Enyo

eene OH

Ενυω

One of the Gray Sisters

There is some confusion as to the attributes and character of Enyo. The poet Hesiod insists that she is rather lovely and fair-cheeked ... in his poem Theogony, Enyo is said to be robed in saffron and her sister Pemphredo is clad in beauty. The two sisters were gray from birth and, according to Hesiod, not ugly or hostile. They are the daughters of Keto (Ceto) and Phorkys (Phorcys) and sisters of the Gorgons and the Hesperides ... mortals and Immortals refer to Enyo and Pemphredo as the Graiai (Graiae), i.e. the Gray Sisters.

However, when we encounter Enyo in The Iliad, she is leading the Trojans into battle with Ares (god of War) ... her fierce war-craft is compared to that of the Grim Goddess, Athene (Athena).

When Perseus was seeking the head of the Gorgon, Medusa, he consulted the Graiai and found them to be hideous ... they had only one tooth and one eye between them. Perseus presumably took their eye and tooth as ransom until they reluctantly revealed the location of the nymphs who could supply him with the Cap of Hades (which would make him invisible), a pair of winged sandals (for flying) and a kibisis (a bag to carry Medusa's severed head) so he could complete his quest for the head of Medusa.

Later descriptions of the Graiai included another sister named Deino.

In her warlike manifestation, Enyo is often confused with the Roman goddess, Bellona.

Enyo in The Iliad

(listed by book and line from four different translations)

Richmond Lattimore

• 05.333 - Diomedes swung the pitiless bronze at the lady of Kypros (Aphrodite, goddess of Love) knowing her for a god without warcraft, not one of the goddesses like Athene and Enyo, sacker of cities
•  
• 05.592 - Hector drove the Trojans into the fighting and Ares (god of War) led them with the goddess Enyo, she carrying with her the turmoil of shameless hatred

Loeb Classical Library

• 05.333 - Diomedes went in pursuit of Cypris (Aphrodite, goddess of Love) with his pitiless bronze knowing that she was a weakling goddess, no Athena she, nor Enyo sacker of cities
•  
• 05.592 - Hector drove the Trojans into the fighting and Ares (god of War) led them, and queen Enyo, bringing ruthless Din of War

Robert Fagles

• 05.373 - Diomedes with his ruthless bronze was hunting Aphrodite (goddess of Love), knowing her for the coward goddess she is, not like Athene and Enyo, raider of cities
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• 05.681 - Hector drove the Trojans into the fighting and Ares (god of War) led them in with the deadly Queen Enyo bringing Uproar on, the savage chaos of battle

Robert Fitzgerald

• 05.385 - Diomedes moved ahead to attack the Kyprian goddess (Aphrodite goddess of Love), he knew her to be weak, not like Athene or Enyo, raider of cities
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• 05.675 - Hector drove the Trojans into the fighting impelled by Ares (god of War) and by cold Enyo who brings the shameless butchery of war

Enyo in Theogony

• line 273 - Keto (Ceto) and Phorkys (Phorcys) were the parents of the Graiai (Graiae), Pemphredo well-clad, and saffron-robed Enyo, and the Gorgons

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