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In ancient Greek culture, Dike or Dice[1] (/ˈdaɪkiː/ or /ˈdaɪsiː/; Greek: Δίκη, dikē, 'Custom')[2] is the goddess of justice and the spirit of moral order and fair judgement based on immemorial custom, in the sense of socially enforced norms and conventional rules. According to Hesiod (Theogony, l. 901), she was fathered by Zeus upon his second consort, Themis. She and her mother are both personifications of justice. She is depicted as a young, slender woman carrying a balance scale and wearing a laurel wreath. The constellation Libra (the Scales) was anciently thought to represent her distinctive symbol.

Dike and Adikia

Dike and Adikia (justice and injustice), Personification

She is often associated with Astraea, the goddess of innocence and purity. Astraea is also one of her epithets, referring to her appearance in the nearby constellation Virgo which is said to represent Astraea. This reflects her symbolic association with Astraea, who, too, has a similar iconography.

Depiction

The sculptures of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia have as their unifying iconographical conception the dikē of Zeus,[3] and in poetry she is often the attendant (paredros) of Zeus.[4] In the philosophical climate of late 5th century Athens, dikē could be anthropomorphised[5] as a goddess of moral justice.[a] She was one of the three second-generation Horae, along with Eunomia ('order') and Eirene ('peace'):[6]

Eunomia and that unsullied fountain Dikē, her sister, sure support of cities; and Eirene of the same kin, who are the stewards of wealth for mankind — three glorious daughters of wise-counselled Themis."

She ruled over human justice, while her mother Themis ruled over divine justice. Her opposite was adikia ('injustice'); in reliefs on the archaic Chest of Cypselus preserved at Olympia,[b] a comely Dikē throttled an ugly Adikia and beat her with a stick.

The later art of rhetoric treated the personification of abstract concepts as an artistic device, which devolved into the allegorizing that Late Antiquity bequeathed to patristic literature. In a further euhemerist interpretation, Dikē was born a mortal and Zeus placed her on Earth to keep mankind just. He quickly learned this was impossible and placed her next to him on Mount Olympus.
Dike Astraea

One of her epithets was Astraea, referring to her appearance as the constellation Virgo. According to Aratus' account of the constellation's origin, Dike lived upon Earth during the Golden and Silver ages, when there were no wars or diseases, men raised fine crops and did not yet know how to sail.[8] They grew greedy, however, and Dike was sickened. She proclaimed:

Behold what manner of race the fathers of the Golden Age left behind them! Far meaner than themselves! but you will breed a viler progeny! Verily wars and cruel bloodshed shall be unto men and grievous woe shall be laid upon them.
— Aratus, Phaenomena 123

Dike left Earth for the sky, from which, as the constellation, she watched the despicable human race. After her departure, the human race declined into the Bronze Age, when diseases arose and humanity learned how to sail.
See also

Lady Justice

Notes

She is already given a genealogy, as daughter of Themis, in Hesiod, Theogony 901, and approaches the throne of Zeus with lamentation at human injustices in Works and Days, 239f, both poems ca. late seventh century BCE.

Minutely described by Pausanias in the later second century CE.[7]

References

Smith, William (1880). A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. London: John Murray. p. 1002. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
Gardner, Dorsey (1887). Webster's Condensed Dictionary. George Routledge and Sons. p. 719. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
Hurwit, Jeffrey M (March 1987), "Narrative Resonance in the East Pediment of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia", The Art Bulletin, 69 (1): 6–15.
Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, 1377; Plutarch, Life of Alexander 52; Orphic hymn 61. 2.
Burkert, Walter (1985), "The special character of Greek anthropomorphism", Greek Religion, Harvard University Press, III (4): 182–89.
Pindar,Thirteenth Olympian Ode, translated by Conway, 6 ff.
Pausanias, Description of Greece, v.18.2.

Aratus (1921). "Phaenomena". Callimachus, Hymns and Epigrams. Lycophron. Aratus. Loeb Classical Library. 129. Mair, A. W. & G. R. (trans). London: William Heinemann. ll. 96–136.

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Ancient Greek deities by affiliation
Primordial
deities

Achlys Aether Aion/Chronos Ananke Chaos Erebus Eros/Phanes Gaia Hemera Nyx The Ourea Pontus/Thalassa Tartarus Uranus Fates
Atropos Clotho Lachesis

Titan
deities
Titanes (male)

Coeus Crius Cronus Hyperion Iapetus Oceanus

Titanides (female)

Dione Mnemosyne Phoebe Rhea Tethys Theia Themis

Children of Hyperion

Eos Helios Selene

Children of Coeus

Asteria Leto

Children of Crius

Astraeus Pallas Perses

Children of Iapetus

Atlas Epimetheus Menoetius Prometheus

Olympian
deities
Dodekatheon

Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis Athena Demeter Dionysus Hephaestus Hera Hermes Hestia Poseidon Zeus

Theoi Olympioi

Asclepius Eileithyia Enyo Eris Iris Harmonia Hebe Heracles Paean Pan

Mousai (Muses)

Daughters of Zeus
Calliope Clio Euterpe Erato Melpomene Polyhymnia Terpsichore Thalia Urania Daughters of Apollo
Apollonis Borysthenis Cephisso Boeotian Muses
Aoide Melete Mneme Muses of the Lyre
Hypate Mese Nete Muses at Sicyon
Polymatheia

Charites (Graces)

Aglaea Antheia Euphrosyne Hegemone Pasithea Thalia

Horae (Hours)

Dike Eirene Eunomia

Children of Styx

Bia Kratos Nike Zelos

Aquatic
deities
Sea Gods

Amphitrite Benthesikyme Brizo Calypso Ceto Eurybia Glaucus The Ichthyocentaurs Leucothea Melicertes Nereus Nerites The Nesoi Oceanus Phorcys Pontus/Thalassa Poseidon Proteus Rhodos Tethys Thaumas Thetis Triton

Oceanids

Acaste Admete Amalthea Asia Callirrhoe Ceto Clytie Dione Dodone Doris Electra Eurynome Idyia Melia (consort of Apollo) Melia (consort of Inachus) Metis Perse Pleione Plouto Styx Telesto Zeuxo

Nereides

Amphitrite Arethusa Dynamene Galatea Galene Psamathe Thetis

Potamoi

Achelous Almo Alpheus Anapos Asopus Asterion Axius Caanthus Cebren Cephissus Clitumnus Enipeus Kladeos Meander Nilus Numicus Phyllis Peneus Rivers of the Underworld
Acheron Cocytus Eridanos Lethe Phlegethon Styx Sangarius Scamander Simoeis Strymon

Naiads

Aegina Achiroe Aganippe The Anigrides Argyra Bistonis Bolbe Caliadne Cassotis Castalia Cleocharia Creusa Daphne Drosera Harpina The Ionides Ismenis Larunda Lilaea Liriope Melite Metope Minthe Moria Nana Nicaea Orseis Pallas Pirene Salmacis Stilbe The Thriae
Corycia Kleodora Melaina Tiasa

Chthonic
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Theoi Chthonioi

Angelos Gaia Hades Hecate The Lampads Macaria Melinoë Persephone Zagreus

Erinyes (Furies)

Alecto Megaera Tisiphone

Earthborn

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Apotheothenai

Trophonius Triptolemus Orpheus Aeacus Minos Rhadamanthus

Personifications
Children of Eris

Algos Amphillogiai The Androktasiai Atë Dysnomia Horkos Hysminai Lethe Limos Machai Neikea Phonoi Ponos Pseudea Logoi

Children of Nyx

Achlys Apate Dolos Eleos Elpis Epiphron Eris Geras Hesperides Hybris Hypnos The Keres The Moirai
Atropos Clotho Lachesis Momus Moros Nemesis Oizys The Oneiroi Philotes Sophrosyne Thanatos

Children of Phorcys

Echidna The Graeae
Deino Enyo Pemphredo The Gorgones
Euryale Medusa Stheno The Sirenes
Aglaopheme Leucosia Ligeia Molpe Parthenope Peisinoe Thelxiepeia

Children of Thaumas

The Harpiae
Aello Celaeno Ocypete Podarge Iris

Children of
other gods

Aergia Aidos Alala Aletheia Angelia Arete Astraea Caerus The Younger Charites
Eucleia Eupheme Euthenia Philophrosyne Corus Deimos The Erotes
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Others

Adephagia Alala Alke Amechania Anaideia Alastor Apheleia The Arae Dikaiosyne Dyssebeia Eiresione Ekecheiria Eulabeia Eusebeia Gelos Heimarmene Homados Horme Ioke Kakia Koalemos Kydoimos Lyssa The Maniae Methe Nomos Palioxis Peitharchia Penia Penthus Pepromene Pheme Phrike Phthonus Poine Polemos Poros Praxidice Proioxis Prophasis Soter Soteria Thrasos

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The Anemoi The Astra Planeti
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Agriculture

Aphaea Demeter Despoina Eunostus Philomelus Plutus

Health

Asclepius Aceso Epione Iaso Hygieia Paean Panacea Telesphorus

Rustic
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Aetna Agdistis The Alseids Amphictyonis The Anthousai Aristaeus Attis The Auloniads Britomartis The Cabeiri Comus The Dryades
Erato The Hamadryades
Chrysopeleia The Epimeliades Hecaterus Leuce Ma The Maenades The Meliae The Napaeae The Nymphai Hyperboreioi The Oreads
Adrasteia Echo Helice Iynx Nomia Oenone Pitys The Pegasides Priapus Rhapso Silenus Telete

Others

Alexiares and Anicetus Aphroditus Enyalius Palaestra

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Ancient Greek schools of philosophy
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Epimenides of Knossos Pherecydes of Syros Diogenes Metrodorus of Lampsacus Xenophanes Xeniades Theodorus of Cyrene Anacharsis

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Thales Anaximander Anaximenes

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Megarian

Euclid of Megara Ichthyas Thrasymachus Eubulides Stilpo Nicarete Pasicles Bryson

Dialectical

Clinomachus Apollonius Cronus Euphantus Dionysius Diodorus Cronus Philo Alexinus Panthoides

Peripatetic

Aristotle Aristoxenus Clearchus of Soli Dicaearchus Eudemus of Rhodes Theophrastus Strato of Lampsacus Lyco of Troas Aristo of Ceos Critolaus Diodorus of Tyre Erymneus Andronicus of Rhodes Cratippus Andronicus of Rhodes Boethus of Sidon Aristocles of Messene Aspasius Adrastus Alexander of Aphrodisias Themistius Olympiodorus the Elder

Platonic

Plato Eudoxus Philip of Opus Aristonymus Coriscus Erastus of Scepsis Demetrius of Amphipolis Euaeon of Lampsacus Heraclides Python of Aenus Hestiaeus of Perinthus Lastheneia of Mantinea Timolaus of Cyzicus Speusippus Axiothea of Phlius Heraclides Ponticus Menedemus of Pyrrha Xenocrates Crantor Polemon Crates of Athens

Hellenistic
Academic Skeptic
Middle

Arcesilaus Diocles of Cnidus Lacydes Telecles Evander Hegesinus

New

Carneades Hagnon of Tarsus Metrodorus of Stratonicea Clitomachus Charmadas Aeschines of Neapolis Philo of Larissa Cicero Dio of Alexandria

Epicurean

Epicurus Polyaenus Metrodorus Batis Leontion Carneiscus Idomeneus Hermarchus Colotes Themista Leonteus Polystratus Dionysius of Lamptrai Basilides Philonides Diogenes of Tarsus Alcaeus and Philiscus Apollodorus Demetrius Lacon Zeno of Sidon Amafinius Rabirius Titus Albucius Phaedrus Philodemus Lucretius Patro Catius Siro Diogenes of Oenoanda

Middle Platonic

Antiochus Philo of Alexandria Plutarch Justin Martyr Gaius Albinus Alcinous Apuleius Atticus Maximus of Tyre Numenius of Apamea Longinus Clement of Alexandria Origen the Pagan Calcidius

Neoplatonist

Ammonius Saccas Plotinus Disciples Origen Amelius Porphyry Iamblichus Sopater Eustathius of Cappadocia Sosipatra Aedesius Dexippus Chrysanthius Theodorus of Asine Julian Sallustius Maximus of Ephesus Eusebius of Myndus Priscus of Epirus Antoninus Gregory of Nyssa Hypatia Augustine Macrobius Plutarch of Athens Hierius Asclepigenia Hierocles Syrianus Hermias Aedesia Proclus Ammonius Hermiae Asclepiodotus Hegias Zenodotus Marinus Agapius Isidore Damascius Simplicius Priscian

Neopythagorean

Nigidius Figulus Apollonius of Tyana Moderatus of Gades Nicomachus Alexicrates Anaxilaus Bolus of Mendes Cronius Damis Numenius of Apamea Secundus the Silent Quintus Sextius Sotion Theon of Smyrna

Pyrrhonist

Pyrrho Aenesidemus Agrippa the Skeptic Arcesilaus Hecataeus of Abdera Heraclides of Tarentum Herodotus of Tarsus Menodotus of Nicomedia Nausiphanes Sextus Empiricus Theodas of Laodicea Timon of Phlius

Stoic
Greek

Zeno of Citium Persaeus Aratus of Soli Athenodorus of Soli Aristo of Chios Apollophanes of Antioch Dionysius the Renegade Sphaerus Herillus of Carthage Cleanthes Eratosthenes Hermagoras of Amphipolis Chrysippus Dioscorides Aristocreon Zeno of Tarsus Eudromus Crates of Mallus Diogenes of Babylon Zenodotus Apollodorus of Seleucia Basilides Antipater of Tarsus Apollodorus of Athens Archedemus of Tarsus Panaetius of Rhodes Boethus of Sidon Polemon of Athens Marcus Vigellius Heraclides of Tarsus Dardanus Mnesarchus Publius Rutilius Rufus Stilo Dionysius of Cyrene Quintus Lucilius Balbus Hecato of Rhodes Diotimus the Stoic Posidonius Crinis Proclus of Mallus Diodotus the Stoic Geminus of Rhodes Athenodoros Cordylion Apollonius of Tyre Cato the Younger Antipater of Tyre Porcia Apollonides Jason of Nysa Athenodoros Cananites Quintus Sextius Arius Didymus

Roman

Attalus Papirius Fabianus Seneca Thrasea Paetus Lucius Annaeus Cornutus Chaeremon of Alexandria Paconius Agrippinus Publius Egnatius Celer Persius Helvidius Priscus Arulenus Rusticus Musonius Rufus Fannia Euphrates the Stoic Cleomedes Epictetus Hierocles Flavius Arrianus Basilides Apollonius of Chalcedon Claudius Maximus Junius Rusticus Marcus Aurelius

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