In Greek mythology, the Hysminai or Hysminae (Ancient Greek: Ὑσμῖναι, lit. 'Combats, Fights, Battles', from the plural of ὑσμίνη)[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]
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