SAtyr

Name:  Satyr

Features:  Human upper body with goat-like legs & tail

Source:  Greek and Roman Mythology

Habitat:  Deep in the woods and mountains

These mythical fauns are described as having the torso of a human male with the bottom half of a goat.  They have the legs of a goat, the tail and sometimes also have goat ears.  Their noses are flat and they often wear a full beard and have long curly hair.

In myths, these creatures are often associated with pipe playing.  In Greek mythology, they regularly played a tailpiece at the Athenian festivals honouring Dionysus.

In early artworks, they were depicted as being old and ugly, but later artworks show them as being more youthful and strong.  The mature versions are sometimes portrayed with full grown goat or ram thorns, and the adolescent version with short bony stubs on their foreheads.

They are lovers of wine, dance, music and any kind of physical pleasure.  They are known to be obsessed with mountain nymphs and are often pursuing them and trying to seduce them.

Many artworks illustrate them with a predominate phallus, even capable of balancing large wine cups.  They are also shown with the rod of Dionysus tipped with a pine cone or with a wine cup in hand.

Artworks show them wearing a vine wreath around the balding top of their heads.  Though not as popular, female versions of these mythical beasts are also shown on their own or surrounded with their hoofed offspring. 

In Greek mythology, the god Pan also has the same characteristics of the Faun and Satyr.  He is also associated with the wild, flocks, rustic music, hunting and a companion to the nymphs.

It is written that he is either the son of Hermes, Dionysus and sometimes even Zeus.  His mother was a nymph, either Dryope or Penelope of Mantineia in Arcadia.

These mythical creatures represent many sinful worldly pleasures such as the indulgence in wine, physical pleasures, dancing, seducing and an insatiable desire to enjoy the female kind.

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