About
Morpheus (pronounced /ˈmɔrfiəs/ or /ˈmɔrfjuːs/; Greek: Μορφεύς, Morpheus, or Μορφέας, Morpheas, "shaper [of dreams]") is the Greek god of dreams. Morpheus has the ability to take any human's form and appear in dreams. His true semblance is that of a winged daemon, imagery shared with many of his siblings.Family
According to Hesiod, Morpheus is the son of Nyx, the primordial goddess of the night. Either she produced him parthenogenically, or as Cicero claims, with Erebus, the god of darkness.
Morpheus is the oldest of a set of triplets known as the Oneiroi, along with Icelus and Phantasos. For this reason, he is also referred to as Oneiros. Also counted among Morpheus' siblings are the twins Hypnos, the god of sleep, and Thanatos, the god of death. The Oneiroi are attendants of Hypnos, bringing dreams to the mortals and gods who fall under the power of Sleep.
The Roman poet Ovid, however, states in his Metamorphoses that Morpheus is a son of Hypnos rather than his brother (it does not mention the identity of the mother), and multiplies the Oneiroi into an uncountable host of spirits, with Morpheus, Icelus and Phantasos being merely the most prominent among them.
Abode
The land of dreams (Demos Oneiroi) was located somewhere in the underworld, presumably near the domain of Night and her children. Poets often referred to the two gates leading from the dream realm. One gate was fashioned of sawn ivory, the other of polished horn. False dreams were said to pass through the gate of ivory, while truthful, prophetic dreams winged their way out through the gate of horn. There was also said to be a wilted elm tree in Morpheus' domain, upon which the dreams fashioned by the Oneiroi hung, with the appearance of winged phantom-shapes.
Attributions
Morpheus sends images of humans in dreams or visions, and is responsible for shaping dreams, or giving shape to the beings that inhabit dreams. Phobetor made fearsome dreams (etymologically related to "phobia" from the Greek φόβος "fear"). Phantasos produced tricky and unreal dreams (hence "fantasy", "phantasmagoria", etc.). Together, these attendants of Hypnos rule the realm of dreams.
Morpheus also had special responsibility for the dreams of kings and heroes. For these reasons, Morpheus is often referred to as "Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams", in superiority to his brothers.
The drug Morphine is named after Morpheus for its ability to make one sleepy and dreamy.
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I've been dropping painkillers to no avail.... I sure could use a good dream, they've been blank a while now. Maybe I need to visit fiddlers green?
uh yeah I read all of the Sandman, but thanks for the original greek legend on ur profile