Picus
Classical
Picus was a minor woodland god. The woodpecker was named after him.
Picus was in love with a nymph named Canens, whom he was betrothed to, but the sorceress Circe was in love with him. In revenge for refusing her advances, Circe transformed him into a woodpecker.
The woodpecker was a sacred bird to the god Mars. Picus was said to have a prophetic gift.
In Virgil’s Aeneid, Picus was an early king of Italy who was the son of Saturn. Picus became the father of Faunus and grandfather of Latinus.
