A little bit more about Pan, god of the woods and pastures in Greek mythology

Pan was the protector of shepherds and their flocks. Both shepherds and farmers prayed to Pan in order that he might make their animals fertile.

Pan took the form of half man and half goat. The Greeks believed that he was a rather unpredicable sort. They also thought he had the power to fill both humans and animals with sudden terror. Hence the origin of the word panic

The Greeks associated Pan with the wilderness. They believed Pan lived in caves, on mountain slopes and in other lonely places. It is believed that the worship of Pan began in an area of southern Greece called Arcadia. Pan's father, Hermes was also associated with Arcadia. The worship of Pan grew until he was one of the more popular gods of his time.

According to the myths, Pan had many love affairs with the nymphs and other divine beings. He tried to start an affair with the nymph Syrinx but she ran away from him in terror and begged the other gods to help her. The gods reacted by turning Syrinx in a bunch of reeds. It was from those reeds that Pan made the musical instrument, the panpipe. He later became famous for the beautiful music that he created on it.