Family of the Harpies
The Harpies were born from Thaumas, a god of the wet element and the sea Nymph Electra, a daughter of Oceanus. Their homeland was most probably Thrace, in northern Greece.The most known Harpies were Ocypete (the "swift-flying"), Nicothoe , Aello (the "storm swift") and Celaeno (the "dark"). Homer also mentions Podarga (the "swift-footed"), who was the mother of Achilles' horses.
Appearance of the Harpies
The Harpies were female creatures with the head of a woman, bronze wings attached to their bodies and sharp claws. According to Hesiod their hair was nice, long and floating.
Harpies, the snatchers of souls
The Harpies were the messengers of Hades, the god of the Underworld. According to the legend, their mission was to steal away the children and the souls of the people. For this reason, they were often depicted in graves, holding the soul of the dead person with their claws.
