In Greek mythology, the Furies (also known as the Erinyes) were three goddesses of retribution. Women lived in the underworld and were considered monstrous and evil.
The three sisters were named: Alecto ("angry"), Megaera ("envious") and Tisiphone ("avenger"). According to one legend, they arose from the blood of the titan Uranus, when his son Cronus castrated him to avenge the loss of his brothers and sisters (Uranus sent them to Tartarus).
Another legend says that the Furies were the daughters of the goddess Nyxa (symbol of the night) and the god of Chaos. In Roman mythology, "Infernal goddesses" correspond to Diram (terrifying). Some believe that they are called Furies in Hell, Harpies on Earth, and Dirams in Heaven.
Their appearance was remarkable and disgusting. They are described as having snakes for hair, dog heads, coal black bodies, and bat wings. They have fiery breath, and poisonous blood drips from their eyes. Furies master weapons, and their victims die of torment. They carry torches, whips and cups of poison in their hands to torture the villains. Erinias can appear as thunderclouds or a swarm of insects.
The Fury's role was to prosecute crimes such as disrespect, injustice, perjury or arrogance, and primarily murder, especially within the family. In addition, the Erinyes punished all those obsessed with hatred, anger and perjury. They also punished all actions contrary to the natural order and harmony of the world. The furies went so far as to scourge even the kidnappers of nestlings.
In mythology, the Furies reside in Tartarus, the dark abyss of the underworld. When they "heard" the call to act, the avengers rose to the ground to punish the wicked and unpunished criminals.
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The Furies were considered very evil because their lust for punishment knew no bounds. They continued to persecute the sinner even after his painful death, until he finally showed remorse.
One example of a literary depiction of Erinius can be found in ancient Greek literature. This is the myth of Orestes. The hero belonged to the third generation of the House of Atreus and was the last one to suffer from the curse of the "Infernal Goddesses" that haunted his house.
Painting by Gustave Moreau - Orestes and the Furies.
The Furies carried terror and a sense of justice for mortals. According to the traditions and beliefs of the ancient Greeks, people turned to their help in order to receive justice and retribution for bad deeds that went unpunished.
Although the Furies appeared terrifying and sought revenge, they were not considered deliberately evil. On the contrary, they represented justice and were defenders of morality and the rule of law. The Erinyes punished the wicked and the guilty, but the good and innocent were not afraid of them.
We can say that through the Furies the ancient Greeks showed that the eye of divine justice sees everything, and everyone receives a well-deserved "reward". Not a single criminal could escape the terrible revenge of the goddesses from Tartarus.