Greek mythology Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...

, Agrius or Agrios (;

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...

: Ἄγριος means 'wild, savage') and Oreios, also Oreius, Orius or Oreus, (Ὀρείου, Ὄρειον or Ὄρειος means ‘of the mountain’) were the twin sons of

Polyphonte Polyphonte (Ancient Greek: means 'slayer of many') is a character in Greek mythology, transformed into a strix. Family Polyphonte was the daughter of Hipponous and Thrassa; her grandparents on her mother's side were the war god Ares and Terein ...

, daughter of

Hipponous In Greek mythology, Hipponous (Ancient Greek: Ἱππόνοος) referred to several people: *Hipponous, the Olenus (Achaea), Olenian father of Capaneus and Periboea by Astynome. He was son of Iocles, grandson of Astacus (mythology), Astacus and g ...

, and a bear as well as them being the great-grandsons of

Ares Ares (; , ''Árēs'' ) is the List of Greek deities, Greek god of war god, war and courage. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks were ambivalent towards him. He embodies the physical valor necessary for ...

Mythology

Polyphonte was punished by

Aphrodite Aphrodite (, ) is an Greek mythology, ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, procreation, and as her syncretism, syncretised Roman counterpart , desire, Sexual intercourse, sex, fertility, prosperity, and ...

for the former did not worship her, instead becoming a devotee of the virgin goddess

Artemis In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Artemis (; ) is the goddess of the hunting, hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, transitions, nature, vegetation, childbirth, Kourotrophos, care of children, and chastity. In later tim ...

. The goddess of love made her to couple with a

bear Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family (biology), family Ursidae (). They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats ...

causing Artemis to have the animals of the forest attack her. Polyphonte fled back to her father and gave birth to twin savage bear-like children named Agrius and Orius.

'She .e Polyphontebrought forth two children, Agrius and Orius, huge and of immense strength. They honoured neither god nor man but scorned them all. If they met a stranger, they would haul him home to eat.
Zeus Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus is the child ...
loathed them and sent
Hermes Hermes (; ) is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and mythology considered the herald of the gods. He is also widely considered the protector of human heralds, travelers, thieves, merchants, and orators. He is able to move quic ...
to punish them in whatever way he chose. Hermes decided to chop off their hands and feet. But
Ares Ares (; , ''Árēs'' ) is the List of Greek deities, Greek god of war god, war and courage. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks were ambivalent towards him. He embodies the physical valor necessary for ...
, since the family of Polyphonte descended from him, snatched her sons from this fate. With the help of Hermes, he changed them into birds. Polyphonte became a small owl whose voice is heard at night. She does not eat or drink and keeps her head turned down and the tips of her feet turned up. She is a portent of war and sedition for mankind. Orius became an
eagle owl The American (North and South America) horned owls and the Old World eagle-owls make up the genus ''Bubo'', at least as traditionally described. The genus name ''Bubo'' is Latin for owl. This genus contains 10 species that are found in many pa ...
, a bird that presages little good to anyone when it appears. Agrius was changed into a
vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...
, the bird most detested by gods and men. These gods gave him an utter craving for human flesh and blood. Their female servant was changed into a
woodpecker Woodpeckers are part of the bird family (biology), family Picidae, which also includes the piculets, wrynecks and sapsuckers. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar and the extreme ...
. As she was changing her shape she prayed to the gods not to become a bird evil for mankind. Hermes and Ares heard her prayer because she had by necessity done what her masters had ordered. This is a bird of good omen for someone going hunting or to feasts.'Antoninus Liberalis
21

Mythology

References

Further reading