What does the name harpy mean in Greek?
The name harpy means swift robber, a literal translation of their Greek origin that reveals their true nature as personifications of destructive storm winds rather than mere monsters.
Common questions about Harpy
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who were the parents of the harpies according to Hesiod?
Hesiod identified the harpies as the daughters of Thaumas, the god of wonders, and the Oceanid Electra, making them sisters to Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, and siblings to the river-god Hydaspes and Arke.
What punishment did Zeus inflict on King Phineus involving harpies?
Zeus blinded Phineus and placed him on an island with a buffet of food that he could never eat because the harpies always arrived to steal the food from his hands before he could satisfy his hunger.
Where did the harpies flee to after being driven off by the Boreads?
One harpy fell into the river Tigris, which was hence called Harpys, while the other reached the Echinades, and as she never returned, the islands were called Strophades.
What prophecy did Celaeno give to the Trojans on the Strofades?
Celaeno uttered a prophecy that the Trojans would be so hungry they would eat their tables before they reached the end of their journey.
When did the city of Nuremberg first use the harpy in its heraldic device?
Among the earliest examples is the city of Nuremberg's device, which used the harpy as early as the 1243, and the harpy also appears in British heraldry, although it remains a peculiarly German device.