THANATOS The god of death, a son of Night and twin brother ofSleep, it was the task of Thanatos to introduce the whole of humanity to Tartaros.This function led to his being frequently associated with pain, and represented as a powerful figure, with shaggy beard and fierce visage, with great wings flapping athis shoulders, resembling Boreas the wind god. In the case of death coming timely, orwelcome, Thanatos was depicted as a quiet pensive youth, winged and standing withhis legs crossed, often beside an urn with a wreath on it, and holding an extinguishedtorch reversed.