Origin of the word Nemesis

The word "Nemesis" comes from the ancient Greek word  which means "retribution" or "righteous anger." It refers to the idea of divine justice where people get what they deserve, especially if they are too proud or arrogant (hubris).

Nemesis was the goddess of revenge and justice in Greek mythology. She made sure that no one became too lucky or too arrogant. If someone had too much success and forgot to be humble, she would bring them down to restore balance.

One of the most famous stories about Nemesis is related to Narcissus, a handsome young man who was very proud and cruel to those who loved him. He rejected many admirers including the nymph Echo, who wasted away because of his rejection.

Nemesis saw this and decided to punish him. One day, she led Narcissus to a clear pond. When he looked into the water he saw his own reflection and fell in love with himself. He could not stop staring and eventually died from his obsession  either by drowning or wasting away. His body turned into the narcissus flower.

Some myths say Nemesis was involved in the events that led to the Trojan War. According to one version she tried to avoid Zeus  who wanted to be with her  by turning into different animals. However, Zeus finally caught her when she became a goose. From this union, she laid an egg  which later hatched into Helen of Troy- the woman whose beauty caused the great war.

In ancient times, people believed Nemesis kept balance in the world by punishing those who became too proud or unfairly lucky. Her role was to make sure that people did not go against the natural order.

Even today, the word "nemesis" is used to mean an enemy or rival that is difficult to defeat, or something that brings someone’s downfall.