Oizys (Art by J.Kiakas)
Oizys, also known as Miseria, is the personified spirit and primordial goddess of misery, anxiety, grief, suffering and depression from Greek mythology. She is characterized as the spirit of miserable human condition and deep sadness.
Overview[]
She is the daughter of Nyx, the goddess of night and the twin sister of Momus. She is also the younger sister of the Greek personification of the day, Hemera. She is a minor goddess without a great cult following, but a primordial goddess of misery and depression with a certain amount of mythological weight nonetheless.
While Oizys and Momus was born of Nyx alone, they were also said to be fathered by Erebus. Other sisters of Oizys and Momus were the goddesses Philotes and and Nemesis, also known as Envy. The twins’ brothers included Geras, Somnia, and Thanatos, according to the Roman writer Pseudo-Hyginus.
Description[]
Oizys was a second generation primordial goddess who sometimes only shows up in the mythologies as a spirit. Whereas some of Nyx’s children were helpful to humans, Oizys was always portrayed as a malevolent spirit, ready to harm humanity.
While Oizys was the goddess of sadness and anxiety, her twin Momus was the god of satire and mockery. Known for his opinionated wit, Momus was kicked off of Mount Olympus for finding fault with all of the gods' and goddesses' creations. According to Aesop’s fables, the only being created by the gods Momus found virtually no fault with was Aphrodite. Momus complained about the sounds her sandals made when she walked, however.
Trivia[]
- Her Roman name “Miseria” is where the modern term “misery” comes from.
- Oizys and her siblings which personify the negative aspects of humanity are said to be echoes of Nyx's past experiences.