PAN the Wild God of the Woods

Pan, from Classical Mythology, is the Greek god of the mountainside, pastures, goats and sheep, most associated with the mountainous state of Arcadia in central Peloponnese. Son of the messenger god Hermes and Penelope, Pan is usually depicted as a shaggy wildman with goat-like horns, legs, and hooves. Like his Roman counterpart Faunus, he is a playful and energetic god often found dancing or playing on a syrinx - the pipes that he is credited with inventing. Actually, Syrinx was the name of a poor nymph who turned herself into a bed of reeds - the material used to make the pipes - to avoid Pan's licentious advances. This brings us to Pan's darker side.

Regarded as the spirit of the dark forests, Pan was indeed a wildman. He spent a great deal of his time wantonly chasing after the many nymphs of the woods and waters, and so he became associated with instinctual sexual desire and especially rape.

Pan could also be a very irritable, cranky god. So travellers, especially solitary travellers, through wooded areas were warned not to disturb him during his afternoon nap, else they would feel his divine presence and be overcome by a deep sense of fear and sudden panic. As you may well be aware, we get our word "panic" from this aspect of the god Pan. It was said that he could strike fear when he blew loudly on his conch shell. Indeed, his worship spread from Arcadia to Athens in 480 BC with the victory of the Athenians and Plataeans over the Persians. The Persians fled in panic over the great din caused by Pan.

I'm sure that I have felt the presence of Pan manifested by sudden fear and panic while on a lonely leisurely walk through the woods - oddly enough my walks are usually around midday, Pan's prime nap time! You hear a branch snap or the leaves rustling in a tree or bush and freeze in your tracks, your heart racing. "What was that!" you think to yourself and look around with images of a bear, wolf, or even a wildman (bigfoot often comes to my mind!) passing rapidly through your thoughts so you quicken your pace to get out of there!

Indeed, Pan's divine spirit still haunts the woods. Next time we'll have a closer look at what Pan represents as well as his association with panic and the wilder side of his divinity. Until then... be careful not to disturb him on your next walk in the woods...

Go To Page: 1