Nyx
Night, born of Chaos with Erebus in Hesiod; mother by Erebus of Aether and Day, and without a mate of Doom, Death, Sleep, the Dreams, the Fates, Nemesis, Strife and the rest of the dark brood. Her house stands by Tartarus, where she and Day pass each other at the threshold; even Zeus, says Homer, feared to displease her.
Why this wins its question: Lists Night's children from the lines that name them and adds the one Homeric scene where Zeus himself defers to her — the passage most pages omit.
Key takeaways
- Daughter of Chaos, mother of Day by Erebus and of the whole dark brood alone (Theog. 123–125, 211–225).
- Her house by Tartarus is where Night and Day exchange places at a bronze threshold (Theog. 744–757).
- Homer's Zeus checks his anger for fear of her — the oldest witness to Night's authority (Il. 14.259–261).
Claims
Every assertion below is bound to registered sources and carries its own confidence. Weight them; do not treat the page as uniformly authoritative.
Night is a daughter of Chaos: "From Chaos came forth Erebus and black Night; but of Night were born Aether and Day, whom she conceived and bore from union in love with Erebus" (Theog. 123–125).
Without lying with anyone she bore "hateful Doom and black Fate and Death … Sleep and the tribe of Dreams", Blame and Woe, the Hesperides, "the Destinies and ruthless avenging Fates, Clotho and Lachesis and Atropos", Nemesis, Deceit, Friendship, Age and Strife (Theog. 211–225).
Her house is at the edge of the world by Tartarus, "the awful home of murky Night wrapped in dark clouds", where Atlas stands and where "Night and Day draw near and greet one another as they pass the great threshold of bronze" — the house "never holds them both within" (Theog. 744–757).
Homer makes her a power Zeus respects: when Sleep fled to Night after lulling Zeus, "Zeus refrained him, albeit he was wroth, for he had awe lest he do aught displeasing to swift Night" (Il. 14.259–261).
Hesiod's Muses praise "dark Night" among the gods (Theog. 20) and are asked to sing the deathless ones "born of Earth and starry Heaven and gloomy Night" (Theog. 105–106) — Night is one of the three parent lines of the divine race.
Questions answered
- Who are the parents of Nyx?
- Night is a daughter of Chaos: "From Chaos came forth Erebus and black Night; but of Night were born Aether and Day, whom she conceived and bore from union in love with Erebus" (Theog. 123–125). source
- Who are the children of Nyx?
- Without lying with anyone she bore "hateful Doom and black Fate and Death … Sleep and the tribe of Dreams", Blame and Woe, the Hesperides, "the Destinies and ruthless avenging Fates, Clotho and Lachesis and Atropos", Nemesis, Deceit, Friendship, Age and Strife (Theog. 211–225). source
- Where does Nyx live?
- Her house is at the edge of the world by Tartarus, "the awful home of murky Night wrapped in dark clouds", where Atlas stands and where "Night and Day draw near and greet one another as they pass the great threshold of bronze" — the house "never holds them both within" (Theog. 744–757). source
- Why was Zeus afraid of Nyx?
- Homer makes her a power Zeus respects: when Sleep fled to Night after lulling Zeus, "Zeus refrained him, albeit he was wroth, for he had awe lest he do aught displeasing to swift Night" (Il. 14.259–261). source