Nyx: The Personification of Night in Greek Mythology
Nyx, also referred to as Nox or simply the Night, embodies the concept of night within the framework of Greek mythology. Originating from Chaos, or the Void, she is categorized as a primordial deity, known as a Protogenoi. These fundamental divine entities represent the elemental and physical forces of existence and are the ancestral figures from which all Greek gods, heroes, and mythical beings descend.
Despite her relatively modest role in the Greek mythic hierarchy, Nyx’s essence as the Night grants her significant influence. Her formidable power is highlighted in Homer’s Iliad, wherein even the mighty Zeus hesitates to confront her.
Visually, Nyx is depicted driving a chariot shrouded in darkness, adorned with a starry or black veil, with stars trailing in her wake. She resides in Tartarus, the nethermost region of the underworld, in the company of her daughter, Hemera (Day). Interestingly, while they share the same space, they never encounter one another; Hemera departs just as Nyx enters and vice versa. Some of the most renowned references to Nyx can be found in Hesiod’s Theogony (c. 700 BCE) and Homer’s Iliad (c. 750 BCE).
The Genesis of the Gods
In his creation narrative, Theogony, Hesiod elaborates on the origins of the gods and goddesses, noting Nyx’s significance:
“From Chaos came black Night and Erebus. And Night, in turn, gave birth to Day and Space.” (1.124-126)
Nyx, a prolific mother, birthed many offspring, ranging from benevolent to dreadfully powerful. Hesiod lists her progeny, including:
- Aether (Light/Radiance)
- Hemera (Day)
- Eris (Discord and Strife)
- Geras (Old Age)
- Nemesis (Retribution)
- Hypnos (Sleep)
- Oneroi (Dreams)
- Phobeter (Nightmares)
- Thanatos (Death)
- The Hesperides (Daughters of the Evening)
- Apate (Deceit)
- Moros (Doom)
- Twins Oizys (Misery) and Momos (Scorn)
- Morae (the Fates)
Orphic Mythology
Nyx plays a prominent advisory role to both Uranus’s son Cronus and later to his own son, Zeus, as he ascends to power among the Olympians.
In the Orphic creation mythology, which stems from a sect following the lore of the mythical poet Orpheus, we encounter a narrative where Aether, Chaos, and Erebus emerge from Chronus (Endless Time). An egg forms within Aether, resulting in Phanes (To Bring Light), the radiant creator of everything. Following Phanes’s birth of Nyx and her eventual union with him, they together give rise to Uranus (Heaven). Nyx’s advisory role continues with Zeus after he becomes the king of the Olympian gods. Notably, different versions of the Orphic myths illustrate her laying an egg from which Phanes and other deities hatch.
Some academic interpretations suggest that Nyx was a supreme deity in early Orphic beliefs, as documented in ancient Orphic hymns that describe her as a parent goddess, asserting both gods and mortals descended from her.
The Egg Creation Tale
In the comedic work Birds by Aristophanes (c. 460 to c. 380 BCE), Erebus and Nyx are highlighted as the initial deities to hatch an egg from which Eros, the god of love, emerges, leading to the formation of the earth. This creation tale, inspired by Orphic theories and influenced by Hesiod’s narratives, differentiates itself by featuring Greek divinities hatching from eggs.
Aristophanes narrates that in the deep void of Erebus, Nyx lays an egg, and from it emerges Eros, who plays a vital role in creating the universe. In this context, the egg symbolizes the world and is crucial to the conception of divine beings.
Nyx’s Encounter with Zeus
In the Iliad, Nyx provides sanctuary to her son Hypnos when he falls under Zeus’s ire. Hera, Zeus’s wife and queen of the Olympian deities, devises a plot involving Hypnos to ensure harm befalls Hercules, her husband’s son born of a mortal. Hypnos is tasked to lull Zeus into slumber while Hera orchestrates a storm against Hercules’ fleet. Once awakened, Zeus’s fury targets Hypnos, who, fearing for his safety, flees to Nyx for refuge, knowing Zeus would be unlikely to transgress against Night itself.
“I reached her in flight and Father called it quits despite his towering anger. True, Zeus shrank from doing a thing to outrage rushing Night.” (Iliad, 14.311-316)
Iconography
While artistic representations of Nyx in Greek artwork are scarce, her appearance is often described consistently across various sources: she rides a chariot pulled by two horses, cloaked in black and adorned with either a starry or black veil, stars streaming behind her. Some texts depict her with a black-tinged veil in her right hand and a downward-facing torch in her left. Despite her beauty, her demeanor reveals a grave nature.
Other illustrations feature her as a spectral entity shrouded in a long black robe, cradling her sons, Thanatos and Hypnos. Thanatos is portrayed in darkness bearing an inverted torch, while Hypnos, often shown draped in white, carries a poppy flower.
Worship Practices
Although Nyx receives scant mention in Orphic ritual literature, evidence suggests minimal worship occurred at temples. Generally, sacrifices involving black animals, especially cocks, took place in her honor, as these creatures herald the dawn even amidst Night.
Although both Nyx and Hemera inhabit Tartarus, they represent the unceasing cycle of day and night, never coexisting in the same realm simultaneously.
The Greek traveler and author Pausanias (110/125 to 180 CE) documented an Oracle of the Night in Megara and a statue of Nyx by the renowned sculptor Rhoecus found at the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus (modern Turkey). He also recounted seeing a carving of Nyx at the Temple of Hera in Olympia, portraying a woman bearing a sleeping child enrobed in white in one arm and a black-clad child in the other, identified as Death and Sleep.
Tartarus
Tartarus, located within the deepest expanse of the underworld, serves as the domain of Nyx and her daughter Hemera. Hesiod describes it as encircled by bronze walls, portraying it as the “yawning mouth of hell,” a place abhorred by the gods. The separation of Nyx and Hemera underscores the nature of day and night.
“Untiring, in the place where Night and Day approach and greet each other, as they cross the great bronze threshold. When the one goes in, the other leaves.” (Theogony, 1.726-57)
Nyx’s Enduring Legacy
Although Nyx may not compare in prominence to the Olympian deities, her vital role in Greek mythology as a representation of the Night underscores her ancient importance. Revered by the ancient Greeks, she provided solace as well as fear, embodying both escape from daily tribulations and the darker elements of existence.
This reverence continues into modern times, as evidenced by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) naming one of Pluto’s moons Nix after Nyx. Similarly, the popular cosmetics company, NYX Professional Makeup, derives its name from this powerful deity.
