Also called Rhamnousia, Adrasteia.
Their story
Nemesis is a daughter of Night, a bane to mortals, and she punishes hubris and undeserved good fortune. In the lost epic Cypria she fled Zeus in many shapes, and from their union came the egg from which Helen was born. At Rhamnous in Attica she had a great temple, whose statue was said to have been carved from marble the Persians brought to make a victory monument.
Best times to give to them
- The Nemeseia in Athens, a festival connected with the dead
- When you have had great good fortune and wish to stay humble
- When you have been wronged and must let go of revenge
What they like being given
- Fresh water
- Bread
- Incense
- A written promise to set something right
How to honour them
- Give her thanks in times of success, to guard against arrogance.
- Hand your wish for revenge to her and walk away from it.
- Practise measure: take a little less than you could.
How they can help you
- Humility
- Letting go of revenge
- Restoring balance
Symbols
- wheel
- measuring rod
- bridle
- sword
- griffin
Sources
- Hesiod, Theogony 223
- Herodotus, Histories 1.34
- Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.33.2-8
More Greek goddesses
- Hera Queen of heaven and guardian of marriage
- Athena Grey-eyed goddess of wisdom and craft
- Artemis Lady of wild things and the hunt
- Aphrodite Foam-born goddess of love and beauty
- Hestia Goddess of the hearth and the home fire
- Demeter Mother of the grain and the harvest
- Persephone Queen of the underworld and the returning spring
- Hecate Keeper of crossroads and keys