Themis is untranslatable.

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Themis is an ancient Greek goddess

Greek mythology

Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the Ancient Greece concerning their List of Greek mythological figures#Immortals and Greek hero cult, Cosmology#Metaphysical cosmology, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices....
. She is described as "of good counsel", and was the embodiment of divine order, law, and custom. Themis means "law of nature" rather than human ordinance, literally "that which is put in place", from the verb t???µ?, títhemi, to put. To the ancient Greeks she was originally the organizer of the "communal affairs of humans, particularly assemblies." Moses Finley remarked of Themis, as the word was used by Homer in the 8th century, to evoke the social order of the 10th and 9th-century Greek Dark Ages

Greek Dark Ages

The Greek Dark Ages refers to Greek history from the presumed Dorian invasion and end of the Mycenaean civilization in the 12th century BC, to the first Ancient Greece poleiss in the 9th century BC....
:

Themis is untranslatable. A gift of the gods and a mark of civilized existence, sometimes it means right custom, proper procedure, social order, and sometimes merely the will of the gods (as revealed by an omen

Omen

An omen is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future, often signifying the advent of change. Omens may be considered "good" or "bad", but the term is more often used in a foreboding sense, as with the word "ominous"....
, for example) with little of the idea of right.

Finley adds, "There was themis — custom, tradition, folk-ways

Folkways (sociology)

Folkways are the patterns of conventional behavior in a society, norm s that apply to everyday matters. They are the conventions and habits learned from childhood....
, mores

Mores

Mores are norm or convention s. Mores derive from the established practices of a society rather than its written laws. They consist of shared understandings about the kinds of behaviour likely to evoke approval, disapproval, toleration or sanction, within particular contexts....
, whatever we may call it, the enormous power of 'it is (or is not) done'. The world of Odysseus

Odysseus

Odysseus or Ulysses , in Greek mythology , was a legendary Greeks king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's Epic poetry, the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in the Epic Cycle....
 had a highly developed sense of what was fitting and proper."

Mythological function

The personification

Personification

File:Wien Hofburg Constantia et Fortitudine.jpgPersonification is an ontological metaphor in which a thing or abstraction is represented as a person....
 of anstract concepts is characteristic of the Hellenes. The ability of the goddess Themis to foresee the future enabled her to become one of the Oracles of Delphi, which in turn led to her establishment as the goddess of divine justice. Some classical representations of Themis (illustration, right) did not show her blindfolded (because of her talent for prophecy, she had no need to be blinded) nor was she holding a sword (because she represented common consent, not coercion). Themis built the Oracle at Delphi and was herself oracular. According to another legend, Themis received the Oracle at Delphi from Gaia

Gaia (mythology)

Gaia Gaia is a Greek primordial gods and chthonic deity in the Ancient Greek Pantheon and considered a Mother Goddess or Great Goddess....
 and later gave it to Phoebe

Phoebe (mythology)

In Greek mythology "golden-wreathed" Phoebe , in her very name simply the feminine counterpart of Phoebus, was one of the original Titan , one set of sons and daughters of Uranus and Gaia ....
.

When Themis is disregarded, Nemesis

Nemesis (mythology)

Nemesis , also called Rhamnousia/Rhamnusia , at her sanctuary at Rhamnous, north of Marathon, Greece, in Greek mythology was the spirit of divine punitive justice against those who succumb to hubris, vengeful fate personified as a remorseless goddess....
 brings just and wrathful retribution, thus Themis shared the Nemesion temple at Rhamnous

Rhamnous

The site of Rhamnous , the remote northernmost deme of Attica, lies 39km NE of Athens and 12.4km NNE of Marathon, Greece, Greece overlooking the Euboea....
 (illustration below). Themis is not wrathful: she, "of the lovely cheeks", was the first to offer Hera

Hera

In the Twelve Olympians of classical Greek Mythology, Hera or Here was the wife and older sister of Zeus. Her chief function was as goddess of women and marriage....
 a cup when she returned to Olympus distraught over threats from Zeus (Iliad

ILiad

The iLiad is an electronic handheld device, or e-book device, which can be used for document reading and editing. Like the Sony Reader or Amazon Kindle, the iLiad makes use of an electronic paper display....
 xv.88).

Themis presided over the proper relation between man and woman, the basis of the rightly ordered family (the family was seen as the pillar of the deme

Deme

In Ancient Greece, a deme was a subdivision of Attica, the region of Greece surrounding Classical Athens. Demes as simple subdivisions of land in the countryside seem to have existed in the 6th century BC and earlier, but did not acquire particular significance until the reforms of Cleisthenes in 508 BC....
), and judges were often referred to as "themistopóloi" (the servants of Themis). Such was the basis for order upon Olympus too. Even Hera

Hera

In the Twelve Olympians of classical Greek Mythology, Hera or Here was the wife and older sister of Zeus. Her chief function was as goddess of women and marriage....
 addressed her as "Lady Themis." The name of Themis might be substituted for Adrasteia

Adrasteia

In Greek mythology, Adrasteia was a nymph who was charged by Rhea with nurturing the infant Zeus, in secret, to protect him from his father Cronus in the Dictaean cave....
 in telling of the birth of Zeus on Crete.

Themis was present at Delos

Delos

The island of Delos , isolated in the centre of the roughly circular ring of islands called the Cyclades, near Mykonos, is one of the most important mythological, historical and archaeological sites in Greece....
 to witness the birth of Apollo

Leto

In Greek mythology, Let? is a daughter of the Titan Coeus and Phoebe : Kos claimed her birthplace. In the Olympian scheme of things, Zeus is the father of her twins, Apollo and Artemis, the Letoides....
. According to Ovid

Ovid

Publius Ovidius Naso was a Roman Empire poet known as Ovid to the English language-speaking world, who wrote about love, seduction, and Roman mythology transformation....
, it was Themis rather than Zeus

Zeus

Zeus in Greek mythology is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky father and List of thunder gods. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull , and oak....
 who told Deucalion

Deucalion

In Greek mythology, Deucalion was a son of Prometheus and Pronoia. When the anger of Zeus was ignited against the hubris of the Pelasgians, Zeus decided to put an end to the Ages of Man with the Deluge #The flood of Deucalion....
 to throw the bones of "his Mother

Gaia

Gaia or Gaea most commonly refers to Gaia , the primal Greek goddess of the earth. But it may also refer to:...
" over his shoulder to create a new race of humankind after the Deluge.

Hesiod's description and contrast to Dike

In Greek mythology

Greek mythology

Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the Ancient Greece concerning their List of Greek mythological figures#Immortals and Greek hero cult, Cosmology#Metaphysical cosmology, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices....
, Hesiod

Hesiod

Hesiod was a Greek language oral poet, his date is uncertain but leading scholars agree that Hesiod lived in the latter half of the Eighth-century BCE....
 mentions Themis among the six sons and six daughters of Gaia

Gaia (mythology)

Gaia Gaia is a Greek primordial gods and chthonic deity in the Ancient Greek Pantheon and considered a Mother Goddess or Great Goddess....
 and Uranus

Uranus (mythology)

Uranus is the Latinized form of Ouranos , the Greek language word for sky. In Greek mythology Uranus , or Father Sky, is personified as the son and husband of Gaia , Mother Earth ....
 (Earth and Sky). Among these Titans

Titan (mythology)

In Greek mythology, the Titans ; were a race of powerful deities that ruled during the legendary golden age. Their role as Elder Gods was overthrown by a race of younger gods, the Twelve Olympians, effected a mythological paradigm shift that the Greeks borrowed from the Ancient Near East....
 of primordial myth, few were venerated at specific sanctuaries in classical times.

Themis occurred in Hesiod

Hesiod

Hesiod was a Greek language oral poet, his date is uncertain but leading scholars agree that Hesiod lived in the latter half of the Eighth-century BCE....
's Theogony

Theogony

The Theogony is a poem by Hesiod describing the origins and genealogy of the polytheism of the ancient Greeks, composed circa 700 BC....
 as the first recorded appearance of Justice as a divine personage. Drawing not only on the socio-religious consciousness of his time but also on many of the earlier cult-religions, Hesiod

Hesiod

Hesiod was a Greek language oral poet, his date is uncertain but leading scholars agree that Hesiod lived in the latter half of the Eighth-century BCE....
 described the forces of the universe as cosmic divinities. Hesiod portrayed temporal justice, Dike

Dike (mythology)

In Ancient Greece, Dike was the spirit of moral order and fair judgement based on immemorial custom....
, as the daughter of Zeus

Zeus

Zeus in Greek mythology is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky father and List of thunder gods. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull , and oak....
 and Themis

Themis

Themis is an Greek mythology. She is described as "of good counsel", and was the embodiment of divine order, law, and custom. Themis means "law of nature" rather than human ordinance, literally "that which is put in place", from the verb t?????, t?themi, to put....
 (daughter of Uranus

Uranus

Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and the third-largest and fourth most massive planet in the Solar System. It is named after the ancient Greek deity of the sky Uranus the father of Kronos and grandfather of Zeus ....
 and Gaia

Gaia

Gaia or Gaea most commonly refers to Gaia , the primal Greek goddess of the earth. But it may also refer to:...
). Dike

Dike (mythology)

In Ancient Greece, Dike was the spirit of moral order and fair judgement based on immemorial custom....
 executed the law of judgments and sentencing and, together with her mother Themis, carried out the final decisions of Moira. For Hesiod, Justice is at the center of religious and moral life, who, independently of Zeus, is the embodiment of divine will. This personification of Dike will stand in contrast to justice viewed as custom or law, and as retribution or sentence.

Consorts and children

The only consort for Themis mentioned in sources below is Zeus

Zeus

Zeus in Greek mythology is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky father and List of thunder gods. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull , and oak....
.

Horae

Horae

In Greek mythology, the Horai, Latinized Horae were three goddesses controlling orderly life. They were daughters of Zeus and Themis, half-sisters to the Moirae....
: the Hours

With Zeus

Zeus

Zeus in Greek mythology is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky father and List of thunder gods. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull , and oak....
 she more certainly bore the Horae

Horae

In Greek mythology, the Horai, Latinized Horae were three goddesses controlling orderly life. They were daughters of Zeus and Themis, half-sisters to the Moirae....
, those embodiments of the right moment – the rightness of Order unfolding in Time – and Astraea.

First Generation (other names are also known)

• Auxo
  Horae
  
  In Greek mythology, the Horai, Latinized Horae were three goddesses controlling orderly life. They were daughters of Zeus and Themis, half-sisters to the Moirae....
   (the Grower)
• Carpo
  Horae
  
  In Greek mythology, the Horai, Latinized Horae were three goddesses controlling orderly life. They were daughters of Zeus and Themis, half-sisters to the Moirae....
   (the Fruit-bringer)
• Thallo
  Horae
  
  In Greek mythology, the Horai, Latinized Horae were three goddesses controlling orderly life. They were daughters of Zeus and Themis, half-sisters to the Moirae....
   (the Plant-raiser)

Second Generation

• Dike (Trial), known as Astraea in Roman mythology, the constellation Virgo
• Eirene
  Eirene (Greek goddess)
  
  Eirene, or Irene , one of the Horae, was the personification of peace, and was depicted in art as a beautiful young woman carrying a cornucopia, scepter and a torch or rhyton....
   (Peace)
• Eunomia
  Eunomia (goddess)
  
  Eunomia was a minor Greek goddess....
   (Rule of Law)

Moirae

Moirae

The Moirae or Moerae , in Greek mythology, were the white-robed personifications of destiny . The Greek word moira literally means a part or portion, and by extension one's portion in life or destiny....
: the Fates

Followers of Zeus

Zeus

Zeus in Greek mythology is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky father and List of thunder gods. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull , and oak....
 claimed that it was with him that Themis produced the Three Fates

Moirae

The Moirae or Moerae , in Greek mythology, were the white-robed personifications of destiny . The Greek word moira literally means a part or portion, and by extension one's portion in life or destiny....
 A fragment of Pindar

Pindar

Pindar , was an Ancient Greek Lyric poetry poet.Of the canonical nine lyric poets of ancient Greece, Pindar is the one whose work is by far the best preserved, and critics in antiquity tended to regard him as the greatest....
, however, tells that the Moirae

Moirae

The Moirae or Moerae , in Greek mythology, were the white-robed personifications of destiny . The Greek word moira literally means a part or portion, and by extension one's portion in life or destiny....
 were already present at the nuptials of Zeus

Zeus

Zeus in Greek mythology is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky father and List of thunder gods. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull , and oak....
 and Themis; that in fact the Moirae

Moirae

The Moirae or Moerae , in Greek mythology, were the white-robed personifications of destiny . The Greek word moira literally means a part or portion, and by extension one's portion in life or destiny....
 rose with Themis from the springs of Okeanos the encircling World-Ocean and accompanied her up the bright sun-path to meet Zeus

Zeus

Zeus in Greek mythology is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky father and List of thunder gods. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull , and oak....
 at Olympus

Olympus

A number of different things are named Olympus:...
.

• Atropos
  Atropos
  
  In Greek mythology, Atropos was one of the three Moirae, Goddesses of wikt:fate and destiny. Her Roman equivalent was Morta . Atropos was the oldest of the Three Fates, and was known as the "inflexible" or "inevitable." It was Atropos who chose the mechanism of death and ended the life of each mortal by cutting their thread with her "abhor...
   (the Inevitable)
• Clotho
  Clotho
  
  Clotho or Klotho — the "spinner" — was the youngest of the Moirae of Greek mythology, otherwise known as the Fates due to their roles in governing over the lives of humans....
   (the Weaver)
• Lachesis
  Lachesis (mythology)
  
  In Greek mythology, Lachesis was the second of the Three Fates, or Moirae. She was the apportioner, deciding how much time for life was to be allowed for each person or being....
   (the Lot-caster)

Iustitia

A Roman

Roman mythology

Roman mythology, or more appropriately, Latin mythology, refers to the mythology beliefs of the Italic people inhabiting the region of Latium and its main city, Rome....
 equivalent of one aspect of Hellenic Themis, as the personification of the divine rightness of law, was Iustitia (Anglicized as Justitia). Her origins are in civic abstractions of a Roman mindset, rather than archaic mythology, so drawing comparisons is not fruitful. Portrayed as an impassive woman, holding scales and a double-edged sword (sometimes a cornucopia

Cornucopia

The cornucopia is a symbol of food and abundance dating back to the 5th century BC, also referred to as horn of plenty, Horn of Amalthea, and harvest cone....
), and since the 1500s usually shown blindfolded, the sculpted figure outside a courthouse is Iustitia or Lady Justice

Lady Justice

Lady Justice is an allegorical personification of the moral force that underlies the legal system....
, not Themis.

See also

• Nyx
  Nyx
  
  In Greek mythology, Nyx was the primordial goddess of the night. A shadowy figure, Nyx stood at or near the beginning of creation, and was the mother of personification gods such as Hypnos and Thanatos ....
  

External links