The Myth of Halcyon: A Tale of Love and Transformation

 
The Myth Of Halcyon
 
The Halcyon Days
 
 
The ancient Greek 
myth of Halcyon
 is a tender story
of love and commitment, which explains the Halcyon
sunny days of calm seas and winds. The
 Halcyon
days
 or 
Alkionides Meres
, as Greeks call them,
appear in mid January every year.
 
Halcyon is a type of kingfisher bird that nests by the
sea where sea-charming winds blow, so that its eggs
are protected during the nesting period. The
phrase 
Halcyon days 
today also signifies prosperity,
joy, liberation and, of course, tranquility.
 
 
In Greek mythology, the goddess 
Halcyon 
(
Alcyone in Greek
) was the daughter of
Aeolus, the ruler of the winds. Aeolus lived in the caves, where winds were imprisoned.
He was the one who was choosing when to let them out, depending on how the higher
gods instructed him.
Halcyon was married to the mortal king Ceyx of Tachis. Their love for each other was so
known that even gods peeped into their privacy and heard some jokes they didn’t like
much (like calling each other Zeus and Hera!). Once, when Ceyx had to go to Delphi to
consult the oracle of Apollo, he chose to sail there despite all the cries of his beloved
Halcyon, who was terribly afraid of the sea.
Halcyon proved right because Ceyx drowned, when a huge storm took his life not far
from the coast and his boat disappeared in the waves.
 
 
Trying to fight the storm, aware that he was to drown, Ceyx asked
Poseidon (the sea god) to bring his body to his wife’s arms. In the
meantime, afraid for her husband and not knowing yet what had
happened, Halcyon asked Hera to ensure his safe trip.
It was too late and Hera had no choice but to send for Hypnos, who
instructed 
Morpheus
, the God of Dreams, to appear in the poor
woman’s dreams and tell her about the tragedy. The desperate Halcyon
went to the coast where she found Ceyx’s body and threw herself into
the dark waves. Amazed by her love and devotion, the gods decided to
save her and to transform her into a seabird. They also turned Ceyx into
another kingfisher so the two could live and be together.
 
 
But even in Greek mythology life was not always easy.
Zeus ordered that Halcyon would lay her eggs only in
winter. Having her nest near the shore, close by the
spot where she found the body of Ceyx, the stormy
waves kept sweeping away her eggs.
Crying and praying endlessly, Halcyon finally managed
to touch Zeus’s heart. Encouraged by the other Gods as
well, Zeus decided to give her 14 days of good and calm
weather in the middle of winter.
 
 
So those two kingfisher birds, or Halcyon birds as they
are also known, were able to keep their eggs safe every
winter during the period that came seven days before
and seven days after winter solstice. During these days
Halcyon’s father would keep the winds calm on the sea.
Halcyon days
 are still celebrated in Greece, in memory
of Halcyon and her sacrifice. Practically, Halcyon days
appear in mid January and do not last for more than a
week or ten days maximum
 
 
 EXAMPLES
 
The old lady recalled her childhood as a 
halcyon
 time.
    (carefree, happy)
The artist spent much time painting scenes of 
halcyon
green fields.
    (calm, peaceful)
I was young, happy and successful: those days were
truly my 
halcyon
 days.
    (period regarded with nostalgia)
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The ancient Greek myth of Halcyon tells a tender story of love, tragedy, and transformation. Halcyon, a type of kingfisher bird, symbolizes prosperity, joy, and tranquility. The myth revolves around Halcyon's love for the mortal king Ceyx, their tragic fate, and the gods' ultimate transformation of the couple into seabirds. Halcyon days, associated with calm seas and winds, are still celebrated in Greece, honoring the sacrifice and devotion of Halcyon.


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  1. The Myth Of Halcyon The Halcyon Days

  2. The ancient Greek myth of Halcyon is a tender story of love and commitment, which explains the Halcyon sunny days of calm seas and winds. The Halcyon days or Alkionides Meres, as Greeks call them, appear in mid January every year. Halcyon is a type of kingfisher bird that nests by the sea where sea-charming winds blow, so that its eggs are protected during the nesting period. The phrase Halcyon days today also signifies prosperity, joy, liberation and, of course, tranquility.

  3. In Greek mythology, the goddess Halcyon (Alcyone in Greek) was the daughter of Aeolus, the ruler of the winds. Aeolus lived in the caves, where winds were imprisoned. He was the one who was choosing when to let them out, depending on how the higher gods instructed him. Halcyon was married to the mortal king Ceyx of Tachis. Their love for each other was so known that even gods peeped into their privacy and heard some jokes they didn t like much (like calling each other Zeus and Hera!). Once, when Ceyx had to go to Delphi to consult the oracle of Apollo, he chose to sail there despite all the cries of his beloved Halcyon, who was terribly afraid of the sea. Halcyon proved right because Ceyx drowned, when a huge storm took his life not far from the coast and his boat disappeared in the waves.

  4. Trying to fight the storm, aware that he was to drown, Ceyx asked Poseidon (the sea god) to bring his body to his wife s arms. In the meantime, afraid for her husband and not knowing yet what had happened, Halcyon asked Hera to ensure his safe trip. It was too late and Hera had no choice but to send for Hypnos, who instructed Morpheus, the God of Dreams, to appear in the poor woman s dreams and tell her about the tragedy. The desperate Halcyon went to the coast where she found Ceyx s body and threw herself into the dark waves. Amazed by her love and devotion, the gods decided to save her and to transform her into a seabird. They also turned Ceyx into another kingfisher so the two could live and be together.

  5. But even in Greek mythology life was not always easy. Zeus ordered that Halcyon would lay her eggs only in winter. Having her nest near the shore, close by the spot where she found the body of Ceyx, the stormy waves kept sweeping away her eggs. Crying and praying endlessly, Halcyon finally managed to touch Zeus s heart. Encouraged by the other Gods as well, Zeus decided to give her 14 days of good and calm weather in the middle of winter.

  6. So those two kingfisher birds, or Halcyon birds as they are also known, were able to keep their eggs safe every winter during the period that came seven days before and seven days after winter solstice. During these days Halcyon s father would keep the winds calm on the sea. Halcyon days are still celebrated in Greece, in memory of Halcyon and her sacrifice. Practically, Halcyon days appear in mid January and do not last for more than a week or ten days maximum

  7. EXAMPLES The old lady recalled her childhood as a halcyon time. (carefree, happy) The artist spent much time painting scenes of halcyon green fields. (calm, peaceful) I was young, happy and successful: those days were truly my halcyon days. (period regarded with nostalgia)

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