Nox
The Roman equivalent of Nyx, primordial goddess of night, mother of darkness and light alike.
The Myth of Nox
Nox is the Roman name for the Greek primordial goddess Nyx, the personification of Night. She emerged from Chaos at the beginning of the world and was so ancient and powerful that even Jupiter (Zeus) feared to offend her. Virgil in the Aeneid depicts her as a terrifying presence, and Cicero in De Natura Deorum describes her as one of the first divine principles. Roman poets used Nox as a poetic personification of night's mysteries, associated with omens, prophecy, and the hidden world. The Romans, like the Greeks, understood night not merely as absence of light but as an active cosmic power that generated its own progeny — darkness, death, dreams, and fate.
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Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
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Hesperos
🏔 titanevening star, twilight
The personification of the Evening Star (Venus at dusk), whose appearance signalled the transition from day to night.
Celaeno
🏔 titandarkness, the Pleiades
One of the seven Pleiades whose name means "the dark one," and who was also conflated with the Harpy Celaeno in some traditions.
Eosphoros
🏔 titanmorning star, dawn
The personification of the Morning Star (Venus at dawn), whose light heralded the arrival of Eos and the new day.
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.
Nyx
💭 conceptPrimordial goddess of night
The primordial goddess of night, one of the first beings to emerge from Chaos. So powerful that even Zeus feared her.
Hesperus
🏔 titanevening star, Venus at dusk
The personification of the evening star (Venus), son of Eos and Astraeus or of Atlas.
Selene
🏔 titanTitan goddess of the moon
The Titan goddess who drove the silver chariot of the moon across the night sky, daughter of Hyperion and Theia.
Phosphorus
🏔 titanmorning star, Venus at dawn
The personification of the morning star (Venus), who announced the dawn, son of Eos or Astraeus.
Goddess of Night
💭 conceptNight, darkness, shadows, mystery
Nyx is the primordial goddess of night, so powerful that even Zeus avoids provoking her wrath.
Eurynome
🏔 titanPre-Olympian queen of the cosmos
In the Pelasgian creation myth, Eurynome ruled the universe with Ophion before the rise of the Titans.
Asterope
🏔 titanstarlight, the Pleiades
One of the seven Pleiades, whose name means "star-face" or "lightning," and whose star was among the dimmest in the cluster.
Oizys
🏔 titanmisery, woe, suffering
The primordial goddess of misery, distress, and suffering, daughter of Nyx.