Podarge

{{Short description|Harpy in Greek mythology}}

{{distinguish|Podarces|Podarkes (disambiguation){{!}}Podarkes}}

In Greek mythology, Podarge ({{langx|grc|Ποδάργη||swift-foot}}) is a harpy, a personification of a swift wind and mate of Zephyrus, the West Wind. She is the mother of Balius and Xanthus — two divine horses renowned for their swiftness and who were gifted to Achilles, running as fast as the wind. In the Iliad, she is described by Homer as having taken horse form, and 'grazing in a meadow by the stream of Ocean'.{{cite book | last=Mackie | first=C. J. | title=Rivers of Fire | publisher=New Academia Publishing/ The Spring | publication-place=Washington | date=2008 | isbn=978-0-9800814-2-8 | page=73}}{{cite book | last=March | first=Jennifer R. | title=Dictionary of classical mythology | publisher=Oxbow Books | publication-place=Oxford Philadelphia | date=2014 | isbn=978-1-78297-635-6 | page=}}{{cite journal | last=Probert | first=Philomen | title=Zeus on the stud farm? Against a Homeric instance of attractio relativi | journal=Mnemosyne | volume=69 | issue=3 | date=2016-05-07 | issn=0026-7074 | doi=10.1163/1568525X-12341879 | doi-access=free | pages=377 | url=https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:febd06a7-6724-48e5-8e2a-423a865bf1e4/files/m6d139f64a09c56facd562792d906f8b9 | access-date=2024-12-12| url-access=subscription }}{{cite web | title=A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, Habinnas, Harma'tius, Harpyiae | website=Perseus Digital Library | url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DH%3Aentry+group%3D3%3Aentry%3Dharpyiae-bio-1 | access-date=2024-12-17}}

Some classical authors also regard her as Zephyrus' wife. However as the rainbow goddess Iris is his other wife and sister of Podarge, there is confusion between the two.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

Stesichorus says the divine horses Phlogeus and Harpagos are the offspring of Podarge.RE, s.v. Podarge (1); Stesichorus, [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/stesichorus_i-fragments/1991/pb_LCL476.61.xml#note_LCL476_61_3 fr. 1 Campbell].

Her other names are Podarkes, Podarke-Aellopos and Podarces.{{cn|date=January 2025}}