Religion:Nomos (mythology)

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Short description: Daemon of laws ordinances in Ancient Greek


In Greek mythology, Nomos (Ancient Greek: Νομος) was the daemon of laws, statutes, and ordinances.[citation needed] In the Orphic Rhapsodic Theogony, Nomos' wife is Eusebia (Piety), and their daughter is Dike (Justice).[1]

Mythology

Nomos was described as the ruler of gods and men:[2]

The holy king of Gods and men I call, celestial Law [Nomos], the righteous seal of all;
The seal which stamps whate'er the earth contains, Nature's firm basis, and the liquid plains:
Stable, and starry, of harmonious frame, preserving laws eternally the same:
Thy all-composing pow'r in heaven appears, connects its frame, and props the starry spheres;
And shakes weak Envy with tremendous sound, toss'd by thy arm in giddy whirls around.
'Tis thine, the life of mortals to defend, and crown existence with a blessed end;
For thy command and alone, of all that lives order and rule to ev'ry dwelling gives:
Ever observant of the upright mind, and of just actions the companion kind;
Foe to the lawless, with avenging ire, their steps involving in destruction dire.
Come, bless, abundant pow'r, whom all revere, by all desir'd, with favr'ing mind draw near;
Give me thro' life, on thee to fix my fight, and ne'er forsake the equal paths of right.[3]

Notes

  1. Orphic Rhapsodies fr. 159 Kern.
  2. Pindar, fr. 151, p. 640, ed. Böckh; Plato, Gorgias p. 484b
  3. Orphic Hymns to Nomos 63

References