Aether
primordialΑἰθήρ
Personification of the upper sky
Aether was the primordial god of the bright upper air that the gods breathed — distinct from the common air of mortals.
The Myth
Born from Erebus and Nyx, Aether was the luminous upper atmosphere. Each morning Hemera drew back the dark mists to reveal his brilliance. The Greeks distinguished between aer (mortal air) and aether (divine, fiery sky). This concept persisted until the Michelson-Morley experiment disproved luminiferous aether in 1887.
Parents
Erebus and Nyx
Children
None recorded
Symbols
brillianceupper skypure light
Fun Fact
The chemical compound ether, the concept of "ethereal" beauty, and even Ethernet all trace back to this god of radiant sky.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth: