Aergia
Ancient Greek goddess, the personification of sloth and laziness
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In Greek mythology, Aergia (/eɪˈɜrdʒə/; Ancient Greek: Ἀεργία, 'inactivity')[1] is the personification of sloth, idleness, indolence and laziness. She is the translation of the Latin Socordia, or Ignavia: the name was translated into Greek because Hyginus mentioned her being based on a Greek source, and thus she can be considered as both a Greek and Roman goddess. Aergia's opposite character is Horme, a goddess of effort.
Family
Aergia was the daughter of the primordial deities Aether and Gaia.[2]
Mythology
According to Statius, Aergia was said to be the 'torpid' guard in the court of Hypnos (Sleep) in the Underworld.[3]
- "In] the hollow recesses of a deep and rocky cave . . . [are] set the halls of lazy Somnus/ Hypnos (Sleep) and his untroubled dwelling. The threshold is guarded by shady Quies/ ?Hesychia (Quiet) and dull Oblivio/ Lethe (Forgetfulness) and torpid Ignavia/ Aergia (Sloth) with ever drowsy countenance. Otia/ Acratus (Ease) and Silentia/ ?Hesychia (Silence) with folded wings sit mute in the forecourt. . ."[4]
Notes
- ^ ἀεργία. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project.
- ^ Hyginus, Fabulae Preface.
- ^ Statius, Thebaid 10.90 ff.
- ^ Statius, Thebaid 10.86–92
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
References
- Gaius Julius Hyginus, Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
- Publius Papinius Statius, The Thebaid translated by John Henry Mozley. Loeb Classical Library Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1928. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
- Publius Papinius Statius, The Thebaid. Vol I-II. John Henry Mozley. London: William Heinemann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1928. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
