his powers on Zeus
14.270 ...Hera swears on the River Styx that she will give Hypnos (Sleep) Pasithea, one of the younger Graces, in marriage
14.286 ...Hypnos (Sleep) takes the form of a bird and watches Zeus from a pine tree on Mount Ida
14.354 ...After putting Zeus to sleep, gentle Hypnos (Sleep) went to Poseidon and told him to fight with the Danaans while Zeus cannot see him
16.454 ...When Zeus regrets the impending death of his son, Sarpedon, Hera advises him to let Sarpedon die and then send Thanatos (Death) and painless Hypnos (Sleep) to the battlefield to transport Sarpedon’s body to his home in Lykia (Lycia)
16.672 ...Zeus instructs Apollon to retrieve the body of his son, Sarpedon, and to wash the body in the river then let the twin brothers, Hypnos (Sleep) and Thanatos (Death), carry the body to Lykia (Lycia)
16.682 ...Apollon gives the body of Sarpedon to the twin brothers, Hypnos (Sleep) and Thanatos (Death), so they could carry the body to Lykia (Lycia) as Zeus had commanded

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How to Cite this Page

Cut and paste the following text for use in a paper or electronic document report.

Stewart, Michael. "Hypnos", Greek Mythology: From the Iliad to the Fall of the Last Tyrant. http://messagenetcommresearch.com/myths/bios/hypnos.html (November 15, 2005)

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