'Themis', the Greek word which is approximately translated as 'Justice', and as the
name of the Goddess of 'Justice' is peculiarly liable to misinterpretation. The modern idea of
Justice includes an idea of fairness and proportionality absent from the Greek concept of
'Themis', which is perhaps closer in meaning to ideas like 'natural law' or 'orderliness'. This
reflects the position of the Olympian gods as forces of nature, unforgiving and largely
indifferent to human suffering.
provides an excellent
example of this. There is often dispute about 's hamartia (tragic flaw),
since he obviously does not intend to kill his father and marry his mother. There is, in legal
terms, no 'mens rea' or 'guilty intention' behind any of his actions. Modern theories of Justice
would excuse Oedipus from punishment because of this lack of guilty intention, but 'Themis'
demands retribution in any case. In this sense, it is a force of nature (hence the eponymous
goddess): If you walk into a...
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