Morpheus was, according to the Roman poets, the son or chief minister
of the god of sleep (Somnus). The god himself was represented as
living in Cimmerian darkness. Morpheus derived his name from Morphe,
(Gr., form or shape), from his supposed ability to mimic or assume
the form of any individual he desired to pose as in dreams. Thus Ovid
relates how he appeared to Alcyone in a dream as her husband, who had
been shipwrecked, and narrated to her all the circumstances of the
tragedy. Morpheus is represented with a poppy plant in his hand bearing
a capsule with which he was supposed to touch those whom he desired
to put to sleep. He also had the wings of a butterfly to indicate his
lightness. Sertürner adopted the term “morphium” as the name of the
opium alkaloid which he had discovered.