Themis, Goddess of Divine Law

Detail from an Athenian red-figure clay vase, about 430 BC. Berlin, Antikensammlung F2538

The personification of the order of things, established by law, custom and justice. She was said to have been a consort of Zeus and was worshipped as a goddess by the Athenians.



Themis was the TITANIS goddess of divine law and order - those rules of conduct first established by the gods.

She was also a prophetic goddess who presided over the most ancient of the earthly oracles, including the shrine of Delphoi. In this role, she was the divine voice who first instructed mankind in the primal laws of justice and morality, such as the precepts of piety, the rules of hospitality, good governance, conduct of assembly, and pious offerings to the gods.

Themis was the prime counsellor of Zeus in heaven, where she was seated beside his throne to advise him on the precepts of divine law.

In Greek themis was divine law, that which was first established by the gods. In reality they were the basic laws of Greek custom and tradition. The nomoi, in contrast, were those laws fixed by human legislation.

Themis was almost indistinguishable from Demeter Thesmophoria (the Earth Mother, Bringer of Divine Law). Indeed Themis' six children, the spring-time Horai and death-bringing Moirai, reflect the dual-function of Demeter's daughter Persephone.

Themis was also identified with Gaia, the earth-personified.



PARENTAGE OF THEMIS
"She [Gaia the Earth] lay with Ouranos (Sky) and bare deep-swirling Okeanos, Koios and Krios and Hyperion and Iapetos, Theia and Rhea, Themis and Mnemosyne and gold-crowned Phoibe and lovely Tethys. After them was born Kronos." - Hesiod, Theogony 132

"Ouranos (Sky) ... fathered other sons on Ge (Earth), namely the Titanes: Okeanos, Koios, Hyperion, Kreios, Iapetos, and Kronos the youngest; also daughters called Titanides: Tethys, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoibe, Dione, and Theia." - Apollodorus, The Library 1.2

"Illustrious Themis, of celestial birth (Ouranopaide), thee I invoke, young blossom of Gaia (the Earth)." - Orphic Hymn 79 to Themis

"The Titanes numbered six men and five women, being born, as certain writers of myths relate, of Ouranos (Heaven) and Ge (Earth), but according to others, of one of the Kouretes and Titaia, from whom as their mother they derive the name they have. The males were Kronos, Hyperion, Koios, Iapetos, Krios and Okeanos, and their sisters were Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoibe and Tethys. Each one of them was the discover of things of benefit to mankind, and because of the benefaction they conferred upon all men they were accorded honours and everlasting fame." - Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 5.66.1

"From Aether and Terra (Earth) [were born various abstractions] ... [From Ouranos and Gaia were born?] Oceanus, Themis, Tartarus, Pontus; the Titanes ... Atlas, Hyperion, and Polus [Koios], Saturnus [Kronos], Ops [Rhea], Moneta [Mnemosyne], Dione." - Hyginus, Preface
NB Hyginus' Preface survives only in summary. The Titanes should be listed as children of Ouranos (Caelum) not Aither, but this notation may have been lost in the transcription.
Themis appears to represent the earth itself, she is grouped beside the other elemental-gods - Pontus the Sea, Oceanus the Ocean-Stream, and Tartarus the Hell-Pit.