Who was the Greek god of dreams?

Morpheus.

In Greek mythology, the god most closely associated with dreams is Morpheus. Morpheus is often depicted as the divine messenger who takes on various human forms within dreams, delivering messages from the gods to mortals. His name derives from the Greek word “morphe,” meaning “form” or “shape,” which alludes to his extraordinary ability to mold the appearance of dream figures and images. As one of the Oneiroi, the personifications of dreams, Morpheus plays a pivotal role in conveying the hidden truths and omens embedded within our slumber.

Morpheus is traditionally considered the son of Hypnos, the god of sleep, which situates him within a family that governs the entire spectrum of sleep and its manifestations. His role was not limited merely to creating images; he was believed to influence the very nature of dreams, making them both vivid and meaningful. Along with his brothers – Phobetor, who specialized in inducing nightmares with terrifying forms, and Phantasos, who brought forth surreal, inanimate images – Morpheus contributed to the ancient Greek understanding that dreams were a complex interplay between the divine and the mortal.

Ancient texts like Ovid’s Metamorphoses highlight Morpheus’s unique ability to assume human likeness, making him the perfect intermediary between the gods and humanity. This ability to adapt his appearance made him an ideal conduit for divine messages, as gods could communicate in ways that were immediately recognizable to the dreamer. In many ways, Morpheus embodies the mystique and transformative power of sleep – reminding us that dreams often serve as a bridge between our waking lives and the deeper, sometimes hidden, layers of our subconscious. His enduring legacy is a testament to the fascination ancient cultures had with the enigmatic realm of dreams and the powerful messages they believed lay within them.