Boreas

Boreas is the personification and god of the north wind in Greek mythology. He is one of the Anemoi, the wind gods, and is the son of Eos, the dawn, and Astraeus, a Titan associated with stars and dusk. His brothers are Zephyrus (the west wind), Notus (the south wind), and Eurus (the east wind). Boreas embodies winter and the cold, gusting winds from the north.

In myth, Boreas is known for abducting Orithyia, the daughter of King Erechtheus of Athens. He carried her away to Thrace, where she bore him two sons, Calais and Zetes, called the Boreadae. Calais and Zetes later join Jason and the Argonauts on their voyage.

In art and literature, Boreas is typically depicted as a bearded, winged god whose breath is cold and stormy. He appears in vase paintings and sculptures as a figure associated with winter blasts and the northern skies.

The name Boreas has also influenced modern usage. The term aurora borealis, meaning northern lights, preserves his name in reference to the northern direction. The figure of Boreas has appeared in later literary and artistic works, and the name has been used for ships, places, and fictional characters.