Heimarmene

Heimarmene is a goddess and personification of fate/destiny in Greek mythology (in particular, the orderly succession of cause and effect, or rather, the fate of the universe as a whole, as opposed to the destinies of individual men). Her name seems to be a synonym to other Greek terms for destiny and fate (such as Aesa, Moira, Moros, Ananke, Adrasteia and Pepromene).

Etymology

Heimarmene's name is speculated to have numerous different origins; some postulate it is derived from the Greek ειρειν (eirein, meaning "to fasten"), implying the significance of every event; the fact that we are all connected, or the fact that we are all bound to a destiny. Others suggest it is a participial form of the Greek verb μείρεσθαι (meiresthai, meaning "to receive as one's lot"), which is derived from the same root as Moira ("fate"). It is likely that both are correct.

Other Uses

The term "Heimarmene" (personified or not) is also widely used in the Greek Stoic tradition, the Gnostic religion, and other obscure religious sects.

References

• http://stoicspirit.blogspot.com/2007/05/cosmology-of-ancient-stoa.html
• http://www.theoi.com/Daimon/Moirai.html
• http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/1478.html

Sources

• - The Moirai/Moirae (The Fates)
• - Cosmology of the Stoa
• - Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, v. 2, page 370
• -Greek and Roman religion: a source book