Harpies... hideous scourges of the skies OR beautiful ethereal temptresses?
A THREAD!

Much like their aquatic sisters these creatures have two sides yet (for better or worse) they never got a Disney makeover.

Instead they have become a label for cruel or hateful women. 1/

The name harpy comes from ‘Harpuiai’ an Ancient Greek word meaning to steal or snatch. (Not entirely dissimilar from the origin of the Latin word ‘raptor’ used to describe birds of prey) 2/

This name makes sense in relation to one particular myth wherein the gods cursed a man called Phineus who was punished by the gods by having his food constantly stolen and fouled by harpies. 3/

But harpies would also steal people and dash them against cliffs. If someone went missing one explanation was they had been taken by the harpies. Those taken were often children or infants. 4/

Earlier depictions of harpies describe them as beautiful woman/bird hybrids; the daughters of sea god Thaumas and Electra an Oceanid. They would use their wings to glide effortlessly over the Aegean Sea during thunderstorms. 5/

Through Homer the harpies became cruel spiteful creatures and their features changed to match. They were now depicted with sharp beaklike faces, drooping withered chests and grasping talons.

The bird features exaggerated, the human ones diminished: From angelic to demonic. /6

In a sense they are reverse mermaids; whereas fishfolk lost their fangs over time their sisters of the sky sharpened theirs!

Harpies were a symbol of the cruelty of a storm, wrenting sails and pitching sailors overboard. In this sense overlapping with siren folklore. /7

There are mermen aka Tritons, so are there male harpies?

Well not strictly, all named harpies have been she/her. They include Aello ("storm swift") Ocypete ("the swift wing") Celaeno ("the dark") and Podarge ("fleet-foot"). /8

That being said the harpies had a sworn enemy, the sons of the North Wind. The Boreads.

Unlike the harpies who were foul and twisted, these male wind spirits were basically just Abercrombie and Fitch models with wings...
The patriarchy sucks so hard... /9

In a battle with these storm-bros the harpies were eventually driven into a cave in Crete or to the island of Stofades. (Depending who’s you ask)

Although some said they went to the underworld for a new and terrible career... /10

Well after the ancient Greeks, Dante wrote that those who committed suicide (‘self murderers’) were said to be punished in the afterlife by being said to a great Wood where they were chased by harpies and turned into trees.

The picture below is by William Blake /11

Harpies are now synonymous with all the negative stereotypes of women and girls.

It’s worth remembering that they were also powerful wind spirits, storm gliders and the children of gods.

Also: If someone calls you a harpy... steal their food and drop them off a cliff! /12