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Zephyrus
EntityQ467515· pop 45· linked from 725 articles

Also known as Zephyr

In Greek mythology and religion, Zephyrus () (), also spelled in English as Zephyr (), is the god and personification of the West wind, one of the several wind gods, the Anemoi. The son of Eos (the goddess of the dawn) and Astraeus, Zephyrus is the most gentle and favourable of the winds, associated with flowers, springtime and even procreation. In myths, he is presented as the tender breeze, known for his unrequited love for the Spartan prince Hyacinthus. Alongside Boreas, the two are the most prominent wind gods with relatively limited roles in recorded mythology.

Key facts

Deity.type
Greek
Deity.image
Affreschi_romani_-_pompei_-_nozze_zefiro_e_clori_particolare.JPG
Deity.caption
Zephyrus on an antique fresco in Pompeii
Deity.god_of
God of the West Wind
Deity.Roman_equivalent
Favonius
Deity.name
Zephyrus
Deity.abode
Sky
Deity.animals
Horse, swan
Deity.script_name
Greek
Deity.consort
Iris or Chloris/Flora or Podarge
Deity.children
Pothos, Balius and Xanthus, Carpus, tigers
Deity.parents
Astraeus and Eos
Deity.siblings
Winds (Boreas, Eurus, and Notus), Eosphorus, the Stars, Memnon, Emathion, Astraea

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Image
William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) - Flora And Zephyr (1875).jpg
Show 2 more facts
Commons category
Zephyrus
name in native language
Ζέφυρος
Sources (2)

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~18 min read

Article

18 sections
Contents
  • Etymology
  • Family
  • Parents
  • Consorts and offspring
  • Mythology
  • West Wind
  • Other myths
  • In ancient culture
  • Iconography
  • Cult
  • Favonius
  • Genealogy
  • Gallery
  • See also
  • Footnotes
  • References
  • Bibliography
  • External links

In Greek mythology and religion, Zephyrus () (), also spelled in English as Zephyr (), is the god and personification of the West wind, one of the several wind gods, the Anemoi. The son of Eos (the goddess of the dawn) and Astraeus, Zephyrus is the most gentle and favourable of the winds, associated with flowers, springtime and even procreation. In myths, he is presented as the tender breeze, known for his unrequited love for the Spartan prince Hyacinthus. Alongside Boreas, the two are the most prominent wind gods with relatively limited roles in recorded mythology.

Zephyrus, similarly to his brothers, received a cult during ancient times although his worship was minor compared to the Twelve Olympians. Still, traces of it are found in Classical Athens and surrounding regions and city-states, where it was usually joint with the cults of the other wind gods.

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