Eirene
godEirene was the goddess of peace — one of the Horae, depicted holding the infant Ploutos (Wealth), showing that peace is the prerequisite for prosperity.
The Myth
Eirene was honoured at Athens with a famous bronze statue by Cephisodotus (c. 370 BC) showing her cradling the baby Ploutos — a visual argument that peace produces wealth. She had a public altar in the Agora. Her name gives us the name Irene. The Romans called her Pax. Her message was practical rather than sentimental: peace is valuable because it enables prosperity, agriculture, trade, and the arts.
Symbols
Fun Fact
The name Irene — still popular worldwide — comes from this goddess of peace.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth:
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