Greek Hybrid Creatures

A hybrid is a composite of or two or more species of

animal and/or human. Strange as they may appear, the
Greeks were endlessly fond of fabricating these
creatures - one will recognize hybrids in the earliest
myths and legends, not to mention inhabiting numerous
works of art. For the Greeks especially, these beings of
the imagination must have had great significance, in that
they represented the uncivilized forces in nature that
opposed mankind.

centaur | in Greek mythology and art, the centaur has

the torso of a human combined with the body of a horse

cockatrice | this creature was also known as a basilisk

("king of serpents"), and its very glance could kill; the
cockatrice was composed of a dragon's tail and assorted
poultry parts

giants (gigantes) | these fierce and frightening beings

were the offspring of Gaia (the Earth)

griffin | according to myth, the griffin was a creature

with a lion's body attached to the head, wings, and claws
of an eagle

harpy | harpies had female torsos melded with vulture

parts; the name harpy is derived from the Greek word
that means "snatcher"

satyr (faun) | satyrs were often the companions of

Dionysos, and these creatures were depicted in myth
and art with the legs of goats and bestial natures

sirens | women with bird-like bodies; sirens were

legendary for luring sailors by singing their enchanted
songs

Related Information - Mythical Monsters

Greek Monsters

Argus | a creature with many eyes; Argus played a

prominent role in one of the myths of the goddess Hera

Cerberus | Cerberus was the guardian of the

Underworld; in myth, he was portrayed as a dog with
three heads
Charybdis | in Greek mythology, Charybdis was a
deadly whirlpool personified as a female monster

Chimera | with a body that was one third lion, one third
she-goat, and one third serpent, this creature was
definitely one frightening beast

Cyclops | giant with a single eye in its forehead; the

plural form of this word is Cyclopes

Echidna | this monster was half beautiful woman and

half deadly serpent; she was the mother of many
mythical monsters

Geryon | the monster known as Geryon had three

heads and three bodies; he was defeated by the hero
Herakles

Gorgons | this trio of terrifying females consists of the

sisters Euryale, Medusa, and Stheno

Graiae | these "old women" were the sisters of the

Gorgons

Hydra | the Hydra had a water-serpent body topped by

numerous heads

Ladon | dragon who guarded the area where the apples

of the Hesperides were hidden

Lamia | she was a frightening bogey-woman in Greek

mythology

More Monsters (Medusa - Typhon)

Greek Monsters

Medusa | one of the Gorgons; Medusa is traditionally

depicted as a dangerous snake haired woman

Minotaur | a deadly denizen of the labyrinth; the

Minotaur was a man with the head of a bull

Pegasus | Pegasus was an immortal winged horse who

played an exciting role in Greek myth

Phoenix | the story of the death and rebirth of the

mythical creature known as the Phoenix has intrigued
audiences for centuries
Python | an enormous serpent; she was killed by the
god Apollo

Scylla | malevolent monster with six heads and twelve

feet; in myth, she is often paired with the creature
Charybdis

Sphinx | in Greek mythology, the Sphinx is a female

monster with the head of a woman and the body of a
lion

Typhon | this creature with one hundred heads was the

offspring of Gaia and Tartarus