Picus May 2026

Never spurn a witch.

Picus was deeply in love with a beautiful nymph named . She had a voice so enchanting that she could move trees and calm rivers with her song. Picus was devoted to her, and for a while, they were happy. Never spurn a witch

When you think of woodpeckers, you probably think of a rhythmic tap-tap-tap echoing through the woods, or perhaps a flash of red crest against a tree trunk. You probably don’t think of prophecy, witchcraft, or the tragic downfall of a king. Picus was devoted to her, and for a while, they were happy

But in ancient Roman mythology, the woodpecker—known as —was far more than just a bird. He was a god. And his story is one of the strangest and most captivating tales from the classical world. Who Was Picus? In the pre-Roman mythology of the Latins, Picus was the son of Saturn (the god of time and generation) and the father of Faunus (the god of the forest). He was the original king of Latium (the region where Rome would one day rise). But in ancient Roman mythology, the woodpecker—known as