https://longreads.com/2021/05/12/queens-of-infamy-boudicca/

The IXth legion (or, at least, part of it) was dispatched to deal with the
unpleasantness at Camulodunum, but they were routed by Britons just north
of the colonia. Meanwhile, Suetonius himself, having finished butchering
those old harpies on Mona, rushed to Londinium.

I knew about the druids, and specifically the butchering of the priests,
but I didn't make a connection, mentally, between harpies & druids. Do you?

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harpies
Etymology: Latin Harpyia, from Greek.

Capitalized: a foul malign creature in Greek mythology
that is part woman and part bird

Uncapitalized: a predatory person, a shrewish woman

The druids weren't all women, were they?
Were they also always "old women" either?

Doesn't make sense to me.
Does "harpies" (lower case" seem to fit to you in that quote above?

On Sun, 16 Apr 2023 10:32:14 -0600, Ken Blake <Ken@invalidinvalid.com>
wrote:

>https://longreads.com/2021/05/12/queens-of-infamy-boudicca/
>
>The IXth legion (or, at least, part of it) was dispatched to deal with the
>unpleasantness at Camulodunum, but they were routed by Britons just north
>of the colonia. Meanwhile, Suetonius himself, having finished butchering
>those old harpies on Mona, rushed to Londinium.
>
>I knew about the druids, and specifically the butchering of the priests,
>but I didn't make a connection, mentally, between harpies & druids. Do you?
>
>https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harpies
>Etymology: Latin Harpyia, from Greek.
>
>Capitalized: a foul malign creature in Greek mythology
> that is part woman and part bird
>
>Uncapitalized: a predatory person, a shrewish woman
>
>The druids weren't all women, were they?
>Were they also always "old women" either?
>
>Doesn't make sense to me.
>Does "harpies" (lower case" seem to fit to you in that quote above?

Possibly.

The OED entry includes:

2. derogatory. A person who seeks to exploit others; a grasping,
rapacious, or predatory person. In later use chiefly: a grasping or
unpleasant woman (potentially offensive).

That usage appears to refer to the behaviour of the person rather than
their physical appearance.

Another instance of a word used to describe behaviour rather than
appearance is:

magpie

2.b. A person who collects or hoards objects, information, etc.,
esp. indiscriminately; an acquisitive or eclectic person; (also) a
petty pilferer.

--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)

On Sun, 16 Apr 2023 23:02:02 +0100, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
<mail@peterduncanson.net> wrote:

>On Sun, 16 Apr 2023 10:32:14 -0600, Ken Blake <Ken@invalidinvalid.com>
>wrote:
>
>>https://longreads.com/2021/05/12/queens-of-infamy-boudicca/
>>
>>The IXth legion (or, at least, part of it) was dispatched to deal with the
>>unpleasantness at Camulodunum, but they were routed by Britons just north
>>of the colonia. Meanwhile, Suetonius himself, having finished butchering
>>those old harpies on Mona, rushed to Londinium.
>>
>>I knew about the druids, and specifically the butchering of the priests,
>>but I didn't make a connection, mentally, between harpies & druids. Do you?
>>
>>https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harpies
>>Etymology: Latin Harpyia, from Greek.
>>
>>Capitalized: a foul malign creature in Greek mythology
>> that is part woman and part bird
>>
>>Uncapitalized: a predatory person, a shrewish woman
>>
>>The druids weren't all women, were they?
>>Were they also always "old women" either?
>>
>>Doesn't make sense to me.
>>Does "harpies" (lower case" seem to fit to you in that quote above?
>
>Possibly.
>
>The OED entry includes:
>
> 2. derogatory. A person who seeks to exploit others; a grasping,
> rapacious, or predatory person. In later use chiefly: a grasping or
> unpleasant woman (potentially offensive).

Potentially? Interesting. How could any woman be called a "harpy"
and it not be offensive? Deserved, perhaps, but still offensive.

>
>That usage appears to refer to the behaviour of the person rather than
>their physical appearance.
--

Tony Cooper - Orlando,Florida

On Sunday, April 16, 2023 at 6:10:48 PM UTC-6, TonyCooper wrote:
> On Sun, 16 Apr 2023 23:02:02 +0100, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
> <ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
>
> >On Sun, 16 Apr 2023 10:32:14 -0600, Ken Blake <K...@invalidinvalid.com>
> >wrote:
> >
> >>https://longreads.com/2021/05/12/queens-of-infamy-boudicca/
> >>
> >>The IXth legion (or, at least, part of it) was dispatched to deal with the
> >>unpleasantness at Camulodunum, but they were routed by Britons just north
> >>of the colonia. Meanwhile, Suetonius himself, having finished butchering
> >>those old harpies on Mona, rushed to Londinium.
> >>
> >>I knew about the druids, and specifically the butchering of the priests,
> >>but I didn't make a connection, mentally, between harpies & druids. Do you?
> >>
> >>https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harpies
> >>Etymology: Latin Harpyia, from Greek.
> >>
> >>Capitalized: a foul malign creature in Greek mythology
> >> that is part woman and part bird
> >>
> >>Uncapitalized: a predatory person, a shrewish woman
> >>
> >>The druids weren't all women, were they?
> >>Were they also always "old women" either?
> >>
> >>Doesn't make sense to me.
> >>Does "harpies" (lower case" seem to fit to you in that quote above?
> >
> >Possibly.
> >
> >The OED entry includes:
> >
> > 2. derogatory. A person who seeks to exploit others; a grasping,
> > rapacious, or predatory person. In later use chiefly: a grasping or
> > unpleasant woman (potentially offensive).

> Potentially? Interesting. How could any woman be called a "harpy"
> and it not be offensive? Deserved, perhaps, but still offensive.
....

A woman could apply it to herself. Someone could apply it to a woman
who died a thousand years ago, or to a fictional character. There could
be a "not" in the sentence, like "Of course she didn't. She's not a harpy."

--
Jerry Friedman

On Sun, 16 Apr 2023 19:06:24 -0700 (PDT), Jerry Friedman
<jerry.friedman99@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Sunday, April 16, 2023 at 6:10:48?PM UTC-6, TonyCooper wrote:
>> On Sun, 16 Apr 2023 23:02:02 +0100, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
>> <ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
>>
>> >On Sun, 16 Apr 2023 10:32:14 -0600, Ken Blake <K...@invalidinvalid.com>
>> >wrote:
>> >
>> >>https://longreads.com/2021/05/12/queens-of-infamy-boudicca/
>> >>
>> >>The IXth legion (or, at least, part of it) was dispatched to deal with the
>> >>unpleasantness at Camulodunum, but they were routed by Britons just north
>> >>of the colonia. Meanwhile, Suetonius himself, having finished butchering
>> >>those old harpies on Mona, rushed to Londinium.
>> >>
>> >>I knew about the druids, and specifically the butchering of the priests,
>> >>but I didn't make a connection, mentally, between harpies & druids. Do you?
>> >>
>> >>https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harpies
>> >>Etymology: Latin Harpyia, from Greek.
>> >>
>> >>Capitalized: a foul malign creature in Greek mythology
>> >> that is part woman and part bird
>> >>
>> >>Uncapitalized: a predatory person, a shrewish woman
>> >>
>> >>The druids weren't all women, were they?
>> >>Were they also always "old women" either?
>> >>
>> >>Doesn't make sense to me.
>> >>Does "harpies" (lower case" seem to fit to you in that quote above?
>> >
>> >Possibly.
>> >
>> >The OED entry includes:
>> >
>> > 2. derogatory. A person who seeks to exploit others; a grasping,
>> > rapacious, or predatory person. In later use chiefly: a grasping or
>> > unpleasant woman (potentially offensive).
>
>> Potentially? Interesting. How could any woman be called a "harpy"
>> and it not be offensive? Deserved, perhaps, but still offensive.
>...
>
>A woman could apply it to herself. Someone could apply it to a woman
>who died a thousand years ago, or to a fictional character.

Just because the person being called something does not hear/see being
called an offensive term it doesn't mean it is isn't offensive.

Rey doesn't hear/see him being called a "sociopath" anymore, but it's
still offensive to call him that.

> There could
>be a "not" in the sentence, like "Of course she didn't. She's not a harpy."

If the statement is "She's not a harpy", then she isn't being called a
harpy.

--

Tony Cooper - Orlando,Florida

On 17/04/23 13:22, TonyCooper wrote:

> Just because the person being called something does not hear/see
> being called an offensive term it doesn't mean it is isn't
> offensive.
>
> Rey doesn't hear/see him being called a "sociopath" anymore, but
> it's still offensive to call him that.

It's bad manners and offensive, of course, but it wouldn't hurt him.
Once someone gets the reputation of throwing around insults all the
time, people stop listening to them.

It now occurs to me that this could be good therapy for someone who has
been psychologically damaged by name-calling and bullying. Join AUE to
get your skin thickened!

--
Peter Moylan Newcastle, NSW http://www.pmoylan.org

In article <u1h7tm$s6um$1@paganini.bofh.team>,
Ken@invalidinvalid.com says...
>
> https://longreads.com/2021/05/12/queens-of-infamy-boudicca/
>
> The IXth legion (or, at least, part of it) was dispatched to deal with the
> unpleasantness at Camulodunum, but they were routed by Britons just north
> of the colonia. Meanwhile, Suetonius himself, having finished butchering
> those old harpies on Mona, rushed to Londinium.
>
> I knew about the druids, and specifically the butchering of the priests,
> but I didn't make a connection, mentally, between harpies & druids. Do you?

Harpies refers to the defiant wild angry women who
fought the Roman invaders on Mona.

Janet

On Sunday, April 16, 2023 at 11:22:30 PM UTC-4, TonyCooper wrote:

> Rey doesn't hear/see him being called a "sociopath" anymore, but it's
> still offensive to call him that.

You just don't care for truth.

Or maybe you don't know the meaning of "sociopath."

Just one thread away, you failed to read the phrase that was actually
being asked about, and went on for paragraphs about a similar but
unexceptional phrase.

On Mon, 17 Apr 2023 10:33:51 +0100, Janet <nobody@home.com> wrote:

>In article <u1h7tm$s6um$1@paganini.bofh.team>,
>Ken@invalidinvalid.com says...
>>
>> https://longreads.com/2021/05/12/queens-of-infamy-boudicca/
>>
>> The IXth legion (or, at least, part of it) was dispatched to deal with the
>> unpleasantness at Camulodunum, but they were routed by Britons just north
>> of the colonia. Meanwhile, Suetonius himself, having finished butchering
>> those old harpies on Mona, rushed to Londinium.
>>
>> I knew about the druids, and specifically the butchering of the priests,
>> but I didn't make a connection, mentally, between harpies & druids. Do you?
>
>
> Harpies refers to the defiant wild angry women who
>fought the Roman invaders on Mona.

Is Alice Giles a harpy?

On Monday, April 17, 2023 at 2:26:34 PM UTC-4, Sam Plusnet wrote:
> On 17-Apr-23 15:40, Ken Blake wrote:
> > On Mon, 17 Apr 2023 10:33:51 +0100, Janet <nob...@home.com> wrote:
> >> In article <u1h7tm$s6um$1...@paganini.bofh.team>,
> >> K...@invalidinvalid.com says...

> >>> https://longreads.com/2021/05/12/queens-of-infamy-boudicca/
> >>>
> >>> The IXth legion (or, at least, part of it) was dispatched to deal with the
> >>> unpleasantness at Camulodunum, but they were routed by Britons just north
> >>> of the colonia. Meanwhile, Suetonius himself, having finished butchering
> >>> those old harpies on Mona, rushed to Londinium.
> >>> I knew about the druids, and specifically the butchering of the priests,
> >>> but I didn't make a connection, mentally, between harpies & druids. Do you?
> >> Harpies refers to the defiant wild angry women who
> >> fought the Roman invaders on Mona.
> > Is Alice Giles a harpy?
>
> How about one of the Marx brothers?

-o, -o, -o, what a gal!

On Mon, 17 Apr 2023 10:33:51 +0100, Janet wrote:

> Harpies refers to the defiant wild angry women who
> fought the Roman invaders on Mona.

Oh my! I didn't know that! THANK YOU!

If that's the specific historical situation they were describing, your
clue-by-four instnatly solves the conundrum that I had on the original
quote usage of the word harpies.

Thank you!

Double checking before I apologize for not knowing my history, which,
after over eight decades of life you'd think I'd know by now.

Looks like "Mona" is synonymous with "Anglesey" according to this.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/how-massacre-anglesey-druids-paved-24732877
"On the shore stood the opposing army with its dense array of armed
warriors, while between the ranks dashed women, in black attire like the
Furies, with hair dishevelled, waving brands."

Apparently, those darkly attired women are the harpies we seek.
Thank you very much for explaining how harpies fit into the original quote!

I apologize for not knowing my history!
You taught me a lesson that I will never forget!

On Sunday, April 16, 2023 at 9:22:30 PM UTC-6, TonyCooper wrote:
> On Sun, 16 Apr 2023 19:06:24 -0700 (PDT), Jerry Friedman
> <jerry.fr...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >On Sunday, April 16, 2023 at 6:10:48?PM UTC-6, TonyCooper wrote:
> >> On Sun, 16 Apr 2023 23:02:02 +0100, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
> >> <ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
....

> >> >The OED entry includes:
> >> >
> >> > 2. derogatory. A person who seeks to exploit others; a grasping,
> >> > rapacious, or predatory person. In later use chiefly: a grasping or
> >> > unpleasant woman (potentially offensive).
> >
> >> Potentially? Interesting. How could any woman be called a "harpy"
> >> and it not be offensive? Deserved, perhaps, but still offensive.
> >...
> >
> >A woman could apply it to herself. Someone could apply it to a woman
> >who died a thousand years ago, or to a fictional character.

> Just because the person being called something does not hear/see being
> called an offensive term it doesn't mean it is isn't offensive.
>
> Rey doesn't hear/see him being called a "sociopath" anymore, but it's
> still offensive to call him that.

To who?

Is it offensive to say the "greedy and rapacious" Calvia Crispinilla, a
favorite of Nero, was a harpy?

> > There could
> >be a "not" in the sentence, like "Of course she didn't. She's not a harpy."

> If the statement is "She's not a harpy", then she isn't being called a
> harpy.

Right, but you were objecting to the OED's characterization of "harpy" as
potentially offensive. That was an example when it isn't offensive.

Compare "She wouldn't do that. She's not a shithead." For many people
(not as many here), that would be offensive. "Harpy" is in a different
category, and I think that's what the OED meant.

--
Jerry Friedman

On 17-Apr-23 15:40, Ken Blake wrote:
> On Mon, 17 Apr 2023 10:33:51 +0100, Janet <nobody@home.com> wrote:
>
>> In article <u1h7tm$s6um$1@paganini.bofh.team>,
>> Ken@invalidinvalid.com says...
>>>
>>> https://longreads.com/2021/05/12/queens-of-infamy-boudicca/
>>>
>>> The IXth legion (or, at least, part of it) was dispatched to deal with the
>>> unpleasantness at Camulodunum, but they were routed by Britons just north
>>> of the colonia. Meanwhile, Suetonius himself, having finished butchering
>>> those old harpies on Mona, rushed to Londinium.
>>>
>>> I knew about the druids, and specifically the butchering of the priests,
>>> but I didn't make a connection, mentally, between harpies & druids. Do you?
>>
>>
>> Harpies refers to the defiant wild angry women who
>> fought the Roman invaders on Mona.
>
>
> Is Alice Giles a harpy?

How about one of the Marx brothers?

--
Sam Plusnet