Greek · No. 065
Thanatos, the Gentle Death
Real myth
He arrives with open wings and a light hand. No one escapes the embrace.
- Rarity
- Rare
- Category
- Monster
- ATK
- 2400
- DEF
- 2200
- Level
- 7
- Type
- Deity
- Element
- Darkness
- Constellations
- Moon · Crown
The myth
Thanatos was Death personified, son of Night and twin brother of Hypnos, Sleep. Hesiod contrasts the two: Sleep is kind to men, but Death has a heart of iron and never lets go of whom he seizes (Theogony 758–766). In the Iliad the twins gently carry the body of the hero Sarpedon home to Lycia, a scene famous in vase painting, where Thanatos appears as a serene winged youth. In other stories Sisyphus managed to chain him, and Heracles wrestled him to bring Alcestis back to life.
Why it has this power
A Rare level-7 card with 2400 ATK and 2200 DEF, obtained by fusing the Keres with any Undead. The title Gentle Death follows Greek art and the idea that violent death belonged to the Keres, although Hesiod gives him a heart of iron. A Darkness Deity and son of Night, he bears the Moon and Crown constellations.
Did you know
The scene of Sleep and Death carrying Sarpedon appears on the famous Euphronios krater, painted around 515 BCE.
Connections
- Born from the fusion of: The Keres, Spirits of Violent Death + Undead
Where to get it
- Campaign drop: Aristeia, Champion of Olympus (Aegean of Heroes) — grade D: 11%
- Born from the fusion of: The Keres, Spirits of Violent Death + Undead
Sources
- THANATOS - Greek God of Death (Roman Mors) — Aaron J. Atsma, Theoi Project
- Thanatos (World History Encyclopedia) — Liana Miate
- Theogony — Hesiod (trans. H. G. Evelyn-White), Theoi Classical Texts Library