Ceyx, the king of Trachis, was drowned at sea. Hera sent word to Alcyone in her sleep through Morpheus, the god of dreams, that her husband was dead. The lovers still traverse the waves, and in winter she broods her young in a nest which floats upon the surface of the water. During this time, Alcyone's father, Aeolus, king of the winds, keeps them from disturbing the serene and tranquil sea. Today, the halcyon days are a period of calm weather during the winter solstice, especially the seven days preceding and following it.
Halcyon days can also describe any time of tranquillity.
To hector means to bluster and bully. The noun hector denotes a bully. The connection between the noble Hector and this later conception originated in the Middle Ages, when Hector was portrayed as a braggart and bully. Helius was god of the sun. The Greek root trop - refers to a turning in a certain direction.