Goddess Nyx - Greek Primordial Goddess of the Night (2024)

In this post, you will learn about the story of Goddess Nyx, the Primordial Goddess of the Night in Greek mythology. In addition to knowing who the Greek Goddess Nyx is, you will also know the meaning of Nyx, her characteristics, some facts, and how to summon her.

You can watch the video below and/or continue reading the post:

In Neo-Paganism, Nyx fits the Occult Face of the Triple Goddess.

Nyx, as well as other Greek Goddesses are in my free Goddess Oracle! Use the button below to access it, flip a card and receive a message from a Goddess!

Goddess Nyx Story

Nyx’s story, like the Goddess herself, is quite obscure. She is known to be a Primordial Goddess, therefore she created herself. She is the representation of the night and the night itself is Nyx. Despite being and representing the night, Goddess Nyx also has mastery and powers over aspects of light.

Nyx is sister to other Gods and Primordial Goddesses, such as:

• Gaia, the Earth;
• Erebus, the darkness and the void;
• Eros, love (in some versions Eros is Aphrodite’s son);
• Tartarus, the netherworld.

Nyx is often portrayed in a female form, but she often has her face covered in a black cloud or surrounded by darkness. It also alludes to the fact that she watches over everything while wearing her invisibility cloak, watching everything that happens while no one can see her.

In art, Nyx is also depicted with long black wings. Nyx is said to have great beauty and this beauty is not always revealed to other Gods.

Dark and full of secrets, there is no temple dedicated exclusively to Nyx. However, there is a statue called “Nyx” in the Temple of Artemis in the city of Ephesus.

Nyx’s offspring

Nyx had several sons and daughters. With Erebus, her brother, she had:

• Goddess Hemera, the light and the day;
• God Aether, the “upper sky” and the air.

In addition, Nyx had several sons and daughters by herself. They are:

• Eris, Goddess of Discord;
• Moros, doom;
• The Keres, violent death;
• Thanatos, death;
• Hypnos, sleep;
• The Oneiroi (Morpheus, Icelos and Phantasos), dreams;
• Momus, scorn;
• Geras, old age;
• Oizys, misery;
• Nemesis, divine judgement;
• Philotes, friendship;
• Apate, deception;
• The Moirai, Goddesses of Fate;
• Hesperides, Goddesses of Spring and Sunset;

Below you can find an infographic with Goddess Nyx’s genealogy according to Hesiod. Feel free to share it and embed it on your website (and give me a backlink please!):

Greek Goddess Nyx’s Powers

Nyx then is the night and her powers are related to everything that “comes from the night”, such as mystery, fear, surprise, death, the end, and so on. Although directly related to the “nocturnal” and dark elements, Nyx also shows mastery over light and powers such as giving life, illuminating darkness, and bringing fertility.

It is said that Goddess Nyx’s powers were so great that even Zeus feared her. Hera once asked Hypnos to put Zeus to sleep while punishing Heracles for attacking Troy. When Zeus awoke to find that Hypnos had put him to sleep, he pursued him. Hypnos then hid with Nyx and Zeus … gave up for fearing Nyx’s powers.

There may be some relationship between Nyx and Goddess Hekate. Some authors even claim that Hekate would be Nyx’s daughter, but this is not very common. However, the two Goddesses dominate the “night” and the unknown arts.

Nyx’s personality varies. Sometimes she appears like the beauties of the night but sometimes like their terrors. She lives in Hades and participates in the judgment of the souls sent there.

Meaning of Nyx

The word Nyx stands for “Night”. Goddess Nyx is always related to:

• The Night;
• Fertility;
• Death;
• Mystery and the unknown;
• Justice.

Goddess Nyx’s Symbols

Goddess Nyx’s symbols are, mainly:

• Black wings;
• Dark clouds;
• Black fog;
• Egg;
• New Moon;
• Stars.

Animals associated with Nyx

The animals associated with Nyx are the animals associated with the night itself. When we analyze the animals archetypically, not all night creatures are fully associated with the night aspect.

The main animals associated with Goddess Nyx are:

• Owls: the owl is a night creature capable of hunting and living perfect in the dark. It’s connected to Nyx in this aspect of being secretly anywhere it wants and flying/moving in a stealth mode, not being noticed by its prey. Differently, the owl is also connected to Goddess Athena;
• Dogs: dogs are associated with many deities. In the case of Nyx, dogs represent he ability of feeling, smelling, seeing the unknown, what lies in the depths of darnkess. They can hear sounds human cannot and can pinpoint anything, even in the dark of the night. Similarly, they are also connected to Goddess Hekate;
• Bats: bats are intriguing nocturnal animals that are also associated with Nyx. Bats don’t need to see to move around, the mastered the night and they fly at an absurd speed with total security. In many cultures, bats are associated with good fortune!

Nyx Goddess colors

The colors associated with Goddess Nyx are the following:

• Black;
• Dark blue;
• Dark green;
• Dark purple;

Greek Goddess Nyx or Nix?

Both spellings are correct. Both Nix and Nyx are used to refer to the Greek Goddess of the Night.

Nyx in Greek and Roman Mythology

Nyx is then the Greek Goddess of the Night and the night itself. Her Roman equivalent is Goddess Nox, also representing the Night.

In J. K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” book series, the characters often use the “Nox” spell to erase the glow from their wands. This makes a reference to Nyx, as well as being one of her names, it also refers to the darkness.

How to summon Goddess Nyx?

Today, Nyx is very much worshipped by witches and wizards and it is asked of her for fertility in different fields and also for clarity to solve problems and issues. Nyx is also highly worshipped in Wicca, depicting the Dark Goddess’s face.

As a suggestion, a Nyx ritual can be performed when you feel “lost” or “stuck” aimlessly. Imagine this situation as if you were “lost” on a New Moon night, with no light to guide you.

Nyx is the night. No one knows the night better than herself.

Therefore, meditate with Nyx to seek clarity in your thoughts and to find “the way out” of the situation. Do the following:

• Light incense with an “energizing” aroma such as Sandalwood, Storax, White Sage, Red Roses or Rosemary, for example;
• During the night, preferably on the New Moon, stay in a quiet and totally dark place (the only light will be the burning incense);
• Start by calling for Nyx and explain your situation;
• Close your eyes and focus on your breathing.

Signs Nyx is your Deity

If you want to know whether Nys is calling you or what are the signs Nyx is giving you, pay attention to the following things to know if Nyx is your deity:

• You feel more confortable during the night and you want to spend more time outdoors with no lights around you. This may indicate the norcturnal Deities are calling your attention and Nyx is one of them.
• You feel more intuitive during the New Moon phase and you feel like your powers are stronger too. As Nyx is the night and the dark, the New Moon phase is a great phase to feel closer to her, as there will be no Moon in the sky.
• You suddenly start to enjoy burning pieces of wood or charchoal during the night, turning off al the lights and watching them ablaze. This may also be a sign Nyx is your deity. According to her Orphic Hymn, firebrand is dedicated to Nyx as an offering. This may indicate she’s showing you how to please her – and also presenting a great way to meditate!

Goddess Nyx Images

Below you can find all the images I used for this post formatted for Pinterest. Feel free to save them all to your boards!

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