For the Greek gods, preserving the order of the universe was paramount. Hence the importance of the role of Nemesis, divinity who punished mercilessly any excess or crime that would endanger that balance.
Nemesis is the goddess of justice, but not just any justicebut of the most primordial, that of the gods, always attentive to punish crime, pride, infamy and impiety towards one’s own divinities and parents. Furthermore: Nemesis also punishes all excess and excess, even if it is for the good, like happiness, since everything that goes beyond its proper condition can endanger the balance of the universe. Actually, The justice that the goddess embodies is little different from revenge.
Nemesis: meaning related to punishment
We use the word nemesis to refer to a fatal punishment that restores a previous order or to a person who confronts another person who is a bitter enemy. These meanings actually come from the goddess Nemesis.
Nemesis was especially zealous in her surveillance of humans. Thus, when the king of Lydia, Croesus, began to stand out for his excessive wealth and happiness, it confused him until he led an expedition against the powerful Persian empire that ended in disaster.
Later, The goddess also acted against the Persians, who, confident in the strength and enormity of their army, took it for granted that they would conquer Greece. It was not like that: protected by Nemesis, the Athenians inflicted a humiliating defeat on them at Marathon.
Nemesis and his dark family
Nemesis was the daughter of Nyx, the Night, who had her by herself, without needing to join another divinity. She was, therefore, a primordial goddess, prior to the generation of Olympians led by Zeus.
The same can be said of his more than disturbing brothers and sisters, among others, Thanato (Death), Ezis (Pain and Sadness), Ápate (Deception), Eris (Discord), Geras (Old Age) or the three Fates (Destiny) and the Keres (violent Death).
Nemesis: non-consensual loves
Nemesis She was a goddess completely dedicated to the function that had been entrusted to her since her birth. So much so that He considered that he had no time for love. Not even when the one who wanted her was Zeus, a god used to always getting his way, even more so in matters of bed.
The goddess decided to express her rejection by transforming into all kinds of beings, but Zeus did not take any notice and continued harassing her. At last, When she metamorphosed into a goose, he took the form of a swan and possessed her.
According to one version of the myth, Nemesis then laid an egg which he then gave to the mortal Leda. From him the twins Castor and Pollux were born, and Helen, the irresistible beauty who caused the Trojan War. This war would be Nemesis’ revenge for the rape perpetrated by Zeus.
Cult of Nemesis
Due to its vengeful and angry essence, Nemesis was not a goddess especially beloved by the Greeks. Even so, the inhabitants of a small city in Attica, Ramnunte, dedicated an important sanctuary to him. It was she, they believed, who had caused the Athenians to defeat a much superior Persian army in Marathon, a plain near the sanctuary, in 490 BC.
The sanctuary was especially famous for the statue that the sculptor Phidias had made of the goddess from a block of Parian marble taken from the proud Persians.
In addition to the main temple, the sanctuary had a smaller one in which Nemesis was worshiped next to Themis, goddess of justice and equity.
In Athens, Nemesis inspired a strange ritual called Nemesia. With it, it was about avoiding the revenge of the deceased on those of their descendants who had forgotten to worship them.