Némesis
Nemesis, the messenger of Justice, is Retribution or Divine Vengeance, and the one who established the decree that transfers the soul from body to body. Therefore she is feared; but some artists, being persuaded that Nemesis manifests herself as a consequence of love, have given wings to Nemesis as they do to Love, who also appears winged.
This goddess is implacable to men of violence, but she is best known for deeply disliking the absence of moderation, and for being zealous in re-establishing order and proportion through the punishment of excesses of pride and undeserved happiness. Nemesis puts to sleep presumptuous boasting and checks offensive words, exacting a heavy penalty for them. Accordingly, those who, feeling the nearness of Fortune, abuse others, are sooner or later fated to meet Nemesis, when Fortune, who ignores constancy, has departed.
Not long from Marathon, where the mighty Persian army was defeated by the Athenians in historical times (490 BC), there was a sanctuary and statue of Nemesis. It is told that the Persians' pride was such that they believed that nothing stood in the way of their taking Athens. Accordingly, they brought a piece of Parian marble to make a trophy to celebrate their victory, being persuaded that their task was already accomplished. But as it happened, they met defeat, and of this same piece of marble, the Athenian sculptor Phidias made a statue of Nemesis, the goddess who punishes the proud.
It is told that when Zeus attempted to consort with Nemesis, she changed into a fish and other dread creatures in order to escape him. But when she turned into a goose, the god, turning himself into a swan, consorted with her. As the fruit of their love, she laid an egg that was found by a shepherd who in turn gave it to Leda. From this egg, Helen (the curse of both Achaeans and Trojans) was hatched in due time, being brought up as Leda's daughter.
------
Némesis es la diosa de la Justicia y la que estableció el decreto que transfiere el alma de un cuerpo a otro. Es por esto que muchos la temen, pero hay artistas que la representan con alas, afirmando que se manifiesta como el Amor.
Esta diosa es implacable hacia los hombres violentos, pero es más conocida por su odio hacia la absencia de moderacion, está entusiastamada con el orden reestableciente y proporción a través de la sanción de los excesos de orgullo y felicidad inmerecida. Némesis comrpueba palabras de presuntuosa jactancia, imponiendo una dura penalización para ellos.
De acuerdo con esto, aquellos quienes, cercanos a la Fortuna, abusan a otros, son tarde o temprano destinados a conocer a Némesis.
No lejos de Maratón, donde el ejército Persa derrotó a los Atenienses en 490 a.C. hubo un santuario y una estatua de Némesis. Se dice que el orgullo de los Persas era tan grande que no dejaban que nadie se interpusiera entre ellos y Atenas. Se trajeron un mármol de Paria para hacer un trofeo para celebrar su victoria, habiendo sido persuadidos de que habian acabado.Pero entonces fueron derrotados, y de este trozo de mármol el escultor Pidias hizo una estatua de Némesis.
Se dice que cuando Ceus trató de asociarse con Némesis, esta se transformó en varias criaturas temidas para escapar de él. Pero cuando se transformó en un ganso y el dios se transformó en un cisne, consiguió consortar con ella. Como fruto de su amor, Némesis puso un huevo que fue encontrado por un pastor que se lo dió a Leda. De este huevo salió Helen que fue criada como la hija de Leda.
