Difference between revisions of "Harpy" - New World Encyclopedia
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[[Image:Harpyie.JPG|thumb|right|350px|A [[medieval]] depiction of a Harpy as a bird-woman.]] | [[Image:Harpyie.JPG|thumb|right|350px|A [[medieval]] depiction of a Harpy as a bird-woman.]] | ||
| − | '''Harpy''' is the singular form for the creatures called '''Harpies''' in [[Greek mythology]], winged-beasts that were sent down by [[Zeus]] to punish, most famously the [[prophet]] [[Phineus]]. They were sometimes | + | '''Harpy''' is the singular form for the creatures called '''Harpies''' in [[Greek mythology]], winged-beasts that were sent down by [[Zeus]] to punish, most famously the [[prophet]] [[Phineus]]. They were sometimes referred to as "the hounds of Zeus" for such actions.<ref> Hamilton, Edith. (1942) "Mythology" ISBN:0316341142</ref> Like many other second-tier Greek creatures, the harpies were more prominent in art works than in mythological literature, and while they may occasionally be used in popular culture today, they are still most widely remembered for their part in the legendary adventures of [[Jason and the Argonauts]]. |
==Description== | ==Description== | ||
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==Etymology== | ==Etymology== | ||
| − | The word Harpy in [[English | + | The word Harpy in [[English language|English]] comes from the [[Latin]] Harpyia, which in turns derives from the [[Greek language|Greek]] ''Άρπυια,'' or Harpuia. Harpy literally translates as "whirlwinds."<ref> (1971) "Oxford English Dictionary" ISBN:76-188038 </ref> |
==Theories of origin== | ==Theories of origin== | ||
| − | As with many ancient Greek creatures, there is no widespread consensus on how the idea of the | + | As with many ancient Greek creatures, there is no widespread consensus on how the idea of the harpy originated. The scholar [[R.D. Barnett]] suggests that the Harpies were originally adapted from the ornaments on bronze caldrons from [[Urartu]] |
| − | <ref> Bedrosian, Robert G. (2000) [[http://rbedrosian.com/Gmyth.htm Greek Mythology - Myths Concerning Aia"Greek Mythology"]] Retrieved June 15, 2007</ref>. Other scholars point out that this theory is based upon the idea that the Harpies were bird monsters with human heads, which was not true in the original myths. | + | <ref> Bedrosian, Robert G. (2000) [[http://rbedrosian.com/Gmyth.htm Greek Mythology - Myths Concerning Aia"Greek Mythology"]] Retrieved June 15, 2007</ref>. Other scholars point out that this theory is based upon the idea that the Harpies were bird monsters with human heads, which was not true in the original myths. The sky was a significant place for the ancient Greeks, and much like the deeper parts of the [[ocean]], it was revered because it was inaccessible. [[Mount Olympus]], the realm of the gods, was located high in the sky and so the [[atmosphere]] and [[weather]] became associated as the whims of the gods. Therefore, it is conceivable that the idea of the harpies could have come from the consistently shifting winds. it |
| − | In their winged human form, the Harpies are no different from a large number of Greek divinities and as such would not need a special explanation for how they came to be. The later bird composite form is considered by most authors to have been a confusion with an early depiction of the [[Sirens]] as bird women. A Harpy was the mother by the West Wind [[Zephyros]] of the horses of [[Achilles]] (''[[Iliad]]'' xvi. 160). The Harpies were sisters of [[Iris (mythology)|Iris]], daughters of [[Typhon]] and [[Echidna]]. | + | In their winged human form, the Harpies are no different from a large number of Greek divinities and as such would not need a special explanation for how they came to be. The later bird composite form is considered by most authors to have been a confusion with an early depiction of the [[Sirens]] as bird women. A Harpy was the mother by the West Wind [[Zephyros]] of the horses of [[Achilles]] (''[[Iliad]]'' xvi. 160). The Harpies were sisters of [[Iris (mythology)|Iris]], daughters of [[Typhon]] and [[Echidna]], and were consistently viewed as those who carried out the punishments decreed by the Gods, granting their nick-names as "The Hounds of Zeus". |
==Mythology== | ==Mythology== | ||
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[[Image:Harpyje.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Harpy in [[Ulisse Aldrovandi]], ''Monstrorum Historia'' , Bologna, 1642]] | [[Image:Harpyje.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Harpy in [[Ulisse Aldrovandi]], ''Monstrorum Historia'' , Bologna, 1642]] | ||
| − | Phineas, a [[Monarch|king]] of [[Thrace]], had the gift of [[prophesy]]. Zeus, angry that Phineas revealed too much, punished him by putting him on an island with a [[buffet]] of [[food]] which he could never eat. The Harpies always arrived and stole the food out of his hands right before he could satisfy his hunger, and befouled the remains. In this form they were agents of punishment who abducted people and tortured them on their way to [[Tartarus]]. They were vicious, cruel and violent. They lived on [[Strophades]]. They were usually seen as the personifications of the destructive nature of wind. The Harpies in this tradition, now thought of as three sisters instead of the original two, were: [[Aello]] ("storm swift"), [[Celaeno]] ("the dark") | + | Phineas, a [[Monarch|king]] of [[Thrace]], had the gift of [[prophesy]]. Zeus, angry that Phineas revealed too much, punished him by putting him on an island with a [[buffet]] of [[food]] which he could never eat. The Harpies always arrived and stole the food out of his hands right before he could satisfy his hunger, and befouled the remains. In this form they were agents of punishment who abducted people and tortured them on their way to [[Tartarus]]. They were vicious, cruel and violent. They lived on [[Strophades]]. They were usually seen as the personifications of the destructive nature of wind. The Harpies in this tradition, now thought of as three sisters instead of the original two, were: [[Aello]] ("storm swift"), [[Celaeno]] ("the dark") — also known as [[Podarge]] ("fleet-foot") — and [[Ocypete]] ("the swift wing"). |
This continued until Jason and the Argonauts arrived on the island. The [[Boreads]], sons of [[Boreas]] (the North Wind), who also could fly, succeeded in driving away the Harpies and killing one of them. However, at the request of [[Iris (mythology)|Iris]], the remaining harpies were allowed to leave safely, in return that Phineas would not be bothered by the Harpies again. Thankful for their help, Phineas told the Argonauts how to pass the [[Symplegades]]. <ref>''[[Argonautica]]'', book II; [[Ovid]] XIII, 710; [[Virgil]] III, 211, 245)</ref> | This continued until Jason and the Argonauts arrived on the island. The [[Boreads]], sons of [[Boreas]] (the North Wind), who also could fly, succeeded in driving away the Harpies and killing one of them. However, at the request of [[Iris (mythology)|Iris]], the remaining harpies were allowed to leave safely, in return that Phineas would not be bothered by the Harpies again. Thankful for their help, Phineas told the Argonauts how to pass the [[Symplegades]]. <ref>''[[Argonautica]]'', book II; [[Ovid]] XIII, 710; [[Virgil]] III, 211, 245)</ref> | ||
| Line 31: | Line 31: | ||
==Art and Heraldry== | ==Art and Heraldry== | ||
| − | In the [[Middle Ages]], the harpy, often called the "virgin eagle," became a popular [[charge (heraldry)|charge]] in [[heraldry]], particularly in [[East Frisia]], seen on, among others, the [[coat-of-arms|coats-of-arms]] of [[Reitburg]], [[Liechtenstein]], and the [[Cirksena]]s. | + | Harpies were often peripheral creatures in artwork, showing up on pottery and in murals. More often than not, they were seen being driven away by the Boreans, sometimes they were depicted as horrific tormentors of those who angered the gods. During the European [[Renaissance]], they were often sculpted, and were sometimes seen in hellish landscapes in association with demons and monstrous creatures. |
| + | |||
| + | Harpies also became popular in heraldry. In the [[Middle Ages]], the harpy, often called the "virgin eagle," became a popular [[charge (heraldry)|charge]] in [[heraldry]], particularly in [[East Frisia]], seen on, among others, the [[coat-of-arms|coats-of-arms]] of [[Reitburg]], [[Liechtenstein]], and the [[Cirksena]]s. | ||
==Harpies in Literature and Pop Culture== | ==Harpies in Literature and Pop Culture== | ||
| − | Both [[Dante]], and [[William Shakespeare]] used Harpies in their works. In the [[Divine Comedy]], in Canto XIII of the Inferno, harpies hound those who have committed suicide, while in "[[The Tempest]]," the spirit Ariel disguises himself as a harpy to deliver the message of his master Prospero. Other more contemporary authors have used harpies as well, such as [[Peter S. Beagle]], who wrote "[[The Last Unicorn]]" which was also adapted into a | + | Both [[Dante]], and [[William Shakespeare]] used Harpies in their works. In the [[Divine Comedy]], in Canto XIII of the Inferno, harpies hound those who have committed suicide, while in "[[The Tempest]]," the spirit Ariel disguises himself as a harpy to deliver the message of his master Prospero. Other more contemporary authors have used harpies as well, such as [[Peter S. Beagle]], who wrote "[[The Last Unicorn]]" which was also adapted into a successful animated film of the same name. |
The familiar figures of harpies, with their composite form and violent nature, are much employed in video games and other products of market-directed culture. | The familiar figures of harpies, with their composite form and violent nature, are much employed in video games and other products of market-directed culture. | ||
Revision as of 19:15, 16 June 2007
Harpy is the singular form for the creatures called Harpies in Greek mythology, winged-beasts that were sent down by Zeus to punish, most famously the prophet Phineus. They were sometimes referred to as "the hounds of Zeus" for such actions.[1] Like many other second-tier Greek creatures, the harpies were more prominent in art works than in mythological literature, and while they may occasionally be used in popular culture today, they are still most widely remembered for their part in the legendary adventures of Jason and the Argonauts.
Description
Harpies were often described as bird-like creatures, no smaller than an eagle but usually not that much larger. They had hooked claws and beaks of a bird, but also left an over-powering stench where ever they went. Later, the harpies were depicted as having the head of a human, being linked to gorgons and sirens as composite creatures, and were usually described as female. They are often associated with the wind and air, and thus are sometimes seen as representing the duality of the air: calm and graceful at times, but capable of great destruction and chaos, much as the harpies themselves.
Etymology
The word Harpy in English comes from the Latin Harpyia, which in turns derives from the Greek Άρπυια, or Harpuia. Harpy literally translates as "whirlwinds."[2]
Theories of origin
As with many ancient Greek creatures, there is no widespread consensus on how the idea of the harpy originated. The scholar R.D. Barnett suggests that the Harpies were originally adapted from the ornaments on bronze caldrons from Urartu [3]. Other scholars point out that this theory is based upon the idea that the Harpies were bird monsters with human heads, which was not true in the original myths. The sky was a significant place for the ancient Greeks, and much like the deeper parts of the ocean, it was revered because it was inaccessible. Mount Olympus, the realm of the gods, was located high in the sky and so the atmosphere and weather became associated as the whims of the gods. Therefore, it is conceivable that the idea of the harpies could have come from the consistently shifting winds. it
In their winged human form, the Harpies are no different from a large number of Greek divinities and as such would not need a special explanation for how they came to be. The later bird composite form is considered by most authors to have been a confusion with an early depiction of the Sirens as bird women. A Harpy was the mother by the West Wind Zephyros of the horses of Achilles (Iliad xvi. 160). The Harpies were sisters of Iris, daughters of Typhon and Echidna, and were consistently viewed as those who carried out the punishments decreed by the Gods, granting their nick-names as "The Hounds of Zeus".
Mythology
Phineas, a king of Thrace, had the gift of prophesy. Zeus, angry that Phineas revealed too much, punished him by putting him on an island with a buffet of food which he could never eat. The Harpies always arrived and stole the food out of his hands right before he could satisfy his hunger, and befouled the remains. In this form they were agents of punishment who abducted people and tortured them on their way to Tartarus. They were vicious, cruel and violent. They lived on Strophades. They were usually seen as the personifications of the destructive nature of wind. The Harpies in this tradition, now thought of as three sisters instead of the original two, were: Aello ("storm swift"), Celaeno ("the dark") — also known as Podarge ("fleet-foot") — and Ocypete ("the swift wing").
This continued until Jason and the Argonauts arrived on the island. The Boreads, sons of Boreas (the North Wind), who also could fly, succeeded in driving away the Harpies and killing one of them. However, at the request of Iris, the remaining harpies were allowed to leave safely, in return that Phineas would not be bothered by the Harpies again. Thankful for their help, Phineas told the Argonauts how to pass the Symplegades. [4]
Aeneas also encountered the Harpies on the Strophades as they repeatedly made off with the feast the Trojans were setting. Celaeno cursed them, saying the Trojans will be so hungry they will eat their tables before they reach the end of their journey. The Trojans did not fare as well as the Greeks and soon fled in fear.[5]
Art and Heraldry
Harpies were often peripheral creatures in artwork, showing up on pottery and in murals. More often than not, they were seen being driven away by the Boreans, sometimes they were depicted as horrific tormentors of those who angered the gods. During the European Renaissance, they were often sculpted, and were sometimes seen in hellish landscapes in association with demons and monstrous creatures.
Harpies also became popular in heraldry. In the Middle Ages, the harpy, often called the "virgin eagle," became a popular charge in heraldry, particularly in East Frisia, seen on, among others, the coats-of-arms of Reitburg, Liechtenstein, and the Cirksenas.
Harpies in Literature and Pop Culture
Both Dante, and William Shakespeare used Harpies in their works. In the Divine Comedy, in Canto XIII of the Inferno, harpies hound those who have committed suicide, while in "The Tempest," the spirit Ariel disguises himself as a harpy to deliver the message of his master Prospero. Other more contemporary authors have used harpies as well, such as Peter S. Beagle, who wrote "The Last Unicorn" which was also adapted into a successful animated film of the same name.
The familiar figures of harpies, with their composite form and violent nature, are much employed in video games and other products of market-directed culture.
Notes
- ↑ Hamilton, Edith. (1942) "Mythology" ISBN:0316341142
- ↑ (1971) "Oxford English Dictionary" ISBN:76-188038
- ↑ Bedrosian, Robert G. (2000) [Greek Mythology - Myths Concerning Aia"Greek Mythology"] Retrieved June 15, 2007
- ↑ Argonautica, book II; Ovid XIII, 710; Virgil III, 211, 245)
- ↑ Hamilton, Edith (1942) "Mythology" ISBN:0316341142
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