Halcyon days

• The Expression ‘Halcyon Days’ means ‘days of peace and calm’, and comes from the story of Alcyone and Ceyx in Greek Mythology.

The Greek Legend of Alcyone and Ceyx

• Ceyx was the King of Trachis, and Alcyone was his wife.
  The beautiful couple were very much in love with one another and used to refer to each other as ‘Zeus’ and ‘Thera’.
  This annoyed Zeus who decided to punish them.

Punishment by Zeus

• Ceyx decided to set off in a ship to consult the Oracle of Apollo at Carlos in Ionia.
  Zeus seized the opportunity to sink the vessel with a thunderbolt. As he drowned, Ceyx prayed that his body would be washed onto the shore for Alcyone to find.

Thera Intervenes

• Thera took pity on Alcyone and arranged for her to go down to the beach where she found the body of Ceyx. She performed the last rites over the body, then threw herself into the sea and drowned.
  The Gods on Mount Olympus were impressed at the great love shown for each other by the couple.

Zeus’ Atonement

• Zeus decided to atone for his harshness by changing the couple into a pair of Halcyon birds (Kingfishers).
  For two weeks in January, Alcyone’s Father, Aeolus calms the winds and waves so that Alcyone as the Kingfisher bird can make her nest on the beach and lay her eggs.
• The expression ‘Halcyon Days’ refers to this period of peace and calm.