Editing Somnus (section)

==Virgil==

Following the Greek tradition, [[Virgil]] makes Sleep and Death brothers, and locates their dwellings next to each other, near the entrance of the underworld:
::In the first courts and entrances of Hell
::Sorrows and vengeful Cares on couches lie :
::There sad Old Age abides, Diseases pale,
::And Fear, and Hunger, temptress to all crime;
::Want, base and vile, and, two dread shapes to see,
::Bondage and Death : then Sleep, Death's next of kin;<ref>[[Virgil]], ''[[Aeneid]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0690.phi003.perseus-eng2:6.268-6.281 6.273&ndash;278]</ref>

Somnus makes a brief appearance in [[Virgil]]'s  ''[[Aeneid]]''. Virgil has Somnus cause [[Palinurus]], the [[helmsman]] of [[Aeneas]]'s ship, to fall asleep while steering the ship at night.<ref>[[Virgil]], ''[[Aeneid]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0690.phi003.perseus-eng2:5.827-5.851 5.838&ndash;860].</ref> Somnus, in the guise of Phorbas, a shipmate, appears to Palinurus and offers to take over, so that Palinurus might rest awhile. But Palinurus refused the offer, so Somnus uses a branch, "imbued" with the power of underworld's river [[Styx]], to sprinkle Palinurus with water from the river [[Lethe]], the underworld's river of forgetfulness. Palinurus then falls asleep, and Somnus pushes him overboard.