| Harpy | |
|---|---|
| |
| Appeared in | Series 1 2006 Series The Video Game |
| Number | 21 |
| Point Value | 15 |
Harpy is monster #21 from the Series 1 figures, and was one of the monsters redesigned for the 2006 relaunch series.
Legend of Harpy
Edit
The Harpies were mainly winged death-spirits, best known for constantly stealing all food from Phineas. They were sisters of Iris, daughters of Typhon and Echidna.
Phineas, a king of Thrace, had the gift of prophesy. Zeus, angry that Phineas revealed too much, punished him by putting him on an island with a buffet of food which he could never eat. The Harpies always arrived and stole the food out of his hands right before he could satisfy his hunger, and befouled the remains. This continued until the arrival of Jason and the Argonauts. The Boreads, sons of Boreas, the North Wind, who also could fly, succeeded in driving the Harpies and killing one of them, as a request from Iris, who promised that Phineas would not be bothered by the Harpies again, and "the dogs of great Zeus" returned to their "cave in Minoan Crete". Thankful for their help, Phineas told the Argonauts how to pass the Symplegades.
In this form they were agents of punishment who abducted people and tortured them on their way to Tartarus. They were vicious, cruel and violent. They lived on Strophades. They were usually seen as the personifications of the destructive nature of wind. The Harpies in this tradition, now thought of as three sisters instead of the original two, were: Aello ("storm swift"), Celaeno ("the dark") — also known as Podarge ("fleet-foot") — and Ocypete ("the swift wing").
Aeneas encountered Harpies on the Strophades as they repeatedly made off with the feast the Trojans were setting. Celaeno cursed them, saying the Trojans will be so hungry they will eat their tables before they reach the end of their journey. The Trojans fled in fear.
The word Harpy is derived from the Greek for 'swift robber' or 'snatcher.'
Series 1 figureEdit
Harpy is a fifteen point monster that comes in purple and olive in the original colors, and all four of the neon colors. She is depicted as a woman with a bird-like nose, a snake body, and wings.
Trading card textEdit
Species: Humanoid Bird
Born: 4000 Years ago in Greece
Size: 8 Foot Wing Span
Habitat: An isolated island in the Mediterranean Sea
Possibly the most repulsive creature ever, the Harpy is a winged monster with the head of a young woman, and the body, wings and feet of a bird of prey. It has no regard for personal hygiene and an appetite that won't quit. The Harpy will strike at dinnertime, stealing all of the food before anyone else can eat. Its disgusting table manners include burping, chewing with an open mouth, not asking to be excused and then flying away with a hideous scream as it throws up on everyone! The Harpy will sometimes attack and eat humans - usually criminals and dead people. This beast dislikes the sounds of brass instruments (such as tubas) and can be repelled by the playing of band music just before dinnertime.
Trading card frontEdit
Konami video gameEdit
- A triple threat with sharp talons.
Harpy appears as an enemy monster in the Monster in My Pocket video game, in the construction area. The harpies fly down in groups of three and attacks the player, but are easily destroyed.
The harpy appears twice in Stage 4, appearing with a green colour in the chain-link ascent, and changing to a green-brown colour on the elevator.
2006 remakeEdit
Harpy was one of the monsters remade for the 2006 remakes. She is depicted as much more bird-like, having an entire bird body with the upper torso of a woman, with long red hair. Harpy is monster #20 of the new series, and part of the group The Winged. The website and collectable game card (#020/230) gives Harpy a total points value of 157, and gives the following description:
"The Harpy is a shrieking horror with the head of a human female and the body, claws, and wings of a giant bird of prey. With a foul smell and an awful scream, Harpies usually attack in threes... they swoop down, steal food, and fly away. Then, from above, they vomit all over their helpless victims."
