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Table of Contents
In Greek and Roman mythology, harpies are half-human and half-bird creatures. The disappearance of people during ancient times was often associated with harpies.
See the fact file below for more information on the harpies or alternatively, you can download our 21-page Harpies worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
CHARACTERISTICS
- A harpy is often described as having the head of a maiden and the body of a bird.
- Their faces are pale and they have long, sharp claws on their hands.
- While the depiction of harpies in pottery art shows them as beautiful winged women, Byzantine and Roman writers detailed the ugliness of harpies.
- Ovid, on the other hand, spoke of harpies as human-vultures.
- According to Hesiod, harpies are winged maidens with fair-colored hair. He also noted that harpies are much faster than birds and the wind.
- To Aeschylus, commonly referred to as the father of tragedy, harpies were ugly winged creatures.
- Other later writers described harpies as the most disgusting monsters.
- Earlier descriptions of harpies mentioned no disgusting features.
- In later literature, however, especially the story of the demigod Jason and the Argonauts, harpies were depicted as loathsome and foul birds with the faces of women.
- In the Odyssey by Homer, harpies were said to be winds that carried away people.
- The name harpy denotes “swift robbers” or “snatchers”. They are told to steal food from their eating victims.
- Other writers sometimes associate harpies with the underworld.
- Harpies are also thought to carry evil people, especially ones who have killed their families, to the Erinyes.
- In this manner, they are punishers that abduct and torture people while carrying them into Tartarus.
- Despite this, harpies were also known as the ministers of the Thunderer (Zeus) and called “the hounds of mighty Zeus”.
- Later accounts made them a part of the guardians of the underworld along with Scylla, Chimera, Geryon, and other monstrosities.
- Harpies are often said to live either in a cave in Crete, on the Strophades islands, or somewhere at Orcus’ entrance.
FAMILY
- According to Hesiod, they were daughters of Electra, an oceanid, and Thaumas, a sea god. He also mentioned harpies being the siblings of Iris.
- A Latin author named Hyginus said Ozomene was the mother of the harpies. Ozomene was, in fact, Electra’s other name.
- As they are said to be sisters of Iris, it is quite possible that harpies are also siblings of Arke and the river-god Hydaspes.
- In Valerius’ account, Typhon fathered the creatures.
- Servius’ version says harpies were children of Gaea and Poseidon or Pontus.
NAMES OF THE HARPIES
- There are three known harpies, namely, Aello, Ocypete, and Celaeno, who was named by Virgil.
- Aello was said to be the mother of the immortal horses Xanthus and Balius, their father being Zephyrus. Other sources, however, make Celaeno the mother of the horses.
- Ocypete was the fastest of the harpies. According to a story, the Boreads chased the harpies, and Ocypete landed on an island due to exhaustion and pled to the gods for mercy.
- Celaeno appeared in the 1982 film based on the novel The Last Unicorn. She was featured as a captive in a Midnight Carnival owned by a witch.
- Homer knew of another harpy whom he called Podarge. He claimed that this harpy was the mother of the immortal horses.
MYTHOLOGY
- The most famous story that features the harpies is that of Phineus, King of Thrace.
- Zeus gave Phineus the gift of prophecy. He also punished Phineus for telling the gods’ secret plan.
- Zeus blinded Phineus and sent him to an island with a buffet of food, but Phineus was not able to eat any of the food as the harpies would always arrive and steal it just before he could put it in his mouth.
- The punishment went on until Jason and the Argonauts came to his island.
- Phineus promised to give the crew directions on their journey in exchange for ridding him of the harpies.
- The Boreads, members of the crew that could fly, chased and successfully drove off the harpies.
- An ancient oracle foretold that the harpies could only be killed by the Boreades, but the latter would die if they could not defeat the harpies.
- The harpies fled, and one of them fell into the Tigris River, which was called Harpys from then on.
- The other two harpies were able to reach Echinades. The harpies, out of exhaustion, fell to their pursuer.
- They swore to never harass Phineus anymore, so the Boreades spared them.
- The islands where they fell became known as the Strophades.
- According to other sources, Hermes or Iris appeared just before the Boreades were about to kill the harpies. The deity promised that the harpies would not bother Phineus again, and ordered the Boreades to set their captives free.
- Grateful for their help, Phineus gave the Argonauts instructions on how to pass through the Symplegades.
- Another myth concerning the harpies tells of their encounter with Aeneas.
- The harpies, ever-hungry, would steal food from the feast that Aeneas and the Trojans set up on the island of Strophades.
- Celaeno suddenly gave a prophecy telling the Trojans that they would experience extreme hunger and have to eat their tables before they arrived at the end of their journey.
Harpies Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the harpies across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Harpies worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the harpies which are half-human and half-bird creatures. The disappearance of people during ancient times was often associated with harpies.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Greco-English
- Game of Harpies
- Trio
- Guardians
- Hungry for Info
- Harpies’ Play
- Argonauts
- Harpy Eagle
- Dante Said
- Virgil’s Words
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Link will appear as Harpies Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, February 24, 2021
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.