Praxidike: The Greek Goddess of Justice and Impartiality

Praxidike is the goddess of justice in Greek mythology. Her powers presided over the humans and their matters only not of gods and goddesses. She was one of a kind goddess in Greek mythology whereas in other mythologies there were others like her. Here we bring you all the details about this exceptional Greek goddess.

Praxidike Origin

The most interesting thing about the origin is that there is no literature present on it, since the background of Praxidike is quite conspicuous. Some mythologists suggest that Praxidike was one of many daughters of Zeus. As Zeus was known for having countless affairs and consorts.

In Greek mythology, the lineage of each god or goddess can be traced to some primordial god. Hesiod wrote a very informative and in-depth account of Greek lineages in which the family trees of each and every god and goddess are explained.

The reference book is called Theogony but unfortunately, this book does not contain any information about this goddess, her parentage, and her siblings. However, this is one of the most unusual cases because this beautiful goddess is a well-known one and also a goddess of an important attribute. Overall, just as it has been said, she is the daughter of the Olympian god, Zeus, which makes her dominance and popularity reasonable.

Praxidike and Soter

Soter was the Greek god of safety. It is, nonetheless, very authentically known that Praxidike and Soter were married to each other, the goddess of justice and the god of safety. They both had three children together namely: Ktesios, Arete, and Homonoia.

All three daughters had specific powers. Ktesios was responsible for household chores, Homonia was the personification of unanimity, while Arete was the personification of moral virtue. The sisters formed a group of three called the Praxidikai or the exactors of justice, because of their origin or the family that they came from.

Character

Praxidike was the goddess of justice and the personification of judicial punishment, which is who she was specified as being known. Where she would bring justice she would also allot punishment unto those who deserved it.

Areti meaning in Greek is someone who is excellent in his workings and this word is frequently associated with the goddess of justice and all things fair. This goddess was responsible for bringing justice to the people on Earth.

She was not responsible for the matters of the gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus. For their matters, the Telkhines were concerned and they allotted justice and punishment to the gods and goddesses.

Physical Appearance

This goddess was a strong and good-looking woman. She wore dark colors and was highly associated with Persephone in looks. Like her, she had a beautiful feminine body with long dark-colored hair. Nonetheless, she had sharp facial features and was symbolized by a dove as she was the personification of righteousness.

When she would appear to someone who had been betrayed by worldly fairness, she would appear calmly while when she would appear in front of someone to give them punishment for what they did to deserve it, also, she would even appear like a tornado, and her presence would destroy everything in their vicinity.

The Worshippers

Praxidike was worshipped heavily in ancient Greek mythology because of her abilities, especially because she was the goddess of justice. People worshipped her wholeheartedly and also sacrificed in her name. Different festivals were celebrated in her honor. People truly believed in her powers of justice and punishment and that they would keep her above law and enforcement.

Worshipping and sacrificing to please a go was one of the firm beliefs of ancient Greek mythology. It was passed down in generations and showed how much they cared and believed in the powers of gods and goddesses, especially because she was the daughter of the greatest god, Zeus.

Other Goddesses With the Same Name

In Greek mythology, Praxidike was the goddess of justice and personification of punishment. But other than her, there existed two other women with the same name but different attributes and stories. Following are the two others with the same name:

An Epithet of Persephone

Persephone was the goddess of spring. She was Zeus and Demeter's daughter, the goddess of agriculture. She had various epithets that described her powers and abilities and among them was Praxidike or Practice. This is one of the reasons that Praxidike, the goddess of justice, is associated with Persephone because Persephone has an epithet of her name.

However, both are different goddesses and if this goddess is understood as the daughter of Zeus then she and Persephone will be sisters. So in some ways, Praxidike meaning is Persephone.

Royalty of Greece

Praxidike was the daughter of Ogygus and was married to Tremiles. She was a true life princess of Greece and was named after the original goddess of fairness and of justice. In her life, she was a known philanthropist.

FAQ

Who Was the God of Injustice in Greek Mythology?

In Greek mythology, Adikia was the goddess of injustice. She was a cruel goddess who ruined people's lives and did it happily. She had no remorse and no guilt for all the lives she ruined. Praxidike was her opposite goddess as she was the goddess of justice.

Conclusion

Praxidike was famous for her justice and allotment of punishment among humans. Here we summarize the article in a few points:

• The background of this goddess is quite conspicuous. Some mythologists suggest that she was one of many daughters of Zeus.

• Praxidike and Soter were married to each other. They both had three children together namely: Ktesios, Arete, and Homonoia. The sisters formed a group of three called the Praxidikai or the exactors of justice.

• For the matters of Mount Olympus, the Telkhines were concerned and they allotted justice and punishment to the gods and goddesses.

• She was also an epithet of Persephone. This is one of the reasons that she, the goddess of justice, is associated with Persephone.

• Praxidike had a beautiful feminine body with long dark-colored hair. She had sharp facial features and was symbolized by a dove as she was the personification of justice.

Without a doubt, she was an important entity in the world of Greek mythology. She was the embodiment of justice and judicial punishment which made her strong and powerful. Here we come to the end of the article.