Limos

The gender of the Greek word limos can be either masculine or feminine.Farone p. 67. The same gender uncertainty applied also to the personification, which could be considered as either a man or a woman. At Byzantium there was a statue of Limos as a man, while there was a painting of Limos as a woman at Sparta.West, p. 231 n. 227 Λιμόν. For the statue at Byzantium see Codinus, [https://archive.org/details/georgiicodiniex00lambgoog/page/60/mode/2up p. 60 Bekker], which mentions statues of the biblical pair of Adam and Eve as being located alongside those of Limos paired with the female Euthenia (Prosperity). For the painting at Sparta see Athenaeus, [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/atheneus_grammarian-learned_banqueters/2007/pb_LCL274.163.xml 10.452a-b] [= Callisthenes FGrH 124 F 13]; Polyaenus, [https://archive.org/details/bim_eighteenth-century_polynuss-stratagems-of_polyaenus-of-lampsacus_1793/page/78/mode/2up 2.15].

In Hesiod's Works and Days, Limos is presented as the antithesis of Demeter (the goddess of grain).Hopkinson, [https://books.google.com/books?id=gBUi9jDJebwC&pg=PA135 135]. According to Hesiod, in contrast to Demeter, who loves the hard-working man, filling his "granary with the means of life", Limos hates him, and "is ever the companion of a man who does not work".West, p. 231 n. 227 Λιμόν; Hopkinson, [https://books.google.com/books?id=gBUi9jDJebwC&pg=PA135 135]; Hesiod, Works and Days [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/hesiod-works_days/2018/pb_LCL057.111.xml 299–302]. The Greek Iambic poet Semonides (c. seventh century BC), describes Limos as "a hostile housemate, enemy of the gods".Semonides, [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/semonides-fragments/1999/pb_LCL259.313.xml fr. 7.100]. These archaic descriptions of Limos as a "companion" and "housemate" seemingly regard Limos as a being able to enter one's house and dwell there.Giuseppetti, p. 114 n. 52.

Limos was one of seven abstractions respected, and possibly deified, at Sparta. The other six were Phobos (Fear), Aidos (Modesty or Reserve), Hypnos (Sleep), Thanatos (Death), Gelos (Laughter), and Eros (Love). These were all abstractions associated with physical states of the body, or psychological states with physical manifestations.Richer p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=-PxODgAAQBAJ&pg=PA92 92–93]. Also at Sparta, there was a painting of Limos (as mentioned above) at the temple of ApolloRicher p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=-PxODgAAQBAJ&pg=PA102 102 n. 26]; West, p. 231 n. 227 Λιμόν. "in the form of a woman"Athenaeus, [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/atheneus_grammarian-learned_banqueters/2007/pb_LCL274.163.xml 10.452a-b] [= Callisthenes FGrH 124 F 13]. and described as "a woman pale, and emaciated, with her hands tied behind her."Richer p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=-PxODgAAQBAJ&pg=PA102 102 n. 26]; Polyaenus, [https://archive.org/details/bim_eighteenth-century_polynuss-stratagems-of_polyaenus-of-lampsacus_1793/page/78/mode/2up 2.15]. Polyaenus is relating the same anecdote about Hippodamas as Callisthenes, and so is presumably describing the same painting, although according Polyaenus, the painting "hung in the temple of Chalcioecus", presumably referring to the sanctuary of Athena Chalkiokos at Sparta.

{{reflist}}

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{{wiktionary|Limos}}

{{Greek mythology (deities)|state=collapsed}}

Category:Greek deities

Category:Personifications in Greek mythology

Category:Children of Eris (mythology)

Category:Starvation