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The Iliad

Of Ancient Greek times, the Iliad is an epic poem created by Homer, a blind Ionian poet.

Comprised of twenty four books, Nyx appears in Books VII and XIV of the Iliad.


In the seventh book, a battle takes place between Hector, a Trojan prince and great warrior, and Ajax, cousin of Achilles and considered the strongest of all the Achaeans. The presence of Nyx comes to be and she is a force Idaeus makes mention of. Due to her the fighting ended at a draw.

"Between the two they held forth their staves, and the herald Idaeus, skilled in prudent counsel, spake, saying: Fight ye no more, dear sons, neither do battle; both ye twain are loved of Zeus, the cloud-gatherer, and both are spearmen; that verily know we all. Moreover night is now upon us, and it is well to yield obedience to night's behest. Then in answer to him spake Telamonian Aias: Idaeus, bid ye Hector speak these words, for it was he who of himself challenged to combat all our best. Let him be first and I verily will hearken even as he shall say. Then spake unto him great Hector of the flashing helm: Aias, seeing God gave thee stature and might, aye, and wisdom, and with thy spear thou art pre-eminent above all the Achaeans, let us now cease from battle and strife for this day; hereafter shall we fight again until God judge between us, and give victory to one side or the other. Howbeit night is now upon us, and it is well to yield obedience to night's behest, that thou mayest make glad all the Achaeans beside their ships, and most of all the kinsfolk and comrades that are thine; and I throughout the great city of king Priam shall make glad the Trojan men and Trojan women with trailing robes, who because of me will enter the gathering of the gods with thanksgivings.


In the fourteenth book, Hera, the queen of the gods and wife of Zeus helps Poseidon assist the Greeks and later works seduction on Zeus that will help the Greeks reclaim advantage in the Trojan War. Nyx? appearance comes through a conversation between her son, Hypnos (or Sleep) and Hera, which occurs very well in the middle of the book.

For an excuse of absence and for aide to her plan of seduction, Hera approaches Aphrodite about wishing to reunite Okeanos, the origin of the Olympian gods and Tethys, the "mother". Her reason for caring was because they took care of her as thought she were their own child; therefore, she hoped to reunite them and gain their eternal love and gratitude. Aphrodite believes this and helps her. Once she is alone, Hera leaves Mount Olympus and travels until she is at Lemnos, Thoas. It is there does she encounter Hypnos, son of Nyx:

"There she met Sleep (Hypnos), the brother of Death (Thanatos); and she clasped him by the hand, and spake and addressed him: Sleep (Hypnos), lord of all gods and of all men, if ever thou didst hearken to word of mine, so do thou even now obey, and I will owe thee thanks all my days. Lull me to sleep the bright eyes of Zeus beneath his brows, so soon as I shall have lain me by his side in love. And gifts will I give thee, a fair throne, ever imperishable, wrought of gold, that Hephaestus, mine own son, the god of the two strong arms, shall fashion thee with skill, and beneath it shall he set a foot-stool for the feet, whereon thou mayest rest thy shining feet when thou quaffest thy wine.

Then sweet Sleep (Hypnos) made answer to her, saying: Hera, queenly goddess, daughter of great Cronos, another of the gods, that are for ever, might I lightly lull to sleep, aye, were it even the streams of the river Oceanus, from whom they all are sprung; but to Zeus, son of Cronos, will I not draw nigh, neither lull him to slumber, unless of himself he bid me. For ere now in another matter did a behest of thine teach me a lesson, on the day when the glorious son1 of Zeus, high of heart, sailed forth from Ilios, when he had laid waste the city of the Trojans. I, verily, beguiled the mind of Zeus, that beareth the aegis, being shed in sweetness round about him, and thou didst devise evil in thy heart against his son, when thou hadst roused the blasts of cruel winds over the face of the deep, and thereafter didst bear him away unto well-peopled Cos, far from all his kinsfolk. But Zeus, when he awakened, was wroth, and flung the gods hither and thither about his palace, and me above all he sought, and would have hurled me from heaven into the deep to be no more seen, had Night (Nyx) not saved me--Night (Nyx) that bends to her sway both gods and men. To her I came in my flight, and besought her, and Zeus refrained him, albeit he was wroth, for he had awe lest he do aught displeasing to swift Night (Nyx)."





Book sources:
Homer. The Iliad. Translated by Murray, A T. Loeb Classical Library Volumes 1. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1924.



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