Nike (mythology)
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- This article discusses the Greek Goddess. For the sports apparel and equipment company, see Nike, Inc.
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| Primordial deities | |
| Titans and Olympians | |
| Aquatic deities | |
| Chthonic deities | |
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In Greek mythology, Nike (Greek Νίκη, pronounced /'nike/ "NEE-keh", meaning "Victory") , was a goddess who personified triumph. She was a daughter of Pallas (Warrior) and Styx (Hatred), and the sister of Cratos (Strength), Bia (Force), and Zelus (Rivalry). Nike and her siblings were all attendants of Zeus. According to myth, Styx brought them to Zeus when the god was assembling allies for the coming Titan War. Nike assumed the role of the god's personal charioteer, a role often portrayed in classical art. Her Roman counterpart is Victoria.
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[edit] Worship
Nike was often worshiped in conjunction with Athena, with whom she was particularly closely associated after the Greek victory over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. The great statue of Athena Parthenos in the Parthenon in Athens is thought to have depicted Nike standing in the hand of Athena, and the Parthenon complex included a Temple of Athena Nike, built around 410 BC. The Athenians also dedicated a statue to Nike at Delphi. The statue of Zeus at Olympia reportedly also depicted Nike. On occasions, Athena was depicted with Nike's attributes. According to Pausanias, the statue of Athena Nike depicted a wingless Nike ("Nike Apteros"), supposedly so that the statue could never leave the city of Athens. This temple has also provided a famous surviving depiction of the goddess, Nike unfastening her sandal ("Nike Slancio"), which was originally part of the temple parapet and is now on display in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.
[edit] Modern usage
Nike also presided over athletic as well as military contests. It was this meaning that prompted designer Jeff Johnson, the first man that US footwear entrepreneur Phil Knight hired, to borrow her name for the company, Nike, Inc., the clothing and sportswear manufacturer. Johnson had a dream about the goddess and Knight liked the idea.
An image of Nike appears in all Summer Olympics medals and many trophies today. In 2004 for the 2004 Summer Olympics an image of the goddess appears in the Panathinaiko Stadium [1]. The Jules Rimet trophy is in the form of an octagonal cup supported by a winged figure representing Nike.
The United States Army also borrowed her name for its Project Nike surface-to-air missile program.
Melbourne University adopted the Goddess Nike as its symbol.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Theoi Project, Nike the goddess in classical literature and art
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