Astraeus
Astraeus was the Titan god of dusk, stars, and astrology — father of the four winds and the stars of dawn.
The Myth of Astraeus
Astraeus, Titan of the dusk and stars, was born to Crius and Eurybia. With Eos the dawn goddess he fathered the four winds — Boreas, Zephyrus, Notus, and Eurus — and the wandering stars that the Greeks later identified as planets. His children thus governed both weather and celestial navigation, powers vital to every sailor from Ithaca to Troy. Unlike Kronos and the warlike Titans, Astraeus was associated with the quiet turning of the heavens. After the Titanomachy, he faded from active myth, though his legacy persisted in the constellations that guided Odysseus home and the winds that Poseidon wielded against him.
Parents
Crius and Eurybia
Symbols
Fun Fact
The entire "astro-" family of words — astronomy, astronaut, asteroid, astral — traces to the same root as Astraeus.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Kreios
🏔 titanTitan of constellations
A Titan associated with the heavenly constellations, father of Astraeus, Pallas, and Perses through his union with Eurybia.
Astaeus
🏔 titanTitan associated with the stars
A Titan connected to stellar lore, sometimes conflated with Astraeus the father of the winds.
Hyperion
🏔 titanTitan of heavenly light, observation
Titan of light and father of the sun, moon, and dawn. Hyperion was one of the original twelve Titans, embodying the celestial light that preceded the Olympians.
Crius
🏔 titanTitan of constellations
Crius was the Titan associated with the constellations — one of four brothers who held Uranus at the corners of the earth during his castration.
Hyperion
🏔 titanTitan who fathered the celestial lights
The Titan of heavenly light who fathered Helios (Sun), Selene (Moon), and Eos (Dawn) — the three celestial luminaries.
Hesperos
🏔 titanevening star, twilight
The personification of the Evening Star (Venus at dusk), whose appearance signalled the transition from day to night.
Eosphoros
🏔 titanmorning star, dawn
The personification of the Morning Star (Venus at dawn), whose light heralded the arrival of Eos and the new day.
Hesperus
🏔 titanevening star, Venus at dusk
The personification of the evening star (Venus), son of Eos and Astraeus or of Atlas.
Phosphorus
🏔 titanmorning star, Venus at dawn
The personification of the morning star (Venus), who announced the dawn, son of Eos or Astraeus.
Helios
🏔 titanThe all-seeing Titan of the sun
The Titan who drove the sun chariot across the sky each day and saw everything that happened on earth below.
Theia
🏔 titanTitaness of sight and shining
Theia was the Titaness of sight and shining light — mother of the Sun, Moon, and Dawn.
Eos
🏔 titanTitan goddess of the dawn
The rosy-fingered goddess of dawn who opened the gates of heaven each morning for her brother Helios's chariot.