A.“Ἐρινῦς” Od.2.135, etc.; gen. pl. Ἐρινύων trisyll., E.IT931,970. [υ_ in trisyll. cases (nom. sg. “-υ_ς” E.Med.1389 (anap.), but acc. sg. -υ^ν ib.1260 (lyr., s.v.l.)), υ^ in quadrisyll.]:—the Erinys, an avenging deity, “ἠεροφοῖτις Ἐ.” Il.9.571, 19.87 ; “δασπλῆτις Ἐ.” Od.15.234 : more freq. in pl., “μήτηρ στυγερὰς ἀρήσετ᾽ Ἐρινῦς” 2.135, etc.; “Γαῖα..γείνατ᾽ Ἐρινῦς” Hes.Th.185 ; later three in number, “μίαν τριῶν Ἐ.” E.Tr.457(troch.), cf. Apollod.1.1.4, etc.; avengers of perjury, homicide, unfilial conduct, etc., Il.19.259, 9.454 ; upholders of the natural and moral order, “ἥλιος οὐχ ὑπερβήσεται μέτρα: εἰ δὲ μή, Ἐρινύες μιν Δίκης ἐπίκουροι ἐξευρήσουσιν” Heraclit. 94 ; Ἐρινύες ἔσχεθον αὐδήν (sc. of the horse of Achilles, as rebuking presumption), Il.19.418: com., Ἐρινύων ἀπορρώξ, of Timon, Ar.Lys.811 (lyr.).
II. in less personal sense, guilt, punishment invoked upon the guilty, freq. c. gen., μητρὸς Ἐρινύες curses from one's mother, Il.21.412, Od.11.280 ; “τείσαιτο ἐρινῦς πατρὸς παίδων τε” Hes. Th.472 ; “ἱδρύσαντο Ἐρινύων τῶν Λαΐου τε καὶ Οἰδιπόδεω ἱρόν” Hdt.4.149 ; “Ἀρά τ᾽ Ἐρινὺς πατρὸς ἡ μεγασθενής” A.Th.70, cf. S.OC1434, etc.; later in Prose, “ξενικαὶ Ἐ.” Pl.Ep.357a ; “ἐρινῦς καὶ ποινὰς τῶν δι᾽ ἐκεῖνον ἠτυχηκότων” Plb.23.10.2 ; of persons in whom such powers are embodied, “νυμφόκλαυτος Ἐ.” A.Ag.749 (lyr.); “ἔτεκε νύμφα δόμοις Ἐ.” S.Tr.895 (lyr.), cf. E.Med.1260 (lyr.), etc.; φρενῶν Ἐρινύς frenzy of the soul, S.Ant.603 (lyr.); Ἐρινὺν ἐπορθιάζειν raise a Fury-song, A.Ag.1119.