Agrius and Oreius

Agrius and Oreius

Agrius and Oreius (Αγριος & Ορειος) are twin brothers that are half-man and half-bear.

Myth

Birth

Aphrodite, the goddess of love, commanded that their mother Polyphonte, daughter of Hipponous and Thrassa, must marry. Polyphonte did not want to be married so she fled to the goddess Artemis. Artemis allowed her to join her hunters. This provoked the ire of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and procreation, who viewed Polyphonte's decision as a personal affront. To punish Polyphonte for failing to honor her womanly duty, Aphrodite drove her mad and caused her to lust after a bear. She gave birth to the two monsters. Artemis, disgusted with Polyphonte, made all beasts against her. Polyphonte then fled to her fathers house with her two bear children.

Transformation

Once at home, Polyphonte gave birth to two humanoid bear-like sons Agrius and Oreius (the result of her union with the bear). Agrius and Oreius grew into huge men of immense strength. As perhaps befits their feral patronage, the Bear Twins honored neither men nor gods. Indeed, they were cannibals who attacked strangers on the road.

From the second they were born, Zeus, King of the Gods hated them. He ordered Hermes to punish them. Hermes went to them and prepared to cut off their hands and feet, but Ares appeared and convinced him to do something different to the beasts.

Agrius was turned into a vulture. A bird hated by the gods and humans. They also gave him a strong craving for flesh and blood. He eventually became the symbol for Ares.

Oreius became an eagle owl, a bird that presents little good when it arrives to a mortal.

Their mother was turned into a small owl who is only heard at night. She doesn't eat or drink and she keeps her head pointed down and the tips of her feet up.

Their servant was changed into a woodpecker. While she was transforming, she prayed to the gods that she would not become an evil symbol. Hermes and Ares heard her prayers and decided that because she had done what was asked of her, she became a symbol of good omen to hunters.

Trivia

• Agrius in Greek means "the wild" or "savage one"
• Oreius in Greek means "mountain man"
• Agrius and Oreius do not support the gods or humans; they are against them both.