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[Alexandr Korol]

His father is Hypnos, the god of sleep and dreams. According to one version, his mother was Aglaea, the daughter of Zeus and Eurynome, one of the three Graces, companions of Aphrodite, whose name literally means “Clear.” According to another version, his mother was Nyx, the goddess of night.

Morpheus can take any form and appear to people in their dreams. He is able to perfectly imitate the voice and speech style of the person he is portraying. The Greeks almost always depicted him as a slender young man with small wings on his temples, though in some works of art, he appears as a bearded old man holding a poppy flower. Morpheus is responsible for overseeing the dreams of kings and heroes. His main emblem is the double gates to the world of dreams. These are the ivory gates for false dreams and the horned gates for true dreams. Among the symbols and attributes of the god, the black color (as the color of night and oblivion) and poppy flowers are always particularly highlighted. Morpheus was often depicted in black clothing with scattered silver stars on it. In his hands, he held a cup with poppy juice, which has a relaxing, enveloping sleep-inducing effect. Sometimes, it is believed that he wears a crown of poppy flowers on his head, symbolizing dreams. The Greeks usually depicted him on vases, and the Romans on sarcophagi.’

Ovid, describing the cave of Hypnos in the land of Cimmeria, among the throng of sons of this god, singles out three: Morpheus, who imitates humans, and his brothers, Phobetor and Fantasus, who imitate animals and natural phenomena. The Lord of Sleep was the father of a thousand sons, a whole tribe, but among them, he singled out Morpheus, who could take on the appearance of any human being at will. No Sleep could compete with him in the artistry of impersonating humans: his voice, his walk, his face were exactly like the original; in addition, he accurately replicated their clothes and often ventured into the world. – “Metamorphoses.” There is also Hypnos. “Hypnos – in ancient Greek mythology, the personification of sleep, the god of sleep and dreams, son of Nyx and Erebus. Brother of Thanatos, Keres, the Moirai (according to Hesiod), Nemesis, Eris, Charon, and other children of Nyx. Hypnos is calm, quiet, and benevolent toward humans.”

According to Hesiod, Hypnos lives at the edge of the world, and the Sun (Helios) never gazes upon him.