Pasithea

myminifactory

This abstract limestone carving portrays Pasithea, the wife of Hypnos, who rules over sleep and dreams. She may have been revered as a goddess of altered perceptions and mind-altering substances due to her connection to Hypnos. The name Pasithea is challenging to interpret - "pasis" can be translated as "all", "possessed by", or "gained possession of", while "thea" means "sight", "perception", "contemplation", "goddess", or "divine". By translating it as "Acquired Perception", one might infer a goddess of hallucinations. However, in Homer's Iliad, where Hypnos obtains her from Hera in exchange for favours, the term "Acquired Goddess" is an equally fitting name. Pasithea was also the name given to certain unidentified magical plants, possibly even those with hallucinogenic properties. Hypnos himself was often associated with poppies and narcotics.