MORE LEGENDARY CREATURES FROM GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Added on: 21st Jan 2015
NEMEAN LION
The Nemean lion was a vicious monster in Greek mythology that lived
at Nemea. It was eventually killed by Heracles. It could not be killed
with mortal weapons because its golden fur was impervious to attack.
Its claws were sharper than mortal swords and could cut through
any armour.
SPHINX
With the haunches of a lion, the wings of a great bird, and the
face of a woman, she is mythicized as treacherous and merciless.
Those who cannot answer her riddle suffer a fate typical in such
mythological stories, as they are killed and eaten by this ravenous monster.
ERINYES
Literally translated to ”the avengers” from Greek, these were known as
the female deities of vengeance. A formulaic oath in the Iliad invokes
them as “those who beneath the earth punish whosoever has
sworn a false oath”.
CHARYBDIS
The daughter of Poseidon and Gaia; Charybdis is a huge bladder of a
creature whose face is all mouth and whose arms and legs are flippers.
She swallows huge amounts of water three times a day, before belching it
back out again, creating large whirlpools capable of sinking large ships.
HARPIES
These winged spirits whose name literally means: “that which snatches”
are known for their proclivity for stealing food. In fact, Zeus used them
to punish a king called Phineus by trapping him on an island with a bunch
of food and a large group of harpies. Phineus was constantly tortured by a
buffet he could never eat because it always got stolen away.
SATYR
Satyrs have goat-like features such as hindquarters and horns and are
often depicted playing flutes and holding cups of wine. They epitomize
the essence of having a carefree life as they make music and
drink all they want.
SIRENS
Dangerous and beautiful creatures, they were often portrayed as
femme fatales who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting voices to
shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island.
GRIFFIN
The Griffin is a legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs
of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle; and an eagle’s talons as its front
feet. As the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the
eagle was the king of the birds, the griffin was thought to be an especially
powerful and majestic creature.
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