In Greek mythology; Priapus was a minor rustic fertility god; protector of livestock; fruit plants; gardens and male genitalia. Priapus is marked by his oversized; permanent erection; which gave rise to the medical term priapism.

He became a popular figure in Roman erotic art and Latin literature; and is the subject of the often humorously obscene collection of verse called the Priapeia. Pictures From History Marie-Lan Nguyen