Halcyon Days – The Bittersweet Love Story of Ceyx and Alcyone
Ceyx and Alcyone – 1750 – Carle van Loo
Days of warm sun and calm seas, Alkionides Meres, as the Greeks call them, usually appear at some time from the end of December to mid January.
When we think of Halcyon days our minds usually turn to the long, lazy days of summer or we associate them with the never to come again, tranquil, happy summer days of our childhood.
This is all true but where did the term Halcyon days originally come from?
The phrase, Halcyon Days, evolved from a bittersweet Greek myth about love.
Let me tell you the story.
The Myth of Ceyx and Alcyone
Ceyx and Alcyone – Engraving by Doherty – 1860
They jokingly called each other Zeus and Hera after the king and queen of Greek Gods who were famous for their passionate love for each other.
In those days to compare yourself to any Greek god or goddess was classed as sacrilege.
Through the grapevine it didn’t take long for the news of the passionate couple taking his name in vain to reach Zeus’s ears.
“Alcyone and Ceyx must be punished for their audacity”, thought Zeus, “I’ll bide my time, the moment is sure to present itself“.
And present itself it did!
One stormy morning Ceyx set sail to visit The Oracle at Delphi, as was the norm in those days, when advice and forethought were needed about pressing matters.
Alcyone knowing all about the treacherous ways of the weather (had she not witnessed the storm clouds and lightning wreaking havoc around her father’s palace?) begged him not to go or to at least take her with him.
Ceyx said not to worry he would be fine and would be home before she knew it.
Little did either of them know that Zeus had been keeping his eye on the couple and here was his chance to punish them.
The Drowning of Ceyx
Alcyone’s farewell to Ceyx -Christoffer Wilhelm Ekersberg 1813. National Gallery of Denmark
Alcyone watched from the shore as Ceyx disappeared into the misty, darkening sea.
Ceyx was not long out to sea before tragedy struck.
A terrific storm blew up (created by Zeus of course) tossing his ship around in the furious waves.
The ship was wrecked and Ceyx drowned.
His last thoughts were of his true love, Alcyone, and with his dying breath he pleaded with the sea-god Poseidon to return his body to the arms of his love.
The storm that killed Ceyx. Richard Wilson. National Museum Wales
Meanwhile, Alcyone, not knowing of the terrible fate of Ceyx, prayed to the goddess Hera, pleading to her to keep him safe and send him home quickly.
Hearing the prayers, Hera, feeling sorry for Alcyone as she already knew of the death of Ceyx, sent her messenger, Iris, to Hypnos, the God of sleep, to demand he send a vision to Alcyone revealing the death of Ceyx.
Detail of Iris visiting the House of Sleep, asking Hypnos to send Morpheus to Alcyon – The Hall of Perspectives – frieze by Baldassarre Peruzzi and workshop – 1517-18 – Villa Farnesina – Rome- Italy.
Hypnos, then sent his son Morpheus, God of dreams, to visit Alcyone.
Morpheus appeared at Alcyone’s bedside in the form of Ceyx, wet and naked, and recounted the story of the shipwreck and his death.
Upon awakening and finding herself alone Alcyone rushed to the shore where she recognized something floating in the sea, it was the body of Ceyx.
Alcyone searches for Ceyx. Painting: Herbert James Draper
Alcyone, upon seeing the drowned body of Ceyx, threw herself into the sea.
Before she had chance to drown, Zeus, who had been watching the drama from high above, took pity on the couple and ordered Aeolus, ruler of the winds, to transform Alcyone and Ceyx into halcyons, a type of kingfisher.
Aeolus – Ruler of The Winds transforming Alcyone And Ceyx into Halcyons – Copper Engraving 1731 By Bernard Picart
The two lovers, united again, flew off into the horizon.
Kingfisher – Ceyx azureus
The Kingfisher Days
Zeus was not about to let them off lightly though and ordered that Alcyone should make her nest and lay her eggs in the winter, on the shore at the spot where she had discovered Ceyx’s body.
However, when Alcyone made her nest on the beach the fierce waves of winter washed it away.
Again Zeus’s heart softened and he ordered Aeolus, Alcyone’s father, to restrain his winds and calm the waves for fourteen days; seven before and seven after the winter solstice, which would allow Alcyone to lay her eggs.
These fourteen days, when storms never occur, became known as the ‘Halcyon Days’.
This then is the bittersweet love story of Ceyx, Alcyone and the Halcyon days.
