Top 10 Creatures from Greek Mythology

Although most closely associated with the culture of ancient Egypt, this mythical creature was quickly adopted by the Greeks during the Bronze Age. Usually depicted with a human face, lion’s body and the wings of an eagle, the Sphinx serves as a gatekeeper. Upon crossing the Sphinx’s path, it challenges the traveler with the riddle: “Which creature walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon and three in the evening?” Should the traveler not reply with the answer “Mankind,” he or she will immediately be swooped upon and devoured by the victorious Sphinx. It’s a tough life in ancient Greece, huh?

From the classic Federico Fellini film “Satyricon” to the Norwegian black metal band, references to satyrs are a dime a dozen. But in Greek myth, these creatures are classic troublemakers and revelers. These man-beasts are companions of the god of wine Dionysus, therefore having a penchant for drinking, and were usually depicted in human form, but with horsetails and ears. The most famous of their kind was Silenus, a close cohort of Dionysius and a character associated with fertility. Sometimes the figures would crop up in Greek plays with their very own genre, the satyr play, which took a usually dramatic story well-known to the public and – you guessed it – make it satirical.

It seems metal bands really like Greek mythological beasts. The Chimera is yet another hybrid creature, this time a female that combines the physical traits of three separate animals: usually the body and head of a lion, with a second goat head and a snake’s tail making up the rest. The earliest mention of the beast was in Homer’s “Iliad”, which is where the physical description originated. The Chimera is also known to possess a terrible temper, as well as the ability to breathe deadly fire from her jaws at any who might oppose her bestial might. In other words...you might not want to get this one angry.

One of the most well-known creatures on our list, Medusa is the mightiest of a race called the Gorgons, who are snake-headed sorceresses with the power to turn men to stone with a single gaze. Many attempted to defeat her, hoping to gain the amassed gold and treasure in her lair. Myth tells of the hero Perseus finally beating her, which was later adapted for the screen in the “Clash of the Titans” films. Medusa has been portrayed in our time by such actresses as Uma Thurman, and appears in the video game worlds of the “God of War” and “Castlevania” franchises – which just goes to show her enduring legacy as an icon of evil.

This triple headed guard dog is one of the fiercest and most frightening creatures from the world of Greek mythology, and with good reason. Cerberus is the gatekeeper of Hades, a hound of hell who prevents all lost souls from escaping the underworld. As if the three snarling maws weren’t frightening enough, Cerberus has sometimes been described as having snakes emerging from his body, as well as a serpent for a tail, making this beast a dangerous foe from all angles. The only person ever to have tamed him was the hero Heracles, or the Roman Hercules.

These hybrid creatures are instantly recognizable. The legendary race has the lower half of a horse and a human upper body, and proves to be popular in the world of fantasy time and time again. Indeed, the image of centaurs has been adopted for ads like Adult Swim and Old Spice, and if you’ve ever wished to see what a centaur version of Saturday Night Live’s Chris Parnell would look like, look no further. Their usage in popular media isn’t new, though; it dates back decades, as evidenced by their appearance in such films as “Fantasia” and “The Golden Voyage of Sinbad.”

This next hybrid has the head of a bull and quite the reputation. According to myth, the Minotaur was held in a labyrinth in the kingdom of Crete. Crete’s king, Minos, pissed off the gods and as a result, his wife was bewitched to fall for and lay with a bull, producing this enraged creature. The Minotaur would devour fourteen Athenians each year, until Theseus succeeded in killing him, with help from Minos’ daughter Ariadne. The intimidating image of the Minotaur carries on even now in video games like “God of War” and “Vagrant Story,” as well as in such films as “Wrath of the Titans” and “Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief” – he’s that terrifying.

This round-eyed race of giants was known for excellent building and crafting skills and their overall nasty nature. The most infamous Cyclops is undoubtedly Polyphemus, who appeared in Homer’s classic poem “The Odyssey” as a significant obstacle for the stranded hero Odysseus. In this story, Polyphemus is the son of Poseidon, God of the Sea, and a sea nymph known as Thoosa. He holds the hero Odysseus and his crew hostage, devouring any man who attempts to escape. It isn’t until Polyphemus falls asleep that Odysseus and his crew are able to blind the Cyclops, and finally make their way away from their island prison… though to impale a god’s son proved not to be the best choice, as Poseidon kept Odysseus from getting home for A WHILE.

This stark white and regal steed was actually birthed from the blood of the slain Medusa, after her defeat at the hands of Perseus. Pegasus, a winged horse, would later be instrumental in the hero Bellerophon’s defeat of the Chimera. He’s made many appearances in pop culture, being seen in films like “Fantasia”, and his image has been used across several media, from a logo in WWII by UK parachute troops to the old opening montage of Tri-Star Pictures. Today, Pegasus is famous in the “God of War” franchise as an ally of Kratos. Regardless of his origins, Pegasus’ use as an emblem demonstrates his legacy of beauty and wisdom.

Before we unleash our greatest creature from the world of Greek mythology, here are a few honorable mentions!
- Typhon
- Sirens
- Empusae
- Harpies
- Griffin

“Cut off a limb, and two more shall take its place!” The name “hydra” may be more familiar in recent times since it was adopted as the name for a terrorist organized in Marvel’s universe. The Hydra, also called the Lernaean Hydra after its den of choice, was a multi-headed water serpent that protected what was said to be a gateway to the underworld. As if that weren’t bad enough, it was virtually impossible to decapitate this snake – in fact, after severing one head, two more would take its place. Couple that with the Hydra’s poisonous blood and venomous breath, and you essentially have a beast with almost limitless destructive potential… until Heracles came along. Hail Hydra!

Do you agree with our list? Which creature of Greek myth did we miss? For more massive top ten lists published every day, please subscribe to WatchMojo.com!