Paul Healey wrote:
>
> Since Friday seems to be the day for trivia type questions....
>
> I couldn't help but notice that on the U.S. Courts home page
> (http://www.uscourts.gov), the graphic of the goddess Themis appears
> without her blindfold. I had always assumed that the blindfold was
> integral to the myth. Well lo and behold, neither Britannica or
> Americana make any mention of the blindfold, and the statue pictured
> in Britannica is also clear eyed.
>
> Obviously my knowledge of the classics could use enhancement. So,
> where does the blindfold come from? Is it part of the myth, or a
> later addition? Can anyone say?
>
> Just curious...
>
> Paul D. Healey, M.A.(LIS), J.D.
> Reference/Instructional Services Librarian
> Warren E. Burger Library
> William Mitchell College of Law
> 871 Summit Ave. St. Paul, MN 55105
> Phone: 612.290.6306 Fax: 612.290.6318
> e-mail: phealey@wmitchell.edu
Dear Paul:
One of our retired Supreme Court Justices had a similar interest in
Themis without the blindfold. Although one can certainly appreciate the
symbolism of Themis being blind to the identity of the parties involved
in the dispensation of justice, this Supreme Court Justice viewed it on
another level. She argued that a woman does not need a blindfold to
serve the cause of justice. Accordingly, she asked me to research the
existence of statues of Themis without the blindfold. Coincidentally, I
discovered that one existed atop the Tippecanoe County Courthouse in
Lafayette, Indiana, across the Wabash River from Purdue University, my
alma mater. Other than the examples you cite, I had generally assumed
that the unblindfolded Themis was the exception to the rule.
Kendall Svengalis
R.I. State Law Library
250 Benefit Street
Providence, RI 02903
401-277-3275
ristlaw@ids.net
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