BOREAS ~ THE GREEK GOD OF NORTHERN WIND

In the Greek Religion,Boreas (Βορέας) is the God of the cold Northern wind and the Bringer of winter. He is depicted as being very strong, with a violent temper to match. Pausanias wrote that Boreas has snakes instead of feet, though in art He was usually depicted with winged human feet.

This Wind God is closely associated with horses. He is said to have fathered twelve colts after taking the form of a stallion, and mated with the mares of Erichthonius, king of Dardania. These were able to run across a field of grain without trampling the plants. The ancient Greeks believed that his home is in Thrace, also, Herodotus and Pliny both describe a northern land known as Hyperborea, where people lived in complete happiness and had extraordinarily long lifespans. Boreas is said to be the father of three giant Hyperborean priests of Apollo by Chione.

Boreas also kidnapped Orithyia, an Athenian princess, from the Ilisos. He was in love with her and had initially pleaded for her favours. When this failed, He reverted to his usual temper and abducted her. Boreas wrapped Orithyia up in a cloud, married her, and with her, Boreas fathered two sons—the Boreads, Zethes and Calais—and two daughters—Chione, Goddess of snow, and Cleopatra.

From then on, the Athenians saw Boreas as a relative by marriage. When Athens was threatened by Xerxes, the people prayed to Boreas, who was said to have then caused winds to sink 400 Persian ships. A similar event had occurred twelve years earlier, and Herodotus writes:
'Now I cannot say if this was really why the Persians were caught at anchor by the stormwind, but the Athenians are quite positive that, just as Boreas helped them before, so Boreas was responsible for what happened on this occasion also. And when they went home they built the god a shrine by the River Ilissus.'

Boreas in Grecobuddhism

Greco-Buddhist fragment of the God Boreas with billowing cloak overhead. Hadda, Afghanistan

A number of Greek Gods and Goddesses formed part of Greco-Buddhism,and most of them are considered to be protectors of the Buddha.Among Zeus, Tyche, Athena, Heracles and Nike, Boreas also stands by the side of the Buddha, protecting him with His fierce power as a Wind God. 

EDITED FROM: Wikipedia