A complete dictionary of the Greek and Roman antiquities explaining the obscure places in classic authors and ancient historians relating to the religion, mythology, history, geography and chronology of the ancient Greeks and Romans, their ... rites and customs, laws, polity, arts and engines of war : also an account of their navigations, arts and sciences and the inventors of them : with the lives and opinions of their philosophers / compiled originally in French ... by Monsieur Danet ; made English, with the addition of very useful mapps.

NEMESIS;

this Goddess was she who par∣ticularly affected to punish and humble the Proud; the Persians despising the Greeks, and so having fitted up Marble in order to the Erecting of Trophies of a Victory, which they had not yet won, when the Grecians defeated them at Ma∣rathon, they made use of the same Marble to set up a Monument for the Goddess Nemesis, as Pausanias relates. This Author makes Oceanus to be the Father of this Goddess, and he is of

Opinion, that it was not the main Ocean, that was meant, but a River of that Name in Ae∣thiopia; but 'tis more likely that it was the true Ocean, from whence the Poets deduce all the Gods. He makes her also to be the Mother of Helen, by which no other is intimated but the Divine Displeasure, which suffered the extra∣ordinary Beauty of the said Lady, to be as it were the Torch that kindled the Flames of War between Europe and Asia, with Losses and incre∣dible Mortifications to both sides. Lastly, He says, that the Statues of Nemesis at Smyrna had Wings to make her the more like unto Cupid; because she very often made those feel her Seve∣rities, whose Obduracy Love could not subdue, and the which proceeded from nothing but Pride. Strabo makes mention of the Temples of Nemesis, who was also called Ramnusia.

The Egyptians painted her having her Throne upon the Moon, that so she might observe the Actions of Men. When the Romans went for the Army, they sacrificed to her, and gave the People a Shew of the Gladiators; and when they returned victorious they rendered her Thanks for the Revenge she had taken upon their Ene∣mies. Plato L. 4. de Leg. says in plain Terms, that Nemesis is the Angel of Revenge, Omnibus praeposita est Nemesis juditii angelus, actionum Om∣nium consider a••••ix. This Philosopher has said what the Poets and Historians would say; that there is an Eternal Justice who severely punishes the Proud, and who has Angels to be the Exe∣cutioners of her Wrath; Artemidorus has the same Idea of this Goddess as Plato, which is no∣thing else but the same Justice, from whom the Good ought to expect all sorts of Kindnesses and Favours; and from whom on the Contrary the Wicked can promise to themselves nothing but Chastenings and Punishments: The Romans also worshipped this Goddess, but gave her no Name in their Language, as Pliny says; Nemesis, quae Dea Latinum nomen ne in Capitolio quidem invenis: and again elsewhere; Alias Graecam Nemesim in∣vocantes cùm ob id Romae simulachrum in Capitolio est, quamvis Latinum nomen non sit. But no Bo∣dy has better exprest the Nature and Power, and formed a truer Idea of this Goddess than Am∣mianus Marcellinus, who yet does not give her any Latin Name, tho' he does Two in Greek, viz. Adras••ea and Nemesis; of whom he gives a Description rather like a Philosopher, or a Di∣vine than an Historian. L. 14. He informs us that 'tis she who raises up the Just and punishes the Wicked, that she tumbles down the Proud, and makes a just Mixture of Prosperity and Ad∣versity, gives Success to our Undertakings or dis∣appoints our Designs according to the Counsels of an Eternal Wisdom.

But tho' the Latins had no proper Name in their Language to express this Goddess by, yet the Poets have not forgot to speak of her, as does C••andian:

Sed Dea quae nimiis obstat Rhamnusia votis, Ingemuit flexitque rotam.

Again, it appears by some Verses of the Poets that the Name of Rhamnusia came from the Place where this Goddess was worshipped: The same being Rhamnus in Attica, where there was a Temple erected to her; and as for the Name of Adrastea, Strabo says, it came from King A∣drastus, who dedicated a Temple to her: Cal∣listhenes Adrasteam ab Adrasio rege denominatam ait, qui primus Nemesi templum posuit. And for this Purpose he recites the Verses of Antimachus the Poet: Hic sacris colitur Dea & Adrastea vo∣catur, primus illi aram condidit Adrastus ad amnem Aesopi.