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Mystical female creatures. Slavic myths - fabulous creatures

10 mythical creatures, did they really exist? As the saying goes, there is truth in every joke. The same can be said about myths, which are considered fiction, because there is a particle of reality in them. It only at first glance seems that all mythical creatures, such as cyclops, unicorns and others, were invented in ancient times. Looking more closely at these mysterious animals, one can understand that people only slightly embellished the creatures that existed in the past, and composed myths about them. Here we will understand 10 mythical creatures, and see where these legends come from.

1. Unicorns (Elasmotheria)

You probably will not meet a person who does not imagine what a unicorn looks like. Even small children are well aware that unicorns are horses with one horn sticking out of their foreheads. These animals have always been associated with chastity and spiritual purity. In almost all world cultures, unicorns were described in legends and myths.

The first images of these unusual creatures were found in India more than 4 thousand years ago. Following the Indian people, unicorns began to be described in legends in the west of Asia, and then in Greece and Rome. In the fifth century BC, unicorns began to be described in the West. What is most surprising, in ancient times, these animals were considered quite real, and myths were passed off as stories that happened to people.

Most of the animals that existed in the world are similar to unicorns elasmotheria. These animals lived in the steppes of Eurasia and resembled our rhinos. Their habitat was a little further south than that of the woolly rhinoceros. This happened during the ice age, at the same time the first rock carvings of elasmotheriums were recorded.

These animals reminded us of our horses, only the Elasmotherium had a long horn on its forehead. They disappeared in the same period of time as the rest of the inhabitants of the megafauna of Eurasia. However, some scientists still believe that the Elasmotherium managed to survive and exist for a long time. It was in their image that the Evenks formed legends about bulls with a black color and a large horn on their foreheads.

2. Dragons (Magalania)

There are many stories about dragons and their varieties in folk art. Depending on the culture of the people, the image of these mythical animals also changed. So, in Europe, dragons were described as large creatures living in the mountains and exhaling fire. This description is classic for most people. However, in China, these animals were described in a completely different way, and more like huge snakes. In most of the legends, dragons signified a serious obstacle that needed to be overcome in order to receive a generous reward. It was also believed that by defeating the dragon and invading its torso, one could gain eternal life. That is, the dragon meant both rebirth and temporary death.

In mythological stories, references to dragons most likely appeared due to the remains of dinosaurs found, which were mistaken for the bones of mythical animals. Of course, legends about dragons did not appear without foundation, and in reality there were animals that served as a pretext for the emergence of myths.

The largest terrestrial lizards known in the scientific field were called magalanias. They lived in the Pleistocene era in Australia. It is proved that they existed from 1.6 million to 40,000 years ago. Magalania fed exclusively on mammals, and the size of the prey did not matter. Their habitat was sparse forests and grassy savannahs.

It is believed that some varieties of magalania managed to survive until the time when ancient people appeared. From there, images of huge lizards appeared, the length of which could reach up to 9 meters, and weight up to 2200 kilograms.

3. Krakens (Huge squids)

Icelandic sailors from ancient times described terrible monsters that resembled cephalopods. It was from the sailors of those times that stories began about a monster called the kraken. The first mention of this animal was recorded by a naturalist from Denmark. According to his descriptions, this animal was the size of a floating island, and possessed such strength that it could drag the most bulky warship to the bottom with its tentacles. Also, the conquerors of the seas were afraid of the whirlpools that arose when the kraken abruptly sank under water.

Many scientists today are convinced that krakens still exist. They only call them big squids and do not find anything mythical in them. There is also evidence of the vital activity of these animals, from a large number of fishermen. Disputes are only about the size of the mollusk. So, quite recently, in the southern seas, scientists managed to find a huge squid, the size of which was about 14 meters. It is also claimed that this mollusk, in addition to the usual suckers, had pointed claws at the ends of the tentacles. Faced with such a monster, even a person of our time could be frightened. What can we say about medieval fishermen, who in any case would have considered a huge squid for a mythical creature.

4. Basilisks (Poisonous snakes)

There are many legends and stories about basilisks. In them, these monsters were most often described as snakes of unimaginable size. Basilisk venom was deadly to any living creature. There were stories about this animal as early as the first century BC. However, at that time, a small, thirty-centimeter snake was called a basilisk, on the head of which there was a white spot. A little later, in the III century, the basilisk acquired a new image and was described as a fifteen-centimeter snake. Half a century later, numerous authors of legends began to add more and more new details to the basilisks, making a monster out of an ordinary snake. So, he got black scales, which were located all over his body, large wings, claws, like those of tigers, an eagle beak, emerald eyes and a lizard tail. In some cases, the basilisks were even "dressed" with a red crown. It was about such a creature that legends were made in Europe of the thirteenth century.

Modern scientists put forward a logical version that the basilisk is a prototype of some types of snakes. For example, it could be the well-known cobra. The rather ferocious behavior of this snake, as well as the ability to inflate the hood and spit poison, could well have caused a violent fantasy in the minds of ancient writers.

In ancient Egypt, the basilisk was considered a viper with horns. This is how he was depicted in hieroglyphs. Many believe that this was the reason for talking about the crown on the head of the snake.

5. Centaurs (Riders on horseback)

Talk about centaurs has come down to us from ancient Greece. They were described as beings with a horse's body, but with a human torso and head. It was also mentioned that centaurs were mortal, just like ordinary people. It was possible to meet them only in the thicket of the forest or high in the mountains. Ordinary people feared these creatures, as it was believed that the centaurs were violent and unrestrained. In mythology, centaurs have been described in different ways, claiming that some of them shared their wisdom and experience with people, teaching and instructing them. Other centaurs were hostile and constantly fought with the common people.

It is believed that these creatures were invented by people from nomadic tribes who lived in the north. Despite the fact that civilization already existed at that time, and people learned to ride horses, in some places this was not suspected. So, the first mention of centaurs is attributed to the Scythians, Taurians and Kassites. These tribes lived at the expense of cattle breeding, in particular they raised fierce and huge bulls, from which the temper for the centaur was taken.

6. Griffins (Protoceratops)

Griffins were described as creatures with the bodies of lions and the head of an eagle. In addition, these creatures had huge and sweeping wings, large claws, and lion tails. In some cases, the wings of the griffins were golden in color, while in other stories they were snow-white. The nature of the griffins was described ambiguously: sometimes they were the embodiment of evil, which could not be restrained by anything, and they could also be wise and kind patrons responsible for justice.

The first mention of these mythical animals also appeared in ancient Greece. It is believed that the Scythians from Altai, who were looking for gold in the Gobi desert, told about outlandish animals about the inhabitants of this country. Wandering through the sandy expanses, these people accidentally found the remains of a protoceratops and mistook it for an unprecedented creature.

Nowadays, scientists have established that the description of the griffin is almost identical to the dinosaurs of this species. For example, the size of the fossil and the presence of a beak matched. In addition, Protoceratops had a horny growth on the back of the head, which could eventually disintegrate and become like ears and wings. This was the reason for the appearance of griffins in all sorts of myths and legends.

7. Bigfoot (Gigantopithecus)

Bigfoot has a huge number of different names. In some places he is known as a yeti, in others bigfoot or sascoche. However, according to the descriptions, Bigfoot is almost the same everywhere. He is represented as a creature similar to a man, but of a large size. It is completely covered with wool and lives only in the mountains or thickets of forests. There is no scientific evidence for the existence of this creature, although legends that it roams the forests still exist in our time.

People who talk about their encounters with the yeti claim that these monsters have a muscular body, a pointed skull, disproportionately long arms, a short neck and a heavy, protruding lower jaw. Everyone describes the color of the coat in different ways, to some it seemed red, to others white or black. There were even individuals with a gray cover.

Until now, scientists have been debating about what kind of Bigfoot can be attributed to. Among the plausible assumptions is that this creature is a mammal that is related to humans and primates. It was born in the prehistoric period and somehow managed to survive. There is also an opinion that Bigfoot comes from another planet, that is, an extraterrestrial life form.

To date, most opinions agree that the Yeti is none other than a variety of Gigantopithecus. These animals were humanoid apes, whose growth could reach up to 4 meters.

8. Sea serpent (Selyanoy king)

Mentions of encounters with the sea serpent are found all over the world. According to eyewitnesses, this mythical creature resembled a snake and was large. The snake's head was like a dragon's mouth, while in other sources it resembled a horse's.

The image of a sea serpent could have arisen among people not only of the ancient, but also of the modern world after meetings with a herring king or with a belt-fish. Due to its belonging to the belt-bodied fish, the herring king has a ribbon-like shape. However, only the length of the body is striking, it can reach up to 4 meters. The height of the body usually does not exceed 30 cm. Of course, there are also larger individuals, whose weight reaches 250 kilograms, but this is very rare.

9 Korean Dragons (Titanoboa)

Even by the name of the dragon, one can understand that it was invented in Korea. At the same time, the creature was endowed with such features that are characteristic of this particular country. The Korean dragon was a serpentine creature without wings, but with a large and long beard. Despite the fact that in most countries of the world these animals were described as fire-breathing creatures that destroy everything in their path, the Korean dragon was a peaceful creature. They were protectors of rice fields and reservoirs. Also in Korea, they believed that their mythical dragon was capable of causing rain.

The appearance of such an amazing creature is confirmed by science. In the not so distant past, scientists managed to discover the remains of a huge snake. It was this creature that lived on earth in the period from 61.7 to 58.7 million years BC that was given the name Titanoboa. The dimensions of this snake were simply colossal - an adult had a length of about 13 meters and weighed more than 1 ton.

10. Cyclopes (Pygmy Elephants)

Beliefs about the Cyclopes came from ancient Greece. There they were described as humanoid creatures, having a large stature and only one eye. Cyclopes were mentioned in many myths, where they were described as aggressive creatures with inhuman powers. In those days, the Cyclopes were considered a whole people living separately from all mankind.

From a scientific point of view, the legends of the cyclops originated from pygmy elephants. Finding the remains of these animals, people could take the central hole on the elephant's head for the eye socket of a cyclops.

Now we know the fundamental principle and understand what mythical creatures were meant when talking about unicorns, dragons and cyclops. Perhaps for other myths you can find a very real justification?

Myths and legends, any oral or written traditions tend to disappear over time, to be erased from a person's memory.

Such a 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, gradually assimilating the indigenous people that gave birth 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 fantasy. Monsters can be quite natural in appearance, be it an animal, a demigod, or an evil spirit that has taken on the guise of a person.

All of them have one thing in common - an attempt by an ancient person 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 from person to person, acquiring details and new facts.

They all have in common a terrible disposition, fear of losing accumulated wealth and an extremely long lifespan.

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

The hero often speculates on the relationship of the lizard to himself in order to later kill him by deceit 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.

Horrors in the night, a gleam on the fangs of a vampire

A monster that can drink human blood or bend it to its will. This evil spirit should be regarded as an exceptionally malicious and cruel creature.

The villagers mercilessly drive an aspen stake into another corpse, the carpenter famously cuts a cervical vertebra with an ax, and another "vampire" goes to the Underworld.

Before Bram Stoker's novel was published, vampires weren't endowed with anthropomorphic traits. So, for example, a blood-sucking creature from South America looks like a mixture of a hellish dog with all sorts of monsters.

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

Thus, 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, well, or cut out its heart.

Each virgin on a personal transport

Not every mythical creature is terrible in nature, because darkness cannot exist without light, however, as well as vice versa.

Mythical animals quite often act as conductors of the protagonist, help him with both advice and deed.

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

Most notable is the fact that the unicorn has a strange "connection" with the virgin, feels her and always comes to the call.

An interesting fact is that the harsh northern peoples of Russia have their own unicorn, huge and “stale”.

Sounds satirical? And yet they describe it that way. Unlike a brilliant and bright creature, Indrik belongs to the spirits of mother earth, and therefore looks appropriate.

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

I 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 eventually led to a conditional juggling of names and a little confusion.

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

With their singing, they lured sailors to the island, where they devoured their bodies, not otherwise from longing for the patroness.

Odysseus almost got into their net, who even ordered his comrades-in-arms to tie themselves up so as not to become the prey of carnivorous fish women.

Later, the image migrated to the mythology of Europe and even became a kind of nominal personification of 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 all over 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.

One thing unites - similarity with various stages of the evolutionary cycle of human development.

They are huge, have a thick woolly coat, fast and strong. Despite their meager intelligence, the creatures continue to stubbornly avoid all the ingenious traps set up by all sorts of hunters of 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 impact on the development of mankind, and the skepticism with which the modern inhabitant of the metropolis treats such mysteries is dictated precisely by mythology and its “domestication” of the forces of nature.

Ancient Greece is considered the cradle of European civilization, which gave modernity a lot of cultural wealth and inspired scientists and artists. The myths of Ancient Greece hospitably open the doors to a world inhabited by gods, heroes and monsters. The intricacies of relationships, the deceit of nature, divine or human, unthinkable fantasies plunge us into the abyss of passions, making us shudder with horror, empathy and admiration for the harmony of that reality that existed many centuries ago, but so relevant at all times!

1) Typhon

The most powerful and intimidating creature of all those generated by Gaia, the personification of the fiery forces of the earth and its vapors, with their destructive actions. The monster has incredible strength and has 100 dragon heads on the back of its head, with black tongues and fiery eyes. From its mouths one hears the ordinary voice of the gods, then the roar of a terrible bull, then the roar of a lion, then the howl of a dog, then a sharp whistle that echoes in the mountains. Typhon was the father of mythical monsters from Echidna: Orff, Cerberus, Hydra, the Colchis Dragon and others who threatened the human race on earth and under the earth until the hero Hercules destroyed them, except for the Sphinx, Cerberus and Chimera. From Typhon all the empty winds went, except Notus, Boreas and Zephyr. Typhon, crossing the Aegean, scattered the islands of the Cyclades, which had previously been closely spaced. The fiery breath of the monster reached the island of Fer and destroyed its entire western half, and turned the rest into a scorched desert. The island has since taken on the shape of a crescent. Giant waves raised by Typhon reached the island of Crete and destroyed the kingdom of Minos. Typhon was so intimidating and strong that the Olympian gods fled from their abode, refusing to fight with him. Only Zeus, the bravest of the young gods, decided to fight Typhon. The fight went on for a long time, in the heat of battle, the opponents moved from Greece to Syria. Here Typhon shattered the earth with his giant body, subsequently these traces of the battle were filled with water and became rivers. Zeus pushed Typhon north and threw him into the Ionian Sea, near the Italian coast. The Thunderer incinerated the monster with lightning and threw him into Tartarus under Mount Etna on the island of Sicily. In ancient times, it was believed that the numerous eruptions of Etna occur due to the fact that lightning, previously thrown by Zeus, erupts from the mouth of the volcano. Typhon served as the personification of the destructive forces of nature, such as hurricanes, volcanoes, tornadoes. The word "typhoon" came from the English version of this Greek name.

2) Dracains

They represent a female snake or dragon, often with human features. Dracains include, in particular, Lamia and Echidna.

The name "lamia" etymologically comes from Assyria and Babylon, where the demons who killed infants were called so. Lamia, the daughter of Poseidon, was the queen of Libya, the beloved of Zeus and gave birth to children from him. The extraordinary beauty of Lamia herself kindled a fire of revenge in the heart of Hera, and out of jealousy, Hera killed Lamia's children, turned her beauty into ugliness and deprived her husband's beloved of sleep. Lamia was forced to take refuge in a cave and, at the behest of Hera, turned into a bloody monster, in desperation and madness, kidnapping and devouring other people's children. Since Hera deprived her of sleep, Lamia wandered tirelessly at night. Zeus, who took pity on her, gave her the opportunity to take out her eyes in order to fall asleep, and only then could she become harmless. Becoming in a new form half woman, half snake, she gave birth to a terrible offspring called lamias. Lamia have polymorphic abilities, can act in various guises, usually as animal-human hybrids. However, more often they are likened to beautiful girls, because it is easier to charm careless men. They also attack the sleeping and deprive them of their vitality. These nocturnal ghosts, under the guise of beautiful maidens and young men, suck the blood of young people. Lamia in ancient times was also called ghouls and vampires, who, according to the popular idea of ​​the modern Greeks, hypnotically lured young men and virgins and then killed them by drinking their blood. Lamia, with some skill, is easy to expose, for this it is enough to make her give a voice. Since the tongue of lamias is forked, they are deprived of the ability to speak, but they can whistle melodiously. In later legends of European peoples, Lamia was depicted as a snake with the head and chest of a beautiful woman. It was also associated with a nightmare - Mara.

The daughter of Forkis and Keto, the granddaughter of Gaia-Earth and the god of the sea Pontus, she was depicted as a gigantic woman with a beautiful face and a spotted snake body, less often a lizard, combining beauty with an insidious and malicious disposition. She gave birth to a whole host of monsters from Typhon, different in appearance, but disgusting in their essence. When she attacked the Olympians, Zeus drove her and Typhon away. After the victory, the Thunderer imprisoned Typhon under Mount Etna, but allowed Echidna and her children to live as a challenge to future heroes. She was immortal and ageless and lived in a gloomy cave underground far from people and gods. Crawling out to hunt, she lay in wait and lured travelers, further mercilessly devouring them. The mistress of snakes, Echidna, had an unusually hypnotic gaze, which not only people, but also animals were unable to resist. In various versions of the myths, Echidna was killed by Hercules, Bellerophon or Oedipus during her undisturbed sleep. Echidna is by nature a chthonic deity, whose power, embodied in his descendants, was destroyed by the heroes, marking the victory of ancient Greek heroic mythology over primitive teratomorphism. The ancient Greek legend of Echidna formed the basis of medieval legends about the monstrous reptile as the most vile of all creatures and the unconditional enemy of mankind, and also served as an explanation for the origin of dragons. Echidna is the name given to an egg-laying mammal covered with spines, living in Australia and the Pacific Islands, as well as the Australian snake, the largest of the poisonous snakes in the world. Echidna is also called an evil, caustic, insidious person.

3) Gorgons

These monsters were the daughters of the sea god Phorkis and his sister Keto. There is also a version that they were the daughters of Typhon and Echidna. There were three sisters: Euryale, Stheno and Medusa Gorgon - the most famous of them and the only mortal of the three monstrous sisters. Their appearance inspired horror: winged creatures covered with scales, with snakes instead of hair, fanged mouths, with a look that turns all living things into stone. During the fight between the hero Perseus and Medusa, she was pregnant by the god of the seas, Poseidon. From the headless body of Medusa with a stream of blood came her children from Poseidon - the giant Chrysaor (father of Geryon) and the winged horse Pegasus. From the drops of blood that fell into the sands of Libya, poisonous snakes appeared and destroyed all living things in it. Libyan legend says that red corals appeared from the stream of blood that spilled into the ocean. Perseus used the head of Medusa in a battle with a sea dragon sent by Poseidon to devastate Ethiopia. Showing the face of Medusa to the monster, Perseus turned it into stone and saved Andromeda, the royal daughter, who was intended to be sacrificed to the dragon. The island of Sicily is traditionally considered the place where the Gorgons lived and where Medusa, depicted on the flag of the region, was killed. In art, Medusa was depicted as a woman with snakes instead of hair and often boar tusks instead of teeth. In Hellenic images, a beautiful dying gorgon girl is sometimes found. Separate iconography - images of the severed head of Medusa in the hands of Perseus, on the shield or aegis of Athena and Zeus. The decorative motif - gorgoneion - still adorns clothes, household items, weapons, tools, jewelry, coins and building facades. It is believed that the myths about the Gorgon Medusa are connected with the cult of the Scythian snake-footed goddess-progenitor Tabiti, whose existence is evidenced by references in ancient sources and archaeological finds of images. In the Slavic medieval book legends, Medusa Gorgon turned into a maiden with hair in the form of snakes - the maiden Gorgonia. The animal jellyfish got its name precisely because of the resemblance to the moving hair-snakes of the legendary Gorgon Medusa. In a figurative sense, a "gorgon" is a grouchy, vicious woman.

Three goddesses of old age, granddaughters of Gaia and Pontus, Gorgon sisters. Their names were Deino (Trembling), Pefredo (Alarm) and Enyo (Horror). They were gray from birth, for three of them they had one eye, which they used in turn. Only the Grays knew the location of the island of Medusa Gorgon. On the advice of Hermes, Perseus went to them. While one of the grays had an eye, the other two were blind, and the sighted gray led the blind sisters. When, having taken out the eye, the graya passed it on to the next one in turn, all three sisters were blind. It was this moment that Perseus chose to take the eye. The helpless grays were horrified and were ready to do everything if only the hero would return the treasure to them. After they had to tell them how to find Medusa Gorgon and where to get winged sandals, a magic bag and an invisibility helmet, Perseus gave the eye to the Grays.

This monster, born of Echidna and Typhon, had three heads: one was a lion's, the second was a goat's, growing on its back, and the third, a snake's, ended with a tail. It breathed fire and burned everything in its path, devastating the houses and crops of the inhabitants of Lycia. Repeated attempts to kill the Chimera, made by the king of Lycia, suffered invariable defeat. Not a single person dared to come close to her dwelling, surrounded by the decaying carcasses of decapitated animals. Fulfilling the will of King Jobat, the son of King Corinth, Bellerophon, on a winged Pegasus, went to the cave of Chimera. The hero killed her, as predicted by the gods, hitting the Chimera with an arrow from a bow. As proof of his feat, Bellerophon delivered one of the severed heads of the monster to the Lycian king. Chimera is the personification of a fire-breathing volcano, at the base of which snakes are teeming, there are many meadows and goat pastures on the slopes, flames blaze from the top and there, above, lions' dens; probably the Chimera is a metaphor for this unusual mountain. The Chimera Cave is considered to be the area near the Turkish village of Cirali, where there are exits to the surface of natural gas in concentrations sufficient for its open combustion. A detachment of deep-sea cartilaginous fish is named after the Chimera. In a figurative sense, a chimera is a fantasy, an unrealizable desire or action. In sculpture, images of fantastic monsters are called chimeras, while it is believed that stone chimeras can come to life to terrify people. The prototype of the chimera served as the basis for the terrible gargoyles, considered a symbol of horror and extremely popular in the architecture of Gothic buildings.

The winged horse that emerged from the dying Gorgon Medusa at the moment when Perseus cut off her head. Since the horse appeared at the source of the Ocean (in the ideas of the ancient Greeks, the Ocean was a river encircling the Earth), it was called Pegasus (translated from Greek - “stormy current”). Swift and graceful, Pegasus immediately became the object of desire for many heroes of Greece. Day and night, hunters ambushed Mount Helikon, where Pegasus, with one blow of his hoof, made clean, cool water of a strange dark violet color, but very tasty, spring up. This is how the famous source of Hippocrene's poetic inspiration appeared - the Horse Spring. The most patient have happened to see a ghostly steed; Pegasus let the most lucky ones get so close to him that it seemed a little more - and you can touch his beautiful white skin. But no one managed to catch Pegasus: at the last moment, this indomitable creature flapped its wings and, with the speed of lightning, was carried away beyond the clouds. Only after Athena gave the young Bellerophon a magical bridle, he was able to saddle the wonderful horse. Riding Pegasus, Bellerophon was able to get close to the Chimera and struck down the fire-breathing monster from the air. Intoxicated by his victories with the constant help of the devoted Pegasus, Bellerophon imagined himself equal to the gods and, saddling Pegasus, went to Olympus. The angry Zeus struck the proud, and Pegasus received the right to visit the shining peaks of Olympus. In later legends, Pegasus fell into the number of horses of Eos and into the society strashno.com.ua of muses, into the circle of the latter, in particular, because he stopped Mount Helikon with the blow of his hoof, which began to oscillate at the sound of the songs of the muses. From the point of view of symbolism, Pegasus combines the vitality and power of a horse with liberation, like a bird, from earthly gravity, so the idea is close to the unfettered spirit of the poet, overcoming earthly obstacles. Pegasus personified not only a wonderful friend and faithful comrade, but also boundless intelligence and talent. The favorite of the gods, muses and poets, Pegasus often appears in the visual arts. In honor of Pegasus, the constellation of the northern hemisphere, a genus of marine ray-finned fish and weapons are named.

7) Colchis dragon (Colchis)

Son of Typhon and Echidna, vigilantly awake fire-breathing huge dragon guarding the Golden Fleece. The name of the monster is given by the area of ​​​​its location - Colchis. The king of Colchis, Eet, sacrificed a ram with a golden skin to Zeus, and hung the skin on an oak tree in the sacred grove of Ares, where Colchis guarded it. Jason, a pupil of the centaur Chiron, on behalf of Pelius, king of Iolk, went to Colchis for the Golden Fleece on the Argo ship, built specifically for this trip. King Eet gave Jason impossible assignments so that the Golden Fleece would remain forever in Colchis. But the god of love Eros ignited love for Jason in the heart of the sorceress Medea, daughter of Eet. The princess sprinkled Colchis with a sleeping potion, calling for help from the god of sleep, Hypnos. Jason stole the Golden Fleece, hastily sailing with Medea on the Argo back to Greece.

The giant, the son of Chrysaor, born from the blood of the Gorgon Medusa, and the oceanid Kalliroi. He was known as the strongest on earth and was a terrible monster with three bodies fused at the waist, had three heads and six arms. Geryon owned wonderful cows of unusually beautiful red color, which he kept on the island of Erifia in the Ocean. Rumors about the beautiful cows of Geryon reached the Mycenaean king Eurystheus, and he sent Hercules after them, who was in his service. Hercules went through all of Libya before reaching the extreme West, where, according to the Greeks, the world ended, which was bordered by the Ocean River. The path to the ocean was blocked by mountains. Hercules parted them with his mighty hands, forming the Strait of Gibraltar, and installed stone steles on the southern and northern shores - the Pillars of Hercules. On the golden boat of Helios, the son of Zeus sailed to the island of Erifia. Hercules slew with his famous club the watchdog Orff, who was guarding the flock, killed the shepherd, and then took the fight with the three-headed master who came to the rescue. Geryon covered himself with three shields, three spears were in his powerful hands, but they turned out to be useless: the spears could not penetrate the skin of the Nemean lion thrown over the hero’s shoulders. Hercules also fired several poisonous arrows at Geryon, and one of them turned out to be fatal. Then he loaded the cows into the boat of Helios and swam across the Ocean in the opposite direction. So the demon of drought and darkness was defeated, and the heavenly cows - rain-bearing clouds - were released.

A huge two-headed dog guarding the cows of the giant Gerion. The offspring of Typhon and Echidna, the older brother of the dog Cerberus and other monsters. He is the father of the Sphinx and the Nemean lion (from Chimera), according to one version. Orff is not as famous as Cerberus, therefore much less is known about him and information about him is contradictory. Some myths report that in addition to two dog heads, Orff has seven more dragon heads, and there was a snake in place of the tail. And in Iberia, the dog had a sanctuary. He was killed by Hercules during the execution of his tenth feat. The plot of the death of Orff at the hands of Hercules, who led away the cows of Geryon, was often used by ancient Greek sculptors and potters; presented on numerous antique vases, amphoras, stamnos and skyphos. According to one of the very adventurous versions, Orff in ancient times could simultaneously personify two constellations - Canis Major and Minor. Now these stars are combined into two asterisms, and in the past their two brightest stars (Sirius and Procyon, respectively) could well be seen by people as fangs or the heads of a monstrous two-headed dog.

10) Cerberus (Cerberus)

The son of Typhon and Echidna, a terrible three-headed dog with a terrible dragon tail, covered with menacingly hissing snakes. Cerberus guarded the entrance to the gloomy, full of horrors of the underworld of Hades, making sure that no one came out of there. According to ancient texts, Cerberus welcomes those who enter hell with his tail and tears to pieces those who try to escape. In a later legend, he bites the new arrivals. To appease him, a honey gingerbread was placed in the coffin of the deceased. In Dante, Cerberus torments the souls of the dead. For a long time, at Cape Tenar, in the south of the Peloponnese, they showed a cave, claiming that here Hercules, on the instructions of King Eurystheus, descended into the kingdom of Hades in order to bring Cerberus out of there. Appearing before the throne of Hades, Hercules respectfully asked the underground god to allow him to take the dog to Mycenae. No matter how severe and gloomy Hades was, he could not refuse the son of the great Zeus. He set only one condition: Hercules must tame Cerberus without weapons. Hercules saw Cerberus on the banks of the Acheron River - the border between the world of the living and the dead. The hero grabbed the dog with his mighty hands and began to strangle him. The dog howled menacingly, trying to escape, the snakes writhed and stung Hercules, but he only squeezed his hands tighter. Finally, Cerberus gave in and agreed to follow Hercules, who took him to the walls of Mycenae. King Eurystheus was horrified at one glance at the terrible dog and ordered him to be sent back to Hades as soon as possible. Cerberus was returned to his place in Hades, and it was after this feat that Eurystheus gave Hercules freedom. During his stay on earth, Cerberus dropped drops of bloody foam from his mouth, from which the poisonous herb aconite later grew, otherwise called hecatine, since the goddess Hecate was the first to use it. Medea mixed this herb into her witch's potion. In the image of Cerberus, teratomorphism is traced, against which heroic mythology is fighting. The name of the vicious dog has become a household name to refer to an overly harsh, incorruptible watchman.

11) Sphinx

The most famous Sphinx in Greek mythology was from Ethiopia and lived in Thebes in Boeotia, as mentioned by the Greek poet Hesiod. It was a monster spawned by Typhon and Echidna, with the face and chest of a woman, the body of a lion and the wings of a bird. Sent by the Hero to Thebes as a punishment, the Sphinx settled on a mountain near Thebes and asked each passerby a riddle: “Which of the living creatures walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening?” Unable to give a clue, the Sphinx killed and thus killed many noble Thebans, including the son of King Creon. Dejected with grief, Creon announced that he would give the kingdom and the hand of his sister Jocasta to the one who would save Thebes from the Sphinx. Oedipus solved the riddle by answering the Sphinx: "Man." The monster in despair threw himself into the abyss and crashed to death. This version of the myth supplanted the older version, in which the original name of the predator that lived in Boeotia on Mount Fikion was Fix, and then Orf and Echidna were named his parents. The name Sphinx arose from the rapprochement with the verb “compress”, “strangle”, and the image itself - under the influence of the Asia Minor image of a winged half-maiden-half-lion. Ancient Fix was a ferocious monster capable of swallowing prey; he was defeated by Oedipus with weapons in his hands during a fierce battle. Depictions of the Sphinx abound in Classical art, from 18th-century British interiors to Romantic Empire furniture. Freemasons considered sphinxes as a symbol of the mysteries and used them in their architecture, considering them as guardians of the gates of the temple. In Masonic architecture, the sphinx is a frequent decorative detail, for example, even in the version of the image of his head on the form of documents. The Sphinx personifies mystery, wisdom, the idea of ​​a person's struggle with fate.

12) Siren

Demonic creatures born from the god of fresh waters Aheloy and one of the muses: Melpomene or Terpsichore. Sirens, like many mythical creatures, are mixanthropic in nature, they are half-birds-half-women or half-fish-half-women who inherited a wild spontaneity from their father, and a divine voice from their mother. Their number ranges from a few to many. Dangerous maidens lived on the rocks of the island, littered with the bones and dried skin of their victims, whom the sirens lured with their singing. Hearing their sweet singing, the sailors, losing their minds, sent the ship straight to the rocks and eventually died in the depths of the sea. After that, the merciless virgins tore the bodies of the victims to pieces and ate them. According to one of the myths, Orpheus on the ship of the Argonauts sang sweeter than the sirens, and for this reason the sirens, in despair and violent anger, rushed into the sea and were turned into rocks, for they were destined to die when their spells were powerless. The appearance of sirens with wings makes them similar in appearance to harpies, and sirens with fish tails to mermaids. However, sirens, unlike mermaids, are of divine origin. Attractive appearance is also not their obligatory attribute. Sirens were also perceived as muses of another world - they were depicted on tombstones. In classical antiquity, wild chthonic sirens turn into sweet-voiced wise sirens, each of which sits on one of the eight celestial spheres of the world spindle of the goddess Ananke, creating the majestic harmony of the cosmos with their singing. To appease the sea deities and avoid shipwreck, sirens were often depicted as figures on ships. Over time, the image of sirens became so popular that a whole detachment of large marine mammals was called sirens, which includes dugongs, manatees, as well as sea (or Steller's) cows, which, unfortunately, were completely exterminated by the end of the 18th century.

13) Harpy

Daughters of the sea deity Thaumant and the oceanides Electra, archaic pre-Olympic deities. Their names - Aella ("Whirlwind"), Aellope ("Whirlwind"), Podarga ("Swift-footed"), Okipeta ("Fast"), Kelaino ("Gloomy") - indicate a connection with the elements and darkness. The word "harpy" comes from the Greek "grab", "abduct". In ancient myths, harpies were gods of the wind. The proximity of the strashno.com.ua harpies to the winds is reflected in the fact that the divine horses of Achilles were born from Podarga and Zephyr. They interfered little in the affairs of people, their duty was only to carry the souls of the dead to the underworld. But then the harpies began to kidnap children and annoy people, swooping in suddenly, like the wind, and just as suddenly disappearing. In various sources, harpies are described as winged deities with long flowing hair, flying faster than birds and winds, or as vultures with female faces and sharp hooked claws. They are invulnerable and stinking. Eternally tormented by a hunger that they cannot satisfy, the harpies descend from the mountains and, with piercing cries, devour and soil everything. The harpies were sent by the gods as punishment for the people who had been guilty of them. Monsters took away food from a person every time he took food, and this lasted until the person died of hunger. So, the story is known about how the harpies tortured King Phineus, damned for an involuntary crime, and, stealing his food, doomed him to starvation. However, the monsters were expelled by the sons of Boreas - the Argonauts Zet and Kalaid. The heroes of Zeus, their sister, the goddess of the rainbow Irida, prevented the heroes from killing the harpies. The habitat of the harpies was usually called the Strofada Islands in the Aegean Sea, later, along with other monsters, they were placed in the kingdom of gloomy Hades, where they were ranked among the most dangerous local creatures. Medieval moralists used harpies as symbols of greed, gluttony, and uncleanliness, often confusing them with furies. Evil women are also called harpies. The harpy is a large bird of prey from the hawk family that lives in South America.

The brainchild of Typhon and Echidna, the hideous Hydra had a long serpentine body and nine dragon heads. One of the heads was immortal. Hydra was considered invincible, since two new ones grew from a severed head. Coming out of the gloomy Tartarus, the Hydra lived in a swamp near the city of Lerna, where the killers came to atone for their sins. This place became her home. Hence the name - Lernaean Hydra. The hydra was eternally hungry and devastated the surroundings, eating herds and burning crops with its fiery breath. Her body was thicker than the thickest tree and covered with shiny scales. When she rose on her tail, she could be seen far above the forests. King Eurystheus sent Hercules on a mission to kill the Lernean Hydra. Iolaus, the nephew of Hercules, during the battle of the hero with the Hydra, burned her neck with fire, from which Hercules knocked down his heads with his club. Hydra stopped growing new heads, and soon she had only one immortal head. In the end, she was demolished with a club and buried by Hercules under a huge rock. Then the hero cut Hydra's body and plunged his arrows into her poisonous blood. Since then, the wounds from his arrows have become incurable. However, this feat of the hero was not recognized by Eurystheus, since Hercules was helped by his nephew. The name Hydra is given to Pluto's satellite and the constellation in the southern hemisphere of the sky, the longest of all. The unusual properties of Hydra also gave their name to the genus of freshwater sessile coelenterates. A hydra is a person with an aggressive character and a predatory demeanor.

15) Stymphalian birds

Birds of prey with sharp bronze feathers, copper claws and beaks. Named after Lake Stimfal near the city of the same name in the mountains of Arcadia. Having multiplied with extraordinary speed, they turned into a huge flock and soon turned all the surroundings of the city almost into a desert: they destroyed the entire crop of the fields, exterminated the animals that grazed on the fat shores of the lake, and killed many shepherds and farmers. Taking off, the Stymphalian birds dropped their feathers like arrows, and struck with them all who were in the open area, or tore them apart with copper claws and beaks. Upon learning of this misfortune of the Arcadians, Eurystheus sent Hercules to them, hoping that this time he would not be able to escape. Athena helped the hero by giving him copper rattles or timpani forged by Hephaestus. Alarming the birds with noise, Hercules began to shoot at them with his arrows poisoned by the poison of the Lernaean Hydra. Frightened birds left the shores of the lake, flying to the islands of the Black Sea. There the Stymphalidae were met by the Argonauts. They probably heard about the feat of Hercules and followed his example - they drove the birds away with a noise, hitting the shields with swords.

Forest deities who made up the retinue of the god Dionysus. Satyrs are shaggy and bearded, their legs end in goat (sometimes horse) hooves. Other characteristic features of the appearance of satyrs are horns on the head, a goat or bull tail and a human torso. Satyrs were endowed with the qualities of wild creatures with animal qualities, who thought little about human prohibitions and moral standards. In addition, they were distinguished by fantastic endurance, both in battle and at the festive table. A great passion was dancing and music, the flute is one of the main attributes of satyrs. Also, thyrsus, flute, leather bellows or vessels with wine were considered attributes of satyrs. Satyrs were often depicted on the canvases of great artists. Often the satyrs were accompanied by girls, for whom the satyrs had a certain weakness. According to a rationalistic interpretation, a tribe of shepherds who lived in forests and mountains could be reflected in the image of a satyr. A satyr is sometimes called a lover of alcohol, humor and sorority. The image of a satyr resembles a European devil.

17) Phoenix

Magic bird with golden and red feathers. In it you can see the collective image of many birds - an eagle, a crane, a peacock and many others. The most striking qualities of the Phoenix were the extraordinary life expectancy and the ability to be reborn from the ashes after self-immolation. There are several versions of the Phoenix myth. In the classical version, once every five hundred years, the Phoenix, bearing the sorrows of people, flies from India to the Temple of the Sun in Heliopolis, Libya. The head priest kindles a fire from the sacred vine, and the Phoenix throws itself into the fire. Its incense-soaked wings flare and it quickly burns. With this feat, Phoenix returns happiness and harmony to the world of people with its life and beauty. Having experienced torment and pain, three days later a new Phoenix grows from the ashes, which, having thanked the priest for the work done, returns to India, even more beautiful and shining with new colors. Experiencing cycles of birth, progress, death and renewal, Phoenix strives to become more and more perfect over and over again. Phoenix was the personification of the most ancient human desire for immortality. Even in the ancient world, the Phoenix began to be depicted on coins and seals, in heraldry and sculpture. The Phoenix has become a beloved symbol of light, rebirth and truth in poetry and prose. In honor of the Phoenix, the constellation of the southern hemisphere and the date palm were named.

18) Scylla and Charybdis

Scylla, the daughter of Echidna or Hecate, once a beautiful nymph, rejected everyone, including the sea god Glaucus, who asked for help from the sorceress Circe. But out of revenge, Circe, who was in love with Glaucus, turned Scylla into a monster, which began to lie in wait for sailors in a cave, on a steep rock of the narrow Strait of Sicily, on the other side of which lived another monster - Charybdis. Scylla has six dog heads on six necks, three rows of teeth and twelve legs. In translation, her name means "barking". Charybdis was the daughter of the gods Poseidon and Gaia. She was turned into a terrible monster by Zeus himself, while dropping into the sea. Charybdis has a gigantic mouth into which water flows non-stop. She personifies a terrible whirlpool, the opening of the deep sea, which arises three times in one day and absorbs and then spews water. No one has seen her, as she is hidden by the water column. That is how she ruined many sailors. Only Odysseus and the Argonauts managed to swim past Scylla and Charybdis. In the Adriatic Sea you can find the Scylleian rock. According to local legends, it was on it that Scylla lived. There is also a shrimp with the same name. The expression "to be between Scylla and Charybdis" means to be in danger from different sides at the same time.

19) Hippocampus

A marine animal that looks like a horse and ends in a fish tail, also called hydrippus - a water horse. According to other versions of the myths, the hippocampus is a sea creature in the form of a seahorse strashno.com.ua with the legs of a horse and a body ending in a snake or fish tail and webbed feet instead of hooves on the front legs. The front of the body is covered with thin scales in contrast to the large scales on the back of the body. According to some sources, lungs are used for breathing by the hippocampus, according to others, modified gills. Sea deities - nereids and tritons - were often depicted on chariots harnessed by hippocampuses, or seated on hippocampuses dissecting the abyss of water. This amazing horse appears in the poems of Homer as a symbol of Poseidon, whose chariot was drawn by fast horses and glided over the surface of the sea. In mosaic art, the hippocampus was often depicted as a hybrid animal with a green, scaly mane and appendages. The ancients believed that these animals were already the adult form of the seahorse. Other fish-tailed land animals that appear in Greek myth include the leocampus, a lion with a fish tail), the taurocampus, a bull with a fish tail, the pardalocampus, a fish-tailed leopard, and the aegikampus, a goat with a fish tail. The latter became a symbol of the constellation Capricorn.

20) Cyclops (Cyclops)

Cyclopes in the 8th-7th centuries BC. e. were considered a product of Uranus and Gaia, the titans. Three immortal one-eyed giants with eyes in the form of a ball belonged to the Cyclopes: Arg (“flash”), Bront (“thunder”) and Sterop (“lightning”). Immediately after the birth, the Cyclopes were thrown by Uranus into Tartarus (the deepest abyss) along with their violent hundred-handed brothers (hekatoncheirs), who were born shortly before them. The Cyclopes were freed by the rest of the Titans after the overthrow of Uranus, and then again thrown into Tartarus by their leader Kronos. When Zeus, the leader of the Olympians, began a struggle with Kronos for power, he, on the advice of their mother Gaia, freed the Cyclopes from Tartarus to help the Olympian gods in the war against the titans, known as gigantomachy. Zeus used lightning bolts made by the Cyclopes and thunder arrows, which he threw at the titans. In addition, the Cyclopes, being skilled blacksmiths, forged a trident and a manger for Poseidon for his horses, Hades - an invisibility helmet, Artemis - a silver bow and arrows, and also taught Athena and Hephaestus various crafts. After the end of the Gigantomachy, the Cyclopes continued to serve Zeus and forge weapons for him. As henchmen of Hephaestus, forging iron in the bowels of Etna, the Cyclopes forged the chariot of Ares, the aegis of Pallas and the armor of Aeneas. The mythical people of one-eyed cannibal giants who inhabited the islands of the Mediterranean Sea were also called Cyclopes. Among them, the most famous is the ferocious son of Poseidon, Polyphemus, whom Odysseus deprived of his only eye. Paleontologist Otenio Abel suggested in 1914 that ancient finds of pygmy elephant skulls gave rise to the myth of the Cyclopes, since the central nasal opening in the elephant's skull could be mistaken for a giant eye socket. The remains of these elephants have been found on the islands of Cyprus, Malta, Crete, Sicily, Sardinia, the Cyclades and the Dodecanese.

21) Minotaur

Half-bull-half-human, born as the fruit of the passion of the queen of Crete Pasiphae for a white bull, love for which Aphrodite inspired her as a punishment. The real name of the Minotaur was Asterius (that is, "star"), and the nickname Minotaur means "the bull of Minos." Subsequently, the inventor Daedalus, the creator of many devices, built a labyrinth in order to imprison her monster son in it. According to ancient Greek myths, the Minotaur ate human flesh, and in order to feed him, the king of Crete imposed a terrible tribute on the city of Athens - seven young men and seven girls had to be sent to Crete every nine years to be eaten by the Minotaur. When Theseus, the son of the Athenian king Aegeus, fell to the lot to become a victim of an insatiable monster, he decided to rid his homeland of such a duty. Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos and Pasiphae, in love with the young man, gave him a magic thread so that he could find his way back from the labyrinth, and the hero managed not only to kill the monster, but also to free the rest of the captives and put an end to the terrible tribute. The myth of the Minotaur was probably an echo of the ancient pre-Hellenic bull cults with their characteristic sacred bullfights. Judging by the wall paintings, bull-headed human figures were common in Cretan demonology. In addition, the image of a bull appears on Minoan coins and seals. The minotaur is considered a symbol of anger and bestial savagery. The phrase "Ariadne's thread" means a way to get out of a difficult situation, to find the key to solving a difficult problem, to understand a difficult situation.

22) Hecatoncheires

Hundred-armed fifty-headed giants named Briares (Egeon), Kott and Gyes (Gius) personify the underground forces, the sons of the supreme god Uranus, the symbol of Heaven, and Gaia-Earth. Immediately after their birth, the brothers were imprisoned in the bowels of the earth by their father, who feared for his dominion. In the midst of the fight against the Titans, the gods of Olympus called on the Hecatoncheirs, and their help ensured the victory of the Olympians. After their defeat, the titans were thrown into Tartarus, and the hekatoncheirs volunteered to guard them. Poseidon, the lord of the seas, gave Briareus his daughter Kimopolis as his wife. Hecatoncheirs are present in the book by the Strugatsky brothers "Monday begins on Saturday" as loaders at the Research Institute of FAQ.

23) Giants

The sons of Gaia, who were born from the blood of castrated Uranus, absorbed into the Earth-mother. According to another version, Gaia gave birth to them from Uranus after the titans were cast down by Zeus into Tartarus. The pre-Greek origin of the Giants is obvious. The story of the birth of the Giants and their death is told in detail by Apollodorus. The giants inspired horror with their appearance - thick hair and beards; their lower body was serpentine or octopus-like. They were born on the Phlegrean Fields in Halkidiki, in northern Greece. In the same place, then the battle of the Olympic gods with the Giants took place - gigantomachy. Giants, unlike titans, are mortal. By the will of fate, their death depended on the participation in the battle of mortal heroes who would come to the aid of the gods. Gaia was looking for a magical herb that would keep the Giants alive. But Zeus was ahead of Gaia and, having sent darkness to the earth, cut this grass himself. On the advice of Athena, Zeus called for Hercules to participate in the battle. In the Gigantomachy, the Olympians destroyed the Giants. Apollodorus mentions the names of 13 Giants, of which there are generally up to 150. Gigantomachy (like titanomachy) is based on the idea of ​​ordering the world, embodied in the victory of the Olympic generation of gods over chthonic forces, strengthening the supreme power of Zeus.

This monstrous serpent, born of Gaia and Tartarus, guarded the sanctuary of the goddesses Gaia and Themis in Delphi, at the same time devastating their surroundings. Therefore, it was also called Dolphin. By order of the goddess Hera, Python raised an even more terrible monster - Typhon, and then began to pursue Laton, the mother of Apollo and Artemis. The grown-up Apollo, having received a bow and arrows forged by Hephaestus, went in search of a monster and overtook him in a deep cave. Apollo killed Python with his arrows and had to remain in exile for eight years in order to appease the angry Gaia. The huge dragon was periodically mentioned in Delphi during various sacred rites and processions. Apollo founded a temple on the site of an ancient soothsayer and established the Pythian games; this myth reflected the replacement of chthonic archaism by a new, Olympian deity. The plot, where a luminous deity kills a snake, a symbol of evil and an enemy of mankind, has become a classic for religious teachings and folk tales. The Temple of Apollo at Delphi became famous throughout Hellas and even beyond its borders. From a crevice in the rock, located in the middle of the temple, vapors rose, which had a strong effect on the consciousness and behavior of a person. The priestesses of the temple of the Pythia gave often confusing and vague predictions. From Python came the name of a whole family of non-poisonous snakes - pythons, sometimes reaching up to 10 meters in length.

25) Centaur

These legendary creatures with a human torso and a horse's torso and legs are the embodiment of natural strength, endurance, cruelty and unbridled disposition. Centaurs (translated from Greek as “killing bulls”) drove the chariot of Dionysus, the god of wine and winemaking; they were also ridden by the god of love, Eros, which implied their propensity for libations and unbridled passions. There are several legends about the origin of centaurs. A descendant of Apollo named Centaur entered into a relationship with the Magnesian mares, which gave the appearance of a half-man, half-horse to all subsequent generations. According to another myth, in the pre-Olympic era, the smartest of the centaurs, Chiron, appeared. His parents were the oceanid Felira and the god Kron. Kron took the form of a horse, so the child from this marriage combined the features of a horse and a man. Chiron received an excellent education (medicine, hunting, gymnastics, music, divination) directly from Apollo and Artemis and was a mentor to many heroes of the Greek epics, as well as a personal friend of Hercules. His descendants, the centaurs, lived in the mountains of Thessaly, next to the Lapiths. These wild tribes peacefully got along with each other until, at the wedding of the king of the Lapiths, Pirithous, the centaurs tried to kidnap the bride and several beautiful Lapithians. In a violent battle, called centauromachy, the Lapiths won, and the centaurs were scattered across mainland Greece, driven into mountainous regions and deaf caves. The appearance of the image of a centaur more than three thousand years ago suggests that even then the horse played an important role in human life. Perhaps the ancient farmers perceived horse riders as an integral being, but, most likely, the inhabitants of the Mediterranean, prone to inventing "composite" creatures, having invented the centaur, thus simply reflected the spread of the horse. The Greeks, who bred and loved horses, were well acquainted with their temper. It is no coincidence that it was the nature of the horse that they associated with the unpredictable manifestations of violence in this generally positive animal. One of the constellations and signs of the zodiac is dedicated to the centaur. To refer to creatures that do not look like a horse, but retain the features of a centaur, the term "centauroids" is used in the scientific literature. There are variations in the appearance of centaurs. Onocentaur - half man, half donkey - was associated with a demon, Satan or a hypocritical person. The image is close to satyrs and European devils, as well as to the Egyptian god Seth.

The son of Gaia, nicknamed Panoptes, that is, the all-seeing, who became the personification of the starry sky. The goddess Hera forced him to guard Io, the beloved of her husband Zeus, who was turned into a cow by him in order to protect him from the wrath of his jealous wife. Hera begged a cow from Zeus and assigned to her an ideal caretaker, the hundred-eyed Argus, who vigilantly guarded her: only two of his eyes closed at the same time, the others were open and vigilantly watched Io. Only Hermes, the crafty and enterprising herald of the gods, managed to kill him, freeing Io. Hermes put Argus to sleep with a poppy and cut off his head with one blow. The name of Argus has become a household name for the vigilant, vigilant, all-seeing guardian, from whom no one and nothing can hide. Sometimes this is called, following an ancient legend, a pattern on peacock feathers, the so-called "peacock eye". According to legend, when Argus died at the hands of Hermes, Hera, regretting his death, collected all his eyes and attached them to the tails of her favorite birds, peacocks, which were supposed to always remind her of her devoted servant. The myth of Argus was often depicted on vases and on Pompeian wall paintings.

27) Griffin

Monstrous birds with a lion's body and an eagle's head and front paws. From their cry, flowers wither and grass withers, and all living beings fall dead. The eyes of a griffin with a golden tint. The head was the size of a wolf's head with a huge, intimidating beak, wings with a strange second joint to make it easier to fold them. The griffin in Greek mythology personified insightful and vigilant power. Closely associated with the god Apollo, appears as an animal that the god harnesses to his chariot. Some of the myths say that these creatures were harnessed to the cart of the goddess Nemesis, which symbolizes the speed of retribution for sins. In addition, the griffins rotated the wheel of fate, and were genetically related to Nemesis. The image of the griffin personified dominance over the elements of earth (lion) and air (eagle). The symbolism of this mythical animal is associated with the image of the Sun, since both the lion and the eagle in myths are always inextricably linked with it. In addition, the lion and eagle are associated with mythological motifs of speed and courage. The functional purpose of the griffin is protection, in this it is similar to the image of a dragon. As a rule, guards treasures or some secret knowledge. The bird served as an intermediary between the heavenly and earthly worlds, gods and people. Even then, ambivalence was embedded in the image of the griffin. Their role in various myths is ambiguous. They can act both as defenders, patrons, and as vicious, unrestrained animals. The Greeks believed that griffins guard the gold of the Scythians in northern Asia. Modern attempts to localize griffins vary greatly and place them from the northern Urals to the Altai Mountains. These mythological animals are widely represented in antiquity: Herodotus wrote about them, their images were found on the monuments of the period of prehistoric Crete and in Sparta - on weapons, household items, on coins and buildings.

28) Empusa

A female demon of the underworld from the retinue of Hekate. Empusa was a nocturnal vampire with donkey legs, one of which was copper. She took the form of cows, dogs or beautiful maidens, changing her appearance in a thousand ways. According to existing beliefs, the empusa often carried away small children, sucked blood from beautiful young men, appearing to them in the form of a lovely woman, and, having had enough of blood, often ate their meat. At night, on deserted roads, the empusa lay in wait for lone travelers, either frightening them in the form of an animal or a ghost, then captivating them with the appearance of a beauty, then attacking them in their true terrible appearance. According to popular beliefs, it was possible to drive away the empusa with abuse or a special amulet. In some sources, the empusa is described as close to the lamia, onocentaur, or female satyr.

29) Triton

The son of Poseidon and the mistress of the seas Amphitrite, depicted as an old man or a young man with a fish tail instead of legs. Triton became the ancestor of all newts - marine mixanthropic creatures frolicking in the waters, accompanying Poseidon's chariot. This retinue of lower sea deities was depicted as a half-fish and half-man blowing a snail-shaped shell to excite or tame the sea. In their appearance, they resembled classic mermaids. Tritons in the sea became, like satyrs and centaurs on land, minor deities serving the main gods. In honor of the tritons are named: in astronomy - a satellite of the planet Neptune; in biology - the genus of tailed amphibians of the salamander family and the genus of prone gill mollusks; in technology - a series of ultra-small submarines of the USSR Navy; in music, an interval formed by three tones.

centaurs

Centaurs, in Greek mythology, wild creatures, half-humans, half-horses, inhabitants of mountains and forest thickets. They lived in Thessaly, ate meat, drank and were famous for their violent temper. The centaurs fought tirelessly with their Lapith neighbors, trying to steal wives from this tribe for themselves. Defeated by Hercules, they settled throughout Greece. Centaurs are mortal, only Chiron was immortal. Chiron, unlike all centaurs, was skilled in music, medicine, hunting and martial arts, and was also famous for his kindness. He was friends with Apollo and raised a number of Greek heroes, including Achilles, Hercules, Theseus and Jason, taught Asclepius himself to heal. Chiron was accidentally wounded by Hercules with an arrow poisoned by the poison of the Lernean hydra. Suffering from an incurable brine, the centaur longed for death and refused immortality in exchange for the release of Prometheus by Zeus. Zeus placed Chiron in the sky in the form of the constellation Centaur.

Lapiths

Lapiths, in Greek mythology, a Thessalian tribe that lived in the mountains and forests of Ossa and Pelion. The children of Lapith - Lapiths became the ancestors of the families of this tribe. In the legends about the Lapiths, historical motifs and mythology are closely intertwined. Probably, there was a tribe of Lapiths - one of the oldest post-Pelasgian tribes of Thessaly, expelled, according to legend, by the Dorians.

werewolf

Volkolak. A werewolf man who, with the help of witchcraft, turns or turns into a wolf for a certain period. It is generally accepted that the name Volkolak is formed by the addition of the words wolf and the South Slavic dlak "wool, skin." Volkolak comes from the Dvoedushnikov. Ideas about Volkolak are most fully preserved in the Ukrainian, Belarusian and Polish traditions, where the plots of many bylichka are connected with Volkolak: a sorcerer turns wedding participants into wolves; a man is turned into a Volkolak by a girl rejected by him; an evil mother-in-law (wife) turns an unloved son-in-law (husband) into a Volkolak; the sorcerer turns into a Volkolak to harm people; husband - Volkodlak turns into a wolf at the appointed hour and attacks his wife, who later recognizes him when she sees a piece of her dress in his teeth.

Harpies

Harpies - in ancient Greek mythology - the daughters of the sea deity Thaumant and the oceanid Electra, archaic pre-Olympic deities, personifications of various aspects of the storm. Their number ranges from two to five; are depicted as winged wild half-woman half-birds of a disgusting appearance. In myths, they are represented as evil abductors of children and human souls, suddenly flying in and disappearing as suddenly as the wind.

Sirens

Sirens - in Greek mythology, sea creatures personifying a deceptive but charming sea surface, under which sharp cliffs or shallows are hidden. Sirens are half-birds-half-women (in some sources, half-fish-half-women), who inherited wild spontaneity from their father, and a divine voice from their mother-muse. They lured sailors into the depths of the sea with their charming singing.

Behemoth (less often hippopotamus)

Post selection

The world is not as simple as it seems at first glance. Scientists have repeatedly said that somewhere there are parallel worlds, from which various mythical creatures come, previously unknown to man. It turns out that fairy tales, legends and myths are not fiction, they can most likely be called epics.

There is a certain bestiary - a medieval collection, which provides a detailed description of various fictional mythical creatures. Below in the article a description of mythical creatures will be presented - a list with pictures and names.

Unicorns

If we talk about "good" mythical creatures, then we cannot fail to mention such like a unicorn. But what are unicorns? Most often, beautiful white horses are depicted in photos and pictures in the form of a unicorn, in the forehead of which there is one sharp horn. Unicorns have always been considered a symbol of chastity and the struggle for justice. Esotericists also argue that they should be with blue eyes, a red head and a white body. Previously, unicorns were depicted with the body of a bull or a goat, and only recently their body has taken on the form of a horse.

If you believe the myths, then these creatures have an incredible supply of energy. It is very difficult to tame them, but they can obediently lie down on the ground if a virgin approaches them. In order to ride a unicorn, you need to get a golden bridle.

As for the life of such a mythical creature, it is also very complex. Unicorns eat only flowers and drink only morning dew. They bathe only in clean forest reservoirs, in which after that the water acquires healing properties. The main power of unicorns is concentrated in their horn, which is also credited with healing powers. Esotericists say that a person who has met a unicorn will become insanely happy.

Pegasus

Pegasus is another mythical creature which is similar to a horse. Many encyclopedias write that this winged horse is the son of Medusa Gargona and Poseidon, the God of the seas who lived in ancient Greece. The main function of Pegasus was to be on Olympus, where he transmitted lightning and thunder to his father. When Pegasus descended to the ground, he knocked out Hippocrene with his hoof. Hippocrene is the source of muses, which performed the function of inspiring all creative personalities to useful actions.

Valkyries

Special attention is paid to female mythical creatures, among which it is worth mentioning the Valkyries. Valkyries are called some warrior maidens, who also play the role of companions and performers of the will of Odin - the supreme God in German-Scandinavian mythology. Valkyries can be called symbols of honorable death in battles. When a warrior died during the fighting, Valkyries flew to him on winged horses and took the deceased to the heavenly castle of Valhalla, in which they begin to serve him at the table. These creatures have another distinctive ability - they can predict the future.

Names of other female mythical creatures:

  • Norns are spinning women who can determine the birth, life and death of a person;
  • Parks are three sisters and daughters of the night, who also have the ability to predetermine the life of any person. The first daughter's name is Clota. She spins the thread of life. The second daughter, Lachesis, is the guardian of life. Atropos is the third daughter who cuts the thread of life;
  • Erinnia - Goddess of vengeance. As a rule, in photos and pictures they are always depicted with torches in their hands. Such creatures push a person to commit vindictive actions for any offense;
  • Dryads are women who guard the trees. They spend all their lives in trees, and also die with them. Dryads have their own wards who help them plant and grow trees;
  • Graces are mythical creatures that are the personification of youthful charm and beauty. The main purpose of the graces is to excite love in young girlish hearts. In addition, graces have always brought joy to those who come across them on the way.

mythical birds

Speaking of mythical creatures, birds must be mentioned, since they also occupied leading places in various tales and legends.

Griffins and the like

Monsters continue the list of mythical creatures, resulting from the crossing of two or more powerful animals.

  • Griffins are winged creatures that have the head of an eagle and the body of a lion. Griffins guarded the gold and treasures of the Riphean mountains. Their cry is very dangerous for all living things. From the sound that the griffins make, everything in the area dies, even a person;
  • Hippogriffs are the result of crossing a vulture and a horse. Hippogriffs also had wings;
  • Manticore is a creature with a human face. The manticore has three rows of teeth, a lion's body and a scorpion's tail. Her eyes are filled with blood. Manticores move with lightning speed. Only human bodies are eaten;
  • The Sphinx has a female head, chest and lion's body. His main task was to guard Thebes. To everyone who passed by the Sphinx, he asked a riddle. If a person could not guess it, then the sphinx killed him.

dragons

Monsters are also included in the list of mythical creatures which look very much like dragons.

Russian mythical creatures

Now it is worth considering the mythical creatures that lived in Russia.

  • Sinister - lived in swamps and molested people. They had the ability to move into an old person who has no children. Sinister people were the personification of darkness, poverty and poverty. In the house, these creatures settled behind the stove, jumped on the man's back and rode him;
  • Khukhlik is a disguised water devil. This unclean spirit lives in water bodies and loves to play tricks on people and arrange various dirty tricks for them. Khukhlik is most active during Christmas time.

Cradle of human civilization.

Having considered such a list of mythical creatures, it should be noted that they are all fictional. And it will be considered that way until some facts are provided that testify to their actual existence.