Notus
God of the south wind, bringer of late summer storms and the hot, damp winds feared by sailors and farmers.
The Myth of Notus
Ancient farmers feared Notus more than any other wind — his warm, wet breath rotted grain on the stalk. While Boreas brought cold and Zephyrus brought spring, Notus delivered destructive fog and late-season storms that Demeter's worshippers dreaded. Aeolus kept him caged with the other Anemoi on the floating island of Aeolia. When Odysseus's crew opened Aeolus's bag of winds, Notus was among those that blew the fleet hopelessly off course. He was also said to have competed with Boreas for the affections of Chloris. Sailors offered prayers to Poseidon specifically to hold Notus at bay during autumn crossings.
Parents
Eos, Astraeus
Symbols
Fun Fact
The Latin form Auster gives us the word austral — and Australia is literally southern land.
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
Aeolus
⚡ godKeeper of the winds
Aeolus kept winds in a leather bag on his floating island.
Aeolus
⚡ godwind
Keeper of the winds, appointed by Zeus to control the Anemoi from his floating island of Aeolia.
Eurus
⚡ godwind
God of the east wind, the only one of the four Anemoi not given a specific seasonal role by Hesiod.
Boreas
⚡ godGod of the north wind
Boreas was the god of the cold north wind, bringer of winter.
Euronotus
⚡ godWind, south-southeast
God of the south-southeast wind that brought warm humid air from the eastern Mediterranean and Egypt
Lips
⚡ godWind, southwest
God of the southwest wind associated with warm weather and favourable sailing conditions from Libya
Venti
🐉 creaturepersonifications
The four wind gods — Boreas, Notus, Eurus, and Zephyrus — each ruling a cardinal direction
Zephyrus
⚡ godGod of the west wind
Zephyrus was the god of the gentle west wind, bringer of spring.
Kaikias
⚡ godWind, northeast
God of the northeast wind associated with cold weather and hailstorms in the Greek wind system
Apeliotes
⚡ godWind, east
God of the east wind who brought warm rain beneficial to crops and was considered a gentle and favourable deity
Libonotus
⚡ godWind, south-southwest
God of the south-southwest wind blowing from the direction of Libya, bringing warm air and occasional sandstorms
Skiron
⚡ godWind, northwest
God of the northwest wind associated with the onset of winter and the cold dry air from the Adriatic