Greek Myths XS: Pan-Faunus and the Panflute

The Greek god Pan/Faunus embodied everything intuitive, natural and untamed. The Greek prefix “pan” means “all”, or “everything”, like in the words pandemic, pantheon or panorama. His parentage is uncertain, but remarkably, the mother most referred to, is Penelope… Yes, virtuous wife of Odysseus. Or not so virtuous, as she would have slept with each and every one of her suitors in his absence. With Pan as a result, top half man, lower half goat. No wonder he was the personification of raw lüst. He was the spirit of the forest and his unexpected appearances could induce “pan”ic in unsuspecting wanderers. And in the objects of his desire, like the nymph Syrinx, who fled from his advances to her father, river god Ladon. Ladon couldn’t stand to witness the assault, so he changed her into a bush of reed (hence “syringe”). Pan cut off some stems and sighed in desperation, blowing wind through the hollow pipes. Unexpectedly, it made a beautiful sound. So, he arranged the pipes according to size and the panflute was born.

Pan and Daphnis, (Pompeï), National Archaeological Museum, Naples, Italy

Reclining Pan, National Maritime Museum, Haifa, Israel