To the ancient Greeks, the Harpies represented the punishment that came from displeasing the gods, but they were also associated with unfairness and random bad luck. Like the winds that they originally embodied, the Harpies could come out of nowhere, ruin plans, and destroy people’s lives. People blamed them for storms (see box, page 112) and for any small objects or items of food that mysteriously went missing.
In modern times, the word harpy is sometimes used to mean a mean, heartless woman. However, some people
Above: A terra-cotta Harpy overlooking the Aegean Sea on the Greek island of Thera. The Harpies were first known as weather spirits, and the Greeks often blamed them for causing storms.
Also see the Harpies as a symbol of feminism, because they were strong female characters who represented male fears about female power.
Mythology and the Weather
The Harpies' names reflect the fact that they were originally storm spirits: Celaeno means "storm cloud," Aello means "rainstorm," Ocypete means "swift flier," and Podarge means "swift-foot." Although they developed into monstrous creatures, they continued to be associated with weather and were blamed for strong winds and storms.
Many gods, spirits, and monsters in mythologies from around the world are associated with different kinds of weather. In Greek mythology, for example, the Harpies' sister Iris was the goddess of the rainbow, and the god Aeolus controlled the winds. In Australian Aboriginal mythology, the Rainbow Serpent, one of the most powerful of all deities, controlled storms, rain, and floods. Many cultures have a god of rain, such as En-kai or Ngai, the rain god of the African Masai people. Since weather comes from the sky, it makes sense that people throughout history have interpreted rain, thunder, rainbows, and other forms of weather as signs, punishments, or rewards from the gods, who were usually thought to live above Earth.
World History
