Themis

Also known as: Goddess Themis · Family: Gods · Role: mother of Prometheus · First appears: Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound — Scene 1

In Aeschylus’s Prometheus Bound, Themis is named as a mother of Prometheus, who is called “Prometheus, the son of Earth or Themis.” She is also linked closely with Earth, sharing prophetic knowledge of the future and being named alongside her as Prometheus’s mother.

In Eumenides, Earth is described as Themis’s mother, with Themis succeeding her in the role of primal seeress: “The primal seeress Earth, and Themis next, Who in due order filled her mother's place.” In Medea, Themis is presented as the daughter of Zeus and as an arbitress of oaths, and she is associated with Medea’s passage to Greece. Later, in Iphigenia In Tauris, Apollo is described as having opposed Themis and expelled her from the divine oracles, marking them as enemies.

Relationship record

Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound — Scene 1

child: Prometheus “Prometheus, the son of Earth or Themis”

Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound — Scene 2

child: Prometheus “But then not once or twice my mother Themis”
with Earth (The passage identifies Themis and Earth as one form bearing different names.) “But then not once or twice my mother Themis And Earth, one form though bearing many names, Had prophesied the future, how 'twould run,”

Aeschylus, Eumenides — Scene 1

parent: Earth “The primal seeress Earth, and Themis next, Who in due order filled her mother's place”

Euripides, Medea — Scene 2

parent: Zeus (Jove is Themis's father.) “the Goddess Themis, arbitress of oaths, daughter of Jove”
with Medea (Themis is described as having conducted Medea to Greece.) “the Goddess Themis, arbitress of oaths, daughter of Jove, who conducted her to the opposite coast of Greece”

Euripides, Iphigenia In Tauris — Scene 7

with Apollo (Phoebus expelled Themis from the divine oracles.) “But when, having gone against Themis, daughter of earth, he expelled her from the divine oracles”
enemies with Apollo “But when, having gone against Themis, daughter of earth, he expelled her from the divine oracles”

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Extracted from the original text of Greek Tragedy. Made with Rho MD.