Old: the dark sisters

The Scriptures in Greek Mythology

The Grey Sisters of Greek Mythology

TheGraeaeis a trinity of sisters in Greek mythology and are one of the most famous mythical triplets, next to figures such asGorgons, appearing in the accounts of Ancient Greece. The reputation of the Elders, however, is mainly due to their participation in the adventures of the legendary heroPerseus.

The Graies

The Graies were daughters of marine deitiesForkyusandCetus, which made them sisters and other sea-related forms, such asGorgons, -SkyllaandI was upset.. Often referred to asForksThat's Forkyus' daughters.

Usually there is talk ofthree Elders, number indicated inLibraryOf (Lose-) Apollodorus. However, it should be noted thatHesiod (Theogony) andOvid (Transformations) talk only abouttwoOld.

When referred to as three, their names are usually:

• Dinho(«Awesome.»),

• Enyo(«combat»),

• Pemprey(«The one who guides the road»).

In some traditions, Dino is replaced by another Old by namePercy, meaning «Destroyer».

The Greys

In most descriptions, the Elders are presented asthree old women, and indeed their collective name is usually translated as «The grey ones». It was said that they were already born grey, but their most characteristic natural feature was thatThey shared a single eye and a single tooth, which passed to each other.

-Aeschylus, however, it does not just describe them as old women, but states that the Elders hadbodies of beautiful swans.

The Old – Secret Guards

The Elders are likely considered his personificationswhite sea foam. After all, Forkyos' children were generally personifications of the dangers of the sea; the Mermaids, for example, symbolized the underwater reefs.

Above all, however, in Greek mythology the Elders wereguards of a great secret: the location of the Gorgon caves.

The Graeae and Perseus

This secret was necessary for thePerseusAs he had received the mission to bring back Mermaid's headMedusa.

Thus, Perseus traveled to the place of residence of the Elders, which was by some calledKyshen Island. The Elders, however, were not willing to reveal the location of their brothers, so Perseus was forced to force them to speak.

The hero did that.grabbing the eye of the Eldersthe moment it passed through each other's hands. Fearing to stay blind forever, the Elders eventually revealed to Perseus the secret of Medusa.

According to the most common version, Perseusreturned the eyein the Elders after getting the answer he asked for. However, in other variations of the myth, the Elders stayedpermanently blindAs Perseus threw their eye atLake Tritonida.

After Perseus left, the Eldersdo not appear againto any other surviving Greek myth, since now who would seek the two remaining Mermaids?