Eumenides

/juːˈmɛnɪdiːz/ noun

Definition

In Greek mythology, the Furies or Erinyes; goddesses of vengeance and justice who punished wrongdoers; also the plural of eumenid wasps.

Etymology

From Greek 'eu' (good/kindly) + 'menos' (mind), a euphemistic name for the Erinyes (Furies) to appease them; used today for both mythological figures and the wasp family.

Kelly Says

The ancient Greeks actually renamed the Furies from 'Erinyes' (anger goddesses) to 'Eumenides' (kind-minded ones) out of sheer fear—it's one of history's most clever examples of trying to appease supernatural beings through flattery.

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