νέμεσις Ancient Greek · revision 2226

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=Homer, Iliad|origins=ine-pro *nem-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /né.me.sis/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ˈne.me.sis/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈne.me.sis/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''νέμεσῐς''' (némesis) ''f'' (genitive νεμέσεως); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Epic dative νεμέσσι.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|grc|νέμω|-σις|tr1=némō|tr2=-sis|t1=to distribute, allot]],^(Wiktionary)^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960) a noun in -σις like [[γένεσις|tr=génesis]] and [[Λάχεσις|tr=Lákhesis]], with a stem νεμε- made after such words.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)^(Πάπυρος) Its proper meaning would be “(just) allotment, imputation”, which may still show in the epic phrase οὐ νέμεσις, “one cannot hold it against someone”.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)

+

+ [[m|grc|νέμω|tr=némō]] continues Proto-Indo-European [[m|ine-pro|*nem-|t=to allot; to take]], which agrees best with Gothic [[m|got|𐌽𐌹𐌼𐌰𐌽|tr=niman|t=to take]] and Latvian [[m|lv|ņemt|t=to take]].^(Beekes 2010)^(LIV 2001)^(Wiktionary) LIV separates a second root *nem- “to bow”, found in Sanskrit and Tocharian.^(Beekes 2010)^(LIV 2001)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In Homer it is human indignation at a wrong, never that of the gods: Telemachus fears “blame from men”, and the Greeks are urged to put shame and νέμεσις in their hearts.^(LSJ 1940)^(Cunliffe 1924) Οὐ νέμεσις means “it is no cause for blame”: it is no blame to the Trojans and Achaeans to suffer so long for such a woman.^(LSJ 1940)^(Cunliffe 1924)^(CGL 2021)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Hesiod personifies Nemesis together with Aidos (Shame).^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE) Later the word was used of the anger of the gods: in Herodotus “a great nemesis from god” seized Croesus after Solon left him, and Sophocles speaks of the nemesis of the gods.^(LSJ 1940)^(Πάπυρος) Aristotle defines it as indignation at undeserved good fortune, the mean between envy and malice.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+

+ As a goddess, Nemesis is the personification of divine retribution, in Pindar and especially in tragedy and later writers as the avenger of the dead.^(LSJ 1940) Demosthenes mentions the Nemesia, her festival, inscriptions her temple, and Pausanias tells of two Nemeses worshipped at Smyrna.^(Beekes 2010)^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ In Modern Greek [[m|el|νέμεση|tr=némesi]] is divine punishment of those who break the moral law, and the goddess Nemesis.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)^(Πάπυρος)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – The ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'' use it for human indignation.^(LSJ 1940)^(Cunliffe 1924)

+ * Before the 6th century BC – Hesiod personifies Nemesis with Aidos.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 6th–5th century BC – Pindar names the goddess Nemesis.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 5th century BC – Herodotus tells how the nemesis of god struck Croesus.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 4th century BC – Aristotle defines it as indignation at undeserved good fortune.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 2nd century AD – Pausanias describes two Nemeses at Smyrna.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * Modern Greek – ''νέμεση'' is divine punishment.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Righteous [[m|en|indignation]], blame, resentment at a wrong.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # οὐ νέμεσις, “it is no cause for blame”.^(LSJ 1940)^(Cunliffe 1924)

+ # Divine [[m|en|retribution]], the anger of the gods.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # ''(Aristotle)'' Indignation at undeserved good or bad fortune.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # ''(personified)'' Nemesis, goddess of retribution.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[νεμεσάω|tr=nemesáō]]

+ * [[νεμεσητός|tr=nemesētós]]

+ * [[νεμεσίζομαι|tr=nemesízomai]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[νέμησις|tr=némēsis]]

+ * [[νόμος|tr=nómos]]

+ * [[en|nemesis]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In Homer αἰδώς, one's own sense of shame, is paired with νέμεσις, the indignation of others.^(LSJ 1940)^(Πάπυρος)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}