Episode 18: Nyx, the Goddess of Night

 

📑 Table of Contents

1. Who is Nyx, the Goddess of Night?
2. The Birth of Nyx and Her Children
3. Nyx's Symbolism and Personality
4. Key Episode: Darkness that Subdued Zeus
5. The Legacy of Nyx's Image

1. Who is Nyx, the Goddess of Night?

In Greek mythology, Nyx is a primordial goddess who governs darkness. True to her name, she represents the night and is known as one of the first beings to emerge from Chaos. She exudes an aura of mystery and fear, so much so that even gods tread carefully in her presence. Dwelling in the stillness of the night, she influences the boundaries between life and death with ancient, overarching power.

2. The Birth of Nyx and Her Children

Nyx was born directly from Chaos. Her brother is Erebus (darkness), and together they brought night and darkness into the world. She is often depicted as an independent and powerful goddess capable of birthing children on her own. Among her children are Thanatos (death), Hypnos (sleep), the Moirai (fates), Nemesis (retribution), Apate (deceit), and Eris (discord)—all symbolic of humanity's essential suffering and order. In some myths, she also gives birth to Aether (light) and Hemera (day), showing that darkness is the source encompassing all.

3. Nyx's Symbolism and Personality

Nyx goes beyond the simple imagery of night and is revered as a “goddess of thresholds.” She exists at the crossroads of life and death, beginnings and endings, emanating majesty in still silence. Though she does not wage wars or change the world directly, her presence alone commands awe and fear. Even Zeus feared her, highlighting that Nyx represents a power beyond divine order—an elemental force.

4. Key Episode: Darkness that Subdued Zeus

💠 The First Time Zeus Was Put to Sleep

Hera harbored resentment toward Heracles, Zeus’s illegitimate son with the mortal Alcmene. Planning to thwart Heracles’ journey, Hera couldn’t intervene directly because Zeus protected him. So, she secretly asked Hypnos, the god of sleep, to put Zeus to sleep. When Hypnos complied, Hera unleashed a storm that stranded Heracles at sea. Upon awakening, Zeus realized what had happened and furiously pursued Hypnos, who narrowly escaped by fleeing into Nyx’s domain. Since then, Hypnos feared putting Zeus to sleep again.

💠 The Second Time Zeus Was Put to Sleep

Decades later, during the Trojan War, Hera again approached Hypnos for help in assisting the Greek side. Remembering Zeus’s previous rage, Hypnos initially refused. But Hera, swearing an oath and promising Aphrodite’s beauty as bait and marriage to one of the Graces as a reward, convinced him. Hypnos accepted. On Mount Ida, Zeus was seduced and put to sleep, enabling Poseidon to aid the Greeks. This scene, depicted in Book 14 of the Iliad, illustrates how even gods are swayed by strategy and emotion.

5. The Legacy of Nyx's Image

Nyx has been reinterpreted across literature, art, and philosophy. Nietzsche referenced her in Thus Spoke Zarathustra, using “depths of night” as a metaphor. In ancient worldviews, Nyx was considered older than light, representing an unconscious realm beyond human control. Even today, she symbolizes dreams, illusions, death, and the dark desires within humanity.

📋 Appendix: Table of Nyx's Children

Name	Role	Symbolism
Hypnos	God of Sleep	Rest, unconsciousness, peace
Thanatos	God of Death	Silent death, natural end
Moirai	Three Fates	Life’s beginning, course, and end (Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos)
Nemesis	Goddess of Retribution	Balance, karma, punishment
Apate	Goddess of Deceit	Lies, trickery, hypocrisy
Eris	Goddess of Discord	Conflict, seeds of war
Geras	God of Aging	Old age, decline, mortality
Oizys	God of Misery	Suffering, anguish, human pain
Hemera	Goddess of Day	Contrast and balance (Nyx’s daughter, beginning of day)
Aether	God of Light	Pure upper air, daylight