Harpies

A group of winged women. There were said to be only two harpies: Aello and Ocypetes, the daughters of Thaumas, the son of Pontus and Gaea, and the Oceanid Electra. They were the sisters of Iris. Later writers said there was a third Harpy.

The best-known story about the Harpies comes from the Argonauts. Zeus sent them to torment and punish the blind seer named Phineus. The Harpies would steal food from Phineus. Zetes and Calaïs (Calais), the twin sons of Boreas, god of the north wind, had wings and could fly as fast as any creature. Zetes and Calaïs attacked the Harpies and would have killed them, had Zeus not sent Iris to intervene. Iris told the twins that the Harpies would no longer torment Phineus, or steal his food.

The alternative accounts said that Zetes and Calaïs killed the Harpies, while yet others said that the Harpies and the twins died from exhaustion and starvation.

One harpy named Podarge was said to be the mother of two divine horses, Xanthus and Balius, by Zephyrus, god of the west wind.