ANCIENT GREECE - HESIOD - THEOGONY

(Didactic Poem, Greek, c. 700 BCE, 1,022 lines)

Introduction | Synopsis | Analysis | Resources

Introduction

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The Theogony (Gr: Theogonia) of the ancient Greek poet Hesiod is a didactic or
instructional poem describing the origins of the cosmos and the complicated and
interconnected genealogies of the gods of the ancient Greeks, as well as some of the
stories around them. It was composed around 700 BCE, making it (along with The
Iliad and The Odyssey of Homer) one of the earliest extant works on Greek
mythology.
Synopsis

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(N.B. There are various alternative spellings for many of the names mentioned here. For
instance, c and k are generally interchangeable, as are us and os, e.g
Cronus/Kronos, Crius/Kreios, Cetus/Ceto/Keto, etc, and some are better known in their
Latinized form).
In the very beginning, Chaos, the nothingness out of which the first objects of existence
appeared, arose spontaneously. The parthenogenic children of Chaos were Gaia (the
Earth), Eros (Desire or sexual love), Tartarus (the Underworld), Erebus (Darkness) and
Nyx (Night).
Erebos and Nyx reproduced to make Aither (Brightness) and Hemera (Day), and from
Gaia came Ouranos (Sky), the Ourea (Mountains) and Pontus (Sea). Ouranos mated
with Gaia to create three sets of offspring: the twelve Titans (Oceanos, Coeus, Crius,
Hyperion, Iapetos, Theia, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoebe, Tethys and Kronos), a
race of powerful deities that ruled during the legendary Golden Age; the three Kyklopes
or Cyclops (Brontes, Steropes and Arges), a race of one-eyed giants; and the three
Hecatonchires (Kottos, Briareos and Gyges), hundred-handed giants of even greater
power and ferocity than the Titans.
Ouranos was so disgusted with the Hecatonchires that he pushed them back into Gaia's
womb, so Gaia begged the Titans to punish their father. Only Kronos, the youngest and
most ambitious Titan, was willing to do so, and he castrated his father with Gaias sickle.
Ouranos blood splattered onto the earth, producing the Erinyes (the vengeful Furies),
the Gigantes (Giants) and the Meliai (a race of tree nymphs). Kronos threw Ouranos
severed testicles into the sea, and Aphrodite (the goddess of Love) formed out of the
sea-foam which resulted.

Nyx produced many children, including Moros (Doom), Oneiroi (Dreams), Ker and the
Keres (Destinies), Eris (Discord), Momos (Blame), Philotes (Love), Geras (Old Age),
Thanatos (Death), the Moirai (Fates), Nemesis (Retribution), the Hesperides (Daughters
of Night), Hypnos (Sleep), Oizys (Hardship) and Apate (Deceit). Eris, in her turn,
produced Ponos (Pain), Hysmine (Battles), the Neikea (Quarrels), the Phonoi
(Murders), Lethe (Oblivion), Makhai (Fight), Pseudologos (Lies), Amphilogia (Disputes),
Limos (Famine), Androktasia (Manslaughters), Ate (Ruin), Dysnomia (Lawlessness), the
Algea (Illnesses), Horkos (Oaths) and Logoi (Stories).
After Ouranos's castration, Gaia married Pontus and they went on to produce a line of
sea deities, nymphs and monsters, including Nereus (the Old Man of the Sea, also
known as Proteus and Phorcys in his other aspects, from whom were descended the
Nereids, the fifty nymphs of the sea, the best-known being Thetis), Thaumas (who later
married the Oceanid Electra, and bore Iris, or Rainbow, and the two winged spirits, Aello
and Ocypetes, known as the Harpies), Eurybia and Cetus (a hideous sea monster).
Cetus and her sibling Phorcys had many children of their own, including the Graiae (the
three grey witches with one eye and one tooth shared among them), the three Gorgons
(the best known being the snake-haired Medusa, who would later give birth to the
winged-horse Pegasus), Echidna (a serpent-bodied monster who in turn produce many
other well-known monsters such as the Nemean Lion, the Chimera, the Hydra, the
Sphinx and Cerberus) and Ophion.
The Titans married between themselves and had Titan offspring of ther own: Oceanus
and Tethys bore the three-thousand Oceanid nymphs (including Electra, Calypso and
Styx) as well as all the rivers, fountains and lakes of the world; Theia and Hyperion had
Helios (Sun), Selene (Moon) and Eos (Dawn); Crius and Eurybia bore Astraios (father,
with Eos, of the wind gods, Zephyros, Boreas, Notos and Eurus, as well as all the
stars), Pallas (father, with the Oceanid Styx, of Zelos or Zeal, Nike or Victory, Cratos or
Strength and Bia or Force), and Perses; Coeus and Phoebe married to produce Leto
and Asteria (mother, with her cousin Perses of Hecate, the goddess of wilderness,
childbirth, witchcraft and magic); Iapetos married the Oceanid nymph Clymene and had
Atlas, Menoetius, Prometheus and Epimetheus.
Kronos, who had established himself as leader of the Titans, married his sister Rhea
but, mindful of the prophecy that one of his children would overthrow him, he made sure
to swallow each of the children she birthed: Hestia (goddess of the hearth and
domesticity), Demeter (goddess of the earth and fertility), Hera (goddess of women and
marriage), Hades (god of the Underworld), Poseidon (god of the sea) and Zeus (god of
the sky and thunder, and later to become the king of the gods) in that order. However,
with the help of Gaia and Ouranos, Rhea managed to trick Kronos into saving Zeus
from this fate, and then to further trick him into vomiting up his other five children.
Joining with Zeus, the other offspring of Rhea and Kronos (collectively known as the
Olympian gods, for their chosen home on Mount Olympus), along with the
Kyklopes, Prometheus and Epimetheus, then waged a great ten-year war on the Titans

and the Giants for control of the cosmos. Eventually Zeus released the Hecatonchires
from their imprisonment in Tartarus to shake the earth, allowing him to gain the upper
hand in the struggle and, casting the fury of his thunderbolts at the Titans, throw them
down into Tartarus.
In her anger at the defeat of the Titans, Gaia had a final son, fathered by Tartarus,
known as Typhoeus or Typhon. Typhoeus was one of the most grotesque and deadly
monsters of all time, reaching as high as the stars, his hands reaching east and west
with a hundred dragon heads on each, his bottom half composed of gigantic hissing
viper coils, and his whole body covered in wings and with fire flashing from his eyes. He
too was defeated by Zeus, however, who trapped him underneath Mount Etna.
Because Prometheus had helped Zeus in the battle against the Titans, he was not sent
to Tartarus like the others, but his subsequent attempts to trick Zeus and then his theft
of forbidden fire from the Olympian gods, led Zeus to punish him by chaining him to a
cliff where an eagle would perpetually feed on his liver, which would magically
regenerate each day. Also as a result of Prometheus theft of the secret of fire for man,
Zeus called on Athena and Hephaistos, the lame blacksmith to the gods, to create a
beautiful woman, Pandora, who opened a jar (referred to as "Pandora's box" in modern
accounts) releasing all the evils of mankind, leaving only Hope inside once she had
closed it again. Hesiod also suggested at this point that women in general were
henceforth to be considered a curse on men.
Zeus, now established as king of the Olympian gods, first married the Oceanid Metis,
but, in order to avoid a prophecy that any offspring of his union with Metis would be
greater than he, Zeus swallowed Metis herself to prevent her from giving birth. However,
Metis was already was pregnant with Athena at that time and she nurtured her inside
Zeus, until Athena burst forth from Zeus forehead, fully armed.
Zeus second wife was the Titan Themis, who bore the three Horae (the Hours,
goddesses controlling orderly life), Eunomia (Order), Dike (Justice), Eirene (Peace),
Tyche (Prosperity) and the three Moirae (the Fates, white-robed personifications of
destiny, namely Klotho the Spinner, Lachesis the Alotter and Atropos the Unturned, an
alternative version of their parentage to their creation by Nyx).
Zeus' third wife was the Oceanid Eurynome, who bore the three Charites or Graces,
goddesses of charm, beauty, nature, human creativity and fertility, namely Aglaea
(Beauty), Euphrosyne (Mirth) and Thalia (Good Cheer).
Zeus fourth wife was his own sister Demeter, who bore Persephone, who was later to
marry Hades and bear Melinoe (goddess of ghosts), Zagreus (god of the Orphic
mysteries) and Macaria (goddess of the blessed afterlife).
Zeus fifth wife was the Titan Mnemosyne, from whom came the nine Muses, Clio
(History), Euterpe (Music), Thalia (Comedy), Melpomene (Tragedy), Terpsichore

(Dance), Erato (Lyric Poetry), Polyhymnia (Choral Poetry), Urania (Astronomy) and
Calliope (Heroic Poetry).
Zeus sixth wife was the second generation Titan Leto, who gave birth to Apollo (the god
of music, poetry and oracles, who was born on the floating island of Delos after Hera
had banned Leto from giving birth on earth) and his twin sister Artemis (goddess of the
hunt, childbirth and fertility).
Zeus seventh and final wife was his sister Hera, who gave birth to Hebe (cupbearer of
the gods), Ares (god of war), Enyo (goddess of war), Hephaistos (the lame blacksmith
and craftsman of the gods) and Eileithyia (goddess of childbirth and midwifery).
Outside his marriages, however, Zeus also had many affairs with mortal women, such
as: Semele, who was the mother of Dionysus, god of wine and ecstacy; Danae, who
was the mother of the heroPerseus; Leda, who was the mother of Helen of
Troy, Clytemnestra and the twins Castor and Pollux; and Alkmene, who was the mother
of the hero Heracles.
Zeuss brother Poseidon married the Nereid Amphitrite and produced Triton, the
messenger of the deep. The hero Theseus, who was the son of Aethra, was considered
to have been jointly fathered by both Poseidon and by Aethras husband Aegeus, as
Aethra had lain with both on the night of his conception.
Aphrodite was given in marriage by Zeus to his own son, the lame and ugly Hephaistos,
in an attempt to prevent any jealousy and rivalry which might arise over her great
beauty. But she nevertheless had an affair with Ares and gave birth to Eros (Love),
Phobos (Fear), Deimos (Cowardice) and Harmonia (Harmony). Harmonia would later
marry Cadmus, the founder of Thebes, to sire Ino, Semele (the mother of Dionysus by
Zeus), Agaue, Polydorus and Autonoe.
Analysis

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The Theogony is essentially a large-scale synthesis of a vast variety of local Greek

traditions concerning the gods and the universe, organized as a narrative that tells
about the creation of the world out of Chaos and about the gods that shaped the
cosmos. To some extent, it represents the Greek mythology equivalent of the book of
Genesis in the Hebrew and Christian "Bible", as it lists the early generations and
genealogy of the gods, titans and heroes since the beginning of the universe.
Interestingly, Hesiod claims in the work that he (a poet, and not some mighty king) had
been given the authority and responsibility of disseminating these stories by the Muses
directly, thus putting himself almost in the position of a prophet.
In formal terms, the poem is presented as a hymn in 1,022 lines invoking Zeus and the
Muses, in the tradition of the hymnic preludes with which an ancient Greek rhapsode
would begin his performance at poetic competitions. The final written form of

the Theogony was probably not established until the 6th Century BCE, however, and
some editors have concluded that a few minor episodes, such as the Typhoeus episode
in verses 820-880, is an interpolation (a passage introduced later).
It should perhaps be seen not a definitive source of Greek mythology, but rather as a
snapshot of a dynamic tradition of myths as it stood at that particular time. Greek
mythology continued to change and adapt after this time, and some of the stories and
attributes of the various gods have likewise transformed over time.

Graeae Sisters - Greek Mythology

Greek mythology History

Graeae Sisters (The Gr), who acted as servants to their sisters the
Gorgons, were also three in number; their names were Pephredo, Enyo, and
Dino.
In their original conception they were merely personifications of kindly and
venerable old age, possessing all its benevolent attributes without its natural
infirmities. They were old and gray from their birth, and so they ever
remained. In later times, however, they came to be regarded as misshapen
females, decrepid, and hideously ugly, having only one eye, one tooth, and
one gray wig between them, which they lent to each other, when one of
them wished to appear before the world.
When Perseus entered upon his expedition to slay the Medusa, he repaired
to the abode of the Gr, in the far west, to inquire the way to the
Gorgons, and on their refusing to give any information, he deprived them of
their one eye, tooth, and wig, and did not restore them until he received the
necessary directions.

Graeae: Three Sisters Of Fate

Who Shared One Eye And Tooth In
Greek Mythology

MessageToEagle June 08, 2016 Myths & Legends 0 Comment

MessageToEagle.com The Graeae were three sisters of fate who shared one eye and
one tooth in Greek mythology. They were born as old women and their names were
Deino (dread), Enyo (horror) and Pemphredo (alarm).
The number three is of great symbolical meaning in many myths. The Graeae share
certain similarities with the three Norns, known as Shapers of Destiny in Norse
mythology. The Norns were goddesses who ruled the fates of people, determined the
destinies and lifespans of individuals.
One might also compare the Graeae with the three spinners of Destiny, the Moirai who
were also called the Fates in Greek mythology. The three Moirai determined the span of
human life of every mortal from birth to death. They were so powerful that no god had
the right or the means to alter their decisions.
Although, the Fates were the personifications of destiny, no human could blame the
fates, since there were times he was the only one responsible for his failures.

The Graeae were three sisters of fate who shared one eye and one tooth in Greek
mythology. Image credit: Doorway To Other Worlds

The subject of fate is also reflected in Baltic religion where we encounter Laima, the
Baltic goddess of fate who together with Dievs, the sky, and Saule, the sun, Laima
determines the length and fortune of human life.
The mythical story of the Graeae has changed over the course of time. In their original
conception they were merely personifications of kindly and venerable old age,
possessing all its benevolent attributes without its natural infirmities.
See also:
Mythical Danaides: Daughters Of Danaus Condemned In Hades To Eternal
Punishment
The Norns Shapers Of Destiny Who Recorded Days In Persons Life In Norse
Mythology
Empusa Shape-Shifting Evil Female Demon In Greek Myth And Folklore
Fascinating Myths And Legends From Across The World
They were old and gray from their birth, and so they ever remained. In later times,
however, they came to be regarded as misshapen females, decrepit, and hideously
ugly, having only one eye, one tooth, and one gray wig between them, which they lent
to each other, when one of them wished to appear before the world. So, at times poets
described them as beautiful.
In other legends they are described as being half-swan or old, ugly hags. Their age was
so great that a human childhood for them was hardly conceivable.
Born as the daughters of the Sea Gods, sea gods Phorcys and Ceto, and sisters of
the Gorgons,the Graeae were powerful creatures and they appear in the myth of
Perseus, the hero who killed Medusa, a monster, a Gorgon, generally described as a
winged human female with a hideous face and living venomous snakes in place of hair.
Gazers on her face would turn to stone.

Perseus Returning the Eye of the Graiai by Henry Fuseli

According to an ancient legend, Perseus was sent by the king to get Medusas head.
Perseus went to the three Graeae, that shared one eye between them, and through
stealing it he made them tell him where the nymphs of the north lived. They gave him
winged sandals, a magic bag that fit anything put in it and Hades cap which made him
invisible whenever he wore it. Hermes gave him an un-breakable sword, and Athena a
shield.

Perseus took the eye from the Graeae to kill Medusa.

With all this equipment, Perseus managed to kill Medusa by looking at her through the
reflection of the shield and escaped her sisters by wearing the cap. His winged sandals
flew him home. Later he offered Medusas head to Athena.
The Graeae are also called Grey Sisters, Graiai, and Graiae.

Graeae Sisters (The Gr), who acted as servants to their sisters the
Gorgons, were also three in number; their names were Pephredo, Enyo, and
Dino.
In their original conception they were merely personifications of kindly and
venerable old age, possessing all its benevolent attributes without its natural
infirmities. They were old and gray from their birth, and so they ever
remained. In later times, however, they came to be regarded as misshapen
females, decrepid, and hideously ugly, having only one eye, one tooth, and
one gray wig between them, which they lent to each other, when one of

them wished to appear before the world.

When Perseus entered upon his expedition to slay the Medusa, he
repaired to the abode of the Gr, in the far west, to inquire the
way to the Gorgons, and on their refusing to give any information,
he deprived them of their one eye, tooth, and wig, and did not
restore them until he received the necessary directions.

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Gray Sisters

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Gray Sisters

gender
Females
alias
The Gray Sisters
The Gray Witches
family
Keto (mother)
Phorcys (father)
Gorgons and Echidna (sisters)
hair
Red
species
Daimon
affiliation
Independent
status
Alive
appearances
The Sea of Monsters (film)

actor
Mary Birdsong
Yvette Nicole Brown
Missi Pyle

The Gray Sisters (also spelled Graeae, Graiae, Graiai, Graii) are a trio of old women who share among them
a single eye and a single tooth. They are known as Anger (Deino), Tempest(Persis or Perso),
and Wasp (Pemphredo). They are the operators of a "taxi firm" which services the Greater New York City and
its inhabitants. They are the daughters of Keto andPhorcys (or Phorkys), and are the sisters of
the Gorgons, Ladon, and Echidna.

Contents
[show]

History
The Gray Sisters encounter the demigod hero Perseus. At one point of his journey, Perseus travels to see the
Gray Sisters to find the location of Medusa. When he got there the sisters were absolutely horrified when he
asked for the information. Finally he got so annoyed with them that he whacked the sister with the eye ball and
yanked out the tooth. They begged for the tooth and eye back, but Perseus stood his ground. Moaning, they
told him the location of Medusa, as well as 3 items he needed to defeat her, the shield of Athena, the winged
sandals of Hermes, and the helm of Hades.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The Sea of Monsters

Their car in Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.

Annabeth Chase hails the Gray Sisters' service as Percy Jackson, Tyson, and she are running from the
authorities after Percy is blamed for "torching" the school gym at Meriwether Prep due to an attack
by Laistrygonian Giants. Annabeth took Percy and Tyson to the road and took out a Golden Drachmaand
tossed it into the road (it sank through) shouting: "Stthi, hrma diabols!" ("Stop, Chariot of Damnation!"
which summons the Chariot of Damnation. A few moments later, a taxi that looked as if it were made from
smoke appeared from the ground and the trio climbed into the taxi. The drivers of the taxi reveal themselves to
be the Gray Sisters and at first refuse to take Tyson (as they do not accept cyclopes), but Annabeth promises
extra pay on arrival.

After agreeing to take them, the sister known as Wasp hit the gas, which forced Percy's head to slam against
the headrest. As they rounded a corner, they quickly learn that Wasp, the driver, did not have the eye shared
between them as Tempest, the sister in the middle yells as they were about to hit something. Meanwhile, Anger
asked for the tooth so she could bite the drachma and make sure it was real, which leads Wasp to complain that
Tempest did it last time. The three argue over the eye as Annabeth explains that the three share an eye between
them, which greatly worries Percy as the cab drives up on curbs and through red lights.

The Gray Sisters driving Percy, Annabeth and Tyson to Florida.

The three sisters mention all the famous people they have had in their taxi, including the original Jason, but
Wasp points out that that was before they even had the taxi. The three once again start fighting over the tooth
and eye, but Annabeth tried to reassure Percy by calling them wise. The three agree they are wise and began to
say all the things they know, including every street in New York, the capital of Nepal, and the location Percy
was looking for (a location Percy did not even know he was looking for yet). Tempest's sisters were quick to
shut her up as Percy had not asked about any location and Percy kept asking what they meant. They refused, as
the last time they gave out information, their eye was tossed in a lake and it took them years to find it.
As the three continued to fight for the eye, Anger gets slapped on the back and the eye comes flying out and
rolls under a seat, allowing Percy to grab it. They told him to give it back while Tempest began to accelerate
out of control. Percy demands the information about the location, and the three sisters' give in. They tell him
30, 31, 75, 12, which Percy did not understand. However, he gave the eye to Wasp and they drop the three off
at Camp Half-Blood. Later at the campfire, Percy figures out that the numbers were longitude and latitude,
leading to theSea of Monsters.

Gray Sisters' Eye and Tooth

The three Gray Sisters' share one tooth and one eye between themselves. The two items normally lead to fights
between them over who gets it but they normally take turns. While the tooth can be used to bite down on gold
(most likely to test its' authenticity), the eye is prized as it is the only way they can see. (It is described as
darting around hungrily, as if it cannot get enough to see.) During the time when Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson
were in their cab, Tempest was the one driving, but Anger was the one with the eye. The eye is also their
greatest weakness, as it has been used against them to gain information as it passes between hands.

Film
The Sea of Monsters

The Grey Sisters' Licence

The Gray Sisters are portrayed by Missi Pyle, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Mary Birdsong. Annabeth whistles for
the Chariot of Damnation. The Sisters announce that they only take drachmas and exact change only. They
begin driving and the passengers in the back realize that none of them have eyes. Percy ends up getting hold of
the eye and tells the Gray Sisters to give him information about his prophecy but instead, they provide him
with the coordinates to Polyphemus's island in the Sea of Monsters. He gives them the eye in exchange for the
information. Then, Annabeth whispers to Percy that she does not think they have enough money to pay. The
Sisters stop the cab and throws them out calling them cheap. They reappear later in the film after Percy realizes
the longitude and latitude coordinates he got from them was accurate and they exclaim that he's figured it out.

Appearance
In Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes, the Grey sisters are described as old ladies wearing gray rags, with their hair
looking like dirty straw, with their faces withered and sagging "like melted masks." They also carry long
knives under their rags.
In The Sea of Monsters, Percy describes each one of them as having a mop of grizzled hair covering her eyes,
with bony hands, and a charcoal-colored sackcloth dress. Instead of eyes, they have closed, sunken eyelids,
with their single shared eye being bloodshot and green, while their single shared tooth is a mossy yellow
incisor. When one of them wears the eye in her socket, she stares at everything hungrily, as if her eye couldn't
get enough of anything it saw. Percy describes their voices as weird and mumbling, like each one of them had
just had a shot of Novocain.

Trivia

The Gray Sisters' eye has been used against them twice, once by Perseus and
then by Percy, who was named after Perseus.

The sisters claim they had transported the original Jason, but the Gray Sisters are
never mentioned in the tales of Jason.

In Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, The Gray Sisters' only share an eye; all three
of them have their own teeth.

While Tempest is the one driving the taxi, she constantly asked Wasp for the eye.

However, Anger was the one that actually had the eye, even though Wasp pointed
out when Tempest almost hit something, hinting that Rick Riordan may have made
an error.
This is likely not an error, due to the fact that if one has the eye, the other

two do not know who has the eye, which is why if the eye is snatched from
them then they beg for it back. Due to the chaos of the driving, it could be
possible that Tempest did not know that Wasp had the eye, even when Wasp
was shouting directions.

See also
Enyo

One of the Gray Sisters

Immortals Index
Previous Page

Enyo and her sister Pemphredo are called the Graiai ... the Gray Sisters ...
so named because they were gray from birth.
Enyo and Pemphredo are ancient goddesses ... they are the daughters of
Keto and Phorkys who were children of Pontos [Sea] and Gaia [Earth]. Other
notable children of Keto and Phorkys are Medusa, Sthenno and Euryale,
better known as the Gorgons.
There is some confusion as to the attributes and character of Enyo. The poet
Hesiod insists that she is rather lovely and fair-cheeked ... in his
poem Theogony, Enyo is said to be robed in saffron and her sister
Pemphredo is clad in beauty ... according to Hesiod they were not ugly or
hostile. However, when we encounter Enyo in the Iliad, she is leading the
Trojans into battle with Ares [god of war] ... her fierce warcraft is compared to
that of the Grim Goddess, Athene.
Seven hundred years after Homer and Hesiod gave their accounts of Enyo
and Pemphredo, Apollodorus of Athens portrayed the Graiai as not only gray
but old women from birth. There were now three sisters with the implication
that there were more but they were not named. The three sisters that were

named by Apollodorus were Deino, Enyo and Pemphredo ... they were
hideous with only one tooth and one eye between them.
The Graiai reluctantly played a crucial role in the murder of their sister,
Medusa. Without the forced assistance of the Graiai, Perseus would not have
been able to decapitate Medusa ... the fact that he was a son of Zeus also
played an important part in Perseus's success. Perseus presumably took the
eye and tooth of the Graiai as ransom until they revealed the location of the
Nymphs who could supply him with the Cap of Hades [to make him invisible],
a pair of winged sandals [for flying] and a kibisis [a bag to carry Medusa's
severed head] ... to complete his preparations, Perseus was given a sword [or
sickle] by the god Hermes for the actual decapitation of Medusa. It seems
rather odd that Enyo would betray Medusa in such a way but Perseus was a
son of Zeus and nothing can stand between Zeus and his desires.
In her warlike manifestation, Enyo is often confused with the Roman
goddess, Bellona.
Enyo in The Iliad

[from four different translations]

Richmond Lattimore
Iliad - book 5, line 333 - ... and he [Diomedes] swung the pitiless bronze
at the lady Kypros [Aphrodite], knowing her for a god without warcraft,
not of those who, goddesses, range in order the ranks of men in the
fighting, not Athene and not Enyo, sacker of cites.

Iliad - book 5, line 592 - ... and Ares led them [the Trojans] with the
goddess Enyo, she carrying with her the turmoil of shameless hatred
while Ares made play in his hands with the spear gigantic ...
Loeb Classical Library
Iliad - book 5, line 333 - But he [Diomedes] had gone in pursuit of Kypris
[Aphrodite] with his pitiless bronze, knowing that she was a weakling

goddess, and not one of those goddesses who lord it in the battle of
warriorsno Athene she, nor Enyo, sacker of cities.

Iliad - book 5, line 592 - ... and Ares led them [the Trojans], and queen
Enyo, bringing ruthless Din of War, while Ares wielded in his hands a
huge spear ...
Robert Fagles
Iliad - book 5, line 373 - ... Diomedes, knowing her [Aphrodite] for the
coward goddess she is, none of the mighty gods who marshal men to
battle, neither Athena nor Enyo raider of cities, not at all.

Iliad - book 5, line 681 - And Ares led them [the Trojans] in with the
deadly queen Enyo bringing Uproar on, the savage chaos of battlethe
god of combat wielding his giant shaft in hand ...
Robert Fitzgerald
Iliad - book 5, line 385 - ... Diomds moved ahead to attack the
Kyprian goddess [Aphrodite]. He knew her to be weak, not one of those
divine mistresses of the wars of menAthna, for example, or En,
raider of citiestherefore he dared assail her though a great ruck of
battle.

Iliad - book 5, line 675 - Beside him [Hektor] strong Trojan formations
moved ahead, impelled by Ars and by cold En who brings the
shameless butchery of war. Ars wielding a gigantic spear ...
Other Text References

Theogony
line 273 - And again, Keto bare to Phorkys the fair-cheeked Graiae,
sisters grey from their birth: and both deathless gods and men who walk

on earth call them Graiai, Pemphredo well-clad, and saffron-robed

Enyo, and the Gorgons who dwell beyond glorious Okeanos [Ocean] in
the frontier land towards Nyx [Night].
Description of Greece by Pausanias
book 1 [Attica], 8.4 - Near the statue of Demosthenes is a sanctuary of
Ares, where are placed two images of Aphrodite, one of Ares made by
Alkamenes, and one of Athene made by a Parian of the name of Lokros.
There is also an image of Enyo, made by the sons of Praxiteles. About
the temple stand images of Herakles, Theseus, Apollon binding his hair
with a fillet, and statues of Kalades [an unknown person], who it is said
framed laws [literally, tunes] for the Athenians, and of Pindar, the statue
being one of the rewards the Athenians gave him for praising them in an
ode.

book 4 [Messenia], 30.5 - He [Homer] said nothing further about this

goddess [Tyche] being the mightiest of gods in human affairs and
displaying greatest strength, as in the Iliad he represented Athene and
Enyo as supreme in war, and Artemis feared in childbirth, and Aphrodite
heeding the affairs of marriage [book 5, line 333 and 429; book 21, line
483 - Loeb, Lattimore, Green translations]. But he makes no other
mention of Tyche [Fortune].
The Library by Apollodorus of Athens
book 2.4.2 - Polydektes, brother of Diktys, was then king of Seriphos
and fell in love with Danae, but could not get access to her, because
Perseus was grown to man's estate. So he called together his friends,
including Perseus, under the pretext of collecting contributions towards
a wedding gift for Hippodamia, daughter of Oinomaos. Now Perseus
having declared that he would not stick even at the Gorgon's head,
Polydektes required the others to furnish horses, and not getting horses
from Perseus ordered him to bring the Gorgon's head. So under the
guidance of Hermes and Athene he made his way to the daughters of
Phorkys, to wit, Enyo, Pemphredo, and Deino; for Phorkys had them by
Keto, and they were sisters of the Gorgons, and old women from their
birth. The three had but one eye and one tooth, and these they passed
to each other in turn. Perseus got possession of the eye and the tooth,

and when they asked them back, he said he would give them up if they
would show him the way to the Nymphs. Now these Nymphs had
winged sandals and the kibisis, which they say was a wallet. They had
also the cap [of invisibility]. When the Phorkides [children of Phorkys]
had shown him the way, he gave them back the tooth and the eye, and
coming to the Nymphs got what he wanted. So he slung the wallet
[kibisis] about him, fitted the sandals to his ankles, and put the cap on
his head. Wearing it, he saw whom he pleased, but was not seen by
others. And having received also from Hermes an adamantine sickle he
flew to the ocean and caught the Gorgons asleep. They were Sthenno,
Euryale, and Medusa. Now Medusa alone was mortal; for that reason,
Perseus was sent to fetch her head. But the Gorgons had heads twined
about with the scales of dragons, and great tusks like swine's, and
brazen hands, and golden wings, by which they flew; and they turned to
stone such as beheld them. So Perseus stood over them as they slept,
and while Athene guided his hand and he looked with averted gaze on a
brazen shield, in which he beheld the image of the Gorgon, he
beheaded her. When her head was cut off, there sprang from the
Gorgon the winged horse Pegasus and Chrysaor, the father of Geryon;
these she had by Poseidon.

Who were the Graeae ( the Grey Sisters )?

Perseus returning the eye (Henry Fuseli 1742 - 1825)

In Greek mythology, these three old women were the daughters of Phorcys
(Phorkys), who was the sea god of the hidden dangers of the deep, and Ceto
(Keto), goddess of dangerous sea creatures and monsters. They were believed
to have been born old, and shared between them just one eye and one tooth,
which they passed between themselves.
Although usually shown as grey old women, some poets have described them as
beautiful and, in other legends, they are depicted as half swan. They were
believed to personify the white foam of the sea. However, their names make
them sound more like monsters: Deino the terrible, Enyo the shocking, and
sometimes Persis the destroyer or Pemphredo alarm.
Their parents had also given birth to a number of dangerous sea monsters and,
of course, the 3 Gorgons. The Graeae held the secret of the whereabouts of the
nymphs who kept the objects which could enable Medusa to be killed.

Graeae

See More Graeae Pictures >

The Graeae were three sisters in Greek mythology, who shared one eye and one tooth
among them. Their names were Deino (dread), Enyo (horror) and Pemphredo (alarm). They
were the daughters of the sea gods Phorcys and Ceto, and sisters of theGorgons. They
took turns using their eye and their tooth.

They appeared in the myth of Perseus, who was trying to find out where three magical
objects were located, in order to kill Medusa. He went to the Graeae's cave, and stole their
eye. He then told them he would return it if they told him where the three objects were.

Graeae Is also called Grey Sisters, Graiai, Graiae.

See Also: Phorcys, Ceto, Gorgons, Perseus, Medusa

Pemphredo
One of the Graiae [the Gray Sisters]; a daughter of Keto (Ceto) and Phorkys
(Phorcys); she and her sister, Enyo, were gray from birth; they shared one
tooth and one eye between them.

The sisters played a crucial role in the story of Perseus when he was on his
quest to kill and behead the Gorgon, Medusa;Athene (Athena)
and Hermes advised Perseus to consult the Graiae in order to find out the
location of the Nymphs who could supply him with the Cap of Hades [to make
him invisible], winged sandals [to allow him to fly] and a bag called a kibisis [to
carry Medusa's severed head]; Perseus stole the tooth and eye of the Graiae
and refused to give it back until they assisted him.
The Graiae are the sisters of the Gorgons and the Hesperides; later
descriptions of the Graiae include Deino as one of the sisters.

***The Fates, Gray Sisters,

Enforcers, & Horae***
The Fates
The Fates, also called the Moirai or theParcae, determined when life
begins, when it ends, and what happens in between. They were made
up of three women:

Clotho, who appeared as a maiden and spun the thread of

life. Her name meantThe Spinner

Lachesis, who appeared as a matron and measured the

thread of life. She was the Caster of lots

Atropos, who cut the thread of life, and appeared as a

crone. Her name meant, Unbending Though the smallest of the
three, she is the most terrible.

They were the daughters of Erebus (Darkness) and Nyx(or of Zeus

and Themis). Some say that Zeus could intervene in their decisions
and that they could be manipulated, but in most myths they were
eternal and more powerful than any of the Gods. Another story says
they are the parthenogenic daughters of Ananke. In Delphi, they only

worshipped Clotho and Atropos.

The Graiai
The Graiai, or the the three Gray Sisters, were beautiful. They were
described as "fair-faced and swan-like" but they's had gray hair from
the day they were born and they shared one eye and one tooth, but
they lost even that when Perseus stole their eye and later threw it in a
lake. Despite being so easily taken advantage of, they were very wise.
Their names were:

Deino or Dread (or Terrible)

Enyo or Horror (or War-like)

Pemphredo or Alarm (or Wasp)

They were probably goddesses worshipped by the swan cults (swans were
not just a symbol of beauty, but also of cunning and other darker meanings).

[270] And again, Ceto bore to Phorcys the fair-cheeked Graiae, sisters grey
from their birth: and both deathless gods and men who walk on earth call
them Graiae, Pemphredo well-clad, and saffron-robed Enyo, and the Gorgons
who dwell beyond glorious Ocean [275] in the frontier land towards Night
where are the clear-voiced Hesperides, Sthenno, and Euryale, and Medusa
who suffered a woeful fate: she was mortal, but the two were undying and
grew not old. With her lay the Dark-haired One1in a soft meadow amid spring
flowers. [280] And when Perseus cut off her head, there sprang forth great
Chrysaor and the horse Pegasus who is so called because he was born near the
springs2of Ocean; and that other, because he held a golden blade 3in his hands.
Now Pegasus flew away and left the earth, the mother of flocks, [285] and
came to the deathless gods: and he dwells in the house of Zeus and brings to
wise Zeus the thunder and lightning. But Chrysaor was joined in love to
Callirrhoe, the daughter of glorious Ocean, and begot three-headed Geryones.
Him mighty Heracles slew [290] in sea-girt Erythea by his shambling oxen on
that day when he drove the wide-browed oxen to holy Tiryns, and had crossed
the ford of Ocean and killed Orthus and Eurytion the herdsman in the dim
stead out beyond glorious Ocean. [300] And in a hollow cave she bore another
monster, irresistible, in no wise like either to mortal men or to the undying
gods, even the goddess fierce Echidna who is half a nymph with glancing eyes
and fair cheeks, and half again a huge snake, great and awful, with speckled
skin, eating raw flesh beneath the secret parts of the holy earth. And there she

has a cave deep down under a hollow rock far from the deathless gods and
mortal men. There, then, did the gods appoint her a glorious house to dwell in:
and she keeps guard in Arima beneath the earth, grim Echidna, [305] a nymph
who dies not nor grows old all her days.
Pemphredo, Sister of Gray

Name: Pemphredo
Title: Sister of Gray
Pantheon: Greek
Type: Ranged, Magical
Role: Mage (Assassin)
What would this god bring to SMITE?
Pemphredo would essentially be another mage assassin. She has a few short time disruption abilities
and would have to fully commit to fight if she engages. However, through the use of her ultimate, she
would be slightly harder to kill should she decide to commit. Out of my 3 god concepts, I feel her kit
would need the most tweaking.

Lore:
Pemphredo is one of the sisters of gray, known as the Graeae. The sisters are said to be the goddesses
of old age and are well known for having only one eye. The eye holds great power and is the source for
all sight for the sisters.
In legend, Perseus sieges the eye from the Graeae and in order to get it back, forces them to give up
the location of Medusa. The sisters are belittled amongst the gods and now wish to enter the
battlefield. They will show no mercy to those who try to snatch their eye away from them again.

Appearance: An older woman, hovering, who is holding an eye. Each sister would be wearing some
type of cloak.

Base Stats
Health: 365(+75)
Mana: 300(+30)
Speed: 380
HP5: 9 (+0.55)
MP5: 6 (+0.3)
ATK: 1.00 (+0.9)
Protections:
Magical: 25 (+0.25)
Physical: 18 (+2.60)

Now, on to her abilities.

Passive: All-Seeing Eye
Pemphredo is all-knowing and her old age has brought her wisdom. Ever watchful over the gods,
Pemphredo and her allies gain vision of all enemy gods every minute for 1s.
OR
Pemphredo is all-knowing and her old age has brought her wisdom. Ever watchful over the gods,
Pemphredo has access to free sentry wards while in her fountain.
Ability 1: Evil Eye
Pemphredo unleashes a dread gaze from the eye. Enemies caught in the narrow gaze are stunned. If
the enemy is facing Pemphredo, they take increased damage. If under the effect of Soul Sisters, the
ability will not stun and will receive no bonus damage for a frontal attack.
Ability: Line
Cost: 70
Damage: 60/70/85/90/100 (x2 if facing Pemphredo) (+50% of your magical power)
Stun Duration: 0.5/0.5/0.75/0.75/1
Cooldown: 10s
Soul Sisters Cooldown: 2s

Ability 2: Eye of the Beholder

The eye surges with energy, drawing all foes in within a short cone. After the draw-in, a large energy
blast will be fired from the eye in a large line attack. Due to the intense power of the blast,
Pemphredo will be unable to use abilities for a set duration after this ability is used. If under the effect
of Soul Sisters, the self-silence will not occur but will deal less damage.
Ability: Cone/Line
Cost: 80/80/80/90/95
Damage: 90/110/130/170/200 (+90% of your magical power)
Draw In Duration: 0.5s
Silence: 1s
Cooldown: 12s
Soul Sisters Damage: 70/80/100/130/150 (+40% of your magical power)
Soul Sisters Cooldown: 3s

Ability 3: Eyes on Me
Pemphredo throws the eye forward. If it hits an enemy, they are knocked back and will briefly be made
face the eye. Enemies facing the eye can still move, but cannot look away from the dread gaze. In
addition, as soon as the eye hits the ground, Pemphredo will lose form, gaining temporary
invulnerability while she quickly travels to the location of her eye.

Ability: Ground Target

Cost: 80
Damage: 70/80/90/100/110 (+30% of your magical power)
Range: 15
Eye Glare Duration: 0.6/0.7/0.8/0.9/1s
Cooldown: 12s
Soul Sisters Damage: 20/30/40/50/60 (+70% of your magical power)
Soul Sisters Cooldown: 5s

Ability 4: Soul Sisters

Pemphredo calls upon the help of the Graeae sisters, Deino and Enyo. Basic attacks will originate from
all sisters, dealing increased damage to the opponent. Abilities will only originate from the sister who
holds the eye. The cooldown for abilities will be reduced while under the effect of Soul Sisters.
However, the shorter cooldown will not be decreased further by cooldown reduction. Each time an
ability is used under the effect of Soul Sisters, the eye is passed to another sister.
Only the sister who holds the eye will receive full damage. If Deino is killed, Pemphredo's movement
speed will be increased. If Enyo is killed, Pemphredo's magical power will be increased. If both sisters
are killed, Pemphredo will fall into agony, stunning herself for a set duration.
Ability: Summon
Duration: 8/9/10/11/12
Cost: 100
Basic Attack Damage Increase: 30%
Damage Reduction: 50/55/60/65/70%
Enyo Health: 200/300/400/500/600
Deino Health: 350/420/500/600/700
Movement Speed Buff (Deino Defeat): 50% for 5s
Magical Power Buff (Enyo Defeat): 20/25/30/40/50% for 5s
Self Stun Duration: 4s
Cooldown: 100/100/90/85/80s

God Concept
Pemphredo would be a god meant to play as a magical assassin. With the help of "Eyes on Me" and "Evil
Eye" she could disrupt a team fight at range. However, to deal significant damage, she must get closer
to the opponent and utilize "Eye of the Beholder". Through her ultimate, she would become harder to
kill and be able to use her abilities faster. I would typically imagine Pemphredo going all in by initiating
with an Eyes On Me / Evil Eye combo and relying on Soul Sisters to retreat to safety / or finish off her
opponent.
Edit: Ability descriptions were simplified and all 3 were toned down. Soul Sisters was especially toned
down, by reducing the health of the sisters and allowing them to be damaged even if not holding the
eye (albeit at a reduced rate). This would allow Pemphredo to be outright killed in her ultimate, which
would have been incredibly hard to do before.

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Gray Sisters

gender
Females
alias
The Gray Sisters
The Gray Witches
family
Keto (mother)
Phorcys (father)
Gorgons and Echidna (sisters)
hair
Red
species
Daimon
affiliation
Independent
status
Alive
appearances
The Sea of Monsters (film)
actor
Mary Birdsong
Yvette Nicole Brown
Missi Pyle

The Gray Sisters (also spelled Graeae, Graiae, Graiai, Graii) are a trio of old women who share among them

a single eye and a single tooth. They are known as Anger (Deino), Tempest(Persis or Perso),
and Wasp (Pemphredo). They are the operators of a "taxi firm" which services the Greater New York City and
its inhabitants. They are the daughters of Keto andPhorcys (or Phorkys), and are the sisters of
the Gorgons, Ladon, and Echidna.

Contents
[show]

History
The Gray Sisters encounter the demigod hero Perseus. At one point of his journey, Perseus travels to see the
Gray Sisters to find the location of Medusa. When he got there the sisters were absolutely horrified when he
asked for the information. Finally he got so annoyed with them that he whacked the sister with the eye ball and
yanked out the tooth. They begged for the tooth and eye back, but Perseus stood his ground. Moaning, they
told him the location of Medusa, as well as 3 items he needed to defeat her, the shield of Athena, the winged
sandals of Hermes, and the helm of Hades.
ADVERTISEMENT

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The Sea of Monsters

Their car in Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.

Annabeth Chase hails the Gray Sisters' service as Percy Jackson, Tyson, and she are running from the
authorities after Percy is blamed for "torching" the school gym at Meriwether Prep due to an attack
by Laistrygonian Giants. Annabeth took Percy and Tyson to the road and took out a Golden Drachmaand
tossed it into the road (it sank through) shouting: "Stthi, hrma diabols!" ("Stop, Chariot of Damnation!"
which summons the Chariot of Damnation. A few moments later, a taxi that looked as if it were made from
smoke appeared from the ground and the trio climbed into the taxi. The drivers of the taxi reveal themselves to
be the Gray Sisters and at first refuse to take Tyson (as they do not accept cyclopes), but Annabeth promises
extra pay on arrival.
After agreeing to take them, the sister known as Wasp hit the gas, which forced Percy's head to slam against
the headrest. As they rounded a corner, they quickly learn that Wasp, the driver, did not have the eye shared
between them as Tempest, the sister in the middle yells as they were about to hit something. Meanwhile, Anger

asked for the tooth so she could bite the drachma and make sure it was real, which leads Wasp to complain that
Tempest did it last time. The three argue over the eye as Annabeth explains that the three share an eye between
them, which greatly worries Percy as the cab drives up on curbs and through red lights.

The Gray Sisters driving Percy, Annabeth and Tyson to Florida.

The three sisters mention all the famous people they have had in their taxi, including the original Jason, but
Wasp points out that that was before they even had the taxi. The three once again start fighting over the tooth
and eye, but Annabeth tried to reassure Percy by calling them wise. The three agree they are wise and began to
say all the things they know, including every street in New York, the capital of Nepal, and the location Percy
was looking for (a location Percy did not even know he was looking for yet). Tempest's sisters were quick to
shut her up as Percy had not asked about any location and Percy kept asking what they meant. They refused, as
the last time they gave out information, their eye was tossed in a lake and it took them years to find it.
As the three continued to fight for the eye, Anger gets slapped on the back and the eye comes flying out and
rolls under a seat, allowing Percy to grab it. They told him to give it back while Tempest began to accelerate
out of control. Percy demands the information about the location, and the three sisters' give in. They tell him
30, 31, 75, 12, which Percy did not understand. However, he gave the eye to Wasp and they drop the three off
at Camp Half-Blood. Later at the campfire, Percy figures out that the numbers were longitude and latitude,
leading to theSea of Monsters.

Gray Sisters' Eye and Tooth

The three Gray Sisters' share one tooth and one eye between themselves. The two items normally lead to fights
between them over who gets it but they normally take turns. While the tooth can be used to bite down on gold
(most likely to test its' authenticity), the eye is prized as it is the only way they can see. (It is described as
darting around hungrily, as if it cannot get enough to see.) During the time when Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson
were in their cab, Tempest was the one driving, but Anger was the one with the eye. The eye is also their
greatest weakness, as it has been used against them to gain information as it passes between hands.

Film
The Sea of Monsters

The Grey Sisters' Licence

The Gray Sisters are portrayed by Missi Pyle, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Mary Birdsong. Annabeth whistles for
the Chariot of Damnation. The Sisters announce that they only take drachmas and exact change only. They
begin driving and the passengers in the back realize that none of them have eyes. Percy ends up getting hold of
the eye and tells the Gray Sisters to give him information about his prophecy but instead, they provide him
with the coordinates to Polyphemus's island in the Sea of Monsters. He gives them the eye in exchange for the
information. Then, Annabeth whispers to Percy that she does not think they have enough money to pay. The
Sisters stop the cab and throws them out calling them cheap. They reappear later in the film after Percy realizes
the longitude and latitude coordinates he got from them was accurate and they exclaim that he's figured it out.

Appearance
In Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes, the Grey sisters are described as old ladies wearing gray rags, with their hair
looking like dirty straw, with their faces withered and sagging "like melted masks." They also carry long
knives under their rags.
In The Sea of Monsters, Percy describes each one of them as having a mop of grizzled hair covering her eyes,
with bony hands, and a charcoal-colored sackcloth dress. Instead of eyes, they have closed, sunken eyelids,
with their single shared eye being bloodshot and green, while their single shared tooth is a mossy yellow
incisor. When one of them wears the eye in her socket, she stares at everything hungrily, as if her eye couldn't
get enough of anything it saw. Percy describes their voices as weird and mumbling, like each one of them had
just had a shot of Novocain.

Trivia

The Gray Sisters' eye has been used against them twice, once by Perseus and
then by Percy, who was named after Perseus.

The sisters claim they had transported the original Jason, but the Gray Sisters are
never mentioned in the tales of Jason.

In Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, The Gray Sisters' only share an eye; all three
of them have their own teeth.

While Tempest is the one driving the taxi, she constantly asked Wasp for the eye.
However, Anger was the one that actually had the eye, even though Wasp pointed
out when Tempest almost hit something, hinting that Rick Riordan may have made
an error.
This is likely not an error, due to the fact that if one has the eye, the other

two do not know who has the eye, which is why if the eye is snatched from
them then they beg for it back. Due to the chaos of the driving, it could be
possible that Tempest did not know that Wasp had the eye, even when Wasp
was shouting directions.

See also

Gray Sisters' Taxi

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The Graeae Sisters Immortal Monday

The other night I had the distinct pleasure of turning on my television and seeing this

image via Camp Half-Blood Wiki

The Gray Sisters driving a taxicab.
Hollywoods interpretation of the ancient myth, the Graeae, tossed into modern-day, while at the
same time, keeping them tied to their Greek heritage. Have you see the latest Percy

Jackson movie?

If

so,

then

you

know

what

Im

talking

about.

There are flaws with their depiction, to say the least, but its a movie, meant to be enjoyed, and Im
not here to criticize.
The Graeae Sisters of mythology, the version we usually consider, were reported as hating men and
wanting nothing to do with them. You know the type, crotchety old hags. This particular trinity was
born the part, with long gray hair and sharing one eye and one tooth between them. They are often
depicted

as

old

crones.

When we hear Graeae we think gray

Yep. Thats more like it. Or even cartoon gray.

Now thats fun. Its that shared eye, you see there, that ended up being their weakness and
allowed Perseus to get the upper hand when dealing with them. For only they could tell Perseus
where to find the last objects he needed in his quest to finish Medusa. Object sent to him by the
gods (Well touch on that in the weeks to come). But for todays post, lets just say, he needed
leverage

to

make

them

chatty.

Their status as daughters of the great sea deities Phorcys and Ceto, sisters to Ladonthe Drakon
Hesperios, and to the Gorgons (well discuss them next week), placed the Graeae among
the Phorcydesthe children of Phorcys and Ceto. The listing of these children appears to be fairly
consistent

across

multiple

sources.

All Phorcysare

either

earth

or

sea

based.

I feel like making an elemental crack here, but Ill refrain.

Originally recorded as two sisters (NOT three): Pemphredo (meaning alarm), andEnyo (meaning
horror or waster of cities), Apollodorus added the thirdDeino(meaning dread). The Latin
author, Hyginus, would later add a fourth sister to the mix and name her Persis (meaning
(destroyer, slayer).
It is said that the sisters are actually a personification of the sea their coloring in dress and hair
representing the white foam seen on the waves.

Weve talked about other trios in the past. The Moirai, Spinners of Destiny, was an interesting post.
Another that we have yet to touch is the Norms of Norse mythology. Do you have a favorite trinity
youd like to share? Maybe a favorite characterization of the Graeae?
.

* This is the first of several Immortal Monday posts surrounding the life of Perseus.
*`*. .*`*

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The Graeae were old women with one eye and one tooth,
responsible for the guard of the Gorgons

Family of the Graeae

The Appearance of the Graeae

The Residence of the Graeae

Family of the Graeae

The Graeae were the daughters of Phorcys, the god of danger, and the sea goddess Ceto. They
were the sisters of the Gorgons.

The Graeae were probably three monstrous sisters with the names Enyo ("the shocking"),
Pemphredo ("the horryfying") and Deino ("the dreadful"). They became famous as the guards of
the Gorgons, and Medusa in particular.

The Appearance of the Graeae

The Graeae had grey hair and the form of old women since their birth. The possessed a total of
one eye and one tooth, which they shared among each other. Enyo used to wear beautiful veils,
whereas Pemphredo was wearing deep yellow veils. Deino was the most frightful one.

The Residence of the Graeae

The Graeae were living close to Hades, the god of the underworld, and probably therefore they
had never seen the light of the sun and the moon.

Graeae
Save

In Greek mythology theGraeae (; English translation: "old women", "grey ones", or "grey witches";
alternatively spelled Graiai () andGraiae), also called the Grey Sisters, and
thePhorcides ("daughters of Phorcys"),[1] were three sisters who shared one eye and one tooth
among them. Their names were Deino(or Dino), Enyo, and Pemphredo (or Pephredo).
Etymology
The word Graeae is probably derived from the adjective graia "old woman", derived from
the PIE root *erh-/*reh-, "to grow old" via Proto-Greek *gera-/grau-iu.[2]
Mythology

The Graeae were daughters of the sea-deities Phorcys and Ceto, (from which their name the
Phorcydes derived), and sisters to the Gorgons.[3] The Graeae took the form of old grey-haired
women; though, at times poets euphemistically described them as "beautiful." In other legends they
are described as being half-swan. Their age was so great that a human childhood for them was
hardly conceivable.
Hesiod names only two Graeae, the "well-clad" Pemphredo ( "alarm") and the "saffronrobed" Enyo ( "horror" the "waster of cities" who also had an identity separate from this
sisterhood);[4] Pseudo-Apollodorus added Deino ( "dread", the dreadful anticipation of horror)
as a third.[5] Calling them Phorcides,Hyginus, in addition to Pemphredo and Enyo, adds Persis noting
that "for this last others say Dino".[6]
They shared one eye and one tooth, which they took turns using. By stealing their eye while they
were passing it amongst themselves, the hero Perseus forced them to tell the whereabouts of the
three objects needed to kill Medusa (in other versions the whereabouts of Medusa herself), by
ransoming their shared eye for the information.[3] One might compare the Graeae with the three
spinners ofDestiny, (the Moirai); the northern European Norns; or the Baltic goddess Laimaand her
two sisters; though all are distinct trios.
Best Answer: The Graeae (English translation: "old women", "gray ones", or "gray witches", alternatively
spelled Graiai, Graiae, Graii), were three sisters, one of several trinities of archaic goddesses in Greek
mythology. The Graeae were daughters of Phorcys, one aspect of the "old man of the sea," and Ceto, and
thus were among the Phorcydes, all of which were archaic beings either of the sea or chthonic deities.
The Graeae took the form of three grey-haired old women, though poets might give them the euphemistic
designation "beautiful." Their age was so great that a childhood for them was hardly conceivable. Hesiod
reports their names as Deino ("dread", the dreadful anticipation of horror), Enyo ("horror" the "waster of
cities" who had an identity separate from this sisterhood) and Pemphredo ("alarm") (Theogony, 270-274;
also Apollodorus, ii.4.2; sometimes spelled Porphredo or Demphredo). Hyginus adds a fourth, Persis or
Perso.
Like another set of crones at the oldest levels of both Germanic and Norse mythology, they had but one
eye and one tooth among them. These were shared and the sisters took turns in using them. By stealing
their eye while they were passing it between them, the hero Perseus forced them to tell the whereabouts
of their sisters, the Gorgons, ransoming the seeing eye for the information. The Graeae can be compared
with the three spinners of Destiny (the Moirae), the northern European Norns, or the Baltic goddess
Laima and her two sisters. In the movie Clash of the Titans, the Graeae were called the Stygian Witches.