Satyr (Faun)
Satyrs were male creatures who inhabited woodlands and forests in Greek mythology. They often accompanied Dionysos, and were frequently depicted in art and myth as members of the god's ecstatic entourage (an entourage, by the way, which included not only satyrs but the wild women known as Maenads or Bacchantes). In addition, the satyrs as a group were passionately fond of females - especially nymphs, those gentle and beautiful nature spirits. But there is much more to these mythical creatures, as we shall learn.
The ancient Greeks saw the satyrs as having some rather distinct attributes. Satyrs appear commonly with the legs of goats. In this respect they resemble the god Pan. Scholars have suggested that these animal attributes are meant to reflect the way in which satyrs embody the wild, uninhibited forces of nature. And with their lascivious appetites and insatiable lust for female companionship (it has already been noted that nymphs were most commonly the objects of their desire), satyrs have earned a reputation for naughtiness that has made them legendary over the centuries.
In both mythology and art, satyrs are sometimes confused with Sileni. Sileni are another type of mythological being but are closely related to the satyr in appearance and mannerisms (it should be mentioned that Sileni sometimes also have the ears and tail of a horse). However, the two kinds of creatures were primarily distinguished in ancient Greece by their age - satyrs are represented as eternally young and Sileni are usually depicted as older and more mature looking (their behavior, however, was anything but mature). Indeed, the most famous of the Sileni is Silenus. Silenus was a wise, elderly father figure character who according to legend tutored the god Dionysos.
Satyrs were called fauns in Roman mythology.
Pliny- "Among the mountainous districts of the eastern parts of India, in what is called the country of Catharcludi, we find the Satyr, an animal of extraordinary swiftness. They go sometimes on four feet, and sometimes walk erect; they have, also, the features of a human being."
Isidore of Seville- "The Satyrs are manikins with upturned noses; they have horns on their foreheads, and are goat-footed, such as the one St. Anthony saw in the desert. And he, being questioned, is said to have answered the servant of God, saying, "
In Greek mythology the satyrs are deities of the woods and mountains. They are half human and half beast; they usually have a goat's tail, flanks and hooves. While the upper part of the body is that of a human, they also have the horns of a goat. They are the companions of Dionysus, the god of wine, and they spent their time drinking, dancing, and chasing nymphs. The Italian version of the satyr is the faun, while the Slavic version is the Ljeschi.
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