alektos

Alekto, also spelled Alecto or Allecto, is a figure in Greek mythology and one of the Erinyes, the Furies. She is traditionally described as a chthonic goddess associated with unceasing anger and the pursuit of justice, particularly in cases involving moral crimes or violations of familial bonds. Along with her sisters Megaera and Tisiphone, Alekto is portrayed as enforcing divine retribution against wrongdoers and ensuring that moral order is maintained.

The Erinyes are often said to be daughters of Nyx and Erebus, though variations exist in different myths regarding their parentage. The name Alekto is commonly connected with relentless pursuit or uncompromising punishment, and the precise etymology is a subject of scholarly discussion. In artistic and literary depictions, she is typically shown as a fierce, winged figure sometimes accompanied by serpents or a scourge, embodying the force of wrath and accountability.

In Roman mythology, the corresponding figures are the Furiae, and Alekto is identified as one of these personifications of vengeance. The character has appeared in various classical tragedies and later works, where she is invoked as a symbol of divine justice and moral consequence.

In modern usage, Alekto (and its variants) occasionally appears in literature, film, and as a given name, often drawing on the Fury archetype to evoke themes of retribution, justice, or fearsome power.