OkypeteOcypete

One of the Harpies; she and her sister Aello are the daughters of Thaumas and Elektra (Electra).

The poet, Hesiod refers to them as “Harpies of the lovely hair, winged women soaring aloft like birds”; they are the sisters of the rainbow goddess, Iris, and not described as the filthy monsters that we have come to imagine.

Their primary role in Greek mythology was when the Argonauts found the blind seer, Phineus, on the island of Thynias being tormented by the Harpies; Phineus had been blinded by Zeus and, as a double punishment, Helios (the Sun) had the Harpies steal his food; the winged sons of Boreas (North Wind), Kalais (Calais) and Zetes chased away the Harpies and freed Phineus from his curse but Zeus would not allow the brothers to harm the Harpies; her name means Swift-Flying.

• Theogony, line 267
• Argonautika, book 2, lines 188, 252, 264, 276, 289, 298, 432 and 461