Thread by @AmurakaHidden

In Ancient Greek Religion & Myth, the Anemoi (Greek: 'Winds') were Primordial Wind gods who were each ascribed a Cardinal Direction from which their respective winds came & were each associated with various seasons & conditions. Children of Eos ('Love') & Astraeus ('Stars').

According to Hesiod's Theogony, Astraeus is a second-generation Titan, descended from Tartarus & Gaia. As god of the dusk, Astraeus married Eos, goddess of the dawn. Together as nightfall & daybreak they produced many children who are associated with the sky during twilight.

They had many sons, including the Four Anemoi ("Winds"): Boreas, Notus, Eurus, and Zephyrus, and the five Astra Planeta ("Wandering Stars" = Planets): Phainon (Saturn), Phaethon (Jupiter), Pyroeis (Mars), Eosphoros/Hesperos (Venus) and Stilbon (Mercury).

The Anemoi are minor gods; subject to the Aeolus, Keeper of the Winds. They were sometimes represented as gusts of wind, other times were personified as winged men. They were depicted as horses kept in the stables of Aeolus, providing Odysseus with the Anemoi during the Odyssey.

The Anemoi in Greek myths were equivalent to the Greek Venti. Ptolomy's map listed 12 winds: Septentrio (N), Aquilo (NNE), Vulturnus (NE), Subsolanus (E), Eurus (SE), Euroauster (SSE), Austerulnotus (S), Euronotus (SSW), Affricus (SW), Ephirus (W), Eurus (NW), Circius (NNW).

Of the four chief Anemoi, Boreas is the north wind & bringer of cold winter air, Zephyrus is the west wind & bringer of light spring & early-summer breezes, Notus is the south wind & bringer of the storms of late summer & autumn; Eurus is the Bringer of the southeast/ east wind.

Boreas is the Greek god of the cold north wind and the bringer of winter. 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, Pausanias wrote that Boreas had snakes instead of feet.

The Roman equivalent of Boreas was Aquilo. This north (and slightly east) wind was associated with winter. For the wind which came directly from the north the Romans sometimes used the name Septentrio, which refers to the 7 (septem) Stars of the Plow or Big Dipper constellation.

Notus was the Greek god of the south wind. He was associated with the desiccating hot wind of the rise of Sirius after midsummer, was thought to bring the storms of late summer and autumn, and was feared as a destroyer of crops.

Notus' equivalent in Roman mythology was Auster, the embodiment of the sirocco wind, a southerly wind which brings cloudy weather, powerful winds and rain to southern Europe. The name "Australia" (the 'southern land') is derived from Auster.

Zephyrus, shortened in English to Zephyr, is the Greek god of the west wind. The gentlest of the winds, Zephyrus is known as the fructifying wind, the messenger of spring. Zephyrus was said to lived in a cave in Thrace. Zephyrus' Roman equivalent was Favonius ('Favouring').

Eurus according to some was the southeast wind, but according to others the east wind. On the Tower of the Winds in Athens, Eurus occupies the southeast side, while Apeliotes is in the east. However, it is widely accepted that Eurus is the east wind, while Apeliotes is the SE.