In
Greek mythology
A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the Cosmogony, origin and Cosmology#Metaphysical co ...
, Dysnomia (; grc, Δυσνομία means '
lawlessness
Lawlessness is a lack of law, in any of the various senses of that word. Lawlessness may describe various conditions.
In society
Anomie is a breakdown of social bonds between an individual and their community, in which individuals do not feel bo ...
') was the
daemon
Daimon or Daemon (Ancient Greek: , "god", "godlike", "power", "fate") originally referred to a lesser deity or guiding spirit such as the daimons of ancient Greek religion and mythology and of later Hellenistic religion and philosophy.
The word ...
of "lawlessness", who shares her nature with
Atë
In Greek mythology, Atë, Até or Aite (; Ancient Greek: Ἄτη) was the goddess of mischief, delusion, ruin, and blind folly, rash action and reckless impulse who led men down the path of ruin. She also led both gods and men to rash and inconsi ...
("ruin"). She was a companion of the latter deity,
Adikia
In Greek mythology, Adicia or Adikia () was the goddess and personification of injustice and wrong-doing.
Family
Adikia's family are not clear in the Greek mythological tradition. Nyx is thought to possibly be her mother, but Eris is another p ...
(Injustice), and
Hybris (Violence). Dysnomia makes a rare appearances among other personifications in poetical contexts that are marginal in
ancient Greek religion
Religious practices in ancient Greece encompassed a collection of beliefs, rituals, and mythology, in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. The application of the modern concept of "religion" to ancient cultures has been ...
but become central to
Greek philosophy
Ancient Greek philosophy arose in the 6th century BC, marking the end of the Greek Dark Ages. Greek philosophy continued throughout the Hellenistic period and the period in which Greece and most Greek-inhabited lands were part of the Roman Empir ...
: see
Plato's ''Laws''.
Family
Dysnomia was imagined by
Hesiod
Hesiod (; grc-gre, Ἡσίοδος ''Hēsíodos'') was an ancient Greek poet generally thought to have been active between 750 and 650 BC, around the same time as Homer. He is generally regarded by western authors as 'the first written poet i ...
among the daughters of "abhorred
Eris" ("Strife").
: "And hateful Eris bore painful
Ponos
Ponos or Ponus (Ancient Greek: Πόνος ''Pónos'') is the personification of hardship or toil.
Family Hesiod
According to Hesiod's ''Theogony'' (226–232), "painful" Ponos was the child of Eris (Strife), with no father, and the brother of ...
("Hardship"),
:
Lethe
In Greek mythology, Lethe (; Ancient Greek: ''Lḗthē''; , ), also referred to as Lemosyne, was one of the five rivers of the underworld of Hades. Also known as the ''Ameles potamos'' (river of unmindfulness), the Lethe flowed around the cav ...
("Forgetfulness") and
Limos
Limos (; Ancient Greek: Λιμός means 'starvation'), Roman Fames , is the "sad" goddess or god of starvation, hunger and famine in ancient Greek religion. They were opposed by Demeter, goddess of grain and the harvest with whom Ovid wrote Lim ...
("Starvation") and the tearful
Algea
{{Distinguish, Algae
Algea is a Norwegian multinational company operating in the chemical industry and manufacturing seaweed-based fertilizer ingredients.
History
Algea Produckter As was founded in 1937 by Haakon Torgersen. The Neptune’s tr ...
("Pains"),
:
Hysminai
In Greek mythology, the Hysminae or Hysminai (Ancient Greek: Ὑσμίνας or ὑσμῖναι; singular: from hysmine means 'battle, conflict, combat') are the personifications of fighting.
Family
Hesiod's account
The Hysminai are repr ...
("Battles"),
Makhai
In Greek mythology, the Machae or Machai (; Ancient Greek: Μάχαι ''Mákhai'', "battles"; singular: ''Mákhē'') were the daemons (spirits) of battle and combat.
Family
The Machai were the children of Eris and siblings to other vicious ...
("Wars"),
Phonoi
In Greek mythology, the Phonoi (Ancient Greek: ; singular: Phonos) were the "ghastly-faced" male personifications of murder.
Family
Hesiod in the ''Theogony'' named the Phonoi's mother as Eris ("Discord"), and their siblings as: the Hysminai ( ...
("Murders"), and
Androktasiai
In Greek mythology, the Androctasiae or Androktasiai (Ancient Greek: ; singular: Androktasia) were the female personifications of manslaughter.
Family
The Androctasiae were the daughters of the goddess of strife and discord, Eris, and siblings ...
("Manslaughters");
:
Neikea
In Greek mythology, the Neikea (Ancient Greek: Νείκεα; singular: Neikos "quarrels") were spirits of arguments, feuds, quarrels and grievances. Their Roman counterpart was Altercatio.
Family
Hesiod's account
In Hesiod's ''Theogony'' ...
("Quarrels"),
Pseudea ("Lies"),
Logoi ("Stories"),
Amphillogiai
In Greek mythology, the Amphillogiai (Ancient Greek: ; singular: Amphillogia) were goddesses of disputes and altercations. Their Roman counterpart was Altercatio.
Family
Hesiod's account
In Hesiod's ''Theogony'' identifies the Amphillogiai ...
("Disputes")
: Dysnomia ("Lawlessness") and
Ate
Ate or ATE may refer to:
Organizations
* Active Training and Education Trust, a not-for-profit organization providing "Superweeks", holidays for children in the United Kingdom
* Association of Technical Employees, a trade union, now called the Nat ...
("Ruin"), near one another,
: and
Horkos
In Greek mythology, the figure of Horkos (; Ancient Greek: , ) personifies the curse that will be inflicted on any person who swears a false oath. He was the avenger of perjury and the punitive companion of the goddess Dike (Justice).
In Aesop ...
("Oath"), who most afflicts men on earth,
: Then willing swears a false oath."
Mythology
In a surviving fragment of
Solon
Solon ( grc-gre, Σόλων; BC) was an Athenian statesman, constitutional lawmaker and poet. He is remembered particularly for his efforts to legislate against political, economic and moral decline in Archaic Athens.Aristotle ''Politics'' ...
's poems, a contrast is made to
Eunomia
In Greek mythology, Eunomia ( grc, Εὐνομία) was a minor goddess of law and legislation (her name can be translated as "good order", "governance according to good laws"), as well as the spring-time goddess of green pastures (''eû'' means ...
, a name elsewhere given to one of the
Horae
In Greek mythology the Horae () or Horai () or Hours ( grc-gre, Ὧραι, Hōrai, , "Seasons") were the goddesses of the seasons and the natural portions of time.
Etymology
The term ''horae'' comes from the Proto-Indo-European ("year").
F ...
, the embodiments of order. Both were figures of rhetoric and poetry; neither figured in myth or
Greek religious cult — although other personifications did, like ''Harmonia'', "Agreement"; whether
Harmonia
In Greek mythology, Harmonia (; grc, Ἁρμονία / harmoˈnia/, "harmony", "agreement") is the immortal goddess of harmony and concord. Her Roman counterpart is Concordia. Her Greek opposite is Eris, whose Roman counterpart is Discord ...
is only a personification is debatable.
"This is what my heart bids me teach the Athenians, that Dysnomia (Lawlessness) brings the city countless ills, but Eunomia (Lawfulness) reveals all that is orderly and fitting, and often places fetters round the unjust. She makes the rough smooth, puts a stop to excess, weakens insolence (''hubris''), dries up the blooming of ruin (''ate''), straightens out crooked judgements, tames deeds of pride, and puts an end to acts of sedition and to the anger of grievous strife."
Legacy
In 2005, Dysnomia was chosen as
the name for the moon of the dwarf planet
Eris.
IAU Circular 8747
- Official publication of the IAU
The International Astronomical Union (IAU; french: link=yes, Union astronomique internationale, UAI) is a nongovernmental organisation with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreach ...
reporting the naming of Eris and Dysnomia
Notes
Greek goddesses
Personifications in Greek mythology
References
* Greek Elegaic Solon, Fragments - Greek Elegaic C6th B.C.
* Hesiod
Hesiod (; grc-gre, Ἡσίοδος ''Hēsíodos'') was an ancient Greek poet generally thought to have been active between 750 and 650 BC, around the same time as Homer. He is generally regarded by western authors as 'the first written poet i ...
, ''Theogony'' from ''The Homeric Hymns and Homerica'' with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Cambridge, MA.,Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.Greek text available from the same website
{{Greek-deity-stub
Children of Eris (mythology)
Eris (dwarf planet)