Morpheus

## Relevant Pages

**Morpheus**, also known as **Somnus**, his Roman counterpart is a Mount Olympus character in Greek Mythology.

Morpheus is based on the character with the same name from Greek Mythology.

He is "portrayed" by Giles Matthey in the ABC show, Once Upon a Time.

## History

#### Greek Mythology

Morpheus has the ability to mimic any human form and to appear in dreams. His true semblance is that of a winged daemon, an imagery shared with many of his siblings. Robert Burton, in his 1621 Anatomy of Melancholy, refers to Classical depictions of Morpheus, saying "Philostaratus paints him in a white and black coat, with a horn and ivory box full of dreams, of the same colours, to signify good and bad".

In myth, Morpheus was also said to send dreams through one of two gates, one of ivory, and the other of horn. Starting in the medieval period, the name Morpheus began to stand generally for the god of dreams or of sleep. In Carl Michael Bellman's Fredman's Epistle No. 72, "Glimmande nymf", Morpheus is invoked as the god of sleep.

## Percy Jackson

#### The Battle of the Labyrinth

Morpheus is mentioned as one of the minor gods who'd gone over to Kronos' side.

The Last Olympian
When Percy Jackson and Nico di Angelo wake Grover Underwood up to get his help to enter the Underworld, Grover tells them what had happened. During June in the woods in Harlem Meer, Grover saw Morpheus. Morpheus, in his words, was scouting the battlefield before the battle, and put Grover to sleep for two months. Later in the book, Morpheus casts a huge sleeping spell (presumably with the help of Hecate) which causes all of the mortals in Manhattan or near the area to fall asleep. This event is described in the third line of the Great Prophecy: "And see the world in endless sleep."

## Appearances

#### Both for PJO & Greek Mythology

* He possesses the standard powers of a god.
* Hypnokinesis: As the god of dreams, he has divine authority and control over dreams.

* + As the god of dreams, he can make people fall asleep.
	+ When looking at his face, it makes the viewer sleep.
	+ Whenever he passes humans, the human would pass out, curl up and fall asleep, and after he had gone, they would wake up and act as if nothing had happened.
	+ He can send images to humans in dreams.
	+ He can shape people's dreams.
	+ He was able to put New York to sleep, but he could not do this to the heroes.
	+ Like all gods, he has the ability take any human form and appear in dreams.

## Trivia

* Name
* Other Notes
* Strange Case

### Etymology

* The drug 'Morphine' is named after him.

### Other Notes

* While Morpheus is the god of dreams, his powers seem to overlap with Hypnos, god of sleep.
* It is believed that in the *Iliad* he is spoken as "Oneiros".
* His Roman name, Somnia, is combined with his father's Roman name, Insomnus, in the sleeping disorder insomnia.

### Strange Case

* In Strange Case, he falls in love with the hearth goddess, Hestia.
	+ Though in Greek Mythology, this does not happen.

## Appearances

*Morpheus* the character was only mentioned, as Giles Matthey only portrayed a character who pretended to be Morpheus.

## References

1. ↑ Morpheus is the Greek God of Dreams.