Erinyes

Erinyes, known in English as the Furies, are chthonic goddesses of vengeance in ancient Greek religion and myth. They punish crimes that violate the sacred and social order, notably murder within the family and oath-breaking. They are portrayed as relentless overseers of moral guilt, pursuing wrongdoers and driving them to repentance or punishment. Common iconography presents them as winged women with serpents in their hair and eyes that bleed with guilt, though depictions vary.

Origins and names: The Erinyes’ parentage is variable. In Hesiod and most later tradition they are born from the blood of Uranus when Cronus castrates him, with Gaia as mother; other myths name Nyx as their mother. The three best known are Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone, who together embody unending rage, jealous passion, and the avenging power of retribution.

Role and influence: They operate in the Underworld and, in some accounts, exert power over mortals by compelling oath-keeping and punishing crimes that escape human courts. They appear in early tragedy as both prosecutors and agents of cosmic order, intersecting with the gods of Olympus in debates about justice and mercy.

In classical literature: Aeschylus’ Oresteia dramatizes their pursuit of Orestes after he murders his mother, leading to a famous trial at the Areopagus. Athena’s intervention results in the Furies being transformed into the Eumenides, the kindly ones, who are granted a place in Athens’ civic religion.

See also: Furiae; Eumenides; Orestes; Greek myth.