Greek Mythology in Contemporary Form: Graeae

The Graeae were a group of female monsters who shared an eye and a tooth and were the offspring of Ceto and Phorcys. The Graeae sisters included Deino, Enyo and Persis.

They took the form of old, grey-haired women and were the goddesses of old age. Since they were still classified as monsters, they were given no power or regard by the other gods.

DEINO (the terrible): Deino was the manifestation of dread, and the dreadful anticipation of horror.

ENYO (the war-like): Enyo was the manifestation of horror, and the 'waster of cities'. She had an identity separate from her sisterhood, but is not to be confused with the goddess of war - Enyo.

PERSIS (the destroyer): Pemphredo was the manifestation of alarm, or shoc.

Perseus stole the eye and tooth, and compelled the sisters to reveal the hidden location of their sister, Gorgones.

The Graeae sisters were usually depicted as old crones. However, they were known to appear as Seiren-shaped monsters with the head and arms of women and the bodies of swans.

Paintings:

TITLE: Perseus and the Graiae
ARTIST: Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones
YEAR: 1892
Oil on canvas

TITLE: Stygian Witches
ARTIST: Brian LeBlanc
Comic art

TITLE: The Graeae
ARTIST: C. Parada

Books:

TITLE: Sins of the Sisters
AUTHOR: Faith A. Keahey

Film / Television Series:

Documentary - 'The 3 hags: The Graeae Sisters'

2013

Film - 'Clash of the Titans'

2010

Photography:

The Graeae sisters were known for sharing an eye and tooth. The evil eye is a malevolent look that many cultures believe is able to cause injury or misfortune for the person at whom it is directed for reasons of envy or dislike. Talismans were created in order to help protect a person from bad luck - These are often called Evil Eyes. The evil eye dates back to Classical antiquity.