The Greek God Pan: Nature or Human Nature?

Myth Matters

“Tell me Muse, about the dear son of Hermes, the goat-footed, the two-horned, the lover of the din of revel, who haunts the wooded dells with dancing Nymphs who tread the crests of the steep cliffs, calling upon Pan the pastoral god of the long, wild hair…” Homeric Hymn to Pan

Many, if not all of the old gods, are embedded in what we now call the “natural world” in one way or another, so what makes Pan the Greek god of “nature?” How has he been treated by Western culture over the centuries, and what does this tell us about Western fears and prejudices?

In this podcast, we look at 4 of his defining characteristics: the significance of his trickster father Hermes, that he’s half man and half billygoat; his reed pipe; and his home in Arcadia—to find answers to these questions.
A transcript of this episode is available at www.mythicmojo.com. Thanks for listening!

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