Greek mythology is full of stories and legends of gods, heroes, and various types of legendary creatures. Not surprisingly, many of these creatures have terrifying appearances and scary supernatural powers, and therefore, theyâre perceived as monsters. These Greek monsters usually have secondary roles in myths and their main purpose is to present the difficulties a Greek hero needs to face and overcome.
Despite their secondary roles in mythology, Greek monsters have inspired plenty of movies, books, video games, and even modern art forms. In this article, weâll list and discuss 5 of the scariest creatures from Greek mythology that fascinate people around the world.
1. Typhon
Anyone whoâs aware of the basics of Greek mythology will definitely think of Typhon once someone mentions monsters from ancient Greece. Considering that Typhon is the son of Gaia and Tartarus, he turns out to be the father of all other monsters in Greek mythology. This creature is usually described as a giant creature with 1,000 snake heads. It has a loud, scary voice and breathes fire from its mouth. Still, snakes arenât the most impressive part of its appearance. The thing that makes it so memorable is the fact that its body is so big that it can even almost reach the stars.
Even though his battles with Zeus are legendary, this strange look is the main reason why Typhon has become so popular in todayâs pop culture. Not to mention various stories, movies, and animations that are indirectly inspired by this creature, you can even see direct figures of Typhon in some video games or even online slots like Gates of Olympus which features Greek multiplier symbols. These pop culture references indicate the influence of this ancient creature on the modern world.
2. Medusa Gorgon
What can be a more terrifying creature than a woman who has venomous snakes for hair and whose gaze can turn people to stone? Medusa in Greek mythology is one of the three Gorgon sisters and indeed the scariest and most mysterious one among them. According to the myth, once she was a beautiful woman. But after she was seen with Poseidon in Athenaâs temple, the goddess cursed her and made her mortal (her sisters, Stheno and Euryale, were immortal).
Thatâs the tragic story of a beautiful Greek woman who became a monster. Today, sheâs considered a symbol of dangerous beauty, and similar to other monsters on our list, she has become an inspiration to legendary artists like Leonardo Da Vinci, Pablo Picasso, and Caravaggio. Besides, after the French Revolution, Gorgon Medusa became a symbol of “French Liberty.”
3. Sirens
Medusa isnât the only terrifying female creature in Greek mythology. However, while most of the creatures weâve discussed above are scary-looking, the Sirens are beautiful women with charming voices who live in the seas. The thing that makes them scary is that they sing in order to attract sailors, seduce them, and kill them.
If youâve seen The Pirates of the Caribbean, you probably understand what weâre talking about. But thatâs only one of the many pop culture references that have been inspired by these deadly women. For example, video and role-playing games like “The Witcher,” not to mention Margaret Atwood’s “Siren Songâ.
4. Chimera
Considering that Chimera is another female Greek monster, we can conclude that Greek mythology is full of beautiful, terrifying creatures. In the case of Chimera, a monstrous feature is the head of a lion, along with the goatâs body and serpentâs tail. But this scary appearance isnât the only reason why people are afraid of Chimera. In fact, Chimera breathes fire, and as strange as it may sound, this creature is said to be scared of her own reflection.
Chimera turned into that scary creature after she was killed by Bellerophon – a son of Poseidon who killed Chimera using a spear with the help of his horse Pegasus. The name Chimera comes from the Greek word âkhimairaâ which means âshe-goatâ.
5. Minotaur
The final scary Greek creature on our list is a half-man half-bull Minotaur. According to Greek mythology, he was born after Poseidon decided to sacrifice a white bull to King Minos of Crete. The king was amazed by its beauty, refused to kill it, and kept it for himself. The fact that Minos sacrificed another bull angered Poseidon, who cursed Minosâ wife to fall in love with the bull. As a result, the Minotaur was born.
Today, the Minotaur is considered a symbol of Crete’s shame and Minos’ failure in Greece. And its story still remains a matter of discussion about heroism.
Final Thoughts
All in all, there are plenty of terrifying creatures in Greek mythology that have influenced classic literature and art, as well as the modern movie and gaming industries. Other than these 5 creatures, you can find a lot of scary monsters in Greek mythology, such as Harpies, Hydra, Python, Stymphalian birds, and many more. One thing that all of them have in common is that they represent horror, fascination, strength, and the boundless creativity of human imagination at the same time.
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