alecto

Alecto is one of the Erinyes, or Furies, in Greek mythology. She is typically described as the most relentless of the three sisters and is closely associated with unceasing anger and the pursuit of justice through punishment. Along with her sisters Megaera and Tisiphone, Alecto embodies the force of righteous indignation that seeks to punish moral crimes and violations of the social order.

Origin and role: In many accounts, the Furies are born of Gaia and Uranus, though some myths place Nyx as their mother. Alecto’s function centers on driving wrongdoers to moral and physical punishment, maintaining cosmic and familial order by pursuing offenses such as perjury, murder, and other offenses against kin or the gods. Her relentless nature contrasts with other figures of justice who might offer mediation or appeal.

Mythological appearances: The Furies appear in various Greek myths and dramas as agents of divine retribution. In Aeschylus’ Oresteia, they pursue Orestes after he kills his mother, though a court of appeal and Athena’s intervention ultimately transform the mechanism of justice. Alecto’s unyielding fury is a literary device for exploring themes of guilt, punishment, and the tension between old religious vengeance and emerging rational legal order.

Iconography and influence: In art, the Furies are often depicted as winged, formidable women, sometimes with serpents entwined in their hair. Alecto’s epithet is associated with unrelenting pursuit and the enforcement of moral codes. The figure has influenced later literature, psychology, and art as a symbol of persistent vengeance, moral accountability, and the complexity of justice.

See also: Greek mythology, Erinyes, Furies, Orestes.