View source for Graeae

{{short description|Three sisters in Greek myth}}
{{about|Greek mythology|the British organization|Graeae Theatre Company}}
{{distinguish|Graea}}

[[File:Edward Burne-Jones - Perseus and the Graiae, 1892.jpg|thumb|''[[Perseus]] and the Graeae'' by [[Edward Burne-Jones]] (1892)|255x255px]]
In [[Greek mythology]], the '''Graeae''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|g|r|iː|iː}}; {{langx|grc|Γραῖαι}} ''Graiai'', {{Lit|old women}}, alternatively spelled '''Graiai'''), also called the '''Grey Sisters''' and the '''Phorcides''' ({{gloss|daughters of Phorcys}}),<ref>Sommerstein, [http://www.loebclassics.com/view/aeschylus-attributed_fragments/2009/pb_LCL505.261.xml p. 260], in [[Aeschylus]]. ''Fragments''; [[Aeschylus]], ''[[Prometheus Bound]]'' [http://www.loebclassics.com/view/aeschylus-prometheus_bound/2009/pb_LCL145.531.xml?result=8&rskey=OkFnZG 790&ndash;800 (pp. 530&ndash;531) with n. 94]; [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.2.6 1.2.6]; [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [http://www.theoi.com/Text/HyginusFabulae1.html Preface].</ref> were three sisters who had gray hair from their birth and shared one eye and one tooth among them.<ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0062:id=graeae-harpers Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities (1898), Graeae]</ref>{{Sfn|Roman|Roman|2010|p=181}} They were the daughters of the [[Greek primordial deities|primordial]] [[Greek water deities|sea gods]] [[Phorcys]] and [[Ceto]] and, among others, sisters of the [[Gorgons]]. Their names were '''Deino''' ({{lang|grc|Δεινώ}}), '''Pemphredo''' ({{lang|grc|Πεμφρηδώ}}), and '''Enyo''' ({{lang|grc|Ἐνυώ}}; not to be confused with the war goddess, [[Enyo]]). The Graeae are best known from their encounter with [[Perseus]], who, after capturing their eye, forced them to reveal information about the [[Gorgons]].{{Sfn|Roman|Roman|2010|p=181}}

{{Greek deities (personifications)}}

==Etymology==
The word ''Graeae'' is probably derived from the adjective {{lang|grc|γραῖα}} {{Transliteration|grc|graia}} "old woman", derived from the [[Proto-Indo-European]] root {{wikt-lang|ine-x-proto|*ǵerh₂-}} {{lang|ine-x-proto|ǵreh<sub>2</sub>-}}, "to grow old" via {{langx|grk-x-proto|gera-/grau-iu}}.<ref>[[Robert S. P. Beekes|R. S. P. Beekes]], ''Etymological Dictionary of Greek'', Brill, 2009, p. 285.</ref>

{{clear left}}

==Mythology==
[[File:Fuseli perseus.jpg|thumb|190px|''[[Perseus]] Returning the Eye of the Graiai'' by [[Henry Fuseli]]]]
The Graeae were daughters of the sea-deities [[Ceto]] and [[Phorcys]] (from which their name the Phorcydes derived) and sisters to the [[Gorgon]]s.<ref name="Harris">Harris, Stephen L., and Gloria Platzner. ''Classical Mythology: Images and Insights'' (Third Edition). California State University, Sacramento. Mayfield Publishing Company. 2000, 1998, 1995, pp. 273–274, 1039.</ref> The Graeae took the form of old, grey-haired women. Their age was so great that a human childhood for them was hardly conceivable. In ''[[Theogony]]'', however, [[Hesiod]] describes the Graeae as being "fair-cheeked". In ''Prometheus Bound'', the Graeae are described as being "ancient maidens of swan-like aspect" ({{lang|grc|κυκνόμορφοι}}; perhaps here meaning "white-haired").<ref>[[Aeschylus]], ''[[Prometheus Bound]]'', [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/aeschylus-prometheus_bound/2009/pb_LCL145.531.xml 795 with n. 95].</ref>

[[Hesiod]] names only two Graeae, the  "well-clad" "Pemphredo" ({{lang|grc|Πεμφρηδώ}} "alarm")<ref>Sometimes also spelled Peuphredo ({{lang|grc|Πευφρηδώ}}) or Pephredo ({{lang|grc|Πεφρηδώ}}) (see M. Hofinger, [https://books.google.com/books?id=UW8eAAAAIAAJ ''Lexicon Hesiodeum cum Indice Inverso''], p. 533). Alternatively, the name could be derived from [https://lsj.gr/wiki/%CF%80%CE%B5%CE%BC%CF%86%CF%81%CE%B7%CE%B4%CF%8E%CE%BD πεμφρηδών], a kind of wasp living in hollow oaks or underground.</ref> and the "saffron-robed" Enyo ({{lang|grc|Ἐνυώ}}),<ref>[[Hesiod]], ''[[Theogony]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0130%3Acard%3D270 270-274]</ref> while [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]] lists Deino ({{lang|grc|Δεινώ}} "dread", the dreadful anticipation of horror) as a third.<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+2.4.2&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022 2.4.2].</ref> Calling them "Phorcides", [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], in addition to Pemphredo and Enyo, adds '''Persis''', noting that "for this last others say Dino".<ref>[[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [http://www.theoi.com/Text/HyginusFabulae1.html Preface]</ref>

They shared one eye and one tooth, which they took turns using. By stealing their eye while they were passing it among themselves, the hero [[Perseus (mythology)|Perseus]] forced them to tell the whereabouts of the three objects needed to kill [[Medusa]] (in other versions, the whereabouts of Medusa) by ransoming their shared eye for the information.<ref name="Harris" />

==Genealogy==
{{main|Greek sea gods}}
{{tree chart/start}}
{{tree chart| | | | | | | |GAI 
|GAI=[[Gaia (mythology)|Gaia]]
|boxstyle_GAI=background-color: #fbb}}
{{tree chart| | | | | | | |:| |!|}}
{{tree chart| | | | | | | |L|y|PONT |
|PONT=[[Pontus (mythology)|Pontus]]
|boxstyle_PONT=background-color: #bbf;
}}
{{tree chart|,|-|-|-|-|v|-|-|+|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|.|}}
{{tree chart|NERE | |THAUM | |PHORC |~|y|~|CETO | |EURYB |
|CETO =[[Ceto]]
|EURYB =[[Eurybia (mythology)|Eurybia]]
|NERE=[[Nereus]]
|PHORC =[[Phorcys]]
|THAUM =[[Thaumas]]
|boxstyle_CETO =background-color: #fbb;
|boxstyle_EURYB =background-color: #fbb;
|boxstyle_NERE=background-color: #bbf;
|boxstyle_PHORC =background-color: #bbf
|boxstyle_THAUM =background-color: #bbf
}}
{{tree chart| | | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | | | |}}
{{tree chart|,|-|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|v|-|-|+|-|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|.}}
{{tree chart|ECH | |GORG | |GRAE | |LAD | |HESP | |THOO
|ECH=[[Echidna (mythology)|Echidna]]
|GORG=[[Gorgon|The Gorgons]]
|GRAE=The Graeae
|HESP=[[Hesperides|The Hesperides]]
|LAD=[[Ladon (mythology)|Ladon]]
|SIR=[[Siren (mythology)|The Sirens]]
|THOO=[[Thoosa]]<ref>{{cite book |author=[[Homer]] |title=[[Odyssey]] |at=[http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.perseus-eng1:1.44-1.79 1.70–73]}} names Thoosa as a daughter of Phorcys, without specifying her mother.</ref>
|boxstyle_ECH=background-color: #fbb
|boxstyle_GORG=background-color: #fbb
|boxstyle_GRAE=background-color: #fbb
|boxstyle_HESP=background-color: #fbb
|boxstyle_LAD=background-color: #bbf
|boxstyle_THOO=background-color: #fbb
}}
{{tree chart| | | | |!| | | | |!|}}
{{tree chart| | | | |)|STHEN| |)|DEINO
|STHEN=[[Stheno]]
|DEINO=Deino
|boxstyle_STHEN=background-color: #fbb
|boxstyle_DEINO=background-color: #fbb
}}
{{tree chart| | | | |!| | | | |!|}}
{{tree chart| | | | |)|EURY| |)|ENYO
|EURY=[[Euryale (Gorgon)|Euryale]]
|ENYO=Enyo
|boxstyle_EURY=background-color: #fbb
|boxstyle_ENYO=background-color: #fbb
}}
{{tree chart| | | | |!| | | | |!|}}
{{tree chart| | | | |`|MED| |`|PEM
|MED=[[Medusa]]{{efn|
name=Medusa|
Most sources describe Medusa as the daughter of Phorcys and Ceto, though the author [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]] ([[Fabulae]] Preface) makes Medusa the daughter of [[Gorgon]] and Ceto.
}}
|PEM=Pemphredo
|boxstyle_MED=background-color: #fbb
|boxstyle_PEM=background-color: #fbb
}}
{{tree chart/end}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist|25em}}

== Bibliography ==
{{refbegin|40em}}
* [[Aeschylus]], (?), ''[[Prometheus Bound]]'' in ''Aeschylus: Persians. Seven against Thebes. Suppliants. Prometheus Bound.'' Edited and translated by Alan H. Sommerstein. [[Loeb Classical Library]] No. 145. Cambridge, Massachusetts: [[Harvard University Press]], 2009. {{ISBN|978-0-674-99627-4}}. [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL145/2009/volume.xml Online version at Harvard University Press].
* [[Aeschylus]]. ''Fragments.'' Edited and translated by Alan H. Sommerstein. [[Loeb Classical Library]] No. 505. Cambridge, Massachusetts: [[Harvard University Press]], 2009. {{ISBN|978-0-674-99629-8}}. [http://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL505/2009/volume.xml Online version at Harvard University Press]
* [[Aeschylus]], ''Persians. Seven against Thebes. Suppliants. Prometheus Bound.'' Edited and translated by Alan H. Sommerstein. [[Loeb Classical Library]] No. 145. Cambridge, Massachusetts: [[Harvard University Press]], 2009. {{ISBN|978-0-674-99627-4}}. [http://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL145/2009/volume.xml Online version at Harvard University Press]
* [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], ''Apollodorus, The Library, with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes.'' Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text;jsessionid=C431BA809CA4DEA22A15DA9C666F3400?doc=Perseus%3atext%3a1999.01.0022%3atext%3dLibrary  Online version at the Perseus Digital Library].
* Grimal, Pierre, [https://books.google.com/books?id=iOx6de8LUNAC ''The Dictionary of Classical Mythology''], Wiley-Blackwell, 1996, {{ISBN|978-0-631-20102-1}}. "Graeae" p.&nbsp;175.
* [[Hesiod]], ''[[Theogony]]'', in ''The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White'', Cambridge, Massachusetts., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0130%3Acard%3D1 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus, Gaius Julius]], [http://www.theoi.com/Text/HyginusFabulae1.html ''The Myths of Hyginus'']. Edited and translated by Mary A. Grant, Lawrence: University of Kansas Press, 1960.
* [[William Smith (lexicographer)|Smith, William]]; ''[[Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology]]'', London (1873). [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DG%3Aentry+group%3D10%3Aentry%3Dgraeae-bio-1 "Graeae" ]
*{{Cite book |last1=Roman |first1=Luke |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tOgWfjNIxoMC |title=Encyclopedia of Greek and Roman Mythology |last2=Roman |first2=Monica |date=2010 |publisher=Infobase Publishing |isbn=978-1-4381-2639-5}}
{{refend}}

{{Commons category|Graeae}}

{{Greek mythology (deities)|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Mythological blind people]]
[[Category:Greek goddesses]]
[[Category:Greek mythological witches]]
[[Category:Mythological trios]]
[[Category:Legendary creatures with absent body parts]]
[[Category:Sister trios]]
[[Category:Crones and hags]]