More About Goddesses: Nike, The Greek
Goddess of Victory
by Tim Kavi
This goddess may be
referred to as the winged goddess Victory or Nike in the Greek tradition, or as
Victoria in Roman legends. She personifies victory, speed and strength and acts
as one of the dominant deities of the panthenon. Victory is also commonly shown
as the goddess which oversees battle or peaceful competition. She is commonly
shown on Greek coins and artwork that often depicts her with her hand
outstretched toward the statue of Athena within the Parthenon. She may be shown
with a palm branch, torch or sash, and will frequently wear golden sandals.
In most cases she is
depicted with wings and as a close companion to Zeus and Athena. Her wings are
typically considered to be those of a swan, though some depictions also show her
with eagle wings as Victory was known to tend to eagles. In some cases she is
shown with a staff, wreath of victory or riding in her chariot. Nike has no
spouse or children. She is always depicted as being quite fit, and tends to be
noted for her skills as a charioteer, and swiftness when in flight or running.
In some cases she is considered to help with courting, love or childbirth.
Nike was born of Styx
and the titan Pallas, though some legends refer to her father as Ares, the God
of War. She is the sister of Zelus, Bia and Kratos which represent, zeal, force
and strength respectively. Legend has it that Styx brought Nike to Zeus when
Zeus was calling for allies to fight in the Titan War, in spite of the fact
that Nike was in fact half Titan. She is most commonly depicted as
participating in the battle of Titanomachy.
During this battle
Victory flew across the battlefields, rewarding any responsible for victory
with fame and glory. This is also considered to be her weakness as Nike is
rather inconsistent about awarding victory to those who worship her. She was
appointed to be the charioteer with her siblings acting as sentinels by the
throne of the gods. Aside from such legends, Victory does not have much
mythology to call her own.
Sites of Worship and Statues
One of the most
well-known statues of Nike was located on the island of Aegean in Greece. This
statue is known as Nike of Samothrace, which is now held in the Louvre in
Paris. She is also shown many times in the Acropolis in Athens. While the
Parthenon in this area is dedicated to Athena who provides skill and wisdom
during war, there are many references to Nike here as these goddesses are
considered to be close friends. Nike is considered to preside over the temple
of the acropolis in Megara.
Victory’s Role Today
Victory or Nike is
often depicted on logos and awards including Nike, Inc., the Victory Metal from
World War II and the Rolls-Royce logo. But perhaps she is most important to
women. She represents a strong female character that ever faithful to her friends, who was both capable of standing alongside her counterparts and rewarding their
actions which she finds favorable.
This essay (along with others) is included in my latest essay collection: More About Goddesses! (which you can purchase in the left margin of this blog!)`--TK
