Nike (mythology)

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This article discusses the Greek Goddess. For the sports apparel and equipment company, see Nike, Inc.

In Greek mythology, Nike (Greek Νίκη , meaning Victory), was a goddess who personified triumph throughout the ages of the ancient Greek culture. Depending upon the time of various myths, she was described as the daughter of Pallas (Titan) and Styx (Water), and the sister of Kratos (Strength), Bia (Force), and of Zelus (Rivalry). Nike and her siblings all became described as attendants of Zeus when his cult gained the position of the dominant deity of the Greek pantheon and the roles of older deities were changed in new myths. According to classical (later) myth, Styx brought them to Zeus when the god was assembling allies for the Titan War against the older deities. Nike assumed the role of the divine charioteer, a role in which she often is portrayed in Classical Greek art. Her Roman counterpart is Victoria. Nike is seen with wings in most statues and paintings. Most other winged deities in the Greek pantheon had shed their wings by Classical times.

Worship

Worship of the goddess Nike included processions, libations, or sacrifices that were performed to elicit the favour of Nike. Petitions in the form of prayers could be presented to the priestesses officiating in the temples, who would communicate these to the goddess at the sacred oracles. If an answer was received from the goddess it would be presented to the petitioner by the priestess.

Temples also were used as banks and could store coins for safekeeping. The great statue of Athena Parthenos in the Parthenon in Athens is thought to have depicted Nike standing in the hand of the gigantic statue. This Nike statue was made of solid gold, which was (along with the gold plating of the Parthenos statue) the Athenian state's official gold deposit in the form of a "sacred treasury".

The Parthenon complex also included a Temple of Athena Nike, built around 410 BC. The Athenians dedicated a statue to Nike at Delphi also. The statue of Zeus at Olympia reportedly depicted Nike as well. 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 at Olympia also has provided a famous surviving depiction of the goddess, Nike unfastening her sandal ("Nike Slancio"), which originally was part of the temple parapet. This statue is now on display in the Acropolis Museum in Athens. Another Nike statue, the headless Winged Victory of Samothrace, is featured in the Louvre. Nike also is depicted standing in the hand of another statue of Athena in the temple of Zeus in Malaki.

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Last updated on Thursday March 13, 2008 at 17:37:25 PDT (GMT -0700)
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