Ancient Greece has always been famous for its rich and mysterious history. There are many legends about the gods, demigods and simply legendary people of this holy land. One of those about whom the most beautiful legend is written is the goddess Dicke. In this article, we will consider who she was. And only the reader to judge what of the following is true, and what is fiction. So, goddess Dike - who is she?
Meaning of the name
To find out what the goddess Dike patronized, one must unravel the mystery of her name. Dicke from the Greek Δίκη means "justice." The goddess carried the spirit of moral order and objective judgment, based on outstanding customs and norms, so mandatory for regulating public life.
Origin and family
The Greek god Zeus created divine laws to ensure order not only in Heaven, but also on Earth. The Thunderer from Olympus carefully monitored the implementation of all laws, both above and below. Zeus strictly respected the rule of law, however, even the supreme almighty could not keep track of all people. Therefore, God had assistants - the goddess of justice Themis and her daughter, one of which was Dicke.
The daughter of Zeus and Themis walked the earth with her scales. In order for the girl to be impartial, her father put a blindfold on her eyes. The young goddess was very truthful and fair. Most of all, the ancient Greek goddess Dike hated lies in all its manifestations. On the scales, the girl accurately measured all the actions of the laity. When the time of reckoning arrived, Dike went to Mount Olympus and informed Zeus about those who did not comply with the laws. Then Zeus decided how to punish these guilty people. His goal was to establish honesty throughout Greece. Zeus believed that people are obliged to live by the laws and commit only worthy deeds. By the way, as an eternal sign of justice, he placed the constellation Libra in the firmament.
Portrait of the goddess Dike in terms of cultural studies
In some myths, Dicke is not only the patroness of justice and truth, but also the adviser to Zeus. One of her names - Astrea - scientists associate with the idea that justice is located in heaven.
Dike - the personification of justice and one of op. Ory (from the ancient Greek Ὥραι, "times") - the goddess of the seasons in ancient Greek mythology, who controlled the order in nature, the daughter of Zeus and Themis or Helios and Selena - is not known exactly. Guardians of Olympus are opening and closing his cloudy gates. They are also called the gatekeepers of heaven. It is the Oroes who harness the horses of Helios.
By the purpose of his fate, Dike is close to Adrastea and Themis. "Indefatigable" she owns the keys to the gates through which the paths of day and night run. The goddess Dicke is committed to justice in the circulation of souls, categorical and inexorable to lying people and enthusiastically watches their behavior. Dicke walks with the sword in his hands for the criminal and pierces the unfortunate man in the heart. Sometimes she is associated with the goddess of just retribution, Nemesis, and with the demons of revenge - Erinnia. The image of Dike is also close to Ananka - the deity of inevitability. According to the message of Pausanias, it was she who was depicted in the famous casket of Kipsel, the tyrant of Corinth.
As she is portrayed
In all the illustrations, the goddess looks like a young and slender woman in a laurel wreath, while her Roman counterpart (Justice) appears in a similar image, but already blindfolded. She is represented in the constellation Libra. Dicke is often called the goddess of innocence and purity.
Iconography of the goddess Dike
The sculptures of the Temple of Zeus in Olympia have many unifying iconographic concepts. Dicke is present in many illustrations, and in poetry it is often referred to as the assistant of Zeus. In the philosophical climate of Athens at the end of the 5th century, the goddess personified moral justice. She was one of three second-generation chores, along with Eunomius (“order”) and Eirena (“world”).
Eunomia in ancient Greek mythology confidently supported mortals, patronized prosperous cities. Airena, being the third daughter of Themis, also protected the main wealth of mankind - peace, harmony and understanding. She ruled justice on Earth, while her mother, Themis, patronized justice in Heaven. She was opposed to Adikia, the goddess of injustice. In reliefs on the archaic casket of Kipsel, preserved in Olympia, there are fragments depicting the hostility of these two divine creatures to each other.
In the later art of rhetoric, bequeathed to patristic literature, the personification of abstract concepts began to be regarded as an artistic device, turning into an allegory of antiquity. In a further interpretation that arose with the advent of ecumenism, Dicke is born mortal and Zeus places her on Earth so that humanity will sprout honesty. But he quickly realized that this was impossible, and determined her place next to him on Mount Olympus.
How dick ascended to heaven
If you believe the stories about the origin of the constellation Virgo, the goddess Dicke lived on Earth during the Golden and Silver Ages, when there were no wars or diseases, people grew small crops and were happy. But with the advent of wealth that mortals could not properly dispose of, human greed also came. The goddess got sick. She proclaimed: “So this is what the race of the Golden Age fathers actually left behind! People have become more severe than the gods! War and brutal bloodshed will come to humanity, it will face severe trials. " The unfortunate goddess left Earth and went to heaven, and there, becoming a constellation, she watched the despicable human race. After her ascension, the mortals passed into the Bronze Age, which brought them illness, suffering, and brutal wars.
So, I would like to once again note that Dicke is still a famous and recognizable symbol of law and order and justice. Her image is used to paint various buildings. Goddess sculptures are made all over the world. The image of Dike is firmly entrenched in the minds of modern people, including those who have minimal knowledge in ancient Greek mythology. The goddess of justice will live forever!