Often, when any troubles happen or negative events occur, we ask ourselves: “Why do I need all this?” Or “Why did this happen to me?” But, as a rule, we cannot find the answer to this question, because we quickly forget about our actions, whether they are good or bad.
In ancient times, people believed that sooner or later they had to pay for all actions. No wonder they say: "As far as it comes, it will respond." And the goddess Nemesis is following this, we’ll talk about her.
How did Nemesis appear?
According to ancient Greek mythology, Nemesis is the goddess of vengeance and retribution. If a person has committed a bad deed, she will see to it that he is sure to be overtaken by retribution. The mother of Nemesis was the goddess of the night, Nikta, she gave birth to her as a punishment to Kronos. Other deities appeared along with Nemesis: Eris, the goddess of discord, Thanatos, the god of death, Apatha, the goddess of deceit, Hypnos, the god of dark dreams.
Wrath of Nemesis
Often, next to the name of this deity, the name Adrastea is mentioned, which in translation sounds like "inevitable." It appeared not by chance and is due to the fact that the fate of each person is inevitable, sooner or later, we will all be paid for our actions.
The goddess Nemesis is called to monitor the world order, the course of events, so that no one tries to change their destiny, which is destined by higher powers. The name of the deity is associated with the word "nemo", which translates as "just a villain."
How the goddess Nemesis was portrayed
She was painted on mosaics, ancient amphorae and other objects, in her hands there were certainly scales and other symbols that personified balance and righteous anger: a whip, a sword and a bridle. Behind her were wings, there was always a chariot, which was harnessed by ferocious griffins. You can also meet the image of the goddess with her arm bent at the elbow, which symbolized the temporary unit as a measure of things.
Temple of Nemesis
In Ramna, a small village located on the coast of Attica near the Marathon, there was a temple dedicated to Nemesis. Every year, athletes competed in this place and staged theatrical performances. In the temple there was a statue of the goddess, which, according to legend, Phidias sculpted. The goddess Nemesis was depicted with an apple branch in one hand and a glass of wine in the other.
There is a legend about how this statue appeared. When the Persians decided to conquer Greece, they took with them a piece of white marble with the intention of winning and dedicating a monument to this joyful event. But they lost this battle, and when the Athenians found this marble, they gave it to the sculptors. So on the border of Europe and Asia appeared a statue of the goddess Nemesis.
Goddess Nemesis - patroness of Roman gladiators
Roman warriors greatly honored this deity. In the room of every Greco-Roman gladiator there was always an image of the goddess and her figure. The soldiers believed that a fair Nemesis would certainly help them defeat their opponent, and her anger would overtake anyone who would act dishonestly. Thus, we can conclude that this goddess, among other things, was also the patroness of gladiators.