Comments (Meaning / History Only)
Alcyone is the name of one of the Pleiades, daughters of Atlas and Pleione or, more rarely, Aethra, and bore Poseidon several children.
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Alcyone is Greek Goddess of the moon and serenity.
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Alcyone was by no way a goddess or even a deity. She was a mortal that had a tragic death. The gods took pity of her and transformed her and her loved one into birds, Halcyon birds the kingfishers.
The halcyon days is a phrase that derive from that myth. These are the 2 weeks of good weather and sunshine during winter (usually in January), allowing the Halcyon birds to lay their eggs.
Also the Alkyonides were the seven daughters (Alkippe, Anthe, Asteria, Drimo, Methone, Pallene and Phthonia) of Alkyoneus. He was killed by Hercules, and the grieving daughters jumped into the sea to kill themselves when they heard the news. Amphitrite, a sea deity, transformed them into kingfishers too.
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The halcyon days is a phrase that derive from that myth. These are the 2 weeks of good weather and sunshine during winter (usually in January), allowing the Halcyon birds to lay their eggs.
Also the Alkyonides were the seven daughters (Alkippe, Anthe, Asteria, Drimo, Methone, Pallene and Phthonia) of Alkyoneus. He was killed by Hercules, and the grieving daughters jumped into the sea to kill themselves when they heard the news. Amphitrite, a sea deity, transformed them into kingfishers too.
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The Greek goddess of the moon is Selene, and in later versions Artemis, not Alcyone.
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