The Story of Alecto
Alecto was one of the three Furies, or Erinyes, the goddesses of vengeance. Hesiod says the Furies were born from the drops of blood that fell on Gaia when Cronus attacked Uranus. Her sisters were Megaera and Tisiphone, and her name means the unceasing one.
The Furies lived in the Underworld and rose up to punish terrible crimes, especially crimes against one's own family, broken oaths and the murder of guests. They were pictured as fearsome women with snakes in their hair, carrying whips and torches. Alecto stood for endless anger that never rests.
The most famous story of the Furies is the pursuit of Orestes. After Orestes killed his mother Clytemnestra to avenge his father Agamemnon, the Furies hunted him across Greece. Athena finally put him on trial in Athens, and after his acquittal she persuaded the Furies to accept a new home and honors in the city.
Alecto has her greatest role in Virgil's Aeneid. Juno summoned her from the Underworld to stop the Trojans from settling peacefully in Italy. Alecto filled Queen Amata and the hero Turnus with fury, and she made the hounds of Ascanius chase a sacred stag, sparking a war between the Trojans and the Latins.
The Greeks feared to speak the Furies' names, so they often called them the Eumenides, the kindly ones, or the Semnai, the venerable goddesses. They had a shrine in a cave below the Areopagus in Athens. The Romans called them the Furiae, and the English word fury comes from that name.
Famous Myths About Alecto
Stirring Up War in Italy
In Virgil's Aeneid, Juno summoned Alecto from the Underworld to stop the Trojans from settling peacefully in Italy. Alecto filled Queen Amata and the hero Turnus with fury, and she made Ascanius's hounds attack a sacred stag, sparking war.
The Pursuit of Orestes
After Orestes killed his mother Clytemnestra to avenge his father, the Furies pursued him across Greece. Athena finally put him on trial in Athens, and after his acquittal the Furies were calmed and honored with a shrine in the city.
Alecto's Family Tree
Partners of Alecto
Children of Alecto
Frequently Asked Questions About Alecto
Who is Alecto in Greek mythology?
Alecto is one of the three Furies, or Erinyes, the goddesses of vengeance. Her name means the unceasing one, and she stands for endless anger.
How were the Furies born?
Alecto and her sisters Megaera and Tisiphone were born from the drops of blood that fell on Gaia when Cronus attacked Uranus.
What does Alecto do in the Aeneid?
In Virgil's Aeneid, Juno sends Alecto to stir up war between the Trojans and the Latins in Italy.
