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Alecto (Ancient Greek:Ἀληκτώ,romanized: Alēktṓ,lit. 'Unceasing anger')[1] is one of theErinyes or Furies inGreek mythology.
According toHesiod, Alecto was the daughter ofGaea fertilized by the blood spilled fromUranus whenCronuscastrated him. She is the sister ofTisiphone andMegaera. These three Furies had snakes for hair and blood dripped from their eyes, while their wings were those of bats.[2] Alecto's job as a Fury iscastigating themoral crimes (such as anger) of humans, especially if they are against others.
Alecto's function is similar toNemesis, with the difference that Nemesis's function is to castigate crimes against the gods, not mortals. Her punishment for mortals wasMadness.
InVirgil'sAeneid (Book VII),Juno commanded the Fury Allecto (spelled with two l's) to prevent theTrojans from having their way with KingLatinus by marriage or besieging Italian borders. Allecto's mission is to wreak havoc on the Trojans and cause their downfall through war. To do this, Allecto takes over the body of QueenAmata, who clamors for all of the Latin mothers to riot against the Trojans. She disguises herself as Juno's priestessCalybe and appears toTurnus in a dream persuading him to begin the war against the Trojans. Met with a mocking response from Turnus, Allecto abandons persuasion and attacks Turnus with a torch, causing his blood to "boil with the passion for war". Unsatisfied with her work in igniting the war, Allecto asks Juno if she can provoke more strife by drawing in bordering towns. Juno replies that she will manage 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."[3]
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