Harpy

Harpies (also harpies, or harpies) are mythical creatures (monsters) of ancient mythology, depicted as half women and half birds.

The word harpy originated from the Greek word harpazein (ἅρπάζειν, ie rvu, uchvacuji). In ancient Greece, storms and clouds were a kind of personification. In the Middle Ages, they gradually became malicious, human-damaging beings.

 AppearanceThe description of harpies is quite complicated, because over time the idea of ​​harpies has changed and their number i s unclear. Their parents are the sea god Thaumás and the goddess Élektra. The original idea of ​​harpies was very vague and they embodied the storm. Their original mission was to carry the souls of the dead to the underworld. Already in ancient Greece, their idea took the form of women with wings, so they were similar to ancient Sirens. Later, they were depicted as birds with human, usually female or girl's heads. Eventually, their head turned into the head of an old ugly woman. The basic idea can be made of Hesiod, who mentions the existence of two harpies - Alléktó (Storm) and Ókypeté (Fast-flying), later they were joined by a third harpy Kelainó (Dark-dark). In addition, Homer mentions Podarga (Quick Leg). In other notions, harpies are an unspecified higher number, in the Middle Ages it was practically a kind of malevolent being whose number was not limited in any way, eg Dante Alighieri in the Divine Comedy (Hell, XIII, 102/103) states Harpy's flock in leaves grazes it and he was acting on her and was leading her. According to ancient assumptions, harpies are fertilized by winds, and their children are the fastest and best horses (eg Achilles or Aldrast's Oreión).

"Wide wings, faces of human shapes, on the legs of the joint, belly feathered

and they mourn the singing of gifts

"

- Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy (Hell, XIII, 12 - 14)

Harpies in mythologyHarpies perform in several Greek myths. He is best known for the blind Finn, who was gifted with the art of divination, but because he abused him, the gods blinded him. His second wife, Eidothea, convinced him that the sons of the first marriage, which she hated from a soul, were to blame. According to one version, Finn threw them into prison, according to another, he had them buried alive. Therefore, the punishment of insatiable hunger was sent to him, and whenever he wanted to eat, the Harpies flew in, ate everything, and what was not enough, they scolded. They were driven away from Finne only during the Argonaut expedition, when the Harpies were forced to promise that they would let him be and not harm him further.