Panic
Sudden uncontrollable fear, from the god Pan whose shouts in the wilderness caused stampedes of terror.
The Meaning of Panic
Pan, the goat-legged god of shepherds, wild places, and flocks, haunted the mountains and forests of Arcadia. He was half man, half goat — shaggy, horned, and wild. Travellers crossing lonely mountain passes at noon heard strange sounds: rustling, cracking branches, an eerie pipe playing from nowhere. These sounds triggered a sudden, overwhelming terror that sent people and animals running blindly. The Greeks called this "panikon deima" — panic fear, the terror of Pan. During the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE, the Athenians claimed Pan appeared and caused panic among the Persian forces, contributing to the Greek victory. The grateful Athenians dedicated a shrine to him beneath the Acropolis. The English word "panic" derives directly from Pan's name and still describes that specific flavour of irrational, contagious fear that sweeps through crowds without clear cause.
Symbols
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
Pan
⚡ godGod of shepherds and wild panic
The goat-footed god of shepherds, wilds, and rustic music whose sudden appearance caused the terror that bears his name: panic.
Pan
⚡ godGod of the wild, shepherds, rustic music
The goat-legged god of wilderness, shepherds, and rustic music. Pan's sudden appearance caused irrational terror in travelers — the origin of the word "panic."
Pan
⚡ godGod of the wild, shepherds, and panic
Pan was the goat-legged god of the wild, shepherds, and mountain meadows whose sudden appearance could cause "panic" — the irrational terror named after him.
Phobia
💭 conceptFear, irrational dread, anxiety disorder
An irrational persistent fear of a specific thing, from Phobos, the divine personification of fear and panic.
Phrike
⚡ godHorror, shuddering, trembling fear
The daimon of the physical shudder of horror that seizes the body in moments of dread
Agrionia
💭 conceptFestival, Dionysus, madness
Nocturnal festival of Dionysus involving ritual madness, pursuit, and symbolic dismemberment
Phobos
⚡ godGod of fear and panic in battle
Phobos was the god of fear who accompanied his father Ares into battle, spreading terror before the armies.
Mania
💭 conceptMadness and Prophecy
The Greek concept of divinely inspired madness, distinguished from ordinary insanity.
God of War
💭 conceptWar, bloodlust, battle rage, courage
Ares embodies the brutal, violent side of warfare and was feared even by his fellow Olympians.
Enthousiasmos
💭 conceptReligion and Inspiration
The state of being possessed by a god, the original meaning of divine inspiration in Greek religion.
Panes
🐉 creaturenature spirits
A race of goat-legged nature spirits modelled after the god Pan, haunting wild mountains and forests
Deimos
⚡ godGod of terror and dread
Deimos was the personification of dread and terror — the brother of Phobos who accompanied Ares into war.