Anemoi facts for kids

In Greek mythology, the Anemoi (Greek: Ἄνεμοι – "winds") are the gods of the four winds — Boreas (the north wind), Notus (the south), Eurus (the east), and Zephryus (the west). They were the sons of Eos, goddess of the dawn, and Astraeus. They were each associated with a particular season and its weather conditions. In the form of horses they drew the chariot of Zeus.

Mythology

Boreas

Boreas (Greek: Βορέας, Boréas) was the god of the north wind and bringer of cold winter air. He was married to the Athenian princess Orithyia, with whom he had two sons, Zethes and Calaïs, and one daughter, Khione, the goddess of snow. His Roman equivalent is Aquilo.

Boreas is depicted as being very strong, with a violent temper to match. He was frequently shown as a winged old man with shaggy hair and beard, holding a conch shell and wearing a billowing cloak. Pausanias wrote that Boreas had snakes instead of feet, though in art he was usually depicted with winged human feet.

Boreas' two sons Calaïs and Zetes (the Boreads) were part of the crew of the Argo as Argonauts.

Boreas was closely associated with horses.

Zephyrus

Zephyrus (Greek: Ζέφυρος, Zéphyros), sometimes known in English as just Zephyr, was the god of the west wind who brought rain and early summer breezes. He was the gentlest of the winds, and the one most prominently featured in Greek myth. Favonius is his Roman equivalent.

Notus

Notus (Greek: Νότος, Nótos) was the god of the south wind. He brought late summer and autumn storms and was feared as a destroyer of crops. His Roman equivalent is Auster.

The name Australia (the 'southern land') is derived from Auster.

Eurus

Eurus (Greek: Εὖρος, Euros) was the god of the east wind, and was believed to be a bringer of bad luck. Vulturnus is his Roman counterpart.

Eurus is a wind of storm, described as a turbulent wind during storms and tossing ships on the sea. He is referred to as the "savior of Sparta" in a Homeric paean, or poem. Eurus is also called the "hot wind" by Nonnus in Dionysiaca. Eurus is closely related to Helios in passages of the Dionysiaca, being called from his place near Helios’ palace, Phaethon, where the sun rose in the east.

Images for kids

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  Wind rose of ancient Greece, created by the scholar Adamantios Korais around 1796

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  Tower of the Winds in ancient Athens, part of the frieze depicting the Greek wind gods Boreas (north wind, on the left) and Skiron (northwesterly wind, on the right)

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  Greco-Buddhist fragment of the god Boreas with billowing cloak (velificatio) overhead. Hadda, Afghanistan

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  Zephyr and Flora, c. 1720, by Antonio Corradini, Victoria and Albert Museum

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  A statue of Notus.

See also

In Spanish: Dioses del viento griegos para niños