Astraea
The virgin goddess of justice who lived among humans during the Golden Age and was the last immortal to leave Earth.
The Myth of Astraea
Astraea was the daughter of Astraeus (the Titan of dusk) and Eos (goddess of dawn), or in some traditions the daughter of Zeus and Themis. During the Golden Age, she lived among mortals as the embodiment of justice, a time when humans lived without toil, crime, or suffering. As humanity declined through the Silver and Bronze Ages, growing increasingly violent and impious, the other gods withdrew to Olympus one by one. Astraea alone remained, still hoping to guide humanity toward righteousness. But when the Iron Age dawned — the age of war, greed, and broken oaths — even she could endure no more. She ascended to the heavens and became the constellation Virgo, her scales of justice becoming the adjacent constellation Libra. Ovid tells this story in the Metamorphoses as a lament for lost innocence.
Fun Fact
Astraea became the constellation Virgo, and her scales of justice became Libra — two zodiac signs from one myth.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Clymene
🏔 titanFame, Renown
An Oceanid-Titaness best known as the mother of Prometheus, Atlas, and the other sons of Iapetus who shaped humanity's early story.
Metaneira
🏔 titanmortality, human compassion
The queen of Eleusis who unknowingly hosted Demeter during her search for Persephone.
Rhea
🏔 titanTitaness of fertility, motherhood, the mountain wilds
Mother of the Olympian gods and wife of Kronos. Rhea saved the infant Zeus from being devoured by his father, enabling the rise of the Olympians.
Eos
🏔 titanTitan goddess of the dawn
The rosy-fingered goddess of dawn who opened the gates of heaven each morning for her brother Helios's chariot.
Aura
🏔 titanBreezes, Speed
A swift Titaness of the morning breeze, known for her tragic story involving Dionysus and a boast that cost her everything.
Themis
🏔 titanTitaness of divine law and prophecy
The Titaness of divine law, custom, and natural order who served as Zeus's first counsellor and held Delphi before Apollo.
Perses
🏔 titanTitan of destruction
Perses was the Titan of destruction and ravaging — father of Hecate, the great goddess of crossroads and magic.
Golden Age
🏔 titanParadise, Primordial Innocence
The mythical era of peace and plenty under Cronus's rule, before Zeus and the Olympians brought the current order of toil and mortality.
Opis
🏔 titanHarvest, Abundance
A Titaness of plenty associated with the earth's bounty, later merged with the Roman goddess Ops who presided over agricultural wealth.
Oizys
🏔 titanmisery, woe, suffering
The primordial goddess of misery, distress, and suffering, daughter of Nyx.
Leto
🏔 titanMotherhood, Modesty
A gentle Titaness and mother of the twin Olympians Apollo and Artemis, persecuted by Hera across the world before finding refuge on Delos.
Dione
🏔 titanTitaness and mother of Aphrodite
An ancient Titaness worshipped at Dodona as the consort of Zeus and, in Homer's tradition, the mother of Aphrodite.