Greek Creatures

Minotaur

• The minotaur is a mythical creature with the head and tail of a bull but the body of a man
• Minos believed that the gods would take the creature as sacrifice
• Poseidon didn't like that and for punisment he made Minos's wife marry the ugly creature

Centaur

• The centaur is a creature with the arms, torso, and head of a man and a body and legs of a horse
• Centuars are the most famous composite creatures of anquity
• They represent the intermediate stage of human civilization and nature
• They were potrayed as barbarians who were unable to control their primeval instincts

Satyr

• The satyr (aka silens) was almost like a goatman, had the horns, legs, beard, etc.
• They are figures who were followers to the god of wine, Dionysus
• They were often found guilty of excessive sexual desires and overindulgence of wine

The Furies

• The furies were goddess's of vengeance and justice
• They were symbolized by snakes and blood
• They traveled the Earth dispensing punishments, as well,as torturing souls in the underworld

Naiads

• Naiads are one of the nymphs of flowing water, springs, rivers, fountains, and lakes
• The naiads were the wives and mothers of notable heros and villians
• They were known to be very pretty and kind

Medusa

• Medusa is the most famous monster figure (she's also known as Gorgons)
• She's known to turn other's into stone
• Athena turned her into who she is now because Medusa called herself a goddess
• Perseus killed her by slaying her head off
• Sometimes she's represented as very beautiful
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Pan

• Pan was the god of the wild, shepherds and flocks, rustic music and impromptus, and companion of the nymphs
• He was part goat and part man, he was born in Arcadia
• He was known to dwell in the mountains and forests

Chimera (Chimaera)

• The Chimera was a fire-breathing female monster resenting a lion in the forepart, goat in the middle, and a dragon behind
• She devastated Caira and Lycia, but was eventually slain by Bellerophon

Nereids

• The Nereids are sea nymphs, 50 daughters of 'Old Man of the Sea' Nereus and the Oceanid Doris
• They were protectors over fishermen and sailors
• They helped anyone in distress

Charon

• Charon was the son of Erebus and Nyx
• His duty was to ferry over the Rivers Styx and Acheron those souls of the deceased who had received the rites of burial

Cerberus

• Cerberus is Hades' three-headed dog that guards the underworld
• According to Hesiod, a poet, said that he had 50 heads, snakes on his back, and a serperent tail