Ananke

Basic Information / General Synopsis:

ANANKE & THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE

“Originally there was Water [Okeanos?], he [Orpheus] says, and Mud [Tethys the nurse of all?], from which Ge (the Earth) solidified: he posits these two as first principles, water and earth …
The one before the two, however, he leaves unexpressed, his very silence being an intimation of its ineffable nature. The third principle after the two was engendered by these – Ge (Earth) and Water [Okeanos], that is – and was a Serpent (Drakon) with extra heads growing upon it of a bull and a lion, and a god’s countenance in the middle; it had wings upon its shoulders, and its name was Khronos (Unaging Time) and also Herakles. United with it was Ananke (Inevitability, Compulsion), being of the same nature, or Adrastea, incorporeal, her arms extended throughout the universe and touching its extremities. I think this stands for the third principle, occuping the place of essence, only he made it bisexual to symbolize the universal generative cause. And I assume that the theology of the Rhapsodies discarded the two first principles (together with the one before the two, that was left unspoken), and began from this third principle after the two, because this was the first that was expressible and acceptable to human ears. For this is the great Khronos (Unaging Time) that we found in it [the Rhapsodies], the father of Aither and Khaos. Indeed, in this theology too [the Hieronyman], this Khronos (Time), the serpent has offspring, three in number: moist Aither (Light) (I quote), unbounded Khaos (Air), and as a third, misty Erebos (Darkness).” –Orphic Fragment 54 (from Damascius)

“Firstly, ancient Khaos’s stern Ananke (Inevitability), and Khronos (Time), who bred within his boundless coils Aither (Light) and two-sexed, two-faced, glorious Eros [Protogonos-Phanes], ever-born Nyx’s (Night’s) father, whom latter men call Phanes, for he first was manifested.” –Orphic Argonautica 12

“And he [Epicurus] says that the world began in the likeness of an egg, and the Wind [the entwined forms of Khronos (Time) and Ananke (Inevitability)?] encircling the egg serpent-fashion like a wreath or a belt then began to constrict nature. As it tried to squeeze all the matter with greater force, it divided the world into the two hemispheres, and after that the atoms sorted themselves out, the lighter and finer ones in the universe floating above and becoming the Bright Air [Aither or Ouranos] and the most rarefied Wind [Khaos the Air?], while the heaviest and dirtiest have veered down, become the Earth (Ge), both the dry land and the fluid waters [Pontos the Sea?]. And the atoms move by themselves and through themselves within the revolution of the Sky and the Stars, everything still being driven round by the serpentiform wind [Khronos and Ananke?].” –Epicuras Fragment (from Epiphanius)

ANANKE GODDESS OF NECESSITY

"Chorus: I have soared aloft with poetry and with high thought, and though I have laid my hand to many a reflection, I have found nothing stronger than Ananke (Necessity), nor is there any cure for it in the Thracian tablets set down by the voice of Orpheus nor in all the simples [cures] which Phoibos [Apollon] harvested in aid of trouble-ridden mortals and gave to the sons of Asklepios." -Euripides Alcestis 962

“Prometheus: Fate fulfils all time; but it is not ordained that these events [Prometheus’ torment] shall yet reach such an end. My lot is to win freedom only after countless pains. Cunning is feebleness beside Ananke (Necessity).
Chorus [of Okeanides]: And whose hand on the helm controls Ananke (Necessity)?
Prometheus: The three Moirai (Fates); and the Erinyes (Furies), who forget nothing.
Chorus: Has Zeus less power than they?
Prometheus: He cannot fly from Fate.
Chorus: What fate is given to Zeus, but everlasting power?
Prometheus: This is a thing you may not know; so do not ask. [Prometheus hides the fate-bound prophecy that the child of Thetis would be greater than his father, even if the father were Zeus himself].” –Aeschylus Prometheus Bound 510

“[Prometheus bound to Mount Kaukasos:] ‘Let him [Zeus] lift me high and hurl me to black Tartarus on the ruthless floods of irresistible Ananke (Compulsion); I am one whom he cannot kill.” –Aeschylus Prometheus Bound 1050

"There is a law of stern Ananke (Necessity), the immemorial ordinance of the gods made fast for ever, bravely sworn and sealed: should any Daimon (Spirit or God), born to enduring life, be fouled with sin of slaughter, or transgress by disputation, perjured and forsworn, three times ten thousand years that soul shall wander an outcast from Felicity, condemned to mortal being, and in diverse shapes with interchange of hardship go his ways. The Heavens force him headlong to the Sea; and vomited from the Sea, dry land receives him, but flings unwanted to the burning Sun; from there, to the heavenly vortex backward thrown, he makes from host to host, by all abhorred." -Empedocles

"And there were another three who sat round about at equal intervals, each one on her throne, the Moirai (Fates), daughters of Ananke, clad in white vestments with filleted heads, Lakhesis, and Klotho, and Atropos, who sang in unison with the music of the Seirenes, Lakhesis singing the things that were, Klotho the things that are, and Atropos the things that are to be ... Lakhesis, the maiden daughter of Ananke (Necessity)." -Plato Republic 617C

"Mousai in music, Hephaistos in metal-work, Athene in weaving and Zeus 'in pilotage of gods and men.' Hence also those dealings of the gods were contrived by Eros (Love) - clearly love of beauty - astir in them, for Eros (Love) has no concern with ugliness; though aforetime, as I began by saying, there were many strange doings among the gods, as legend tells, because of the dominion of Ananke (Necessity). But since this god arose, the loving of beautiful things has brought all kinds of benefits both to gods and to men." -Plato Symposium 197B

“Ananke (Necessity) is a great goddess. It is not I who refuse.” –Callimachus, Hymn IV to Delos 122

”Men serve no harsher mistress than Ananke (Necessity), who drives me now and forced me to come here at another king’s behest.” –Argonautica 3.430

"Themistokles [the historical Greek general] gave them [the people of Andros] to understand that the Athenians had come with two great gods to aid them, Peitho (Persuasion) and Ananke (Necessity), and that the Andrians must therefore certainly give money, they said in response, 'It is then but reasonable that Athens is great and prosperous, being blessed with serviceable gods. As for us Andrians, we are but blessed with a plentiful lack of land, and we have two unserviceable gods who never quit our island but want to dwell there forever, namely Penia (Poverty) and Amekhania (Helplessness). Since we are in the hands of these gods, we will give no money; the power of Athens can never be stronger than our inability.” -Herodotus 8.111.1

“[On the Akrokorinthos, Korinthos there is] a sanctuary of Ananke (Necessity) and Bia (Force), into which it is not customary to enter.” –Pausanias 2.4.7

"Anankei: With Anankei (Necessity) not even gods fight." -Suidas 'Anankei'

"Ananke (Necessity): In the Epigrams: 'See how all-wise Ananke (Necessity) taught him to find an escape from Hades.' And a proverb: 'The gods do not fight against Ananke (Necessity)." It recommends that one should be satisfied with what is available." -Suidas 'Ananke'

Sources Quoted:

• Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound - Greek Tragedy C6th-5th BC
• Euripides, Alcestis - Greek Tragedy C5th BC
• Plato, Symposium - Greek Philosophy C4th BC
• Plato, Republic - Greek Philosophy C4th BC
• Orphica, Fragments - Greek C? BC
• Apollonius Rhodius, The Argonautica - Greek Epic C3rd BC
• Callimachus, Hymns - Greek C3rd BC
• Herodotus, Histories - Greek History C5th BC
• Pausanias, Guide to Greece - Greek Geography C2nd AD
• Empedocles - Greek C5th BC
• Suidas - Byzantine Lexicographer C10th AD

Resource List - all entries are taken verbatim from the original source:

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