Pan was considered to be the Greek god of outdoorsmen and nature. All things that are related to the great Greek outdoors involved Pan, who was at the center of it all. When Greeks went hunting, or out into nature, they were likely calling on Pan for help. Pan’s godliness was not limited to just the outdoors. Greeks also considered Pan to be a god of fertility and theatre. Pan’s name is translated as “all” in Greek because everyone was happy that he was born.
Pan Had a Unique Appearance
Pan was not simply just a man. The top half of Pan resembled a human being. Pan’s lower parts resembled that of a goat. Pan’s hindquarters and legs were similar to those you would find on a goat. Pan had the face of a human, except for the goat’s horn on the top of his head. Unlike other Greek gods, Pan was not the most handsome of gods with an average appearance. Pan’s face had its share of wrinkles and he had a pointy and prominent chin. This caused some problems for Pan in life.
Pan Got Started in the Country
Pan was not a city god. This is because he was associated with nature, and there was not much nature in the cities. Not many city dwellers worshipped him because of that. There are not many shrines to Pan because the shrines were mostly built in the cities. Pan worship was done in what would have been considered rural areas in Greece. Folks simply would not find Pan wandering around the streets of Athens.
Panic Came from Pan
The word “panic” was used to describe a fight which Pan got involved in to help a friend who was in danger. When Pan’s friend was fighting with the enemy, Pan let out a loud and intense scream which scared the enemy. When the enemy heard the scream, he turned and ran away, sparing his friend from any harm. The terror that resulted from hearing Pan’s disturbing noise was called panic. Pan was known for being able to make a loud and horrifying noise if he was disturbed. This was especially true if Pan was woken up from a nap when he simply wanted to sleep. Pan’s yell was so aggravating that it was impossible to hear and still be around him.
Pan’s Mother Was Afraid of Him
Pan’s mother was very disturbed by birthing a child that was half boy and half goat. As a result, she ran away and left her baby. Some even say that Pan was not born as a baby, but instead was born as a mature child with a full beard. The abandoned Pan was taken to Mount Olympus to be raised by the gods, and they truly liked him. In fact, nobody knows for sure who Pan’s parents really were. There are many stories about who his parents are, but exactly who were his mother and his father is unclear. The true answer is that who his parents were depends on which story is being read.
Pan was an Original Outdoorsman
Pan liked to spend his time wandering the forests and natural areas. Pan was present in a region known as Acadia, which was a mountainous area in Central Greece. This was where he reigned as God. Pan liked to wander and then take a break to nap. Pan spent his time with other gods in nature. Pan was an expert at both hunting and shepherding. He is revered as the god of the outdoors. In fact, animals loved this particular Greek god. Pan had both a goat and a tortoise as pets and he liked to keep plants as well.
Pan was not a Ladies Man
Goddesses were reported to have stayed far away from Pan due to his rather odd appearance. Apparently, they were not attracted to half-goats and preferred their suitors to be entirely godlike. In order to get away from Pan, women would change their appearance into objects to escape Pan. Sometimes this confused Pan who would then try to make use of those objects. This half-goat definitely had an interest in other goddesses, but they certainly did not love him back. Pan himself had the ability to change into different forms.
Pan the Musician
Pan was also considered to be the god of rustic music. These songs were not upbeat rock and roll songs. Instead, they were slow and mournful hymns. Pan played reeds that he made himself. His music was slow and gentle. Pan had the courage to challenge the god Apollo to a reed-playing contest, but unfortunately for him, he did not win. Pan lost the vote of every single judge except for Midas, who could turn everything into gold at the touch of his hand.
Pan was Strong
Pan is portrayed as a god with sheer brute strength. Greek mythology taught that Pan was so strong that he could not get injured. Pan was an extremely fast runner and could hurdle and climb rocks with ease. At the same, time Pan was widely thought to be very funny with a wise-cracking sense of humor. Apparently, Pan did not think it was very funny when he was either woken up from a nap or rejected by a goddess.
Pan and Dionysus
Pan was often depicted as a companion of the god Dionysus. This is unusual because Dionysus was the god of wine and good times. Dionysus and the half-goat Pan certainly must have made for an odd couple. They liked to drink wine and chase goddesses together. Dionysus was much more handsome than Pan, so he had more success with the goddesses.