Hypnos.
The power of sleep
Hypnos: Greek God of Sleep and Brother of Thanatosis the Greek god of sleep, a child of and the brother of , Death. Even can fall under his power, although putting the king of the gods to sleep is a dangerous favor.
More than a myth.
Sleep and Death in Night’s household
names among the children of and describes Sleep and Death living near the meeting place of Night and Day. Their resemblance makes an important distinction visible: sleep releases a person from ordinary awareness but allows a return. Death does not. The calls them twin brothers and gives them a shared task when a fallen warrior must be carried home.
Why Hypnos fears Zeus
In 14, asks to lull to sleep so she can influence the course of the . He hesitates because an earlier favor to her nearly brought Zeus’s punishment upon him. Only refuge with protected him. Hera finally wins his agreement by promising marriage to Pasithea, and Hypnos works from concealment while the divine king is distracted.
Hypnos and the gods of dreams
Sleep and dreams are related, but they are not interchangeable characters. lists the Dreams as another group born from Night. ’s much later Roman poem introduces as a son of Sleep skilled in imitating human beings. That particular father-and-son arrangement belongs to Ovid’s narrative and should not be projected backward onto every Greek account.
Questions about Hypnos
Who is the Greek god of sleep?
personifies sleep. His Roman counterpart is Somnus. is associated with the human shapes seen in dreams in , rather than with sleep as a whole.
Are Hypnos and Thanatos twins?
The calls Sleep and Death twin brothers. also places both in the family of , making them related but distinct experiences within the same divine household.
It’s a family affair.
The stories of Hypnos.
Continue with the ancient accounts.
This story collection does not yet include a full retelling centered on Hypnos. Explore the cited sources below and the connected profiles for more of the surviving accounts.
Ancient voices.
Enduring stories.
Myths have many tellings. These are the ancient works behind this profile, linked to freely available English translations.
Theogony
Lines 211–225, 744–766
Iliad
Book 14.231–291 · Hera and Sleep
Iliad
Book 16.667–683 · the return of Sarpedon
Metamorphoses
Book 11.592–649 · Sleep and the Dreams