Harpy

Harpy: Origins

Sirens and harpies are often confused, the proof shows thus: a woman who has a shrill nagging tone, but a pleasant enough face is often referred to, as a harpy. However, the harpies were not necessarily known for their voices being their prime weapon. In fact, harpy means “snatcher”, and that is actually what they ...
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Harpy: Descendancy

Though the number of harpies is sometimes erratic in even the more accurate, and original Greek mythology, the number was settled at three, sister of the names: Celaeno, the dark, or “the darkness though also known as “fleet foot” or Podarge, then Aello “storm swift”, and Ocypete, “the swift wing”. Their home was on Strophades, ...
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The Greek Harpy

Aside from their descendants, harpies appear in a few different stories in Greek mythology, as well as sometimes in Roman mythology, –though transformed somewhat by more romantic minds. But since we’re focusing on Greek mythology, –the Romans don’t count! In Greek mythology also, however, sometimes the number of harpies isn’t quite accurate, because of their ...
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The Siren

One famous painting by John Waterhouse, called “The Siren” depicted sirens as being sea maidens, which eventually caused a great deal of confusion, though this is not the only reason. Sirens, like harpies in form, though polar opposites in threat, were birdlike, and avian, but very beautiful with seductive voices. Sirens were always portrayed as ...
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Harpies In Fictional Literature

Perhaps the best example of traditional, yet extremely bastardised perspective of harpies comes from Dante’s the Divine Comedy, in Canto XIII. Harpies appear in the Inner Circle, –three sub-levels in the Seventh Circle of Hell. They are the residents of the infernal wood, and where the trees are frozen suicides. The harpies tear at them ...
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