What do harpies look like

Harpies meaning "snatcher" are winged spirits of sharp wind. They are known as the hounds of Zeus. Sudden, mysterious disappearances are often attributed to harpies. Harpies are daughters of minor sea god Thauma and Oceanid Electra.

They are sisters of the Greek goddess of rainbows, Iris. A harpy was known as the mother of Zephyros the west wind. The harpies were once sent by Zeus to plague King Phineas of Thrace a son of Neptune as punishment for revealing the secrets of the gods through prophecies. Whenever a plate of food was set before him, the Harpies would swoop down and snatch it away, befouling any scraps left behind. When the Argonauts came to visit, the winged Boreads Calais and Zethes gave chase and pursued the Harpies to the Strophades Islands, where their sister Iris commanded them to turn back and leave the storm-spirits unharmed.

Zeus once granted King Phineus the gift of prophecy. However, when the King uses the gift against the gods, Zeus becomes angry and decides to punish the foolish King. King Phineus was blinded and made to live on an island. Zeus sent the Harpies to torture the King by stealing away all his food before he had a chance to eat. Any scraps they left behind were soiled, further adding to the plight of the King.

Years later, the Argonauts ventured onto the island and discovered the King. They offered to drive the Harpies away from him in exchange for vital information to help their journey. The King agreed and a trap was set for the Harpies. The Harpies, however, were very speedy. They flew across the land and managed to make it to the Strofades before collapsing with exhaustion.

They prayed to the gods to have mercy on them and their cry was answered. Iris appeared and told the Agronauts to spare the lives of the Harpies. In return, they would no longer torture King Phineus. In the tale of Aeneas and the Trojans, the troops encounter the Harpies on the isle of Strofades. They attempt to have a feast on the island but are interrupted when the Harpies swoop down and devour the entire meal.

This happens again and the men decide to fight the Harpies off. For their unwarranted attack as Strofades belonged to the Harpies the Harpies cursed the Trojans and caused them to flee in terror.

The origins of the Harpy myths remain speculative at best. There are many who believe that the Harpy creature was simply created in order to describe the wrathful nature of raging storm winds which often accompanied lightning.

This combination could have been the basis for the creation of the Harpies and their ties with Zeus. As Zeus was thought to be the most powerful god, it makes sense that the ferocity of storms would have been attributed to his will. It is also possible that the Harpy was simply created to serve as a moral reminder. We see these creatures being associated with punishing those who are guilty of misdeeds and those who have gone against the will of Zeus.

Another explanation for the creation of these creatures could have been to serve as a learning tool. Whenever a person disappeared from a society, it was often blamed on the Harpies. This makes it likely that the Harpies were created to explain missing persons cases and serve as a warning of what could happen when a person was not of good virtue or wandered too far on their own.

Sign in. Log into your account. Sign up. Password recovery. You May Also Like:. Centaur Prof. Geller - January 17, 0. Wendigo Prof. Geller - July 8, 1. Lucifer Prof. Geller - December 8, 5. Geller - January 3, 0. Dryad Prof. Geller - April 8, 2. The Harpies, like many characters in Greek mythology, evolved over time and different tales, beginning as wind spirits then personified as winged woman and eventually into the monstrous creatures we most recognise today. If you use any of the content on this page in your own work, please use the code below to cite this page as the source of the content.

Home » Myths » Harpies. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Read more on our privacy policy here. Cookie Settings Accept All. Manage consent. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website.

We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Necessary Necessary. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly.

These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.