Harpies
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"Robbers". In earlier versions of Greek myth, Harpies were described as beautiful, winged maidens. Later they became winged monsters with the face of an ugly old woman and equipped with crooked, sharp talons. They were represented carrying off persons to the underworld and inflicting punishment or tormenting them. Those persons were never seen again. They robbed the food from Phineus, but were driven away by Cailas and Zetes, the Boreads, and since then they lived on the Strophades. The Harpies were probably the personification of storm winds. They are: Aello, Celaeno, and Ocypete. Winged female demons often associated with Sirens. Most art has Harpies as winged women rather than bird-bodied. Like the sirens, there was originally two, but then another was added, bringing their number to three. Hesiod names them as Aello and Octpete, with Celaeno the later addition. Their names mean storm, swift-flier, and black cloud. They are best known as the tormenters of King Phineus, who was rescued by the Argonauts. They were also the mothers to Achilles's talking horses, Xanthus and Balius. Harpies could be the personification of the unfriendly sea and its accompanying bad weather. Aello is one of the Greek Harpies who was employed by the gods to make peace and carry out punishments for crimes. Aello was described as a beautiful, winged maiden. Later other writers described her as a winged monster with the face of an ugly old woman, with crooked and sharp talons and claws. She also was described as taking people to the Underworld and torturing them. Aello is known as the Storm Swift of the three. She was also described as a horrid woman with the body of a bird. Celaeno ("the Dark"), also Podarge ("fleet foot"), is one of the Harpies. She was the lover of Zephyrus and mother of Xanthus and Balius, the supernatural horses of Achilles.