The Furies, Or Erinyes, Of Greek And Roman Mythology

Few creatures of ancient myth were described as being more grotesque than the Furies, also known as the Erinyes. According to legend, the Furies consisted of three vengeful goddesses named Alecto, Megaera and Tisipone. One of the more prominent myths of their birth claimed that the Furies were mothered by the primordial earth goddess, Gaia; she was allegedly impregnated by the dripping blood of Uranus, who was murdered by his own son, Cronus.

Generally, the Furies were supposed to be servants of the underworld, at the heed of its king and queen—Hades and Persephone. Yet, they also seemed to have been open to contracts handed down to them by other gods and goddesses. For example, Virgil wrote in The Aeneid that Juno (the Roman equivalent of the goddess, Hera) sent Alecto to spread rage and madness in Italy, in order to bring about a war between the native Italians and the Trojan refugees that landed there after being displaced by the Trojan War. Besides doing the bidding of the gods, the Furies were also bounty hunters that tracked down and punished those who transgressed the gods or universal laws, especially crimes against one’s own family.

The characteristics and abilities of the Furies were an interesting mixture of powers that could be found in other mythological beings. Like harpies, the Furies often were depicted as ferocious female creatures with wings. Like gorgons, the hair of the Furies was made up of coiling snakes. For weapons, the Furies carried whips, but they also had the supernatural ability to instill madness and rage in their enemies. Other aspects of their appearance could change based on the imagination of the commentator. Sometimes they wore robes, and at other times they dressed in shorter cloth garments. Similarly, their eyes could at times seem to be on fire, but at other times they could be described as having eyes that dripped blood.

Once the Furies were on the trail of prey, they were persistent and unforgiving huntresses. According to legend, the Furies could sometimes be appeased by rituals of purification or shows of atonement. Another option that required less work, but more luck, was to gain the sympathy of one of the gods—in the case of Orestes, Athena successfully ordered the Furies to end their hunt.

Written by C. Keith Hansley.

Picture attribution: (The Furies and other underworld creatures by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607–1677), [Public Domain] via Creative Commons).

Sources:

• The Aeneid by Virgil, translated by Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Books, 2006. 
• http://www.theoi.com/Khthonios/Erinyes.html 
• http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/alecto.html  

Greek, Roman, Briton And Norse Mythology All Feature The Land of Troy

(Center: Homer, Left: Snorri Sturluson and Right: Virgil. All images in the collage are licensed as Public Domain via Creative Commons)

The concept of the Trojan War is perhaps the most important event for Greek mythology. The ancient bard Homer’s epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey, detailed events occurring before, during and after the Trojan War. In Homer’s work, the Greek gods were made personable and relatable, with emotions, preferences and observable motivations that made the actions of the gods more palatable to the average person. The Homeric poems about the Trojan War became central to the understanding of the personalities and desires of the Greek pantheon of gods. Other cultures, such as Rome and the Nordic people of Scandinavia, tried to tap into the story of the Trojan War to link their own mythology to Homer’s widely respected epics.

The Romans, who adapted, adopted and renamed the Greek gods, understandably wanted to claim some ownership over the famous tale of the Trojan War. Rome's self-identification with Aeneas, Romulus and Remus is believed to have been present as early as the 6th century BCE, yet the later Roman writers, such as Virgil (70-19 BCE) and Livy (c. 59 BCE-17 CE), wrote down the official version of the tale that linked Homeric myth to Roman folklore. While Livy's Roman History devoted only a few early pages to Trojan figures, Virgil's Aeneid was entirely devoted to the adventures of  Aeneas after the fall of Ilium during the Trojan War. As Odysseus sailed back to Ithaca, Aeneas led a contingent of men out of the burning city of Troy on a long journey, sailing to Carthage and then to their future home in Italy.

Once they reached Italian shores, Aeneas stated, “We will never shame your kingdom, nor will your fame be treated lightly, no, our thanks for your kind work will never die. Nor will Italy once regret embracing Troy in her heart” (The Aeneid, Book VII, approx. line 270). A coalition of Italians, however, did not want the Trojans settling on their land. A war broke out between the Latins and the Trojans—a war that Aeneas and the Trojans won. After the war was over, Jupiter declared that the Trojans would assimilate into the Latin culture. He stated, 

“Latium’s sons will retain their father’s words and ways. Their name till now is the name that shall endure. Mingling in stock alone, the Trojans will subside…Mixed with Ausonian blood, one race will spring from them, and you will see them outstrip all men, outstrip all gods in reverence. No nation on earth will match the honors they shower down on you” (The Aeneid, Book XII, approx. line 970). 

Romulus and Remus, the mythological founders of the city of Rome, would be born from Aeneas’ line. Writers from medieval Britain similarly tried to link the origins of the Britons to another descendant of Aeneas. The 9th-century writer, Nennius, and the 12th-century author, Geoffrey of Monmouth, both claimed that a certain Trojan called Brutus was the namesake and founder of Britain. According to the tale, he was exiled from the Trojan community in Italy after accidentally killing his father. Following his exile, Brutus went on a momentous odyssey through various regions, including Greece, North Africa, Gaul and, finally, Britain. In the myth, Brutus (and his growing band of followers) found Britain empty, except for a community of giants who dwelt in caves. The Trojan settlers then killed or drove off the giants and settled the land for themselves, later naming the region and their community after their leader. Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote, "Brutus then called the island Britain from his own name, and his companions he called Britons. His intention was that his memory should be perpetuated by derivation of the name. A little later the language of the people, which had up to then been  known as Trojan or Crooked Greek, was called British, for the same reason" (History of the Kings of Britain, Book I, section 16).

The documenters of Norse mythology also attempted to attach their stories to ancient Troy. While Norse mythology had an elaborate creation myth involving a primeval cow licking a block of salty ice and the creation of the world out of the corpse of a giant named Ymir, there were also accounts of the Norse gods migrating to Scandinavia from Troy. In The Prose Edda, written by Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241 CE), the god, Odin, spoke about the Norse deities, stating, “they made a stronghold for themselves in the middle of the world, and it was called Asgard. We call it Troy. There the gods lived together with their kinsmen, and as a result many events and happenings took place both on the earth and sky” (The Prose Edda, Gylfaginning, section 9).

In other passages, Snorri Sturluson detailed Odin’s migration from Troy to the Nordic lands that would become his home. He wrote, “Odin had the gift of prophecy, as his wife also did, and through this learning he became aware that his name would become renowned in the northern part of the world and honored more than other kings. For this reason he was eager to set off from Turkey, and he took with him on his journey a large following of people, young and old, men and women” (The Prose Edda, Gylfaginning, section 4). Once settled in Scandinavia, The Prose Edda and the Ynglinga saga suggest that Odin and the Norse gods became the ancestors of many noble families that would rule the north.

Written by C. Keith Hansley

More info on the historical figures mentioned:

•  Check out our YouTube video on Snorri Sturluson, HERE.
• Read our biography on Virgil, HERE.
• Read our biography of Homer, HERE.

Sources:

• The Aeneid by Virgil, translated by Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Books, 2006.  
• The Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson, translated by Jesse Byock. New York: Penguin Books, 2005.
• The History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth, translated by Lewis Thorpe. New York: Penguin Classics, 1966.
• The History of Rome by Livy, translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt. New York: Penguin Classics, 2002.
• Heimskringla, by Snorri Sturluson and translated by Lee Hollander. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1964, 2018.   

Virgil’s Aeneid Contained Some Peculiar Nautical Sea Nymphs

(THE NYMPH ROSE FROM THE SEA AND BORE THE VEIL AWAY, by William Heath Robinson (1872-1944), [Public Domain] via Creative Commons)

Ancient origin myths and creation stories can be really strange. So, too, are many of the creatures and monsters found in mythology weird and bizarre. Therefore, it is not surprise that the origin stories of some mythological beings are especially odd.

A particular band of sea nymphs found in the poetic verse of The Aeneid by Virgil (70-19 BCE) perfectly illustrates how peculiarly some mythological entities were born. The epic poem about Aeneas follows a band of Trojan refugees journeying to make a new life in Italy, only to be constantly harrassed by the goddess Juno and the various peoples (Carthaginians and native Italians) she riled up against the homeless wanderers. Just like in The Illiad and The Odyssey, the gods choose sides and intervene on multiple occasions to help, or hinder, the characters of the story.

One of the stranger supernatural events of The Aeneid, however, is the birth of a group of sea nymphs. These nymphs were not brought about by the promiscuity of the gods, or curses or blessings placed on humans, as many other creatures of myth came into being. No, these particular nymphs from The Aeneid actually originated as the ships used by Aeneas and his Trojan companions. When the Trojan refugees and the Italian Latins mobilized their forces to make war against each other, the ships of the Trojans broke their mooring lines, transformed into nymphs and dove into the ocean. This is the passage that describes the transformation of ships into sea nymphs:

“And all at once,

each vessel snapping her cables free of the bank,

they dive like dolphins, plunging headlong beaks

to the bottom’s depths, then up they surface,

turned into lovely virgins—wondrous omen—

each a sea-nymph sweeping out to sea.”

• From The Aeneid by Virgil (Book Nine), translated by Robert Fagles (Penguin Classics edition), 2010.

The nymphs return to aid the Trojans later, where they give Aeneas an account of their birth:

“A troop of his comrades comes to meet him,

halfway home, the nymphs that kindly Cybebe told

to rule the sea in power, changing the ships

to sea-nymphs swimming abreast, cutting the waves,

as many as all the bronze prows berthed at anchor once.

They know their king far off, circling, dancing round him

and one, most eloquent of them all, Cymodocea swims in

on his wake and grips his stern with her right hand,

arching her back above the swells as her left hand

rows the silent waves, and she calls out to Aeneas,

lost to it all: “Awake Aeneas, son of the gods?

Wake up! Fling your sheets to the winds, sail free!

Here we are, the pines from the sacred ridge of Ida,

When traitorous Turnus forced us headlong on

with sword and torch, we burst your mooring lines,

we had no choice, and now we scour the seas

to find our captain. The Great Mother pitied us,

changed our shape, she made us goddesses, yes,

And so we pass our lives beneath the waves.”

• From The Aeneid by Virgil (Book Ten), translated by Robert Fagles (Penguin Classics edition), 2010.

Written by C. Keith Hansley