Monsters in Greek mythology

A sphinx ( ; , ; or sphinges ) is a mythical creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle.

thumb|right|Heracles, wearing his characteristic lion-skin, club in right hand, leash in left, presenting a three-headed Cerberus, snakes coiling from his snouts, necks and front paws, to a frightened [[Eurystheus hiding in a giant pot. Caeretan hydria (c. 530 BC) from Caere (Louvre E701)]]

In Greek mythology, the Minotaur (), also known as Asterion or Asterius, is a mythical creature portrayed during classical antiquity with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, a being "part man and part bull". He dwelt at the center of the Labyrinth, which was an elaborate maze-like construction designed by the architect Daedalus and his son Icarus, upon command of King Minos of Crete. According to tradition, every nine years the people of Athens were compelled by King Minos to choose fourteen young noble citizens (seven men and seven women) to

mythical or fictional animal with parts taken from various animals

thumb|Running Gorgon; amphora, Munich, Staatliche Antikensammlungen 2312 (c. 490 BC)

thumb|right|280px|Zeus aiming his thunderbolt at a winged and snake-footed Typhon. Chalcidian black-figured [[hydria ( BC), Staatliche Antikensammlungen (Inv. 596).]] Typhon (; , ), also known as Typhoeus (; ), Typhaon () or Typhos (), was a monstrous serpentine giant and one of the deadliest creatures in Greek mythology. According to Hesiod, Typhon was the son of Gaia and Tartarus. However, one source has Typhon as the son of Hera alone, while another makes Typhon the offspring of Cronus. Typhon and his mate Echidna were the progenitors of many famous monsters.

ancient Greek mythological monster, the mother of monsters

the lion killed by Hercules

thumb|The Kiss of the Enchantress (Isobel Lilian Gloag, ), inspired by Keats's "Lamia", depicts Lamia as half-serpent, half-woman

giant with hundred eyes in Greek mythology

Ceto (; ) is a primordial sea goddess in Greek mythology, the daughter of Pontus and his mother, Gaia. As a mythological figure, she is considered to be one of the most ancient deities, and bore a host of monstrous children fathered by Phorcys, another child of Gaia and Pontus. The small Solar System body 65489 Ceto was named after her, and its satellite after Phorcys.

demonic birds of Greek mythology, killed by Heracles

bull in Greek mythology

thumb|280px|A two-headed Orthrus, with snake tail, lying wounded at the feet of Heracles (left) and the three-bodied [[Geryon (right). Detail from a red-figure kylix by Euphronios, 550–500 BC, Staatliche Antikensammlungen (Munich 2620).]] In Greek mythology, Orthrus (, Orthros) or Orthus (, Orthos) was, according to the mythographer Apollodorus, a two-headed dog who guarded Geryon's cattle and was killed by Heracles. He was the offspring of the monsters Echidna and Typhon, and the brother of Cerberus, who was also a multi-headed guard dog.

mythological boar

herd of horses in Greek mythology

Empusa or Empousa (; ; plural: Empusai) is a shape-shifting female being in Greek mythology, said to possess a single leg of copper, commanded by Hecate, whose precise nature is obscure. In Late Antiquity, the empousae have been described as a category of phantoms or spectres, equated with the lamiai and mormolykeia, thought to seduce and feed on young men.

thumb|Amphisbaena in an illustration from the Aberdeen Bestiary (c. 1200) thumb|right|200px|A medieval amphisbaena The amphisbaena (, , or , plural: amphisbaenae; ) is a mythological, ant-eating serpent with a head at each end.

sea monster or large sea creature, associated with Andromeda of Greek myth

A vrykolakas (, pronounced ), is a harmful undead creature in Greek folklore. Similar terms such as vourkolakas (βουρκόλακας), vourvoulakas (βουρβούλακας), vorvolakas (βορβόλακας), vourvolakas (βουρβόλακας), vourdoulakas (βουρδούλακας) were also used for the creature.

mythical snake-like reptiles from Greek mythology

Ocypete (Ancient Greek: Ὠκυπέτη means 'swift wing') was one of the three Harpies in Greek mythology. She was also known as Ocypode (Ὠκυπόδη means "swift foot") or Ocythoe (Ὠκυθόη means "swift runner"). The Harpies were the daughters of the sea god Thaumas and the Oceanid Electra. Her harpy-sisters were Aello (Podarge) and Celaeno, whereas other mentioned siblings were Iris, and possibly Arke and Hydaspes. In other accounts, Harpies were called the progeny of Typhoeus, father of these monsters, or of Pontus (Sea) and Gaea (Earth) or of Poseidon, god of the sea.

mythical lion of Boeotia

giant crab in Greek mythology