Podarge
In Greek mythology, Podarge (Ancient Greek: Ποδάργη, lit. 'swift-foot') is a harpy, a personification of a swift wind and mate of Zephyrus, the West Wind. She is the mother of Balius and Xanthus — two divine horses renowned for their swiftness and who were gifted to Achilles, running as fast as the wind. In the Iliad, she is described by Homer as having taken horse form, and 'grazing in a meadow by the stream of Ocean'.[1][2][3][4]
Some classical authors also regard her as Zephyrus' wife. However as the rainbow goddess Iris is his other wife and sister of Podarge, there is confusion between the two.[citation needed]
Stesichorus says the divine horses Phlogeus and Harpagos are the offspring of Podarge.[5]
Her other names are Podarkes, Podarke-Aellopos and Podarces.[citation needed]
Sources
[edit]- Homer. Iliad xvi, 148.
- Hyginus. Fabulae Preface, Fabulae 14.
- Quintus Smyrnaeus. Fall of Troy 3 743.
- Stesichorus. Funeral Games of Pelias Fragment 178.
- Nonnus. Dionysiaca 37 155.
Notes
[edit]- ^ Mackie, C. J. (2008). Rivers of Fire. Washington: New Academia Publishing/ The Spring. p. 73. ISBN 978-0-9800814-2-8.
- ^ March, Jennifer R. (2014). Dictionary of classical mythology. Oxford Philadelphia: Oxbow Books. ISBN 978-1-78297-635-6.
- ^ Probert, Philomen (2016-05-07). "Zeus on the stud farm? Against a Homeric instance of attractio relativi". Mnemosyne. 69 (3): 377. doi:10.1163/1568525X-12341879. ISSN 0026-7074. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ "A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, Habinnas, Harma'tius, Harpyiae". Perseus Digital Library. Retrieved 2024-12-17.
- ^ RE, s.v. Podarge (1); Stesichorus, fr. 1 Campbell.
References
[edit]- Campbell, David A., Greek Lyric, Volume III: Stesichorus, Ibycus, Simonides, and Others, Loeb Classical Library No. 476, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press, 1991. ISBN 978-0674995253. Online version at Harvard University Press.