To the ancient Greeks, satyrs were part man and part horse. They were woodland deities associated with the great god Pan, and with Dionysus, the god of wine. Satyrs were "given to riotous merriment and lasciviousness."
In ancient Rome, satyrs became conflated with fauns, the Roman woodland deities that were half man and half goat. Therefore, satyrs are often depicted as having horns on their heads and feet with hooves.
English word: We use satyr to refer to a lecherous man. Satyriasis means "an insatiable venereal appetite in the male."
Showing posts with label Pan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pan. Show all posts
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Silvanus
Silvanus was the ancient Roman god of the forest. He was akin to Pan, and was often depicted with the lower half of a goat, and the upper half of a man.
Modern Word: From this ancient god we get the words sylvan, "related to a forest," and the names Pennsylvania and Transylvania.
Modern Word: From this ancient god we get the words sylvan, "related to a forest," and the names Pennsylvania and Transylvania.
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