In Greek and Roman mythology, Alecto is one of the Erinyes (Furies). She punishes crimes of anger for her name means 'the implacable or unceasing anger'. She is the sister of Tisiphone and Megaera.
In Greek and Roman mythology[]
Concurring to Hesiod, Alecto was the girl of Gaea fertilized by the blood spilled from Uranus when Cronus castrated him. She is the sister of Tisiphone and Megaera. These three Furies had snakes for hair and blood trickled from their eyes, whereas their wings were those of bats. Alecto's work as a Fury is castigating the ethical wrongdoings (such as outrage) of people, particularly in case they are against others. Alecto's work is comparable to Nemesis with the contrast that Nemesis's work is to criticize wrongdoings against the divine beings, not mortals. Her discipline for mortals was Madness.
In Virgil's Aeneid (Book VII), Juno commanded the Fury Allecto (spelled with two l's in the text) to anticipate the Trojans from having their way with King Latinus by marriage or attack Italian borders. Allecto's mission is to wreak destruction on the Trojans and cause their ruin through war. To do this, Allecto takes over the body of Queen Amata, who clamors for all of the Latin mothers to revolt against the Trojans. She masks herself as Juno's priestess Calybe and shows up to Turnus in a dream influencing him to start the war against the Trojans. Met with a taunting reaction from Turnus, Alecto forsakes influence and assaults Turnus with a burn, causing his blood to "bubble with the enthusiasm for war". Unsatisfied with her work in lighting the war, Allecto inquires Juno on the off chance that she can incite more conflict by drawing in bordering towns. Juno answers that she will oversee the rest of the war herself: "You're roving far too freely, high on the heavens' winds, and the Father, king of steep Olympus, won't allow it. You must give way. Whatever struggle is still to come, I'll manage it myself."[1]
In Popular Culture[]
In Literature[]
- Alecto is featured in the information book Worlds Worst Monsters and Villains.
- In the medieval Irish epic Táin Bó Cúailnge she is equated with the Mórrígan
In Television[]
- In the Femme Fatales episode "Girls Gone Dead", two college girls, Alexis and Erida, tell cameraman Jay Roma that the name Alexis is a variation of the Greek name Alecto, the goddess of unresting.
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