Pan, Syrinx and syringomyelia

Abstract

In Greek mythology, the god Pan represents the vital principle of both conservation and reproduction 1 . He is depicted as having a man's body down to the waist, and goat's legs and hooved feet. He also has horns, pointy ears, a beard and a tail 1 . When he was born, his mother thought he was so grotesque that she abandoned him on a mountain. Hermes (Mercury to the Romans), his father, took him to Olympus to entertain Zeus and his heavenly court 2 . Pan lived in Arcadia looking after sheep herds, helping the hunters, enjoying parties and encounters in which he drank a lot of wine and chased mortals and nymphs alike, in order to have intercourse with them. He enjoyed napping, something he did daily. What he did not forgive for any reason, was to be disturbed while he slept. Anyone who dared to wake him became prey to his dreaded persecution with tremendous cries that caused true horror and fear in the victim 1,2 . Among the numerous women he courted were mortals, gods and nymphs. The moon goddess Selene, the nymphs Echo, Eupheme and Pitys were only some of the satyr's conquests. However, we will focus on one of his most-remembered paramours, a wood nymph called Syrinx. Pan felt instantly and tremendously attracted to Syrinx, so much so that he fell in love. Pan pursued Syrinx all over including, one day, to the bank of the Ladon river.When he was just about to throw himself at her, the nymph transformed herself into hollow water reeds. The transformation rendered Pan unable to distinguish her from the other river plants. Full of woe and melancholy, the satyr cut several of the reeds he found, tied them together with wax and threads, and constructed a flute, known from that day forward as the pipes of Syrinx or a Pan flute (Figure).The tragedy of Pan and Syrinx was one of the stories that Hermes, messenger of the gods, told on his journey to rescue one of the many mortal and very beautiful lovers of Zeus, Io. Io was kidnapped by Hera, Zeus' s very resentful wife. Hera kept her under the protection of Argos, the guardian with one thousand eyes. Argos, always vigilant, was instructed by Hera not to let Zeus anywhere near Io. The king of the gods, entrusted his son Hermes with the task of rescuing his darling Io. Gently playing a Pan flute, Hermes approached Argos to tell him stories. When he told the guardian the story of the poor nymph, Syrinx, Argos closed his one thousand eyes, fell asleep and was killed by the cunning young god, which allowed the latter to rescue Io and return her to his father. The eyes of the fallen Argos were kept by Hera, and transferred onto the tail feathers of the peacock, the goddess' s favorite animal ABSTRACTMany myths and legends have had a deep influence on modern language, and on modern medical vernacular. The terms "syrinx" and "panic" are two of the most characteristic examples and their use in neurology and other specialties is well known. This article reviews the history of these words in Greek mythology and their use in modern medicine. It is known by very few that clinical sy...

Gods and monsters: Greek mythology and Christian references in the neurosurgical lexicon

“…One of Pan’s lasting contributions to neurosurgery is his memorable features. For clinicians, the presence of lumbar hypertrichosis coupled with pes cavus deformities would suggest the presence of spinal dysraphism[ 15 , 17 , 26 , 43 ] [ Figures 9a and b]. Another of Pan’s legacies in medical terminology is the consequence of his aggressive overtures to conquest the beautiful nymph Syrinx.…”

“…In neurosurgery, the diagnosis of a syrinx or syringomyelia refers to the development of a fluid-filled cavity within the spinal cord [ Figure 9d ]. [ 15 , 17 , 24 , 26 ] Much like Syrinx’s metamorphosis, the pathogenesis of syringomyelia remains an enigma, although it is believed to result from a complex interplay of cerebrospinal fluid flow, pressure, and its pathways. [ 21 ] Perhaps in the end Syrinx did exact her revenge on Pan, as spinal dysraphism is widely considered a primary cause for syringomyelia.…”