Nemesis, also called Rhamnousia, is the Greek goddess of Retribution, who punishes those that commit hubris and arrogance to the gods. She was known as an implacable justice, the maiden goddess of proportion and the avenger of crime.
Genealogy and Family[]
Nemesis is the daughter of Nyx and Erebus, Nyx alone, Zeus or Oceanus based on different accounts. In the Theogony, Nemesis is stated as the sister of the Moirai (the Fates), the Keres (Black Fates), the Oneiroi (Dreams), Eris (Discord) and Apate (Deception).
In some traditions she is hailed as the mother of Helen of Troy by Zeus, instead of Queen Leda. One source also claims her to be the mother of The Telchines with Tartarus.
Appearance and Personality[]
Nemesis is described as a winged goddess wielding a whip or a dagger, who rides in a chariot drawn by Griffins.
She is often thirsty for revenge, and stresses over a little thing, so she tries hard to get back at the problem as soon as possible. Once her revenge is done, she enjoys tearing down the egos of her victims. For she is too proud. She would leave happily if she got her revenge.
The poet Mesomedes wrote a hymn to Nemesis in the early second century AD, where he addressed her:
Nemesis, winged balancer of life, dark-faced goddess, daughter of Justice
Myths[]
Some myths including Nemesis are:
Nemesis and Zeus[]
This narrative is first found in the lost epic Cypria, the prelude of the Iliad. According to its author, Stasinus of Cyprus, Helen was born from the rape of Nemesis by Zeus. Zeus fell in love with Nemesis, here presented as his daughter, and pursued her, only for her to flee in shame. She took several forms to escape Zeus, but he eventually captured her. Pseudo-Apollodorus speaks of a single transformation, into a goose, while Zeus turned into a swan to hunt her down and raped her, producing an egg that was given to the queen of Sparta; Helen hatched from the egg, and was raised by Leda. In another variation, Zeus desired Nemesis, but could not persuade her to sleep with him. So he tasked Aphrodite to transform into an eagle and mock-chase him, while he transformed into a swan. Nemesis, pitying the poor swan, offered it refuge in her arms, and fell into a deep sleep. While asleep, Zeus raped her and in time she bore an egg which was transported to Leda by Hermes. According to Eratosthenes in his Catasterismi, this version was presented by Cratinus.
The Tale of Echo and Narcissus-[]
Where the Goddess enacted divine retribution on Narcissus for his vanity, after he rejected the advances of the nymph Echo, Nemesis lured him to a pool where he caught sight of his own reflection and fell in love with it, eventually dying.
Dionysiaca[]
Where Aura, a minor goddess and companion of Artemis, questioned her mistress' virginity due to the feminine and curvaceous shape of her body; proclaiming that no goddess or woman with that sort of figure would be a virgin, and asserted her own superiority over the goddess thanks to her own lean and boyish silhouette. Artemis, enraged, went to Nemesis and asked for revenge. Nemesis promised to the goddess that Aura would have her punishment, and that the punishment would be to lose the virginity she took such pride in. Nemesis then contacted Eros, the god of love, and he struck Dionysus with one of his arrows. Dionysus fell madly in love with Aura, and when she rebuffed his advances, he got her drunk, tied her up and raped her as she lay unconscious, bringing Nemesis' plan to a success.
Symbols[]
Nemesis' symbols are, a sword, lash, dagger, measuring rod, scales and bridle, whilst her sacred animal is the Goose.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
The name Nemesis is related to the Greek word νέμειν némein, meaning "to give what is due", from Proto-Indo-European nem- "distribute".
Nemesis' last name is Adrastea.
Nemesis' official Greek name is Νεμεσις.