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Eirene!
Εἰρήνη By: Paige Foster
Report on greek roman god, goddess,
or hero!
• Eirene was for “peace”
• Daughter of Zeus and
Themis!
• Sisters were:Eunomia (goddess of order, law
and legislation) and Dike (goddess of moral
justice).
• Naval victory in 375 BC, the Athenians
established a cult for Eirene! They held an
annual state sacrifice to her after 371 BC to
commemorate the Common Peace.
• Carrying a cornucopia, sceptre and a torch or
rhyton.
• The goddess Eirene was known by the name of
Pax in Roman mythology!
• Eirene did not play an active part in many myths
but she still was a wonderful source of
inspiration.
• The poet Hesiod states:
• “His second wife was radiant Themis; she bore
the Seasons,
Lawfulness and Justice and blooming Peace,
who watch over the works of mortal men…”
•
In Aristophanes' comedy called Peace, Trygaeus, a citizen of Athens, flies on a giant dung beetle to the house of
the gods in heavens, because he wants to plead with them to make peace on earth. There he only finds Hermes,
who tells him that the other gods are sick of war and of the prayers of the mortals and just went away. Only
Polemos (War) lives there now. He imprisoned Peace in a cavern and we wants to grind all Greeks to paste, in a
giant mortar.
When War goes looking for an adequate pestle, Trygaeus calls all Greeks to come and free Peace. All kind of
Greeks, from many city-states, come to the rescue. Those who work most are the farmers, because they are those
who appreciate Peace more.
In the end, Eirene/Peace is freed, but she does not want to speak to the Greeks: she is angry with them because
they made her suffer. She whispers in Hermes' ear that she offered Greeks truces, many times, but they all spoke
in the assembly against her and in favour of War. Trygaeus apologizes for all his countrymen.
When he returns on earth, Trygaeus prepares a sacrifice for Eirene Greek goddess of peace, but a slave tells him
not to kill the lamb on the goddess' altar, because she hates to see blood.
The Chorus sings about how nice it is to spend winter afternoons with friends, in front of the fire and enjoying the
good life in times of peace, as opposed to having to do the regimental drill in times of war.
Now, that Eirene came back to Greece, the businesses of the sickle maker and of the jar makers flourish again,
while those who make weapons and war equipment should reconvert their object: Trygaeus suggests that spears
should be turned into vine poles, helmet crests should be used as dusters and breastplates as chamber pots!
• Horaes also means seasons!
• The Horae were also goddesses of the seasons
(spring, summer and autumn in Greece) and
Irene was the goddess associated with spring
and all things blooming.
•
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Eirene_Ploutos_Glyptothek_Munich_219_n4.jpg
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http://www.google.com/imgres?q=eirene+goddess+of+peace+carrying+a+torch&
hl=en&safe=active&sa=X&biw=1920&bih=1003&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=N
N14FrT0dhCPLM:&imgrefurl=http://thebreathofthespirit.wordpress.com/&docid=
Y2iBE_0BJ2k5EM&imgurl=http://www.maicar.com/GML/000Images/efim/eirene18629.jpg&w=481&h=720&ei=EWVTULmlHMe7rQGs3oD4Aw&zoom=1&iact=rc&du
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http://www.google.com/search?q=old+peace+signs&hl=en&safe=active&prmd=im
vns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=xGdTUK3oEeXo0QHU2IBw&ved=0CAgQ_A
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