EREBUS is the personification of darkness. In a number of Greek cosmogonies, Erebus is described as one of the first beings to exist. In Hesiod’s Theogony (late 8th century BC), which the Greeks considered the “standard” account of the origin of the gods, he is the offspring of Chaos, alongside Nyx (Night).Erebus is the first of five rulers of the gods, and is succeeded as sovereign by Chaos (though others have suggested this figure may be Eros). The name “Erebus” is often used by ancient authors to refer either to the darkness of the Underworld, to the Underworld itself, or to the subterranean region through which souls of the dead travel to reach Hades.
EREBUS is both described as a vast place and appears also in human form, accompanied by a huge black snake.