Thanatos
Thanatos is the god of death in Greek mythology. He is the son of Nyx and the twin brother of Hypnos, the god of sleep.
| Thanatos | |
|---|---|
Personification of death | |
 Thanatos as a winged and sword-girt youth. Sculptured marble column drum from the Temple of Artemis at Ephesos, c. 325–300 BC. | |
| Abode | Underworld |
| Symbol | Theta, Poppy, Butterfly, Sword, Inverted Torch |
| Personal information | |
| Parents | Nyx, Erebus |
| Siblings | Hypnos, Nemesis, Eris, Keres, Oneiroi, and many others |
| Roman equivalent | Mors |
Sigmund Freud, a famous psychologist, used the word in one of his theories. THANATOS was the god or personified spirit (daimon) of non-violent death. His touch was gentle, likened to that of his twin brother Hypnos(Sleep). Violent death was the domain of Thanatos' blood-craving sisters, the Keres, spirits of slaughter and disease. He is often confused with Hades, who is the god of the dead and underworld, not death itself.
Thanatos plays a prominent role in two myths. Once when he was sent to fetch Alkestis (Alcestis) to the underworld, he was driven off by Herakles in a fight. Another time he was captured by the criminal Sisyphos (Sisyphus) who trapped him in a sack so as to avoid death.
Thanatos is also a reference to Thanos in the Marvel movie "End Game".
