Top 20 Creatures from Greek Mythology

Symbolism of death and rebirth is found throughout a number of world mythologies, from Scandinavia and Egypt to the Middle East. The phoenix exemplifies this cyclical metamorphosis in Greek mythology, a fiery bird that emerges from the ashes of another phoenix that came before. Descriptions of phoenixes differ, depending upon the source, with some deviating from how we typically view the bird. Bright and vibrant colors are sometimes replaced with blues or violets, but what remains is the same: a new phoenix being born again as its predecessor passes away.

There is a lot of adventure to be found within the Labours of Hercules. These include many fantastic beasts and creatures, most of which need to be killed or captured by the Greek hero during his service to King Eurystheus of Mycenae. Capturing the famously huge Erymanthian Boar was one of these labours. But the first task given to Hercules by Eurystheus was killing the Nemean Lion. This beast boasted golden fur that was impenetrable to projectile weapons, such as arrows. Hercules, instead, was forced to utilize cunning, trapping the Nemean Lion in a cave and strangling the creature with his bare hands.

There’s generally some wiggle room when it comes to mythological creatures and their appearances, and that’s especially true for this strange being. The Empusa is an underworld servant of Hecate that’s known to shapeshift from a woman to a monster. The Empusa is occasionally depicted as only having one leg, while still other stories claim it possesses one normal appendage and another leg crafted from copper. Either way, stories that surround the Empusa typically lend it characteristics similar to a succubus. These devilish dames seduce hapless young men with their beauty, only to feed upon their blood when it’s time to strike.

Greek mythology has served as a wellspring of inspiration for countless artists over the years. This is thanks not only to the stories of the gods and titans, but examples from the Greek bestiary, such as Typhon. This gigantic serpent-beast was actually the father of many famous mythological monsters, spawned from his loins and the womb of his mate, Echidna. These include Cerberus and the Lernaean Hydra. Typhon himself is a mass of multiple heads, hands, and snakes. His temperament is terrible and unpredictable, a chaotic monster with a reputation for might that threatens the very safety of Olympus itself.

Oath-breaking was known as a serious offense within the world of Norse mythology, but the ancient Greeks also held true the power of a promise. This is where the Furies, also called Erinyes, come into the picture. These creatures lived beneath the earth, and punished those who swore an oath and went back upon their word. Texts claim that these fearful goddesses were born from the blood of Uranus, after he was slaughtered by his son, Cronos. Their mythological mother figure is Nyx[e], goddess of the night, and the Furies actually play a part in parenthood during their downtime. That’s because families with misbehaving children were said to have sought the Erinyes for advice or guidance.

Zeus was a notoriously unfaithful husband to his queen, Hera. The ruler of Mount Olympus frequently had affairs with… well, anything that moved, basically, and this included a Libyan queen by the name of Lamia. The children of this union were cruelly abducted and destroyed by Hera, and Lamia was cursed with both insomnia and madness. This, combined with her bloodlust and habitual abduction of children, changed her appearance to that of a hideous monster. Lamia was given the gift of second sight by Zeus in the wake of her punishment, but this mattered little to the despondent mother, who was doomed to howl with rage at the loss of her family.

One can’t really discuss the monster Scylla without also mentioning its counterpart, the sea beast known as Charybdis. The former was once a water nymph that was cursed to sprout vicious dogs from her torso as punishment for an affair with Poseidon – although other readings pair her up with a different sea god, Glaucus. Meanwhile, Charybdis is a daughter of Poseidon, effectively teaming up with Scylla to attack unwary sailors. Both monsters appear in such famous mythological works as “The Odyssey,” by Homer, as well as Ovid’s “Metamorphosis.” The phrase, “between Scylla and Charybdis,” meanwhile, has come to serve as sort of a fancy way of saying, “between a rock and a hard place.”

The next monster is not solely the property of Greek myths, having been adopted by many other cultures over the last three thousand years. The Griffin is one of those magnificent animals that’s entered into legend at this point, a mixture of lion and eagle with razor-sharp front talons. Strength, glory, and security are just a few of the characteristics symbolized by the Griffin, with many historical coats of arms bearing the image of the creature. They’re also often depicted as guardians of some ancient and valuable treasure, warding off intruders with their power and might.

Viewers of a certain age might remember watching the stop-motion animation of Ray Harryhausen[h], specifically his work on mythological adaptations like “Jason and the Argonauts.” It was in this film that Harryhausen brought to life the harpies, winged women-creatures from Greek myth that personified wicked and foul winds. If you’re annoyed by seagulls stealing your food at the beach, then imagine a harpy scratching at your face with devilishly sharp claws. These creatures possess little in the way of mercy or goodness, and instead are almost always described as violent vultures with an evil temperament.

Sailors, take heed: do not listen to the song of the sirens, lest ye dash yourselves upon the rocks of watery death. These lovely enchantresses are usually depicted with features of both fish and birds, while also retaining human countenances. Their singing is said to lull seafarers into a stupor. They then lure the ships toward dangerous waters, and eventually to wreck. The legacy of the sirens has endured into the modern day, as well, with many literary and cinematic portrayals of their sinister beauty and the formidable peril of an encounter.

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 Dionysus 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[k], 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[m], 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[p], 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[q]’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 World War II 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.

“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 organization in Marvel’s universe. The Hydra, also called the Lernaean[r] 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!


Which mythical creature would you love to see in real life? Let us know in the comments!

yur-RISS-THEE-iss https://www.dictionary.com/browse/eurystheus
my-SEE-nee https://www.dictionary.com/browse/Mycenae
air-uh-MANTHY-in https://www.dictionary.com/browse/erymanthian-boar
[b]emm-POO-suh https://youtu.be/4oMLoakaEqw?si=Zai4r4CSit7FLGDm&t=132
HECKA-tee https://www.dictionary.com/browse/hecate
[c]TYE-fawn https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Typhon
bess-chee-AIRY https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bestiary
ick-KID-nuh https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/echidna
SUR-BUR-iss https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Cerberus
lur-NEE-in https://forvo.com/search/Lernaean%20Hydra/
[d]uh-RINNY-eeze https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erinyes OR https://forvo.com/search/Erinyes/
CROH-noce https://forvo.com/search/Cronos/
[e]nicks https://www.dictionary.com/browse/nyx
[f]LAMEY-uh https://www.dictionary.com/browse/Lamia
HAIR-uh https://forvo.com/word/hera/#en
[g]silla and kuh-RIB-diss https://forvo.com/search/Scylla%20and%20Charybdis/
GLAW-kiss / glockiss https://youtu.be/HZ88_WYrX9o?si=LF7qCIa4A8lxkJxd&t=6
AW-vid https://www.dictionary.com/browse/ovid
[h]Ray harry-HAO-zin https://youtu.be/5MODfdBaIYA?t=279
[i]SAY-turz https://www.dictionary.com/browse/Satyr
fedder-REE-coh fuh-LEE-nee https://forvo.com/search/Federico%20Fellini/it/
suh-TEERA-con https://www.dictionary.com/browse/satyricon
dye-uh-NYE-sis / dya-NYE-sis https://www.dictionary.com/browse/Dionysus
sye-LEEN-iss https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silenus
[j]kye-MEER-uh https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chimera
[k]GORE-ghins / GORE-gns https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gorgons
[l]SUR-BUR-iss https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Cerberus
[m]HAIR-UH-cleeze https://www.dictionary.com/browse/Heracles
[n]sen-TORE (I have always said "sen-TAR" so either way is fine IMO) https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/centaur
[o]MINNA-tore (or -TAR if that's how you pronounce "centaur"!) https://www.dictionary.com/browse/Minotaur
kreet https://www.dictionary.com/browse/Crete
minus https://www.dictionary.com/browse/Minos
airy-AD-nee https://www.dictionary.com/browse/ariadne
[p]paula-FEE-miss https://www.dictionary.com/browse/polyphemus
THOO-suh (probably?)
[q]buh-LARE-UH-fawn / buh-LAIRA-fawn https://www.dictionary.com/browse/Bellerophon
KRAY-toce https://youtu.be/ZgVvIZQTyYk?si=nfTgD-J9zs5ZxiBC&t=3592
[r]lur-NEE-in https://forvo.com/search/Lernaean%20Hydra/
HAIR-UH-cleeze https://www.dictionary.com/browse/Heracles