Meaning of Thanatos in Greek Mythology

Thanatos is the personification of death in Greek myth. Son of Nyx (night) and Erebus (darkness), later considered god of peaceful death. Depicted as a winged youth with sword/scythe or an old man. Name derives from Greek thnetos ("mortal"). Myths say gods created him to bring death to overly powerful mortals. Feared yet seen as necessary; invoked for painless passing.