There is also the concept of arete, which is excellence or greatness. Arete's opposite number was the daimona Cacia, lady of vice. She was depicted as a fair woman of high bearing, dressed in white.
Arete was the goddess or daimona of virtue, excellence, goodness and valour. The best known story of Arete is when Arete and Kakia approached Herakles and offered him a life of valour or a life of luxury. Arete was the ancient Greek goddess or personified spirit (daimona) of virtue, excellence, goodness and valour. See more ideas about Greek gods, Nike goddess of victory, Greek mythology. Arete: The Spirit of Excellence Many of the Greek gods represented a virtue, but one goddess represented Virtue itself. Mar 25, 2014 - Explore aeggertsen's board "arete" on Pinterest.

In ancient Greek culture, Arete was what all people aspired. Arete (Ancient Greek: ἀρετή), alternately Areté, is defined as excellence of any kind. Her Roman name was Virtus.
It was courage and strength in the face of adversity.

Read more to learn all about Arete, the goddess of virtue and excellence, and the ideal she embodied. Arete was the queen of the island of Scheria in Greek mythology, wife of Alcinous, and mother of Nausicaa and Laodamas. She was depicted as a fair woman of high bearing, dressed in white. Her opposite number was the daimon Kakia, lady of vice. In ancient Greece, this notion of excellence was bound up with the act of living up to one's full potential. She was also the niece of her husband, as Alcinous and Rhexenor, Arete 's father, were brothers, descendants of the god Poseidon.