In Greek mythology, Perseus used the harpe to behead Medusa.
The harpe was a distinctive curved sword or sickle-shaped weapon associated with several Greek heroes and gods. In the Perseus story, it provided the cutting edge needed to sever Medusa’s head while the hero avoided looking directly at her. Ancient and later artists often depict the weapon with a curved blade.
The sword is sometimes described as a divine or specially supplied weapon. Perseus’s equipment varies somewhat between ancient literary accounts and later summaries, but the name harpe is the standard term used for his curved sword in the myth.
The harpe should not be confused with the aegis. The aegis is a protective object associated especially with Athena and Zeus, and later tradition places Medusa’s head on Athena’s aegis. Nor is the harpe the same as a labrys, the double-headed axe associated with Minoan imagery.