Ancient Greek Literature
In Ancient Greek literature, Ananke represents necessity and is not usually related with any "moral purpose". Homer uses the word Moira which is later personified indicating the destiny, but it seems that originally the word included the "ascertainment" or "proof". "According to fate" meant "rightly, in order". This universal principle of natural order might be called Moira which according to Herodotus a god cannot escape, or Ananke as Simonides does, saying that even the gods don’t fight against it. This proverb is also mentioned in Suidas. Aeschylus in Prometheus Bound combines Moirai and Ananke in a scheme, when he makes Prometheus say that Zeus cannot change what is ordained, which is itself the work of the Fates and Furies according to necessity.
Sophocles believed that the gods send to all men their destiny. Tyche (fortune) was originally a power of destiny too, and then she describes the change of human lack. Sophocles is referring to "necessary change, or destiny " ( anankea tyche' ) . In a passage god (theos) tyche and daemon have similar meanings. In the tragedies of Euripides the change between happiness and mishappiness is very important. Ananke and tyche mean a simple "ascertainment". The gods are by the fate, but in Alcestis he says that nothing is stronger than Ananke, nor there is any cure for it. In Iphigenia in Aulis, moira and tyche have similar meanings: "You mistress moira and tyche, my daemon".
Pindar believed that destiny comes from the gods, and kept the old belief that none could escape from the destiny. He is appealing for a friendship to the Moirai and to Soteira Tyche (savior). When he needed to justify the deeds of some heroes in the myths, his ideas were well fitted in the aristocratic society: "A law exists, the king of all, of mortals and immortals, which justifies the most violent action, by a superior hand". He came to the conclusion that "With Ananke everything is good".
In a story of Herodotus, Ananke has a similar meaning representing the compulsion by a superior. When the Athenians asked the people of Andros to give them money for their protection, because they had come with the aid of two gods, Peitho ( Persuation ) and Ananke, they replied that the power of Athens could never be stronger than the goddess Penia (Poverty) who expressed their inability to pay. When the social structure was shaken by the corruption of war, divine power was quoted by men as a precedent for their own behaviour, which might be turned to a disastrous end. When the citizents of Melos invoked the gods against the unjust oppression of the Athenians, the Athenians answered that was a "necessary law of nature" for them to rule wherever they could.
In Plato’ s Republic, the three Moirai are daughters of Ananke. In the Symposium he is clearly influenced by the ideas of Empedocles. Ananke represents Strife, who rules the world until Eros (Love) comes and balances everything.
Read more about this topic: Ananke (mythology)
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