Editing Pan (god) (section)

=== Erotic aspects ===
Pan is famous for his sexual prowess and is often depicted with a [[phallus]]. [[Diogenes of Sinope]], speaking in jest, related a myth of Pan learning [[masturbation]] from his father, [[Hermes]], and teaching the habit to shepherds.<ref>[[Dio Chrysostom]], ''Discourses'', vi. 20.</ref>

There was a legend that Pan seduced the moon goddess [[Selene]], deceiving her with a sheep's fleece.<ref>Hard, [https://books.google.com/books?id=r1Y3xZWVlnIC&pg=PA46 p. 46]; Gantz, p. 36; Kerenyi, pp. 175, 196; Grimal, s.v. Selene; [[Virgil]], ''[[Georgics]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0058%3Abook%3D3%3Acard%3D384 3.391–93] has Pan capturing and deceiving Luna with the gift of a fleece; [[Servius (grammarian)|Servius]], ''Commentary on the Georgics of Vergil'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2007.01.0092%3Abook%3D3%3Acommline%3D391 391] ascribes to the Greek poet [[Nicander]] an earlier account that Pan wrapped himself in a fleece to disguise himself as a sheep.</ref>

One of the famous myths of Pan involves the origin of his [[pan flute]], fashioned from lengths of hollow reed. [[Syrinx]] was a lovely wood-[[nymph]] of Arcadia, daughter of [[Ladon (mythology)|Ladon]], the river-god. As she was returning from the hunt one day, Pan met her. To escape from his importunities, the fair nymph ran away and didn't stop to hear his compliments. He pursued from [[Mount Lycaeum]] until she came to her sisters who immediately changed her into a reed. When the air blew through the reeds, it produced a plaintive melody. The god, still infatuated, took some of the reeds, because he could not identify which reed she became, and cut seven pieces (or according to some versions, nine), joined them side by side in gradually decreasing lengths, and formed the musical instrument bearing the name of his beloved Syrinx. Henceforth, Pan was seldom seen without it.

[[Echo (mythology)|Echo]] was a nymph who was a great singer and dancer and scorned the love of any man. This angered Pan, a [[lust|lecherous]] god, and he instructed his followers to kill her. Echo was torn to pieces and spread all over Earth. The goddess of the Earth, [[Gaia (mythology)|Gaia]], received the pieces of Echo, whose voice remains repeating the last words of others. In some versions, Echo and Pan had two children: [[Iambe]] and [[Iynx]]. In other versions, Pan had fallen in love with Echo, but she scorned the love of any man but was enraptured by [[Narcissus (mythology)|Narcissus]]. As Echo was cursed by [[Hera]] to only be able to repeat words that had been said by someone else, she could not speak for herself. She followed Narcissus to a pool, where he fell in love with his own reflection and changed into a [[Narcissus (plant)|narcissus]] flower. Echo wasted away, but her voice could still be heard in caves and other such similar places.

Pan also loved a nymph named [[Pitys (mythology)|Pitys]], who was turned into a [[pine]] tree to escape him.<ref>[[William Smith (lexicographer)|Smith]] s.v. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DP%3Aentry+group%3D31%3Aentry%3Dpitys-bio-1 Pitys]</ref> In another version, Pan and the north wind god [[Anemoi#Boreas|Boreas]] clashed over the lovely Pitys. Boreas uprooted all the trees to impress her, but Pan laughed and Pitys chose him. Boreas then chased her and threw her off a cliff resulting in her death. [[Gaia]] pitied Pitys and turned her into a pine tree.<ref>[[Libanius]], ''[[Progymnasmata]]'', [https://books.google.com/books?id=kRi-If9IAOYC&pg=PA27 1.4]</ref>

According to some traditions, Pan taught [[Daphnis]], a rustic son of Hermes, how to play the pan-pipes, and also fell in love with him.<ref>Cohen, pp [https://books.google.com/books?id=uBlREAAAQBAJ&pg=PA170 169-170]</ref><ref>Also testified by [[Pope Clement I|Clement]] in ''[[Clementine literature|Homilies]]'' [https://books.google.com/books?id=7cIUAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA108 5.16]. Clement, a Christian pope, was trying to discredit pagans and their beliefs in his works, however other finds seem to support this particular claim.</ref>

Women who had had sexual relations with several men were referred to as "Pan girls."<ref>{{cite book |last=Lane Fox |first=Robin |date=1988 |title= Pagans and Christians |location = London | publisher = Penguin Books | page = 130 | isbn = 0-14-009737-6}}</ref>