Nox is the Roman Goddess of the night. She is the Roman mirror image of the Greek Goddess Nyx. While not a lunar Goddess, she is the Night so the moon is often associated with her as is Monday (Moon day). Her colors are of course black and silver and she is often seen wearing a black veil with silver stars. Her animal associations are owls and bats though all nocturnal predators, including black cats, enjoy her protection. Yuletime (aka Christmas season) is when she is strongest as the nights are the longest. She very much enjoys moonstones and resides in Tartarus.
Her mother is Khaos (literally chaos) and her father is Phanes (creation). They are both primordial deities as is Nox/Nyx. She gave birth to many children also. Some were Gods and Goddesses and others were daimones. Some she bore with her brother/husband Erebos who is the God of Darkness. Others she bore on her own and still went on to have with other Gods.
The Gods and Goddesses she bore were Aether, God of brightness, and Hemera, Goddess of the day. Moros is the God of doom and destiny and Thanatos is the God of death. She also had Hypnos the God of sleep. As well as the twins, Momus the God of blame and Oizys the Goddess of misery. More of her children are Nemesis, a Goddess of retribution, Apate the Goddess of deceit, and Philotes Goddess of Friendships. Geras is the God of old age and Eris is the Goddess of Strife. The daimones (yes this Greek word got turned into demons later on and no the meaning is not the same) that Nox/Nyx birthed are the female death spirits the Keres, the Oneiroi which are dream spirits, the Hesperides which are nymphs of the evening and the all-important Moirai who are the fates. Thank the Gods and Goddesses I only gave birth to three children, not the cornucopia that She did. However, loves her children so fiercely that even other Gods fear pissing her off when her children misbehave.
Not only does she bring the night to the world but she also can bring death. Sleep and death are only a breath’s difference from one another. She is thought to hold sway over illness, suffering, dreams (though that is her son’s area), misfortunes, quarrels, and war. Those most devoted to her are fugitives and lovers. She also rules over prophetic powers.
While she is not a deity to piss off, she can be either malevolent or kind. It is up to you. Think about this though, She is the night, more so than Batman. All manner of things that can hurt you hide in the night. Even Zeus fears Nyx. On the other hand, all kinds of beauty are bathed in the night. Which do you choose? Til next week…
P.S. If you want to read my other articles on Gods that are enjoying a resurgence in popularity from pop culture, you can find them here:
Aphrodite: The Goddess of Love
Tuatha De Danann: Thea Seelie and Unseelie Sidhe
Odin: The Wondering All-Father
