Morpheus is actually the god of dreams and the son of Hypnos (Υπνος), the god of sleep, and Nyx (Νυξ, i.e., νυξ (nuks) 'night', Latin nox), the goddess of night. Accrdoing to Pierre Chantraine in his Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque:
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Morphée fils du Sommeil, ainsi nommé en raison des apparitions qu'il fait naître dans les songes. ("Morpheus, son of Sleep, is so named because of the apparitions to which he gives birth.")

[Addendum: Ovid tells an interesting myth about Ceyx and Halcyone in which Somnes and his son Morpheus put in an appearance. In the Metamorphoses 11.600ff.
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Having delivered her message, Iris hastened away, for she could not longer endure the stagnant air, and as she felt drowsiness creeping over her she made her escape, and returned by her bow the way she came. Then Somnus called one of his numerous sons—Morpheus—the most expert in counterfeiting forms, and in imitating the walk, the countenance and mode of speaking, even the clothes and attitudes most characteristic of each. But he only imitates men, leaving it to another to personate birds, beasts and serpents.

A good prose version is in Bullfinch. Here.

Iris, the messenger of the gods, feels sleepy because in front of the cave in which Somnus, the god of sleep, sleeps on an ebony bed, grow many poppies, the juice of which Nyx collects to cause sleep.]

Last edited by zmjezhd; 02/05/08 09:46 PM.
Ceci n'est pas un seing.