ZEPHYROS ~ THE GREEK GOD OF THE WESTERN WIND

Zephyros, also known as Zephyr (Ζέφυρος), is the Greek God of the West wind. The gentlest of the winds, Zephyros is known as the wind who brings blossoms to life, the Messenger of spring. Stories mention that his abode is in Thrace. Zephyros is one of the Four Anemoi ( winds ) whose parents are the Titan Astraeus and Titaness Eo, the Goddess of the dawn.

For the ancient Greeks, Zephyros is more than just a wind God. He is also the God of spring,since the gentle winds of the west were a sign of the end to winter,and all of Nature begins to awaken, with flowers and green leaves taking the place of bare branches.

Zephyros is mentioned as having several wives in different stories. He is also described as the husband of Iris, Goddess of the rainbow. He abducted the Goddess Chloris, and gave Her the domain of flowers. With Chloris, He has a son, called Karpos ("Fruit"). Zephyros came in conflict with his brother Boreas,and the reason was Chloris. She chose Zephyros in the end. With Podarge, one of the Harpies, Zephyros fathered the famous horses Xanthus and Balius, who are the Trojan War hero Achilles' immortal horses. Goddess Hera endowed the horses with human speech. They served Poseidon first, and next Peleus, Achilles and Neoptolemus.The union of Zephyros and Podarge produced also Arion, a horse given by Heracles to Adrastus..
Although Zephyros is generally a beneficial and gentle God, He has also been blamed for having killed Hyacinth, one of Apollo's male lovers, out of jealousy. Hyacinth was killed by a discus thrown by Apollo. Though according to some sources, his death was an accident, others said that Zephyros was the true culprit, having blown the discus off- course.

In the story of Cupid and Psyche, Zephyros served Eros (or Cupid) by transporting Psyche to his abode.
 In the Iliad, Zephyros is portrayed as a benevolent God. When the funeral pyre of Patroclos would not set alight, Achilles prayed to Zephyros and Boreas, and Iris summoned the two wind Gods to go to Troy and helpt. When the Wind Brothers arrived, the funeral pyre was lit, and the two Gods kept watch all night, making sure it burnt until dawn. 

 Homer also mentions that when Aeolos, the King of the Winds, gave the bag of winds to Odysseus,and ordered Zephyros to swiftly send the Ithacan king home. At the same time though, it was also said by Homer that Zephyros, along with His brothers, had caused the storms that had previously hindered the voyage of Odysseus to his homeland.