They were the daemons of sudden, sharp gusts of wind. They were known as the hounds of Zeus and were dispatched by the god to snatch away people and things from the earth. Sudden, mysterious disappearances were often attributed to the Harpies.

The Harpies were once sent by Zeus to plague King Phineus of Thrace as punishment for revealing the secrets of the gods. Whenever a plate of food was set before him, the Harpies would swoop down and snatch it away, befouling any scraps left behind. When the Argonauts came to visit, the winged Boreads gave chase, and pursued the Harpies to the Strophades Islands, where the goddess Iris commanded them to turn back and leave them unharmed.

Parents: Thaumas and Electra

Phineus and the Harpies | Athenian red figure hydria C5th B.C. | The J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu
Phineus and the Harpies. Athenian red-figure hydria, c. 5th BC, Getty Museum.