Pan

=PAN Compiled by: Nick Boncella =  =God of shepards and flocks, of mountain wilds and rustic music =   
 * Key Points **
 * Characteristics of a goat
 * Son of Hermes and Penelope of Mantineia
 * Resides in Arcadia
 * Signature Pan flute made from reeds of Syrinx
 * Lost a musical duel to Apollo
 * Only Greek god that is dead


 * Background Information **In Greek mythology Pan (__Pan__) was the god of shepards and flocks, of wild mountains and rustic music, and is also considered as the god of fields, groves, and wooded glens. He has some characteristics of a goat such as a goat's lower body and it's horn. Pan was also known for playing beautiful music on his pan flute. The name Pan originates from the word //paein// which means to pasture.

**Origin** Pan's parents are often misconstrued. In some myths Pan is the son of Zeus (__Zoos__), but generally he is the son of Hermes (__Herm__ eez), and his mother is Penelope of Mantineia. Pan and his family reside in Arcadia which was a district of mountain dwelling people that other Greeks despised. Pan was very welcome in Arcadia which was has the center of his worship.


 * Mythology **One of the Pan's trademarks is his signature pan flute. The myth of how Pan attained his flute starts with Syrinx who was a water-nymph of Arcadia. When Syrinx (__Sir__ ingks) was returning from a hunt Pan met her and instantly become infatuated with her. Because Syrinx wanted nothing to do with Pan, she fled from Mount Lycaeum, where she lived. Pan continued to follow her until she went to her two sisters for help. Her two sister transformed her into a reed that when the air blew through the reeds, it produced a pleasant melody. Even in reed form Pan was still infatuated with Syrinx. He took some of the reeds, cut them into seven(in some myths nine) pieces, and joined them side by side in different lengths to form the musical instrument which we call the pan flute. Pan was rarely seen without his beloved flute.

Pan loved to play music on his flute, and had the capability to arouse inspiration, sexuality, or panic, depending on his intentions. He was so confident in his music that he compared it to that of Apollo (Uh __pol__ oh), and challenged Apollo to a trial of skill that would be determined by Tmolus the mountain god. Pan was the first to strike a tune, and he played a rustic melody that he thought could win the duel. After Pan was finished Apollo began to play his lyre. Immediately after Apollo was finished, Tmolus declared Apollo as the victor. Midas (__My__ dus), who was one of Pan's followers, was the only person to disagree with outcome. Apollo became so annoyed by Midas that he turned Midas' ears into donkey ears. In another version of the myth the first round of the duel was a tie, and Apollo proposed they play standing of their heads during the second round. Since Apollo played the lyre he was unaffected, but Pan couldn't play while he was upside down and Apollo was the victor.


 * The Death of Pan **Pan is the only Greek god that is dead. In the book "The Obsolescence of Oracles" Thamus (__Tham__ uhs) is a sailor that heard a voice from the sea telling of Pan's death. Thamus was a sailor that was traveling to Italy and decided to pass the island of Paxi. When Thamus was near Paxi he hread a voice from the sea that said, "Thamus, are you there? When you reach Palodes, take care to proclaim that the great god Pan is dead." Thamus did as he was told and when the people heard of Pan's death, they responded with groans because of how much they loved the god Pan!


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