Hysminai

In Greek mythology, the Hysminai or Hysminae (Ancient Greek: Ὑσμῖναι, from the plural of ὑσμίνη, 'Combats', 'Fights', 'Battles')^[1] are collectively the personification of combat. In Hesiod's Theogony, the Hysminai are listed among the children of Eris (Strife).^[2] Like all of the children of Eris given by Hesiod, the Hysminai are a personified abstraction, allegorizing the meaning of their name, and representing one of the many harmful things which might be thought to result from discord and strife, with no other identity.^[3]

The Posthomerica of Quintus Smyrnaeus describes the images decorating the shield of Achilles, which, among others such as Eris, the Furies, and the war-goddess Enyo, also included the Hysminai, alongside Thanatos (Death):

Around him [Death] could be seen the ill-sounding goddesses of Combat [Hysminai] whose limbs dripped blood and sweat to the ground.^[4]

The Roman mythographer Hyginus has "Fighting", the similar singular personification of the meaning of the Latin word pugna (fight, battle, combat)^[5] as the offspring of Ether [Aether] and Earth [Terra].^[6]

^ 'Hysminai' is variously translated as 'Combats' (Most 2018a, p. 21; Gantz, p. 10), 'Fights' (Hard, p. 31), 'Battles' (Caldwell, p. 42 on 212–232); compare with LSJ s.v. ὑσμίνη.
^ Hesiod, Theogony 228 (Caldwell, p. 43).
^ Hard, p. 31; Gantz, p. 10.
^ Quintus Smyrnaeus, Posthomerica 5.36.
^ The Pocket Oxford Latin Dictionary, s.v. pugna.
^ Hyginus, Fabulae pr. 3.3 (Smith and Trzaskoma, p. 95 Theogony 3).

[1] 'Hysminai' is variously translated as 'Combats' (Most 2018a, p. 21; Gantz, p. 10), 'Fights' (Hard, p. 31), 'Battles' (Caldwell, p. 42 on 212–232); compare with LSJ s.v. ὑσμίνη.

[2] Hesiod, Theogony 228 (Caldwell, p. 43).

[3] Hard, p. 31; Gantz, p. 10.

[4] Quintus Smyrnaeus, Posthomerica 5.36.

[5] The Pocket Oxford Latin Dictionary, s.v. pugna.

[6] Hyginus, Fabulae pr. 3.3 (Smith and Trzaskoma, p. 95 Theogony 3).

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