Themis from the Temple of Nemesis, Rhamnous, Attica, signed by the sculptor Chairestratos, c. 300 BCE

Themis (Greek: Θέμις) is an ancient Greek Titaness. She is described as "of good counsel", and is the embodiment of divine order, law, and custom. Themis means "divine law" rather than human ordinance, literally "that which is put in place", from the verb τίθημι, títhēmi, "to put".</ref>

To the ancient Greeks she was originally the organizer of the "communal affairs of humans, particularly assemblies".^[1] Moses Finley remarked of themis, as the word was used by Homer in the 8th century, to evoke the social order of the 10th- and 9th-century Greek Dark Ages:

Themis is untranslatable. A gift of the gods and a mark of civilized existence, sometimes it means right custom, proper procedure, social order, and sometimes merely the will of the gods (as revealed by an omen, for example) with little of the idea of right.^[2]

Finley adds, "There was themis—custom, tradition, folk-ways, mores, whatever we may call it, the enormous power of 'it is (or is not) done'. The world of Odysseus had a highly developed sense of what was fitting and proper."^[3]

Mythology[link]

Statue of Themis, Chuo University, Japan.

The personification of abstract concepts is characteristic of the Hellenes. The ability of the goddess Themis to foresee the future enabled her to become one of the Oracles of Delphi, which in turn led to her establishment as the goddess of divine justice.

Some classical representations of Themis (illustration, left) did not show her blindfolded (because of her talent for prophecy, she had no need to be blinded) nor was she holding a sword (because she represented common consent, not coercion). The sword is also believed to represent the ability Themis had from cutting fact from fiction, to her there was no middle ground. Themis built the Oracle at Delphi and was herself oracular. According to another legend, Themis received the Oracle at Delphi from Gaia and later gave it to Phoebe.^[4]

When Themis is disregarded, Nemesis brings just and wrathful retribution, thus Themis shared the Nemesion temple at Rhamnous. Themis is not wrathful: she, "of the lovely cheeks", was the first to offer Hera a cup when she returned to Olympus distraught over threats from Zeus (Iliad xv. 88).

Themis presided over the proper relation between man and woman, the basis of the rightly ordered family (the family was seen as the pillar of the deme), and judges were often referred to as "themistopóloi" (the servants of Themis). Such was the basis for order upon Olympus too. Even Hera addressed her as "Lady Themis." The name of Themis might be substituted for Adrasteia in telling of the birth of Zeus on Crete.

Themis was present at Delos to witness the birth of Apollo. According to Ovid, it was Themis rather than Zeus who told Deucalion to throw the bones of "his Mother" over his shoulder to create a new race of humankind after the Deluge.

Hesiod's description and contrast to Dike[link]

In Greek mythology, Hesiod mentions^[5] Themis among the six sons and six daughters of Gaia and Uranus (Earth and Sky). Among these Titans of primordial myth, few were venerated at specific sanctuaries in classical times.

Themis occurred in Hesiod's Theogony as the first recorded appearance of Justice as a divine personage. Drawing not only on the socio-religious consciousness of his time but also on many of the earlier cult-religions, Hesiod described the forces of the universe as cosmic divinities. Hesiod portrayed temporal justice, Dike, as the daughter of Zeus and Themis.

Dike executed the law of judgments and sentencing and, together with her mother Themis, carried out the final decisions of Moira. For Hesiod, Justice is at the center of religious and moral life, who, independently of Zeus, is the embodiment of divine will. This personification of Dike will stand in contrast to justice viewed as custom or law, and as retribution or sentence.^[6]

Children[link]

The only consort for Themis mentioned in the sources below is Zeus.

Horai: the Hours[link]

With Zeus she more certainly bore the Horae,^[7] those embodiments of the right moment – the rightness of Order unfolding in Time – and Astraea.

First Generation[link]

• Auxo (the Grower)
• Carpo (the Fruit-bringer)
• Thallo (the Plant-raiser)

Second Generation[link]

• Dike (Justice)
• Eirene (Peace)
• Eunomia (Order of Law)

Moirai: the Fates[link]

Followers of Zeus claimed that it was with him that Themis produced the Moirai, Three Fates.^[8] A fragment of Pindar,^[9] however, tells that the Moirai were already present at the nuptials of Zeus and Themis; that in fact the Moirai rose with Themis from the springs of Okeanos the encircling World-Ocean and accompanied her up the bright sun-path to meet Zeus at Mount Olympus.

• Atropos (the Inevitable)
• Clotho (the Weaver)
• Lachesis (the Lot-caster)

Justitia[link]

A Roman equivalent of one aspect of Hellenic Themis, as the personification of the divine rightness of law, was Iustitia (Anglicized as Justitia). Her origins are in civic abstractions of a Roman mindset, rather than archaic mythology, so drawing comparisons is not fruitful. Portrayed as an impassive woman, holding scales and a double-edged sword (sometimes a cornucopia), and since the 16th century usually shown blindfolded, the sculpted figure outside a courthouse is typically Justitia or Lady Justice, not Themis. In the Law Courts at Vancouver, British Columbia, however, the statue is explicitly of Themis.

See also[link]

• Nyx

References[link]

External links[link]

• Theoi Project: Themis

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Themis

Stylianos (Stelios) Kazantzidis (August 29, 1931 – September 14, 2001) (Greek: Στέλιος Καζαντζίδης) was a prominent Greek singer. A leading singer of Greek popular music, or Laïkó, he collaborated with many of Greece's foremost composers.

Biography[link]

Kazantzidis was born in Nea Ionia, in Athens, Greece. He was the first of two brothers born to Haralambos Kazantzidis (of Pontian roots from Ordu) and Gesthimani Kazantzidis, who came from the Town of Alanya (known as Alaiya) in Southern Turkey and migrated to Greece as a result of the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922). He was orphaned at the age of 13 when his father, a member of the Greek Resistance, was tortured to death by the rightists.^[1] This forced Kazantzidis into employment, working as a baggage-carrier at Omonia Square and then for an interstate bus company, as a seller of roasted chestnuts at open markets, and as a labourer at the Nea Ionia textile mills.

His life changed when the owner of a factory, which was located in the Perissos working district, gave him a guitar. He spent long hours playing music.

He made his first public appearance at a Kifissia night club in the early 1950s and soon after, in July 1952, made his first studio recording at Columbia studios with a song entitled "I'm going for a swim" (Για μπάνιο πάω), written by Apostolos Kaldaras. It did not do well but he tried again, recording Giannis Papaioannou's "The suitcases" (Οι βαλίτσες) soon after. The song became the first of many hits and with his newfound popularity he began to make appearances in some of the biggest clubs of the time, like "Theios", "Mpertzeletos" and "Rosignol". With his career in full swing, Kazantzidis began to collaborate with some of the biggest names in Greek music, among them Manolis Chiotis, Manos Hadjidakis, Mikis Theodorakis, and Stavros Xarhakos. He and Marinella became a legendary duo.

A hallmark in his career — and an event of great importance for the musical scene of post-war Greece — was his cooperation with composer Vassilis Tsitsanis. It started in 1956 and resulted in Kazantzidis reinterpreting some of Tsitsanis old songs. Kazantzidis, thus, sung and popularized such rebetiko classics as "Synnefiasmeni Kyriaki", "Mpakse tsifliki" and "Ta Kavourakia". These songs, and many others, previously unknown to the wide public suddenly became cherished and sought-after.

Stelios Kazantzidis married Marinella on 7 May 1964 and they toured together in Germany and the United States.

In 1965 Kazantzidis, whilst at the peak of his career, decided to stop appearing in nightclubs. He didn't sing in public again for the rest of his life. For the next ten years, he only released studio albums. In September 1966 he divorced Marinella, and they recorded their last duets ("Mh Mou Lete Gia Authn", "Apopse Se Eho Stin Agalia Mou," "I Kardia Tis Manas") for Philips the following year. In 1968 Kazantzidis recorded "Nyhterides Ki Arahnes", written by newcomer Hristos Nikolopoulos; the song became an immediate success. In 1973 he collaborated with songwriter Akis Panou and released an album with six songs, including one of his biggest hits, "I zoi mou oli", and in 1974 he recorded "Stin Anatoli", composed by Theodorakis. The next year he recorded another one of his biggest hits, "Iparho", penned by Pythagoras. Suddenly Kazantzidis rocked the Greek music industry again, when he announced his decision to stop recording. He accused his label of "colonial-like" contracts and took a leave from recording. In 1987 he recorded again for the first time after 12 years. "Ο Dromos Tis Epistrofis" (Ο Δρόμος της Επιστροφής) sold 200,000 copies and became a commercial success. He continued to release records occasionally for the rest of his life. Kazantidis, besides his work on folk music, also recorded four records with Pontic alongside Chrysanthos Theodoridis, the greatest Pontic singer, songwriter, and lyricist.^[2]

Foreign audiences[link]

In Israel, he was a musical icon. Many of his songs were translated into Hebrew and performed by the country's leading singers. Yaron Enosh, an Israel Radio broadcaster who often plays Greek music on his programs, described the singer's ability to combine joy with sorrow: "This is the task of music: to touch the entire range of feelings...Kazantzidis could do this; he played on all the strings." ^[3] To the Greek Jews who immigrated to Israel, Kazantzidis was "the voice of the world they left behind, for good or for bad." According to the operator of Radio Agapi, a station that plays Greek music 24 hours a day, "Kazantzidis was the voice of the people, of the weary, the exploited, the betrayed. And the voice of the refugee and the emigre, too." ^[4]

Kazantzidis also sang in Turkish.^[5][6]

Death[link]

Kazantzidis died of a brain tumor on September 14, 2001.^[7] His death was an emotional event for Greece, as attested to by the many obituaries in appreciation of his life and work.^[8] Kazantzidis was given a national funeral through the streets of Elefsina (26 km from Athens) which was broadcast live on Greek television. His music was also beloved by the Greek diaspora all over the world, capturing their feelings in the difficult post-war period.^{[citation needed]}

Commorated in a Greek postage stamp in 2010.

Film[link]

Greek popular music had long been intertwined with Greek post-war cinema. In the 50s and 60s, almost every film contained portions of music performed on screen, often by Kazantzidis.^[9]

• I kyria dimarhos (1960) - The mayoress
• Paixe, bouzouki mou glyko (1965) - Play, my sweet Bouzouki
• I timoria (1965) - The punishment
• Afiste me na ziso (1965) - Let me live
• Adistaktoi (1965) - The Ruthless
• Oi angeloi tis amartias (To limani) (1966) - Angels of sin
• Foukarades kai leftades (1966) - Poor men and rich men
• Eho dikaioma na s' agapo! (1966) - I have the right to love you
• O gerontokoros (1967) - The old single man
• I ora tis dikaiosynis (1967) - The hour of justice
• Adiki katara (1967) - Unjust Curse
• Ta psihoula tou kosmou (1968) - The breadcrumbs of the world
• Oi andres den lygizoun pote! (1968) - Men never expire
• O gigas tis Kypselis (1968) - The giant of Kypselis
• Kravges ston anemo (1976) - Shouts in the wind

One of his songs (Efige Efige) featured in the end scene of Season 2 of the hit HBO TV series The Wire.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• 1961-63
• O Stelios Tragoudaei – 'Stelios is Singing (2001/2002)
• Iparho – I Exist
• Stelios Kazantzidis: Ta zeibekika (2006/2007?)

Singles[link]

Notable Stelios Kazantzidis songs include:

• I zoi mou oli – My entire life – 2:57
• Dio Portes Echi i Zoi – Life has two doors – 3:20
• To Agriolouloudo – The wildflower – 2:50
• Allotines Mou Epoches – My former times - 2:43
• Anemona – 3:00
• De Tha Ksanagapiso – I will never love again – 3:10
• As Eicha tin Ygeia Mou – If I had my health – 3:03
• An Einai i Agapi Egklima – If love is a crime – 2:26
• Ego me tin Axia Mou – Me with my worth – 3:15
• Eimai Ena Kormi Chameno – I'm a lost man – 3:33
• Exo Ap'Adiko – I have suffered injustice - 3:04
• Gyrizo Ap'ti Nychta – I return from the night – 2:58
• Tin Kalyva Ti Diki Mou – That hut of mine – 2:32
• I Kardia Mou As Opsetai – Take a look at my heart - 3:16
• Kathenas me ton Pono Tou – Each with his pain – 3:20
• Katastrofes kai Symfores – Catastrophes and misfortunes - 3:45
• Ki An Gello Einai Psema – And if I laugh, it's a lie – 3:24
• Me Xypnas Charamata – You wake me at dawn – 2:40
• Niotho mia Kourasi Vareia – I feel a deep weariness – 3:05
• Nomiza Pos Itan Filoi – I thought that they were friends – 3:15
• Otan Methaei o Anthropos – When A man gets drunk – 2:46
• Pare ta Chnaria Mou – Take my footprints - 3:08
• I Stenochoria Mou – My concerns – 3:00
• Tha to Po Fanera – I'll say it openly – 3:24
• Sto Trapezi pou ta Pino – At the table where I drink – 2:37
• H Kypros einai Elliniki – Cyprus is Greek – 3:12
• Nea Ionia – Nea Ionia – 2:49

References[link]

1. ^ Kazantzidis talking about his father's murder on YouTube
2. ^ http://home.napster.com/ns/music/artist.html?artist_id=12486484
3. ^ The Greek pillar of Israeli music, Haaretz
4. ^ The Greek pillar of Israeli music, Haaretz
5. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAq5Ln7ODic
6. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGNnHUZmQpE&feature=related
7. ^ The Greek pillar of Israeli music, Haaretz
8. ^ Buhayer, Constantine (Tuesday September 18, 2001). "Obituary: Stelios Kazantzidis". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2001/sep/18/guardianobituaries2. Retrieved 2008-11-30. 
9. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1050015/ Kazantzidis on the IMDB

External links[link]

• Official fan community Stelios Kazantzidis
• Who is Stelios Kazantzidis?, Trapezounta
• Stelios Kazantzidis' videos on YouTube
• Syllogos filon Stelios Kazantzidis

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (September 2010)

Christos Dantis Χρήστος Δάντης
Christos Dantis performing in Athens, Greece in 2010.
Background information
Birth name	Christos Vlahakis
Born	(1966-09-26) September 26, 1966 (age 45) Athens, Greece
Origin	Kaisariani, Greece
Genres	Contemporary laikó, rock
Occupations	Musician, songwriter,Producer
Years active	1986–present
Labels	BMG Greece Nitro Music Sony Music Greece
Website	http://www.christosdantis.com http://www.christosdantis.gr

Christos Dantis (Greek: Χρήστος Δάντης; born Christos Vlahakis, 26 September 1966), is a Greek singer, songwriter, and musician best known for his hits such as "To Palio Mou Palto" and "Ena Tragoudi Akoma" and later for composing and co-writing the song "My Number One" for Elena Paparizou, winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 for Greece.^[1]

Career[link]

Early music career[link]

Christos Dantis began playing music when he was 16, going through various bands and playing various music kinds such as rock, funk, metal etc. His first known appearance in a vinyl record is in a compilation named "Straight to the top" with the song "Tell me more" produced in 1986 in Ria Records. In 1987 his first 45rpm maxi single with Ria Records "Turn On" and one year later with his second named "Belly Dance". During the changing of record companies at the end of 1988 and before his first personal album he sings two Greek songs from Paschalis Arvanitidis named "Katerina Katerinaki" and "Paradosou loipon" in a 3 vinyl compilation named "OLA" as also another two in another compilation named "10 DEKARIA N.2" with 2 songs arranged with Greek lyrics "Poios eimai egw" (The logical song) and "Ti zitas" (Reach out I'll be there), which afterwards were included in the CD version of his first album that were not included in the original vinyl. At the same time he sang at the popular club TABOO with Dimitra Galani and George Hatzinasios, as also in advertising clips of the emerging private channeled TV of the late 80's in Greece.

1990-2000: Growing popularity[link]

Dantis later released his first personal album called Dahtilika Apotypomata in 1990 with music and lyrics written by Gianni Karali which became platinum.

In 1991 he released the golden album Aman which was also released in 4 European countries with remixes. At the same time the video clips from the album were played on MTV and MCM accompanied by a TV special offering live performances and an interview with Steve Blame the presenter of MTV.

The first experimentations Christos Dantis did with folk songs was in 1993 with the album Ala. One year later Dantis released his most familiar pop-rock album to date, titled 4. The album became gold and the song "Kapoios S’ Agapaei" appeared on MTV once more. Dantis released another album a year later in 1995 called Tama. The album became gold and following his gold success, Dantis decided to release another album in 1996 called Foni Voodos and another in 1997 titled Ta Giousoufakia.

Not wanting to disappoint his growing fan base, Dantis released a double album titled Tournas – Dantis Live or known by some as Krifo Sholeio. The live recordings were taken from his concerts that year with Kostas Tournas. Striving for the best, Dantis began work on his next album immediately. It took just 11 months of preparations in studio for his next album To Palio Mou Palto which was released in 1999. The album immediately became gold.

2000-2004: Further success[link]

A few months later, he redid the song "24000 Baci" by Adriano Celentano for the movie Safe Sex created by Repas and Papathanasiou which is included in the movie soundtrack. The song reached the top of the charts after just a couple of days of release. In 2001 he moved to the independent Greek record label Nitro Music and released the album To Domatio which soon became platinum and the songs "To Domatio", "Dos Mou Fotia" and his duet with Notis Sfakianakis "Himonas Einai" became hits.

After a 2 year break, Dantis returned in May 2003 by signing with Sony Music Greece and with the album Ena Tragoudi Akoma composed entirely by Giorgos Theofanous. In 2004 he participated in the Greek talent show Fame Story as a member of the committee and in May, he released one of his most successful albums to date Maya Maya. Besides himself, music and lyrics were written by Vangelis Konstantinidis, Vassilis Giannopoulos, Sofie Pappa, Natalia Germanou, Manos Psaltakis, Christoforos Germenis, Konstantinos Pantzis, Giannis Liondos, and Antonis Skokos. In the winter of 2004-05 he appeared at club Fix with Christos Pazis.

In 2005 he composed the song "My Number One". The music was written by himself and lyrics by Natalia Germanou. It was chosen as Greece’s official participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in Kiev, Ukraine and sung by Elena Paparizou on May 21, 2005. The song won the contest and Greece won the contest for the first time. The song became very popular with Elena Paparizou and Dantis reaching highs in their careers.

2005-Present[link]

In May 2005 Christos Dantis wrote the album Eho Sta Matia Ourano for Katy Garbi along with the songs "Akouse Agori Mou", "To Narkotiko Mou", and his duet "Spaciba Baby". In June of the same year he signed the music of Flora Theodorou's first single titled "Giatre Mou!!!". The CD single includes 3 songs, music by Christos Dantis and lyrics by Vassilis Giannopoulos and Natalia Germanou. He cooperated with NOVA's satellite platform and wrote the song "Ola Super" with lyrics by Vangelis Konstantinidis which will be the musical pattern for 9 sports channels.

In September 2005 he went to Thessaloniki with Katy Garbi for a number of appearances. Following that, he released a CD single titled "Prodosia" in October 2005. The songs "Beautiful", "Ola another CD Single titled "Gia Senane Bora". It was accompanied by a full length album in the fall of 2006 called "Min Peis Pote". In January 2007, ERT asked Dantis to take part in a National Selection as a singer to represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007. His song "No Madonna" hit the charts but didn't make it to the competition.

In September 2007 after his collaboration with the Mad Music Channel under the "Mad Secret Concert" events, he released the album "DANTIS - ROCK AND LIVE" with many popular cover songs of artists such as The Killers, Kaiser Chiefs, Nek, and great other like James Brown and Stevie Wonder. In 2008 Dantis' released the album Ektos Trochias which featured a more urban sound. In April 2009 Christos Dantis participated in Takis Bougas' album "Apopse ola tha sta po" along with Dimitris Mitropanos, Eleni Dimou and others singing "Exomologisi", "Apopse ola tha sta po" and "Esi gimni".

In late 2009, Dantis released the single "Pame Gia Refrain". In February 2010, Dantis released his fifteenth studio album titled Skotono (I Kill). The title track was released as the second single when Dantis performed it live on The X Factor along with "Pame Gia Refrain" in December 2009.

In April 2011 he released his new album "Ta dika mas Tragoudia" with Dimitris Mitropanos and Paschalis Terzis featuring 2 tracks. Music belongs to him and lyrics to lawer Vasilis Kapernaros. It is a soft - rock album dealing with social matters such as drug use and political corruption. It is considered to be one of his best albums. "Me pire i nichta angalia" is the first single, while "Ta dika mas tragoudia" follows.

Personal life[link]

Christos Dantis has a son with singer Katerina Topazi, who was 11 years old as of 2011.^[2] On January 17, 2011, Dantis' girlfriend Jenny gave birth to a baby girl named Marizeta.^[2]

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website
• Personal Website
• [1] Personal Website