Pan Amongst the Reeds, 1856-57, oil on canvas,
Oskar Reinhart Foundation, Winterthur.
Pan was the Greek god of flocks and shepherds. He was widely worshipped in Greece during the 5th century B.C.E. He was believed to have lived in a grotto in Arcadia and to have spent his time dancing and chasing nymphs. He was said to be imbued with a strong sexual energy and was said to have had affairs with Diana and Echo among others. He would sleep during the hottest part of the day and then cause "panic" for those walking through the forest at night. He was said to have instructed Apollo in prophecy and Daphnis in the art of playing the shepherds flute or the syrinx. Pan was said to have invented the shepherd's flute and is known for his piping in the forest. It is said to be a beautiful, sensual and primordial sound that stirs the deep unconscious mind of humans. Listen in the forest here it in the winds.