Mythical substances. The most unusual mythical creatures of the world. Mystical creature: centaur

Incredible facts

From the very beginning of its history, humanity has been drawn to legends and myths, many of which had very real reasons. The heroes of these myths often became prototypes of real-life creatures.

In 1799, the English zoologist George Shaw wrote that the platypus looks as if “the beak of a duck had been attached to the head of some quadruped.” However, for a long time the platypus baffled scientists not only with its appearance, but also with other oddities.

Naturalists around the world for a long period of time could not decide whether this creature was a mammal. Did it lay eggs or was it viviparous? In fact, it took scientists a hundred years to get answers to these and other questions regarding the platypus (which, by the way, happens to be one of the few egg-laying mammals).

Myths of Ancient Greece

Sirens

The legends about sirens are almost as old as the history of human navigation. One of the earliest mentions of sirens is associated with the era when the first mentions of the half-sister of Alexander the Great, Thessalonica, appeared.

Legend has it that after Alexander returned from his a journey filled with dangers connected with the search for the source of eternal youth, he washed his sister’s hair in living water.

After Alexander died, his sister (and some sources claim that his mistress) decided to drown herself in the sea. However, Thessalonica could not drown in it. But she was able to turn into a siren.

According to legend, she called out to the sailors with the question: "Is King Alexander Alive?" If they answered that, they say, "he's alive, lives, reigns and continues to conquer the world" , then Thessalonica allowed sea travelers to sail past calmly.

If the unfortunate people dared to tell Thessalonica that the king was dead, she immediately turned into a terrible monster (perhaps the same Kraken?), which grabbed the ship and dragged it into the depths of the sea along with the entire crew.

The only possible explanation for the fact that sailors regularly reported sightings of sirens (that is, demonic creatures with the body of a woman and the tail of a fish) was that men confused them with herbivorous mammals living in sea water (for example, with dugongs or sea cows).

This explanation looks rather strange, since the same sea cows are far from being able to be called at all attractive and seductive creatures on Earth. How could the sailors make such a cruel mistake? Perhaps they had been swimming too long without women...

However, perhaps the reason was that manatees (that is, sea cows) have a habit of sticking their heads out of the water, shaking them in such a way that it looks like a man bobbing in water. When viewed from the back, their rough skin below the head may appear to have hair flowing down from the head.

Another reason could be the fact that the first navigators, who spent a long time at sea, often suffered from hallucinations. It is possible that, from a distance, with only the light of the moon, they could confuse the manatee with women. By the way, a group of animals was named after the mythical sirens, which included manatees and dugongs.

Vampires

Modern man's view of vampires was formed largely thanks to the famous (one might say cult) Irish writer Bram Stoker's Dracula, which was first published back in 1897.

Since then, the appearance of the “average” vampire has remained virtually unchanged - they were a stranger with pale, thin skin, speaking with an unbearable accent (apparently Romanian), sleeping in a coffin during the daytime. Plus, he was more or less immortal.

It is well known that the prototype of Bram Stoker's main vampire was a real historical character - Vlad III Tepes, Prince of Wallachia. It is also quite possible that Stoker was inspired by numerous rumors and superstitions regarding death and burial itself. These rumors were caused by the ignorance of people who did not particularly understand the processes of decomposition of the human body at that time.

After death, a person’s skin dries out in such a way that teeth and nails look more prominent and prominent against its background. It feels like they have grown up. In addition, internal organs disintegrate, various fluids leave the human body through the mouth and nose, leaving dark stains. People often interpreted these stains as if a dead man drank the blood of living people.

In addition to the above, there were other signs of vampirism that fueled superstition, associated, for example, with coffins. The thing is that sometimes scratches were found on the inner surface of the coffin lids after exhumation, which were perceived as a direct indication that the dead had ceased to be such and were trying to rise from the grave.

Such cases are explained by the terrible mistakes that were common in those days; sometimes they buried a seemingly dead person who was, in fact, in a short-term coma, for example. The unfortunate man, waking up and finding himself in pitch darkness, of course, frantically scratched the lid of the coffin from the inside, trying to get out...

It is also believed that the famous Scottish monk and philosopher, Blessed John Duns Scotus, died in this way. An exhumation was carried out, as a result of which it was discovered that his body in the coffin was curved in an unnatural way. The fingers were torn, and there was dried blood everywhere. Another person buried alive tried unsuccessfully to get out...

Greek mythology

Giants

Giants have remained a constant part of folklore for thousands of years. In Greek mythology, we encounter a whole tribe of giants who were born into the world by the goddess Gaia after she was fertilized with blood collected during the castration of the sky god and her husband Uranus by Kronos.

Germanic-Scandinavian mythology speaks of creation the largest giant of Aurgelmir from drops of water formed at the moment of contact between the land of ice and mists (Niflheim) and the land of heat and flame (Muspellheim).

It must have been really big! After Aurgelmir was killed by the gods, our Earth appeared. A stronghold was formed from the giant’s flesh, seas and oceans from his blood, mountains from his bones, stones from his teeth, the sky from his skull, and clouds from his brain. Even his eyebrows came in handy: they began to encircle Midgard, inhabited by people (that’s what the Vikings called the Earth).

The strengthened belief in giants can be partly explained by the phenomenon of hereditary gigantism (however, not in all countries). Scientists are confident that they managed to isolate a gene that leads to familial gigantism. According to the results of various studies, people suffering from gigantism often suffer from pituitary gland cancer, which stimulates uncontrolled body growth.

The height of the biblical giant Goliath, according to legend, reached 274 centimeters. In the modern world there is no clear rule or definition that would allow us to unambiguously say that a giant is a person of such and such height. The reason for this is that different peoples have different average heights (the difference can reach 30 centimeters or more).

One study published in the international medical journal Ulster Medical Journal suggested that Goliath (killed, as we know, by David with a stone thrown from a sling), whose family tree is easily identifiable, suffered from autosomal dominant inheritance of diseases.

They say that the stone that David used hit Goliath in the forehead. And if Goliath suffered from a tumor of the pituitary gland, which put pressure on his optic chiasm, then this could certainly lead to visual impairment, which did not allow the giant to see the stone flying at him.

Banshee

In Irish folklore, a banshee (that is, a woman from Shea, if translated from the language of the Scottish Celts) is a beautiful young woman, fairy, with flowing white hair and eyes red from continuous tears. He cries, thereby warning the person who hears it that someone in his family will soon die.

Her crying and lamentations are perceived more as a kind of help to a person, rather than a threat. Hearing the howls of a banshee, a person understands that he will soon have to say goodbye forever to someone close to him; and, thanks to the banshee, he has a little time for this.

It is not entirely clear when this legend first began. There are certain references to banshees, dateableXIV century. More precisely, in the year 1350, when a large-scale clash took place near the village of Torlaug between representatives of the Irish and English noble families.

After this, the banshee was almost never forgotten, until the middle of the 19th century. In fact, mourning the dead with lamentations has always been part of the tradition of Irish women, thus expressing bitterness, pain and the severity of loss.

Representatives of the fairer sex stood on the edge of the grave and began to scream at the top of their voices, mourning their loss. This tradition gradually died out during the 19th century because has become a kind of “attraction” for tourists, who came to look at the mourners from a “real Irish funeral.”

In fact, it is not difficult to accept the fact that the impressionable Irish, who were always ready to believe in something supernatural, mixed their women wailing in grief and fairy tales to end up with a beautiful story about banshees warning outside the windows of the house his owners about the approaching grief...

Hydra

According to Greek mythology, Hydra is a gigantic snake with nine (or more) heads, one of which is immortal. If Hydra had one head cut off, then instead, two new heads grew from a fresh wound(or three - different data can be found in different mythological sources).

The killing of the Hydra is one of the 12 glorious labors of the great Hercules. To defeat this monstrously dangerous creature, Hercules enlisted the support of his nephew Iolaus, who helped the hero by cauterizing the heads severed by the strongman.

The confrontation was difficult, but all the animals were also on Hercules’ side. The battle continued until until Hercules cut off all of Hydra's heads, except for one – immortal. The strong man eventually chopped her off too, and then buried her in the ground near the road, covering her with a heavy boulder on top.

The myth of the many-headed hydra was probably inspired to the ancient Greeks by Mother Nature herself. Since ancient times, there have been numerous references to snakes with several heads (although no one has yet mentioned nine heads!). In fact, cases of polycephaly (being born with multiple heads) are much more common among reptiles than among any other animal.

Moreover: thanks to the study of Siamese twins, scientists themselves learned to create polycephalic animals. Known experiments of the German embryologist Hans Spemann, who at the beginning of the 20th century attached slamander embryos together using a child's human hair. As a result, a creature with two heads was born.

Mythical animals

dire wolves

These days, the so-called dire wolves are very well known to those who watch the TV series Game of Thrones. After all, these were the wolves that were given to the young Starks. In fact, dire wolves are not a figment of the imagination of the writers and authors of the famous series.

Dire wolves are huge wolves that actually existed in North America, extinct more than ten thousand years ago. These formidable creatures were larger, but stockier (due to shorter legs) than modern wolves.

About four thousand fossilized remains of dire wolves (in addition to many more remains of other animals) have been discovered in the area of ​​tar lakes called Rancho La Brea, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Researchers believe they became trapped in these tar pits when they arrived there to profit from the remains of numerous other animals, trapped in underground bitumen coming to the surface.

The dire wolf had a huge skull, but its brain was smaller than the brain of a modern wolf. Perhaps if the brains of these ferocious creatures were a little larger, they would realize that the remains of various animals did not end up in these tar pits by chance...

If you remember, there was an albino wolf in Game of Thrones. In fact, it is unknown whether there were albinos among dire wolves, although Among the population of modern wolves, albinos are far from uncommon. It is also noteworthy that dire wolves were not as agile as modern wolves.

Basilisk

According to the famous Greek myths and films about Harry Potter (choose for yourself which source is more authoritative for you), the basilisk was a snake with a deadly look and a deadly breath. Legends say that the basilisk hatched from the egg of an ibis bird, which was hatched by a snake.

It is assumed that the basilisk was afraid only of the cock's crow and caress, who was immune to his poisonous bites. Yes, they almost forgot about Harry Potter’s sword, with which he killed this snake - his basilisk, too, as it turned out, was afraid...

In Greek mythology, the basilisk was a normal-sized snake, but by the time this creature ended up at Hogwarts (the school of wizards where Harry Potter studied), it unexpectedly increased to the size of a mammoth (not to mention the length). This creature has had many other reincarnations over these past centuries...

The likelihood that a snake will actually hatch an ibis egg is almost zero (not to mention the fact that an ibis, in principle, is not able to lay an egg with a snake inside). Nevertheless, the legend of the basilisk has a very real basis. Researchers are convinced that the prototype of the mythical basilisk is an ordinary Egyptian cobra.

However, the Egyptian cobra is not so ordinary - it is an extremely dangerous reptile that constantly hisses, and even spits venom at a distance of up to two and a half meters. Moreover, he aims directly between the eyes of his potential enemy or victim.

History knows many mythical creatures of the world that live only in people's imaginations. Some of them are absolutely fictional, some resemble real animals. The variety of mythical creatures is difficult to describe - if you collect them in one book only by names, you will get a volume of more than 1000 pages. In each country, the creatures are different - depending on the territory of residence, the legends also differ. Some legends are dominated by good mythical creatures, while others are dominated by beautiful but dangerous ones.

Varieties of mythical creatures

Each creature has such different and sometimes contradictory characteristics that it is extremely difficult to classify it into any species. But experts in the field of mythology were able to combine all the diversity of creatures into one list, which includes 6 main categories.

The first group includes humanoid creatures, i.e. those who look like humans. They have the classic characteristics of people - upright walking, a similar body structure, the ability to do manual labor, and the use of intelligence in difficult life situations. Such creatures usually differ from people in strength, height and magical abilities.

1. Giants are distinguished by their gigantic size. In legends they are described as huge, menacing, embittered creatures. Relationships with people are usually bad - hostile. Intellect is reduced, temperament is hot-tempered. The main types of giants are orcs, cyclops, cavemen.
2. Dwarfs are the opposite of giants. Their height is usually about 1 m or less depending on the species. For example, hobbits reach more than 1 m, and fairies can be very tiny and fit in the palm of a child. Dwarfs include boggarts and leprechauns.
3. A separate point is worth highlighting human-created creatures. These include golems and homunculi. Alchemists have long been working on their creation, and mythology tells of successful attempts that are not officially confirmed.

This is only the first of all the many creatures ever described in mythology. Naturally, there are much more humanoids than those listed in the list; here are only the most famous ones. The creatures that are most similar to humans deserve a separate description.

The subtype of people is the most extensive. It includes various creatures that are most similar in anatomy to humans. Large creatures include yetis, orcs and trolls.

1. The Yeti, or as it is also called - Bigfoot, appeared in mythology relatively recently. Its height exceeds 2-3 m, and its entire body is covered with thick hair, white or gray. Bigfoot tries not to go out to people, avoids them. There are eyewitnesses who claim that they met Bigfoot. But science has not yet confirmed its existence - this automatically makes it mythical. The Yeti is very popular in the culture of the peoples of the north - many souvenirs with its image are produced there.
2. Orcs are mythical humanoid creatures native to Europe, with slight similarities to trolls and goblins. Orcs are usually depicted as small creatures with ugly facial features. The body is unevenly covered with hair, the arms and legs are disproportionately large in relation to the body. Orcs were mentioned in Tolkien's legendarium, where they are presented as a cruel people who served dark forces. Their peculiarity was their absolute intolerance to light, since they were created in complete darkness.
3. Trolls are huge creatures native to Switzerland. They live on rocks, in forests or in caves. Legends describe trolls as huge, ugly creatures that intimidate people if they enter their territory. Trolls, according to legend, could kidnap human women and children and eat them among the rocks. You can only protect yourself from monsters with the help of Christian symbols - crosses, holy water and bells. At the sight of these things, the trolls run away. This is what it says in the encyclopedias of the monks.

Of the famous creatures, it is worth highlighting gnomes, which are mountain, ravine and dark. These creatures are similar to humans, but smaller in stature. Dwarves are depicted as spirits of the earth and rocks who work in the mines to extract precious stones. The attitude towards people is rather friendly. However, if a person shows aggression, the gnome can fly into a rage and injure the offender.

Elves are classified as a separate subgroup and are most similar to humans. They are usually fair-haired, tall and intellectually gifted, easily blending in with people in a crowd. In some tales, elves have translucent wings. In Tolkien's books, elves are warriors who are skilled with bows and swords.

Winged creatures

Such creatures have wings of different colors and sizes and are capable of flying over long or short distances.

The most famous winged mythical creatures are angels. These are God's messengers, according to legend, they help maintain order in the world. In all cultures they look like people who have large white wings behind their backs.

Although angels are usually depicted as men, they are asexual. Creatures do not have a physical body, are weightless and invisible to the human eye. They materialize only when they need to convey some information to people.

Angels, as the highest winged creatures close to God, can control the elements, natural phenomena and the destinies of people - these are very powerful mythical creatures.

There is a belief that each person has his own Guardian Angel, who is called upon to protect and protect “his” ward.

There are subclasses of angels. Cupid is not a classic angel, but he is one. He is a messenger of love and helps lonely souls find their soulmate.

Winged creatures include bats - usually their wings are not behind their backs, like the previous subgroup, but are, as it were, connected to their arms by fusion. Harpies belong to this group. They look like humanoid birds. Their body is female, as is their head, but the arms and legs are replaced by vulture paws with long sharp claws.

They are usually aggressive towards people, kidnapping women and children. They tend to rob people, taking their food, clothing and jewelry. Harpies fear only one thing in the world - the sound of wind instruments made of copper. From the melody on the trumpets, they fly away in horror and hide.

Group of demihumans

These creatures, unlike humanoid ones, combine features of both humans and animals. They are present in the legends of almost all countries and nationalities of the world. Habitat - as far as possible from people, somewhere in hard-to-reach places:

• in the mountains;
• in the centers of deserts;
• on the seabed.

The group of demihumans can be divided into several small subgroups.

1. Creatures with the head of a beast. Many creatures are described in ancient Egyptian mythology, where all deities had both human and animal forms. They took the best features from animals, combining them with human intelligence - the result was creatures that were an order of magnitude more developed than ordinary people, which is why the Egyptians worshiped them. The Minotaur, which belongs to the group of beast-heads, is a creature from ancient Greek mythology. He had the head of a bull, large horns, and was unusually fast and strong. He lived in a labyrinth named after him. This labyrinth was impossible to pass through, because the Minotaur killed and ate anyone who got inside.
2. Werewolves are people who, under special circumstances, could turn into animals. The most famous are werewolves. These are wolf people whose transformation occurs during the full moon.
3. Having the body of a human and an animal. There are a lot of such creatures; dozens of similar images are found in different cultures. These include mermaids, newts and centaurs. All of them have part of the body from an animal, and part from a person. Their intelligence is higher, and their relationships with people are ambiguous. Depending on the mood, they can either help or harm a person.
4. Furries are creatures that have the body of an animal and the consciousness of a human; there are furries of dogs, wolves and foxes. Some legends feature dragonoids.

Group of animals and birds

Beasts in collections of legends were sometimes endowed with supernatural powers. Many of them had developed intelligence, thanks to which they made contact with humans. Some of these creatures had mystical properties, or the organs of these animals were valued as medicine. Many generations of ancient people spent years finding such animals. The rulers promised a huge reward for them.

The largest subgroup consists of chimeras - ancient mythical creatures.

Horse-like creatures had a structure similar to a horse. They were often depicted with wings. This subgroup includes:

• griffins;
• hippogriffs;
• pegasi.

All of them have the ability to fly. Many people of ancient times dreamed of riding such a horse. Seeing a winged horse was considered great luck. According to legends, they lived high in the mountains, so brave souls went there to receive a little happiness as a gift. Many of them did not return.

Sphinxes are often found in Egyptian mythology. They were a symbol of wisdom and were considered guards who protected the tombs of the pharaohs. Sphinxes look like cats or lions with a human head.

Manticores are fictional, rare creatures that have the body of a lion and the tail of a scorpion. Sometimes their heads were crowned with horns. These creatures are extremely aggressive towards people, like lions, and are poisonous. According to legend, anyone who met a manticore died in its teeth.

In addition to chimeras, this group includes unicorns, which are distinguished separately from the rest. The creatures have the body and head of a horse, but their difference is a horn from the middle of their forehead. According to legends, crushed unicorn horn has magical properties - it was added to various potions to improve health. The blood of the creature gave longevity, even immortality, if a person took it constantly. However, according to legend, anyone who drinks the blood of a unicorn will be damned forever, so there were no people willing to do it.

There is a separate subgroup of dragons. In ancient times, they were considered the most powerful on the planet. Their prototype was dinosaurs - majestic lizards. Dragons are divided into European and Slavic. In ancient Russian folklore, dragons could have up to 12 heads. Slavic dragons were more willing to interact with people and had higher social skills. Sometimes they were depicted with many eyes, as a symbol of the fact that all knowledge is available to them, and they observe everything that happens in the world.

Elemental creatures and elemental group

In the Middle Ages, elementals were those that were directly related to the forces of nature. Such creatures could influence the elements and control them for the benefit or harm of people.

1. Gargoyles are artificially created mythical creatures. At first, people built gargoyles from stone and clay to scare away evil spirits and demons, but one day some inexperienced young wizard brought them to life, thus creating dangerous creatures. Gargoyles can fly and move quickly on land and in water. They are very dangerous for humans, because they like to attack people and tear them into small pieces.
2. Mermaids are sea creatures associated directly with the element of water. They are divided into sea and river mermaids. These creatures have the body of a girl and instead of legs, a powerful scaly tail. In legends, mermaids look different - from unimaginable beautiful sirens who lure unlucky fishermen to the bottom, to unsightly ones from the legends of the Japanese, who usually did not harm people. In many cultures, girls who drowned from unhappy love became mermaids.
3. Nymphs represent the elements of nature and also represent fertility. There are a great many nymphs in mythology. In the legends of the ancient Greeks, there are more than 3,000 nymphs. Their habitats are almost any piece of land - seas, rivers, and forests. They all have their own names. For example, the cute nymphs of the sea are called Nereids, and the rivers are called Naiads. Nymphs treat humans favorably and, if necessary, are able to provide a little help. However, if a person treated them or nature with disrespect, he could be punished by insanity.
4. Golems are earth elementals. These creatures were created by ancient magicians using one or more elements. Golem comes from Jewish mythology, where it was believed that they were created for protection and battles. Golems do not have intelligence - they only blindly obey the creator, who gives them his blood to fuel their vitality. Defeating the Golem is difficult; it requires great physical strength and the will to live. These creatures can be made of sand, clay or earth.

Forest creatures

A separate group of nature guardians is distinguished. They are very common in Slavic mythology - these are mermen, swampers, kikimoras, goblins and boletus. They all live in places inaccessible to ordinary people, protecting nature and preserving it. These creatures are neutral towards people as long as they do not violate territorial boundaries.

Wood goblins live in the forests. These are creatures from Slavic mythology, which have long been considered the masters of the forest. They are usually depicted as wizened old men with emerald green eyes. They look harmless. But if you offend nature and behave inappropriately in the forest, you can receive punishment from the forest spirit.

You can distinguish a goblin from an ordinary person by the way he dresses - he likes to wear all his clothes inside out, even the bast shoes on his feet are mixed up.

Boletuses live in forests and are guardians of mushrooms. They are usually depicted as short people who live near mushroom places. Boletus are usually friendly with goblin and conduct forestry together.

Kikimora

Kikimoras live in swamps and forests, luring unlucky travelers into the quagmire. They are depicted as scary women, with one leg, long and thin, which holds them above the marshy area. Swampmen - male spirits - live next to them.

Mermen usually live in rivers and lakes. They are neutral towards people, but can lure into the water someone who seems dangerous to them.

Fiery mythical creatures

These creatures are inextricably linked with flame. Fire is the element of purification and bright thoughts, therefore all creatures associated with it are revered by people.

1. Phoenixes - they are subject to fire. They are born in the flame and die in it. Phoenixes are immortal creatures; after spontaneous combustion, they are reborn again in the form of a small chick. Their feathers are hot to the touch, and their tears have healing properties - they can heal even the most serious wounds and injuries. In Christianity, the phoenix bird signifies the victory of life over death. These creatures are described in literature, they are mentioned in the treatises of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers such as Herodotus and Tacitus.
2. Salamanders are small fire spirits that can live in ovens or fires, feeding on fire. They do this thanks to their icy body, which cannot be warmed by any method. The salamander has a neutral attitude towards humans and brings neither happiness nor grief. The appearance of the salamander varies - from a small lizard to a large reptile the size of a house. The salamander is not only a symbol of fire, but also of the philosopher's stone. In alchemical literature it is described as a lizard and can transform into stone and back.

Group of demons and imps

Different cultures have ambiguous attitudes towards demons. In Greek mythology, demons are a bundle of energy endowed with intelligence that is capable of changing a person's destiny both for good and for bad.

In the mythology of the ancient Slavs, demons are evil forces that wreak havoc and destruction. Translated, the word “demons” means “carrying fear.” Demons are creatures of hell, but they used to be angels, as evidenced by the presence of wings. Unlike angels, demons have wings that are dark in color and look like they are webbed rather than feathered. Demons can take on any form and disguise themselves. More often they turn into humans, but the most arrogant ones can take on the appearance of angels. It is not difficult to distinguish them - it is unpleasant to be in their presence, causing unreasonable melancholy and sadness, or an attack of uncontrollable hysterical laughter.

Among demons, there are two types of lovers: incubi and succubi. They need a constant supply of energy, which they can only obtain through sexual contact with a person. During an act with a demon lover, the victim is in a zombified state and is unable to resist. She feels great pleasure at the same time.

An incubus was a male demon who entered the homes of women, virgins and nuns, and raped them in their sleep. A succubus is a female demon whose prey was strong, attractive men. The greatest success for a succubus was to seduce a priest, preferably one who had only recently been ordained.

Incubi are able to reproduce by transferring their seed to a woman. From such a union, according to legend, disgustingly deformed children were born with animal body parts or having extra limbs. They tried to kill such children immediately after birth, because, according to legend, evil forces were hidden in them.

Fighting succubi and incubi is not easy, but it is possible. They cannot stand the smell of incense, so if you leave a small lamp overnight, the demons will not come. Prayers help from them.

Fauns also belong to the family of demons. These are deities that are characteristic of Italian culture. They are considered favorable to people. Fauns live in forests and mountains. They can warn people from possible danger by appearing in their dreams. Usually fauns protect herds and livestock from attacks by wild animals, helping shepherds. Some mythical animals can only be seen by fauns.

Undead

This group includes the so-called living dead. They differ from each other - depending on the species, undead can be incorporeal or tangible. In the modern world, the image of the undead is actively used in games and films of such a genre as horror.

The bulk of the undead are vampires - creatures with sharp fangs that drink human blood. They can turn into bats or bats at will. They come to people at night while they are sleeping and suck out every last drop of blood from the victim. Sometimes vampires like to torture the victim - then they drink blood gradually, over several days, watching with sadistic pleasure the torment of the unfortunate person. The image of vampires is widely covered in literature. Bram Stoker first did this in his novel Dracula. Since then, the theme of vampires has become popular - books, plays, and films are based on it.

Zombies can also be considered undead - these are dead people who feed on human flesh. Description of zombies in literature: creatures devoid of consciousness and intelligence, extremely slow, but deadly. According to legend, zombies make people like themselves through a bite. To kill a zombie, you need to cut off its head and burn its body. Then they won't be able to regenerate.

Mummies are considered undead. They were once human, but after death their bodies were embalmed, so they remained in the earthly world. Mummies are in a state of sleep and therefore harmless. However, if anyone awakens them, the ancient power will be revived and chaos will begin. Egyptian mummies are divided into several categories.

1. Pharaohs are strong and fast, have good physical fitness. They have enormous fortitude, so they are capable of subjugating ghosts. It is not easy to neutralize such creatures; you need to have strength and endurance, and possess secret knowledge from ancient Egyptian treatises.
2. Priests are not as strong as pharaohs, but they have magic and are able to influence a person without resorting to physical contact. There are much fewer of them than pharaohs.
3. Bodyguards are the personal security of the pharaoh. They are extremely slow, but have remarkable strength, so it is better to flee from them rather than engage in battle.

Dangerous magical creatures

Mythical creatures are not always neutral towards people; many of them pose a real danger to humans.

1. Furies. In ancient times, people were in awe of them, afraid to even name them out loud, but if they had to do this, they usually added some epithet before the name. The furies look truly terrifying - their heads are like dogs, and their bodies are like those of hundred-year-old women. The hair is unusual: instead of the usual hair, the furies have a hairstyle of long snakes. These creatures attack everyone who, in their opinion, has done something wrong. As punishment, they beat the unfortunate man to death with metal sticks.
2. Sirens, although considered the most beautiful creatures on the planet, do not become any less deadly. Sirens look like birds with the heads of women, and their voices can cloud the mind of even the most experienced and stern sailor. They lure travelers to caves and rocks with angelic singing and then kill them. It is almost impossible to get out of their captivity.
3. The Basilisk is a deadly monster from ancient legends. According to legend, the basilisk is a giant snake, up to 50 m long. It is born from a chicken or duck egg, which was hatched by a toad. The head of the basilisk is decorated with huge curved horns, and fangs of varying lengths protrude from its mouth. The snake is so poisonous that it can poison rivers if it drinks from them. You can fight against the basilisk only with the help of a mirror - if the creature sees its reflection, it will turn to stone. He is also afraid of roosters - their singing is disastrous for the snake. You can tell about the approach of a basilisk by the behavior of spiders - if they quickly leave their home, you can expect the appearance of a snake.
4. Will-o'-the-wisps in marshy areas are small, little-known spirits that are not at all dangerous. However, travelers mistake them for the lights of houses, which they try to follow. These creatures are insidious and lure people either into an impenetrable thicket or into a quagmire. People usually come to their senses too late, when they can no longer get out of the swamp.

Good creatures from legends

Creatures from ancient legends can also be kind to humans or help them. There are especially many of them in Greek and Japanese mythology.

1. The unicorn is a fairy-tale creature that has a gentle disposition and a kind heart. He is very peaceful and never attacks people. Seeing a unicorn is good luck. If you feed him an apple or a piece of sugar, you can gain good luck for the whole year.
2. Pegasus is a real flying horse that emerged from the body of the Gorgon Medusa after her death. Usually depicted as a snow-white horse. Has the ability to save those in trouble. Pegasus will help only those who have pure thoughts - he simply ignores the rest.
3. Tanuki is a creature from Japanese mythology, which is depicted as a raccoon or a bear cub. According to legend, a person who saw a tanuki called good luck and wealth into his home. To lure them into the house, the Japanese usually place a small bottle of sake near the figurine of the deity. In almost every Japanese home you can find a small image or figurine of this creature.
4. Centaurs, although considered tough warriors, are usually favorably disposed towards humans. These are creatures with the torso and head of a man and the croup of a horse. All centaurs are educated, know how to navigate by the stars and cardinal directions, and are soothsayers. Based on the location of the planets, centaurs are able to determine the future.
5. Fairies look like little girls with translucent wings, living in flower buds. They feed on pollen and drink dew in the morning. Fairies usually help people with minor everyday problems, but they can also regulate the elements and protect pets.
6. Brownies are magical representatives of Slavic mythology. Brownies have long lived side by side with humans and protect them and their homes. Brownies help protect the home from the invasion of evil forces and get along well with pets, especially cats. Brownies look like little elderly people. Dressed in red trousers and caftan, like characters from ancient Russian fairy tales. To ensure that the house is always cozy, it is worth appeasing the brownie from time to time by offering him milk on a saucer or candy.

Conclusion

There are thousands of creatures in mythology. It is not known whether these animals exist - we know about them only from legends. However, I would like to believe that there is still room for a fairy tale in this world. Various mythical creatures - interesting, good, evil, big or small.

To interact with them, you need to thoroughly study their preferences and habits, but the main thing in communicating with legendary creatures is respect - then they can not only make contact, but also help. You should not deal with potentially dangerous animals; it is better to choose safe creatures in this regard. You can read about the classification of these creatures and their danger in a special alphabetical reference book or atlas dedicated to mythology.

Myths and legends, any oral or written traditions tend to disappear over time and be erased from human memory.

This fate befell many characters, both good and bad. Some images were modified under the influence of religion or the peculiarities of the folklore of nations that gradually assimilated the indigenous people who gave rise to such a fantasy.

Others remained in the memory of mankind and even became a kind of “trademark”, a hot topic for books, films and computer games.

A mythical creature does not necessarily have features exaggerated by human imagination. Monsters can be of a completely natural appearance, be it an animal, a demigod, or an evil spirit taking the form of a human.

All of them have one thing in common - the attempt of ancient man to explain natural phenomena, disasters and misfortunes by the intervention of an extraterrestrial force, cruel and indifferent.

However, sometimes mythical animals, characters and images begin to live on their own. Once told, the legend is passed on from person to person, acquiring details and new facts.

What they all have in common is a terrible disposition, fear of losing accumulated wealth and an extremely long life span.

The character of such a creature is peculiar. Most of the dragons are wise, but hot-tempered, cruel and proud.

The hero often speculates on the lizard's attitude towards himself in order to later kill him through deception and cunning and take possession of the dragon's untold riches.

Later, many variations of the original image appeared. Thanks to John Tolkien, Robert Salvatore and many other authors of the fantasy genre, dragons were divided by color and even acquired a direct “kinship” with the original forces.

Terrors in the night, a reflection on the fangs of a vampire

A monster capable of drinking the blood of a person or subjugating him to his will. This evil spirits should be considered as an extremely harmful and cruel creature.

The villagers mercilessly drive an aspen stake into the next corpse, the carpenter famously chops off a cervical vertebra with an ax, and the next “vampire” goes to the Underworld.

Before Bram Stoker's novel was published, vampires were not given anthropomorphic features. So, for example, a blood-sucking creature from South America looks like a mixture of a hellhound with various kinds of monsters.

In the Philippines, a vampire is even depicted as a winged torso with a proboscis similar to that of a mosquito.

In this way, the monster “drinks” a person, taking away his youth, beauty and strength.

Ancient people were not so scrupulous and believed that it was enough for a creature to cut off its head, or cut out its heart.

Personal transport for every virgin

Not every mythical creature is terrible by nature, because darkness cannot exist without light, however, just like vice versa.

Mythical animals quite often act as guides for the protagonist, helping him with both advice and deeds.

The messenger of the primordial light, at least according to most legends, is. This creature is pure by nature, aggression and violence are alien to it, so these animals do not remain in the modern world.

The most remarkable fact is that the unicorn has a strange “connection” with the virgin, feels her and always comes to the call.

An interesting fact: the harsh northern peoples of Rus' have their own unicorn, huge and “callous”.

Does it sound satirical? And yet they describe it exactly like that. Unlike the shiny and light creature, Indrik belongs to the spirits of mother earth, and therefore looks the part.

The huge “earth mouse” is not attracted to virgins, but it can also come to the aid of a soul lost in the mountains.

We don’t know what - chimeras

The last chords of life - siren

Despite the fact that a siren and a mermaid are different concepts, they have a lot in common, which ultimately led to a conditional juggling of names and a little confusion.

However, this is acceptable. In Greek mythology, the Sirens are the nymphs of Persephone, who lost the will to live with their mistress when she went to Hades.

With their singing, they lured sailors to the island, where they devoured their bodies, probably out of longing for their patroness.

Odysseus almost fell into their net, and he even ordered his comrades to tie themselves up so as not to become prey to carnivorous fish women.

Later, the image migrated to the mythology of Europe and even became a kind of common noun personifying the temptation of the deep sea for a sailor.

There have been theories that mermaids are actually manatees, which may resemble fish with anthropomorphic features, but the image itself remains relevant to this day.

Witnesses of the past - Bigfoot, Yeti and Bigfoot

Unlike other characters, these creatures are still found throughout the world.

Regardless of their veracity, the very fact of such finds is living proof that the images not only still exist, but also remain relevant.

What they have in common is their similarity with various stages of the evolutionary cycle of human development.

They are huge, have a thick coat of wool, are fast and strong. Despite their meager intelligence, the creatures continue to stubbornly avoid all the ingenious traps created by various kinds of hunters for mystical secrets.

Mythical animals remain an extremely relevant topic, in demand not only by art workers, but also by historians.

The epic had a huge influence on the development of humanity and the skepticism with which a modern resident of a metropolis treats such mysteries is dictated precisely by mythology and its “domestication” of the forces of nature.

The mythology of different cultures includes hundreds of different creatures. Their main difference is their habitat - an area where all conditions for a comfortable life are created. Mythical sea creatures come to land only for a specific purpose - they are looking for a victim, defending their possessions, or trying to find a source of power.

Origin of mythical characters

Creatures that live underwater or on land have a certain history. If the modern fantasy genre is based on specially invented monsters, then in mythology there are many examples of people inventing scary stories for their own peace of mind.

Mythical characters created in different eras explained what man could not understand. Monsters appeared out of fear: those that live under water were more frightening than others. According to legends, they crawled out only at night and very quickly pulled their prey under the water column.

The drowned people served as clear proof of this. Over the years, stories and legends have taken root, and the monster has gained new abilities: its skills, lifestyle and purpose of existence have changed.

River and sea monsters

River and sea monsters have common and distinctive features. They live in water, but if rivers are adjacent to forests and closed areas, then in the sea monsters attack only ships or fishermen’s boats. The name of the monsters depends on how they feed and how often they appear on land.

The most famous inhabitants of rivers and oceans that can harm humans:

1. Cthulhu. He is one of the deities. He owns worlds visible and invisible to the human eye. Cthulhu sleeps at the bottom of the largest bodies of water. The monster's power lies in its mind. He can influence the psyche and command a god or a beast. The creature is found in literature in the work "Call of Cthulhu" and is depicted as a large octopus with red, bloodshot eyes and deadly tentacles.
2. Vritra. A mythical creature that is found in the beliefs of the ancient Indians. It looks like a monster, It has long claws sticking out all over its back. The color is dark red. The monster's mouth contains a long tongue that infects its prey with poison. Vritra's main goal is to block water bodies and destroy all ships that get in his way.
3. Water. Occurs and describes an inhabitant of river bodies of water. A person need not be afraid of a merman if his peace is not disturbed. Vodyanoy's appearance is unpleasant: he looks like a large shapeless creature of blue or green color. Mermen are large in size and often live near swamps.
4. Grendel. Lives in an underwater cave. One of the most terrible in Saxon mythology. The demon hates people. If a boat or ship washes up against his cave, he destroys it along with all the passengers.

Sea monsters pose a great danger to ships. Such monsters appear during a strong storm or they themselves cause it. As soon as they wake up from hibernation, strong waves arise. Not all creatures eat people: some of them feed on fear, life forces, or immortal souls. River monsters threaten people who find themselves close to a body of water. One part of the creatures lures the victim, while the other kills random passers-by.

Kraken

Sea monsters take the form of animals or fish. They are distinguished by their large size and massive tentacles. The Kraken is known in mythology as a giant squid capable of destroying anything that gets in its way. The prototype of the mystical character was a real octopus: it was not so big, but significantly different from its relatives.

The Kraken is called the thunderstorm of the seas and oceans. It is the size of a large ship and can also easily sink any ship. The Kraken's tentacles are even longer. As the most formidable sea creature, he protects his possessions. If ships enter its territory, they will not expect mercy. In a few minutes, the monster deals with any floating structure. The Kraken lives at the bottom, but often swims to the surface.

sea ​​serpent

Another creature that frightens sailors and fishermen is the Sea Serpent. It was first described back in 1555. Archbishop Magnus said that he had never seen anything more terrible than a creature of hell. Underwater currents became home for the Serpent. He is not tied to one place and moves quickly underwater.

The monster got its name from its long body, reminiscent of a snake. It has several fins, which allows the monster to swim at the speed of the current. Large ears like fins of bright red color. They can pick up minor vibrations and vibrations.

The monster's mouth is covered with small but very sharp teeth. There are elongated fangs connected to each other by a membrane. The older the individual, the more additional processes it grows. The thick skin, which is difficult to pierce with a harpoon, has small bumps. The tail ends with the same dangerous processes.

Kelpie

Sea spirits in Scottish mythology are called Kelpies. They can live in lakes and rivers. Calm bodies of water are suitable for spirits, where they are rarely disturbed by people or animals. If their peace is disturbed, the creatures become aggressive. In a fit of anger, they are capable of inflicting fatal wounds.

What Kelpies look like:

• they look like a horse;
• they have long black fur;
• the spirit has well-developed jaws, which are covered with small but sharp teeth;
• in place of the horse's legs are long, hair-covered fins.

According to legend, spirits lure people to them by cunning, and then take them under water. There is no way to win a fight with a monster.

Mermaid

One of the most famous inhabitants of the ocean floor, the mermaid, lives in deep bodies of water.

In half of the myths, she is described as a friendly and kind creature. In other legends, she is an evil, bloodthirsty seductress. The mermaid lures sailors and ordinary wanderers. She goes out into the open or sits on a coral reef and begins to sing her songs. According to legend, the voice is so beautiful that no one can resist it. Often her

The friendly character is found in cartoons and films. They depict a peace-loving mermaid who is looking for her happiness. She is not afraid of people. The creature looks like half-woman, half-fish. She has a fin that allows her to move quickly. The upper part of the body is human. The mermaid does not age and always remains beautiful.

Males live deep underwater and never come out. They guard the home and, if necessary, protect it from enemies.

List of monsters, demons, giants and magical creatures of ancient Greek mythology

Cyclops- in ancient Greek mythology, giants with a large, round, fiery eye in the middle of their forehead. The first three Cyclops were born by the goddess Gaia (Earth) from Uranus (Sky). In ancient times, Cyclopes were personifications of thunderclouds, from which the “eye” of lightning sparkles.

Cyclops Polyphemus. Painting by Tischbein, 1802

Hecatoncheires - the children of Gaia and Uranus, hundred-armed giants, against whose terrible power nothing can resist. Mythical embodiments of terrible earthquakes and floods. The Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires were so strong that Uranus himself was horrified by their power. He tied them up and threw them deep into the earth, where they went on a rampage, causing volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The presence of these giants in her womb began to cause terrible suffering to Earth-Gaia, and she persuaded her youngest son, the titan Cronus (“Time”), to take revenge on his father, Uranus, by castrating him. Cron did it with a sickle.

From the drops of blood of Uranus that spilled during castration, Gaia conceived and gave birth to three Erinny- goddesses of vengeance with snakes on their heads instead of hair. The names of the Erinnyes are Tisiphone (killing avenger), Alecto (tireless pursuer) and Megaera (terrible).

The Goddess of the Night (Nyukta), in anger at the lawlessness committed by Kron, gave birth to terrible, monstrous creatures: Tanata (Death), Eridu(Discord) Apata(Deception), Ker(goddesses of violent death), Hypnos(Dream), Nemesis(Revenge), Gerasa(Old age), Charona(carrier of the dead to the underworld).

Phorcys- the evil god of the stormy sea and storms. In ancient Greek mythology, the children of Phorcys were considered to be the monsters Gorgons, Grays, Sirens, Echidna and Scylla.

Keto- the evil goddess of the sea depths, sister and wife of Phorcys. Both of them personified the majestic and terrible phenomena of the sea

Grayi- personification of Old Age. Three ugly sisters: Deino (trembling), Pemphedo (Anxiety) and Enyo (anger, horror). Gray from birth, they have one eye and one tooth among three. This eye was once stolen from them by the hero Perseus. In exchange for the return of the eye, the Grays had to show Perseus the way to Medusa the Gorgon.

Skilla(Scylla - “Barking”) is a terrible monster with 12 paws, six necks and six heads, each of which has three rows of teeth. Scylla makes a continuous high-pitched bark.

Charybdis- the personification of the all-consuming abyss of the sea. A terrible whirlpool that absorbs and spews out sea moisture three times a day. The ancient Greeks believed that Scylla and Charybdis lived on opposite sides of the Strait of Messina (between Italy and Sicily). Odysseus sailed between Scylla and Charybdis during his travels

Gorgons- three sisters, three winged snake-haired monsters. The names of the Gorgons are: Euryale (“jumping far”), Stheno (“mighty”) and Medusa (“mistress, guard”). Of the three sisters, only Medusa was mortal, who had the ability to turn everything to stone with her terrible gaze. She was killed by the hero Perseus. The gaze of the dead Gorgon Medusa, which retained its magical power, later helped Perseus defeat the sea monster and save the beautiful Andromeda.

Head of Medusa. Painting by Rubens, c. 1617-1618

Pegasus- winged horse, favorite of the muses. Conceived by Medusa the Gorgon from the god Poseidon. While killing Medusa, Perseus jumped out of her body.

Sirens- in ancient Greek myths, monsters with a beautiful female head, and the body and legs of a bird (according to other stories, of a fish). With their enchanting singing, sirens lured sailors to their magical island, where they tore them into pieces and devoured them. Only the ship of Odysseus passed this island safely. He ordered all his companions to cover their ears with wax so as not to hear the voices of the sirens. He himself enjoyed their singing, tightly tied to the mast.

Odysseus and the Sirens. Painting by J. W. Waterhouse, 1891

Echidna(“Viper”) is a gigantic half-woman, half-snake of a ferocious character, with a beautiful face and a spotted snake body.

Tavmant- god of sea wonders, underwater giant. The harpies were considered his daughters.

Harpies– in ancient Greek mythology – the personification of destructive storms and whirlwinds. Monsters that have the wings and clawed feet of a vulture, but the chest and head are female. They suddenly swoop in and disappear. They kidnap children and human souls.

Typhon(“Smoke, Chad”) is a terrible monster born of Gaia-Earth. The personification of gases that burst from the bowels of the earth and cause volcanic eruptions. Typhon entered into a struggle with Zeus for power over the universe and almost won it. In ancient Greek myths, Typhon is a giant who had a hundred hissing dragon heads with black tongues and flaming eyes. Zeus blew off all of Typhon's heads with lightning and cast his body into the abyss of Tartarus.

Zeus throws lightning at Typhon

Kerber(Cerberus) is a terrible three-headed dog, the son of Typhon and Echidna. The guardian of the exit from the underworld of Hades, who does not let anyone out of there. Hercules, during his eleventh labor, took Kerberus away from the bowels of the earth, but then he was returned back

Orff- a monstrous two-headed dog, the son of Typhon and Echidna, the father of the Sphinx and the Nemean Lion. It belonged to the giant Geryon and was guarded by his magical bulls. Killed by Hercules during the abduction of these bulls (tenth labor).

(“Strangler”) - in ancient Greek mythology (as opposed to Egyptian) - a monstrous maiden with the body of a dog, the wings of a bird and a woman’s head. Having settled near the city of Thebes in Boeotia, the Sphinx devoured young men who could not solve her riddle: “who walks in the morning on four legs, in the afternoon on two, and in the evening on three.” The hero Oedipus solved the riddle, and the Sphinx then threw herself into the abyss.

Sphinx. Detail of a painting by F. C. Fabre. Late XVIII - early XIX centuries.

Empusa- in ancient Greek mythology, a night ghost, a woman with donkey legs, who could take on a wide variety of guises (most often a cow, a beautiful girl or a dog with one leg of copper and the other of dung). She sucked blood from sleeping people and often devoured their flesh.

Lamia- in ancient Greek myths, the daughter of Poseidon, with whom Zeus entered into a relationship. Zeus's wife, Hera, was angry at this, deprived Lamia of her beauty, made her an ugly monster and killed her children. In desperation, Lamia began to take children from other mothers. She ate these children. Since then, she has regained her beauty only in order to seduce men, and then kill them and drink their blood. Falling into a mad frenzy, Lamia can only fall asleep after taking out her own eyes and putting them in a bowl. In later fairy tales, lamias were a special kind of creature, close to medieval vampires.

Nemean lion - son of Typhon and Echidna. A huge lion with skin that no weapon could pierce. Strangled by Hercules during his first labor.

Hercules kills the Nemean lion. Copy from the statue of Lysippos

Lernaean Hydra - daughter of Typhon and Echidna. A huge snake with nine heads, in which, instead of one severed, three new ones grew. Killed by Hercules during the second labor: the hero, having cut off Hydra's head, cauterized the severed area with a burning brand, causing new heads to stop growing.

Stymphalian birds - monstrous birds nourished by the god Ares with copper beaks, claws and feathers, which they could sprinkle on the ground like arrows. They ate people and crops. Partially exterminated, partially driven away by Hercules during his third labor.

Kerynean fallow deer - a doe with golden horns and copper legs, who never knew fatigue. She was sent as a punishment to people by the goddess Artemis to the ancient Greek region of Arcadia, where she rushed through the fields, devastating crops. Caught by Hercules during his fourth labor. The hero chased the doe for a whole year and overtook her far in the north, at the source of the Istra (Danube).

Erymanthian boar - a huge boar who lived in Arcadia, on Mount Erymanthes, and terrified the entire area. The fifth labor of Hercules was that he drove this boar into deep snow. When the boar got stuck there, Hercules tied it up and took it to King Eurystheus.

Hercules and the Erymanthian boar. Statue of L. Tuyon, 1904

Horses of Diomedes – the mares of the Thracian king Diomedes ate human flesh and were chained to stalls with iron chains, because no other fetters could hold them. During his eighth labor, Hercules took possession of these monstrous horses, but they tore apart his companion, Abdera.

Geryon- a giant from the island of Erithia located on the western edge of the earth. Had three torsos, three heads, six arms and six legs. Performing his tenth labor, Hercules reached Erithia on the golden boat of the sun god Helios and entered into battle with Geryon, who threw three spears at him at once. Hercules killed the giant and his two-headed dog Orff, after which he drove the magical cows of Geryon to Greece.

Periphetus- in ancient Greek mythology, a lame giant, son of the god Hephaestus. He lived in the mountains near the cities of Epidaurus and Troezena and killed all passing travelers with an iron club. Killed by the hero Theseus, who from then on carried the club of Periphetus with him everywhere, like Hercules carried the skin of the Nemean lion.

Sinid- a ferocious giant robber who killed people he met, tying them to two bent pine trees, which he then released. The pines, straightening up, tore the unfortunate people apart. Killed by the hero Theseus.

Skiron- a giant robber who lived on the edge of one of the rocks of the Greek Isthmus. Forced passers-by to wash their feet. As soon as the traveler bent down to do this, Skiron threw him off the cliff into the sea with a push of his foot. The bodies of the dead were devoured by a gigantic turtle. Sciron was killed by Theseus.

Kerkion- a monstrous giant who challenged Theseus to a wrestling match. Theseus strangled him with his hands in midair, just as Hercules Antaeus once did.

Procrustes(“Puller”) - (another name is Damast) a ferocious villain who laid people who fell into his hands on his bed. If the bed was short, Procrustes cut off the unfortunate man’s legs, and if it was long, he stretched him to the required size. Killed by Theseus. The expression “Procrustean bed” has become a common noun.

Minotaur- son born of the wife of the Cretan king Minos, Pasiphae, from an unnatural passion for a bull. The Minotaur was a monster with the body of a man and the head of a bull. Minos kept him in the Labyrinth, which was built by the great master Daedalus in the capital of Crete, Knossos. The Minotaur was a cannibal and fed on criminals sentenced to death, as well as boys and girls who were sent to Crete from Athens as tribute. Killed by Theseus: he voluntarily went to Minos among the doomed “tributaries”, killed Minos in the Labyrinth, and then safely emerged from this tangled structure with the help of the Minotaur’s sister, Ariadne, who was in love with him, and her thread.

Theseus kills the Minotaur. Drawing on an ancient Greek vase

Laestrygonians- in ancient Greek myths, a tribe of cannibal giants who lived on one of the islands, past which Odysseus sailed. The Laestrygonians strung the captured sailors on stakes like fish and carried them away to be devoured, and their ships smashed them by throwing huge stones from the rocks.

Pick(among the Romans Circe) is the daughter of the sun god Helios, the sister of the evil king of Colchis Eetos, from whom the Argonauts stole the Golden Fleece. An evil witch who lived on the island of Ee. Friendly luring travelers into her home, she treated them to delicious dishes mixed with a magic potion. This potion turned people into animals (most often into pigs). Odysseus, who visited Kirk, escaped from her witchcraft with the help of a moth flower received from the god Hermes. Odysseus entered into a love affair with Kirka, and she had three sons from him.

Kirk hands Odysseus a cup of witchcraft potion. Painting by J.W. Waterhouse

Chimera(“Young Goat”) - in ancient Greek mythology, a monster with the head and neck of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a snake. Killed by the hero Bellerophon.

Styx(from the common Indo-European root “cold”, “horror”) - the personification of primitive horror and darkness and the goddess of the river of the same name in the underground kingdom of Hades. Lives in the far west, in the abode of the night. Lives in a luxurious palace, whose silver columns reach into the sky.

Charon- among the ancient Greeks, the carrier of the souls of the dead across the River Styx. A gloomy old man in rags, with feverishly looking eyes. The name is sometimes translated as "sharp-eyed."

Python(from the word “rot”) - a terrible dragon that owned the Delphic sanctuary in ancient times. Python, like Typhon, was the son of Gaia. Python encircled the surrounding area of ​​Delphi with seven or nine rings of his long body. The god Apollo entered into battle with him and killed Python by firing 100 (according to other ancient Greek myths - 1000) arrows. After this, the Delphic sanctuary became the temple of Apollo. His prophetess, Pythia, is named after Python.

Giants- sons of Gaia-Earth. 150 terrible monsters with dragon tails instead of legs and human bodies. The giants were covered with thick hair and had long beards. Gaia gave birth to them either from drops of blood from the severed genital organ of Uranus, or from the seed of Tartarus, or on her own, angry that