The life of human society is inconceivable without ordering and observing certain rules and laws, otherwise there would be chaos. Ancient Greek goddess Themis has been guarding the observance of laws and justice for several thousand centuries.
Who is Themis?
The goddess of justice Themis was born of the Titans: Uranus, personified by the Greeks heaven and Gaia, the most ancient goddess of the Earth. The Greeks also called her Temida or Temis. In the Romans, Themis was called Justice. Brilliant with intelligence and erudition, Themis conquered the ruler of Olympus and became his second legal wife after Metida. Themis became responsible for law and order on Olympus and among people. The impartial but fair-minded Themis stands guard over society today: The Temple of Themis is called the court building, and law enforcement officers are none other than the servants or priests of Themis.
Themis contributed to the development of the ancient Greek people, taught them:
- the science of predictions;
- to perform sacrifices;
- to conduct divine rites (informed the priests of the will of the gods).
What does Themis look like?
Strong, self-confident, with dignity, depicts Themis with her eyes closed, in traditional for Greek women's clothes - a loose flowing tunic or mantle. Hair in a strict hairstyle. In Themis there is not even a drop of playfulness or inclination to manifest one's feminine qualities, she herself is a dog. The images and statues of Themis are very symbolic and speak for themselves, when looking at the goddess, people see a stately, serious-looking woman with a blindfold, a double-edged sword in one hand and scales in the other.
Symbols of Themis
The attribute of the goddess is chosen for good reason and has a deep sacred meaning:
- Themis bandage - impartiality. Before the goddess of order, all are equal and gods and people. No status or social differences matter. The law is one for all.
- Mantle - ritual clothing for the administration of justice. For the Ancient Greeks, all processes were sacred and ritual, so the choice of clothing was given great importance.
- Libra Themis is a measure, balance, balance and justice. Libra is a very ancient architectural image, which is a measure not only of concrete things that can be weighed, but also of such concepts as "good" and "evil", "guilt" and "innocence". Which cup will outweigh? Themis holds the scales in the left hand, which is also symbolic, the left side of the body is the perceiver.
- The sword of Themis is spiritual power, retribution or retribution for actions committed by people. Initially, the goddess kept a cornucopia, but then the Romans introduced their idea and placed the sword (right cause) in the right hand of the goddess, in their view, more reflective of the essence of Themis (Justice). The image of the goddess holding the sword pointing upward points to the divine will of heaven. Later, Themis increasingly began to be portrayed with a sword, lowered with the point down. This situation is treated as a reliance on strength.
Themis - mythology
Themis - the goddess, revered by respectable Greeks, appealed to her about injustice and desire to punish the offender. Themis herself aspired to warn lawlessness or trouble, because she was also a great pythia - a fortune teller, as evidenced by the myths in which the goddess of law and order appears. With respect to her are the Olympic celestials and people.
Themis and Zeus
Zeus was subdued by the experience and wisdom of Themis, she seemed to see all through, knew about other gods what others did not know. The goddess was authorized to summon the gods to the council, helped Zeus in unleashing the Trojan War. Zeus was happy to have such an adviser to his wife, who accepted him as he is and even after their parting and the marriage of Zeus to Hera, the ruler of Olympus consulted and trusted Themis's innermost things. Goddesses of the seasons of the Mountain (Ory) - the three daughters of Themis and Zeus appeared as a result of their love:
- Eunomia - personifying blessing, peace and order;
- Dike - truth and justice, observes the observance of the truth in the world of people, reporting to the father about every deviation from the truth;
- Eirena is the daughter of Zeus and Themis, who embodies a peaceful life.
In a later interpretation of the myths of Geosida, the children of Zeus and Themis were Moira, the goddess of fate:
- Cloth is a spinning thread of life;
- Lachesis - determines the fate, "lot" rong>
- Atropos - breaks the thread of life (inevitability, inexorability of fate, death).
Themis and Nemesis
Two goddesses of the ancient Greek pantheon are similar to each other and complement each other. The power of the Themis is to judge those in dispute who justify the innocent and restore justice. The nemesis of the Greeks was personified with a particular penalty or retribution, falling on the heads of violators and wrongdoers. Nemesis had a sword and scales similar to the Themis attributes, the sword and scales, sometimes depicted with a lash - as a symbol of the speed of the attack (punishment) and the bridle, which humilates the temper of arrogant and disobedient.