Monsters and Creatures in Greek Mythology

Monsters and Creatures in Greek Mythology

Learn about the Monsters and Creatures of Greek mythology, such as Medusa, Typhon, the furies, hydra, sirens, satyrs, and cyclops

Centaurs

Half-horse and half-man were the creatures known as centaurs. Their bottom half resembled a horse with four legs, while their top half was human. Centaurs were generally noisy, rude beings. One centaur, Chiron, was clever and a competent trainer, though. Achilles and Jason of the Argonauts were among the numerous Greek heroes he tutored.

Cerberus

The Underworld’s entrance was guarded by the enormous, three-headed dog known as Cerberus. The monster Typhon was the father of Cerberus. One of Hercules’ Twelve Labors was to catch Cerberus.

Charybdis

The sea monster Charybdis had the appearance of a massive vortex. Any ships that approached Charybdis were dragged to the ocean’s floor. Ships traversing the Strait of Messina were forced to confront Scylla, the sea monster, or go around Charybdis.

Chimera

The chimera was a monstrous creature that resembled a cross between a lion, a serpent, and a goat. It was one of Typhon’s children. Because it could breathe fire, the Chimera was feared throughout Greek mythology.

Cyclopes

Giants with one eye were called cyclopes. They were renowned for crafting Poseidon’s trident and Zeus’ thunderbolts. During his travels in the Odyssey, Odysseus also saw a cyclone.

Furies

The furies were avian predators that chased down murderers with their razor-sharp teeth and claws. Alecto, Tisiphone, and Magaera were the three principal furies who were sisters. It’s actually a Roman name, “Furies.”. The Erinyes were dubbed by the Greeks.

Griffins

The griffin was an eagle and a lion together. Its head, wings, and talons belonged to an eagle, while its body was that of a lion. According to legend, griffins inhabited northern Greece and were in charge of a vast wealth.

Harpies

The harpies were flying creatures with the faces of women. The harpies are famous for stealing the food of Phineus every time he tried to eat. Jason and the Argonauts were going to kill the harpies when the goddess Iris intervened and promised that the harpies would not bother Phineus any longer.

Hydra

The hydra was a fearsome monster from Greek mythology. It was a giant snake with nine heads. The problem was that if you cut one head off, more heads would quickly grow back. Hercules slew the hydra as one of his twelve labors.

Medusa

Medusa was a type of Greek monster called a gorgon. She had a woman’s face but had snakes for hair. Anyone who looked into Medusa’s eyes would be turned to stone. She was once a beautiful woman but was turned into a Gorgon as punishment by the goddess Athena.

Minotaur

The minotaur had the head of a bull and the body of a man. The Minotaur came from the island of Crete. He lived underground in a maze called the Labyrinth. Each year, seven boys and seven girls were locked into the labyrinth to be eaten by the Minotaur.

Pegasus

Pegasus was a beautiful white horse that could fly. It was the horse of Zeus and the offspring of the ugly monster Medusa. It helped the hero, Bellerophon, kill the chimera.

Satyrs

Satyrs were half-goat, half-man. They were peaceful creatures who loved to have a good time. They also liked to pull pranks on the gods. The Satyrs were associated with the god of wine, Dionysus. The satyr Silenus was perhaps the most famous satyr. He was the son of the god Pan.

Scylla

Scylla was a terrible sea monster with 12 long tentacle legs and six dog-like heads. She guarded one side of the Strait of Messina while her counterpart, Charibdis, guarded the other side.

Sirens

The Sirens were sea nymphs who lured sailors to crash on the rocks of their islands with their songs. Once a sailor heard the song, he could not resist. Odysseus encountered the Sirens in his adventures in the Odyssey. He had his men put wax in their ears so they could not hear the song, then he tied himself to the ship. This way, Odysseus could hear their song and not be captured.

Sphinx

The Sphinx had the body of a lion, the head of a woman, and the wings of an eagle. The Sphinx terrorized the city of Thebes, killing all those who could not solve its riddle. Finally, a young man named Oedipus solved the Sphinx riddle, and the city was saved.

Typhon

Typhon was perhaps the scariest and most powerful of all the monsters in Greek mythology. He was called the “Father of all monsters,” and even the gods were scared of Typhon. Only Zeus could defeat Typhon. He had the monster imprisoned underneath Mount Etna.

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