Nike (mythology)
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- This article discusses the Greek Goddess. For the sports apparel and equipment company, see Nike, Inc.
| Greek deities series | |
|---|---|
| Primordial deities | |
| Titans and Olympians | |
| Aquatic deities | |
| Chthonic deities | |
| Other deities | |
| Personified concepts | |
In Greek mythology, Nike (Greek Νίκη, pronounced /'nike/ "NEE-keh", meaning "Victory") , was a goddess who personified triumph and victory. She was capable of running and flying at great speeds and the sister of Cratos, Bia, and Zelus. Nike and her siblings were all companions of Zeus.
Image:Victoire de Samothrace.jpg
Other than her great speed, she had no special powers of her own. She was effectively treated as a bringer of good luck and was often assimilated with other gods, for instance being depicted by Greek sculptors as a tiny winged figure perching on another god's arm, peeping out from a fellow god's clothes or flying above like a winged fairy. In her best-known depictions, such as the Winged Victory of Samothrace (now in the Louvre, Paris), she is shown as a naked or armoured winged figure. She was often depicted on Greek vases with her standard attributes of wreath, jug, phial, and thymiaterion (censer), shown standing alone, flying or striding, or pouring a libation over an altar. In some regions (particularly the Greek colonies of southern Italy) she was depicted as a charioteer. Elsewhere she was sometimes shown holding weapons or trophies, or playing a lyre or a flute.
Nike was often worshipped 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, 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 parapret and is now on display in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.
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. In 2004 for the 2004 Summer Olympics an image of the goddess appears in the Panathinaiko Stadium. [1]
The United States Army also borrowed her name for its Project Nike surface-to-air missile programme.
Nike in Neopaganism
In modern Neopaganism, particularly among Hellenistic Neopagan sects in the United States, Nike typically takes on the role as the Goddess of Fortune. Also referred to as Lady Luck her favor is believed to be fickle and reserved for those who take risk. Though commonly favored by those who gamble Nike is thought to favor those who practice reason and moderation when taking risk, withdrawing her favor from those who become greedy and irresponsible. Nike is also thought by some sects to play a role in magic, particularly in charms and spells that bring good fortune. Worship of Nike typically involves the burning of candles, oils, and incense.
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Other Nike sculptures
Bronze Figure of Nike (550 bc)
Nike of Delos (550 bc)
Subnosed Nike (Vase) (410-400 bc)
Nike of Myrina (30bc -330 ad)
Sandal Binder from Nike Parapet frieze (420-400 bc)