WHO WAS FAVONIUS? In Roman mythology Favonius was the west wind personified: a 'son' of Aeolus if you like. The Romans adopted the Greek Pantheon giving the Gods their own Roman names. [Hover over the image to see a clearer line drawing.]   Favonius' Greek mythological counterpart had the name of Zephyros. Favonius' other Roman 'brothers' were Aquilo (North wind), Auster (South wind) and Eurus (East wind). Find these words in a Latin dictionary. There are eight wind deities which are depicted on the frieze around the top of the 'Tower of the Winds' in Athens, they are listed below... Tower of the Winds The 'Tower of the Winds' (Temple of the Winds) or more correctly, the Horologion of Andonikos Kyrrhestes stands in the Roman Agora in Athens. The octagonal structure stands over 12 metres high and with a diameter of ~8 metres (3,2m on each side). It was built by the Greek astronomer Andonikos around 50 BC as a combination of *sun dial, weather vane, and klepsydra, or water clock. Made of local marble, it is decorated on each of its sides with a bas relief of an anthropomorphic wind deity: each sculpted figure in the frieze represents one of the eight winds facing the eight compass points. These winds are represented as winged, floating figures 'flying' through the air. Beginning at the North side and proceeding clockwise the figures represent: North - Boreas (Aquilo) in a heavy cloak, he is blowing trough a twisted shell. North East - Kaikias carries and empties a shield full of hailstones. East - Apeliotes is carrying fruit and grain. South East - Euros (Eurus) is depicted as an old man threatening a hurricane. South - Notos (Auster) is emptying an urn thus producing a shower of rain. South West - Lips pushes at the stern of a ship, promising a good sailing wind. West - Zephyros (Favonius) showers a lapful of flowers into the air. North West- Skiron is carrying a bronze pot full of hot ashes and charcoal. *Bronze rods were used to cast shadows upon sundials on the tower's sides, this allowed a reading of the time of day whatever the season. Other marks on the walls surfaces helped to gauge the length of these bronze rods' shadows. Atop the structure, a Triton-shaped bronze weather vane indicated the wind direction. The water clock was powered by water piped from a spring in the Acropolis. Just for fun... Well, that's me just there, Favonius, (a.k.a. Zephyrus) top left with the missus, Flora (or Chloris as the Greeks call her.)My old mate Sandro Botticelli painted this picture, the Birth of Venus, way back in 1485. Flora and I are flying with our legs entwined: I'm puffing vigorously as usual, while my dearest Flora gently sighs the warm breath that wafts Venus (Aphrodite) ashore on the scallop shell. All around us Flora makes roses fall—each one with a golden centre (real gold even in the picture). This all took place on the island of Cyprus where Aphrodite washed up at Paphos. In the background is an orange grove with tiny white flowers which can hardly be made out. On the right is Thallo, one of the Horae, (hours or the three seasons—there were only three in those days!), It's Spring with her necklace of myrtle and sash of pink roses wearing a dress of blue cornflowers and bringing a purple embroidered cloak (daises?) to cover Venus' modesty as she steps from her shell. What a cracker, eh? (Mind you Sandro's done something with her left shoulder—it looks a bit wonky.) You don't want to know how Venus was conceived (i.e. what was thrown in the sea to fertilize it); suffice it to say that Uranus is now missing a vital part of his anatomy thanks to his rotten Titan son Chronus :-). See, now Renaissance Art and Mythology aren't so bad once you've had things explained, are they? The Favonius connection? Well, a west wind is always best at Ivinghoe Beacon where I flew model gliders for 25 years. Favonius.com is a reincarnation of my earlier Aeolus R/C Soaring Homepage.  There is also a sister site of mine: Aquilo.co.uk Graham Woods