HARPIES

In Greek myth, the Harpies (meaning “snatchers”) were female monsters who caused mischief, tormented wrongdoers, and carried souls to the underworld. They were known for their hideous appearance and smell.

In the earliest accounts, the

Harpies were not monstrous— they were simply spirits who represented windy or stormy weather, and they were depicted as beautiful young women with wings. Over time, however, they developed into terrifying beasts. They had long, fair hair and the faces and upper bodies of women, but the wings, tails, legs, and claws of birds of prey, with sharp talons made of metal. They were always ravenously hungry, and would steal food or even eat their victims before carrying away their souls. The Harpies were repulsive to look at, and they spread filth everywhere they went. They stank so much that whatever they touched gave off a terrible smell.

There are several different stories of how many Harpies there were and where they came from. According to the eighth-century-BCE Greek poet Hesiod, they were the daughters of Thaumas, who was a son of Gaia, the earth goddess. In Hesiod’s account, the Harpies were the sisters of Iris, the personification of the rainbow and a messenger of the gods. Other sources mention that they were the daughters of Typhon, another of Gaia’s sons, and Echidna, a monster who was half woman and half snake. Some stories say there were countless Harpies; in others there were between one and four of them. At least four of the Harpies had names: Celaeno, Aello, Ocypete, and Podarge.

Left: A Harpy standing between two sphinxes on a Corinthian amphora (c. 725-c. 600 BCE). Sphinxes were believed to have a woman’s head and a lion’s body.

The Harpies could be sent by the gods—especially Zeus, Hera, and Athena—to punish people, and they were sometimes referred to as “the hounds of Zeus,” but they could also cause problems on their own by stealing, destroying property, causing storms, and kidnapping people.