GRGR(21): Thanatz

[David Morris]

from:
http://www.pantheon.org/mythica/articles/t/thanatos.html

The Greek personification of death who dwells in the lower world. In the 
Iliad he appears as the twin brother of Hypnos ("sleep"). Both brothers had 
little to no meaning in the cults. Hesiod makes these two spirits the sons 
of Nyx, but mentions no father.
Thanatos was portrayed as a youngster with a inversed torch in one hand and 
a wreath or butterfly in the other. He appears, with Hypnos, several times 
on Attican funerary vases, so-called lekythen. On a sculpted column in the 
Temple of Artemis at Ephese (4th century BCE) Thanatos is shown with two 
large wings and a sword attached to his girdle.

from:
http://hsa.brown.edu/~maicar/Thanatos.html

"I win greater honor when the victims are young." [Thanatos to Apollo. 
Euripides, Alcestis 55]

Thanatos, in bringing death, is often followed by the fates of death or 
Keres, who are called hounds of Hades, and are Death-spirits, devourers of 
life. Thanatos is subject to the MOERAE, who are the three sisters who 
decide on human fate, and as everybody has a portion in life or a lot, the 
individual fate (moira) is usually present when Thanatos comes to fetch a 
mortal.


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