Also called Pan Lykaios, Aegipan, Lord of the wild.
Their story
Herodotus tells that before the battle of Marathon, the runner Pheidippides met Pan in the Arcadian hills, who asked why the Athenians did not honour him though he was their friend. After the victory, the Athenians gave Pan a shrine in a cave below the Acropolis. In another tale, the nymph Syrinx became reeds, from which Pan made his pipes.
Their day
Wednesday. In modern practice, some give Pan Wednesday, the day of Mercury, since he was often called the son of Hermes.
Best times to give to them
- in caves, woods or hills
- at dawn or dusk (never at midday, when shepherds let him rest)
- lambing season in spring
- Wednesdays
What they like being given
- milk
- honey
- pine cones or branches
- music on pipes or whistle
- cheese
How to honour them
- Take a walk in wild country and play or hum a tune for Pan.
- Leave a pine cone on your altar in his honour.
- Let yourself laugh, play and be a little untidy sometimes.
- Support farmers and shepherds who care for the land.
How they can help you
- connecting with wild nature
- playfulness and joy
- music
- working through anxiety and panic
- fertility
Symbols
- pan pipes (syrinx)
- goat horns and hooves
- shepherd's crook
- pine
Theocritus warns that shepherds would not play their pipes at noon for fear of waking Pan, so many devotees avoid midday rites.
Festivals
- Lupercalia 15 February
Herbs linked with them
- Pine Pinus sylvestris
More Greek gods
- Zeus King of the gods and keeper of oaths
- Apollo Lord of light, music and prophecy
- Hermes Swift messenger and guide of travellers
- Hades Lord of the underworld and giver of wealth
- Dionysus Twice-born god of wine, theatre and ecstasy
- Poseidon Earth-shaker and lord of the sea
- Helios The all-seeing sun who crosses the sky
- Ares The storm of battle