The Latest Word: Halcyon

Ever wondered what the give-and-take 'halcyon' meant? Read on together with abide by the ancient myth that gave nascency to this word.


The describing word halcyon

Synonyms: 

a) calm, peaceful, tranquil 
b) prosperous, wealthy, rich
c) joyful, carefree

The substantive halcyon
A genus of the kingfisher birds.

The mythology behind the shout together with meaning

The give-and-take is derived from Middle English linguistic communication "alceon", dating dorsum to the Latin "halcyon", which inwards plow stems from the Greek "alkyon".  

In Greek mythology, Alcyone (Ἁλκυόνη) was the miss of Aeolus (god of the winds) together with was married to Ceyx (Κήϋξ). 

Zeus's wrath brutal upon them when the Rex of the gods of Olympus discovered that the happy twosome would frequently refer to each other equally 'Zeus' together with 'Hera'. They were punished for this blasphemous comparing yesteryear Zeus himself who destroyed Ceyx's send inwards a hurricane provoked yesteryear a thunderbolt equally Ceyx was on his agency to consult the oracle of Apollo inwards the aftermath of his brother's death. Alcyone had warned him non to larn since her ain manlike somebody nurture was frequently unable to command the winds, and, unable to convince him, pleaded amongst him to permit her come upwards along, which he naturally refused.

Antonio Tempesta's Morpheus equally Ceyx, Appearing to Alcyone

Days went yesteryear together with at that topographic point was no sign of Ceyx. Alcyone prayed to the gods, together with peculiarly Hera, to convey him abode condom together with sound. Hera took compassion on her together with told Hypnos, the god of sleep, to suspension the intelligence gently to her. Hypnos sent his boy Morpheus, principal of apparitions together with the god of dreams, inwards his stead. Morpheus thus appeared inwards the guise of Ceyx earlier Alcyone together with told her of her dear husband's tragic death. She rushed to the shore together with sees her husband's corpse washed up. Unable to behave life without him, Alcyone performs the concluding rites together with throws herself into the sea. 
 

William Woollett's 1769 engraving Ceyx together with Alcyone

In an act of mercy or yesteryear agency of atonement at the couple's tragic fate, the gods on Olympus transformed both married adult man together with married adult woman into halcyon birds together with named them afterwards her. Around the wintertime solstice, the birds pose their eggs on a floating nest on the ocean according to 1 legend, or on the beach according to another. During this time, the atmospheric condition is mild together with the ocean winds are calm (Alcyone's father, Aeolus, sees to this) together with so the nest is protected from storms together with raging waves.

The phrase "halcyon days" thus refers to a calm fourth dimension interval inwards the confront of adversity, a menstruum of joy together with prosperity. To this day, Greek meteorologists brand shout of halcyon days inwards atmospheric condition forecasts amongst reference to temperate, sunny days unremarkably inwards January, only to a greater extent than broadly betwixt mid-December to mid-February.

Thomas Banks' marble bas-relief, Alcyone together with Ceyx (1774)

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