#ATOZCHALLENGE: Letter N : Nemesis: The Avenging Goddess

Nemesis depicted holding a scale of justice: 2 nd or 3rd CE

The story of Nemesis bears an uncanny resemblance to the Hindu Goddess Saraswati. While Saraswati accepted her fate, Nemesis wanted retribution. Another feature that I found very similar between the two is the presence of the Swan. Why this bird is present in both the stories is something I'm yet to understand.

With the last thunder, shooting across the sky, Zeus loomed over the curled up figure of a trembling woman and looked at her triumphantly. "It was worth the wait."

Her trembling stopped and every muscle of her body tensed up as she turned to face her perpetrator, clutching the silken linnen close to her naked heart. "You will pay for what you done to me," she spitted  out.

The mighty Zeus roared in laughter and throwing a mocking salute at her, he shimmered away.

The young girl, Nemesis cried her heart out – feeling betrayed by the man whom she should have trusted the most. From that day on, Nemesis knew only one pain and that was the pain of betrayal. She roamed the world as the goddess of retribution, punishing those who  seemed to have everything or whom she suspected had more than what they deserved. In her fury, she punished a few innocent souls too. One of them being Echo. Seeing Nemesis in such a state her mother, the goddess of Night, Nyx, paid her a visit.

"You have got to get a grip on your pain," said Nyx quietly. "I understand what you are going through and I'm not, under any circumstances, belittling your pain. But punishing the innocent is not going to reduce your torment."

"But he is my....," a sob chocked Nemesis from speaking further. Nyx quickly came forward and hugged her. 

"Shush baby shush! It's over. It's in the past."

Her words instead of pacifying the angry goddess made her move furious as she whirled around to face a mother, "is it over, mother? Is it? How will I explain to the world about the child that is going to come to this world soon?"

Nyx studied for some time and then smiled, "don't you understand. This was meant to be. Whatever has happened to you is because you have to bear this child. Your daughter will change the fate of human history for centuries to come."

Nemesis turned to face her mother, surprised.

"Yes dear. My granddaughter is going to born to bring down hundreds of men with her beauty. Even our mighty Zeus cannot achieve such a feat."

After many days a smile brightened Nemesis's face. Her eyes glittered in anticipation as the hands trained slowly till her navel. "And what shall we call the little one?" She asked in wonderment.

Nyx cupped her daughter's face gently between her palms and said, "Helen."

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Note : 

In Greek and Roman mythology, nemesis was the goddess of retribution. She usually appears the Myths and the personification of Justice. She was pursued relentlessly by Zeus and she changed many forms trying to escape him. Ultimately, he transformed himself into a swan and seduces her.

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#ATOZCHALLENGE: Letter N

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