Oneiroi

The Oneiroi (Greek Ὄνειροι "Dreams " ) in Greek mythology, the personification of dreams and dreaming. The singular Oneiros ( Ὀνειρος ) when referring to a god of dreams is rare. More often, the Oneiroi be named as unspecified group. In Hesiod's Theogony, they are the children of Nyx ( "Night" ): " Nyx now begat [ ... ] the Hypnos at the same time with the flock of Oneiren ".

According to Homer, the land of dreams (demos Oneiroi ) part of the underworld. It is beyond the Oceanus, beyond the white rock and the gates of the sun before you get to the Asphodeloswiese where the residence of the shades of the dead is.

Prophetic dreams and dream doors

Next in Homer deceptive dreams and prophetic dreams are distinguished. However, it is not that deceptive dreams simply delusions and dreams sent by the gods always had prophetic dreams. Rather, the gods use also the deceptive dreams. So Zeus sends, as he plans to move the Agamemnon to premature battle, this a deceptive dream in the form of wise counselor Nestor. This very place is criticized by Plato, who said that so hard you also appreciate Homer, Homer the god Zeus shows as the sender of false dreams, which could find no consent.

Aesop explained in a fable, how it came about that the gods send the people not only prophetic dreams. There had in fact once asked Apollo the gift of infallible prophecy of Zeus. As the gift of Apollo was granted and now the greatest prophet among the gods, he was even prouder than before and so arrogant that Zeus meditated remedy and therefore created the prophetic dreams, so that people vorhersahn without Apollo's help the future in visions. As Apollon it asked for forgiveness and begged Zeus to devalue the prophecy not all the way through the prophetic dreams, Zeus created the false dreams. As people are now realized that many dream was just a haze, she turned back to the oracles of Apollo to.

According to Homer, true and false dreams based on the gate can be distinguished:

The image of the two gates of dreams ( Pyle oneiron ) showed broad aftereffect in poetry and iconography. So after one of the picture descriptions of Flavius ​​Philostratus is the famous Amphiareion of Oropus object in an image. In this sanctuary investigated especially the sick in dreams evidence of therapy (see Enkoimesis ). The picture shows according to the city Oropus as a young man in the midst of Thalattai, the allegories of the seas, and the gate of dreams, next to the white-robed Aletheia, the goddess of truth stands, and thus indicating that in this place the sleeper the truth in a dream place. The Dream ( Oneiros ) is also depicted carrying a horn in his hands.

Dreams in Roman mythology

In Roman mythology, the Greek Oneiroi meet the Somnia, which also children of Nox ( night) are. Hyginus Mythographus is considered the father of Somnia on the Erebus.

Ovid called Hypnos as the father of dreams. He distinguishes the three brothers Morpheus, Phobetor (or Ikelos ) and Phantasos in the Metamorphoses. Of these, Morpheus is the most powerful. He shapes in the dreams of human actors. Phobetor is responsible for the representation of animals. Phantasos immediately makes everything inanimate, ie earth, stones, water and trees.