WILD
BEASTS:
Monsters represent men's instinctive fear of the wild world around them. It’s only natural that most monsters borrow their physique from animals that did exist.
-The
Minotaur:
The fruit of the mad love between King Minos wife and a sacred white bull, this beast-like monster haunts the labyrinth built by Daedalus and regularly devours 14 young Athenians, since their city is subjected to the King of Crete. Theseus defeated the beast using a string to keep him from getting lost, then killed the monster with his sword.
-The Chimera:
A thing with the front body of a lion, to which is added the rear body of a goat and a snake-tail. The three heads are capable of spitting burning flames. The Chimera terrorized Cairo for years, before Bellerophon and Pegasus succeeded in putting an end to its reign of terror thanks to his arrows, or a lead lance having melted in its mouth.
-The Nemean Lion:
This imposing wildcat has a impenetrable skin that cannot be pierced by blades or stones, and his claws are very sharp. Heracles first had the idea of blocking the entrance of its cave to trap the beast, then shooting his arrows, without success. He then stunned the monster with his club to climb on the lion and strangle him, killing the lion without piercing his skin !
Monsters represent men's instinctive fear of the wild world around them. It’s only natural that most monsters borrow their physique from animals that did exist.
The fruit of the mad love between King Minos wife and a sacred white bull, this beast-like monster haunts the labyrinth built by Daedalus and regularly devours 14 young Athenians, since their city is subjected to the King of Crete. Theseus defeated the beast using a string to keep him from getting lost, then killed the monster with his sword.
-The Chimera:
A thing with the front body of a lion, to which is added the rear body of a goat and a snake-tail. The three heads are capable of spitting burning flames. The Chimera terrorized Cairo for years, before Bellerophon and Pegasus succeeded in putting an end to its reign of terror thanks to his arrows, or a lead lance having melted in its mouth.
-The Nemean Lion:
This imposing wildcat has a impenetrable skin that cannot be pierced by blades or stones, and his claws are very sharp. Heracles first had the idea of blocking the entrance of its cave to trap the beast, then shooting his arrows, without success. He then stunned the monster with his club to climb on the lion and strangle him, killing the lion without piercing his skin !
He
made his invincible adornment by cutting the leather of the lion with its
own claws.
-The Erymanthian Boar:
A huge wild boar thatravaged the crops of the snow-capped mountain it inhabited. It was an endurance test for both characters : Heracles pursued him and harassed him with stones until they reached the top, where the beast was finally caught by a trap in the snow. He then brought back the living beast to prove his victory.
-The Crommyonian Sow:
A female wild boar similar to that of Erymanthus. She terrorized the inhabitants of Crommyon before being killed by Theseus. A legend says that this beast is in fact a prostitute nicknamed “Sow” because of her brigand practices, and that she was killed by the hero.
-The Calydonian Boar:
A third boar! Son of the previous one, he was sent to the region by Artemis, vexed by the lack of offer during the feast. He's huge, has needle-like hairs, his tusks are like an elephant's, and his breath is hot, according to Ovid.
Many hunters were following him, including many Argonauts, during an epic hunt.
-Orthos:
A two-headed dog and brother of Cerberus, it’s the sheepdog of the giant Geryon, who keeps a herd of cattle. He was killed by Heracles with two blows of his club, before his master arrived.
-The Teumessian Fox:
A big fox sent to Thebes to eat the children of the inhabitants, following an abject crime.
The characteristic of this fox is that it is impossible to catch up. So Amphitrion asked Cephalus for help, Cephalus left his legendary dog Laelaps, a racing dog capable of catching any other being. In view of the paradox caused by the two animals, Zeus transformed them into stone.
-The Cretan Bull:
A sacred white bull offered by Poseidon to sacrifice it. He’s the father of the Minotaur (And "lover" of Mino's wife, Pasiphaë). However, Minos, not wanting to sacrifice such a beautiful beast, provoked the anger of the sea god who made the bull mad. Heracles was charged with capturing the bull, which he transported to Argolis. The bull found himself much later at Marathon, and was finally killed by Theseus.
-The Stymphalian Birds:
Anthropophagous birds created by Ares. Their feathers, beaks and talons are said to be made of bronze; and they killed by raining their feathers on their terrified preys.
These birds are very sensitive to metallic noises, which Heracles used in his fight against them using his shield and magic rattles.
-The Ceryneian Hind:
A very fast hind with brass (or bronze) hooves and golden horns. There are 5 of them, all female despite their male attributes.
One of them was chased by Heracles, he had to tire her out, then capture her without injuring her. He shot an arrow just between the bone and the tendon, stopping her without hurting her.
-The Caucasian Eagle:
Prometheus is the titan who brought fire to humanity. To punish him, Zeus sent him this bird.
He devoured his liver every day. Heracles, during his quest, killed the eagle and delivered the titan.
-Peryton:
Those half-birds half-deer hybrids were said to be the reincarnations of the surviving souls following the destruction of the mythic city Atlantis.
Is it said that in order to be free, they had to kill one human being.
They approached their victims, unaware of their monstrous nature du to the Peryton's human-like shadow, a vestige of their once human form.
The monster then killed its poor victim with brute strength.
-The Erymanthian Boar:
A huge wild boar thatravaged the crops of the snow-capped mountain it inhabited. It was an endurance test for both characters : Heracles pursued him and harassed him with stones until they reached the top, where the beast was finally caught by a trap in the snow. He then brought back the living beast to prove his victory.
-The Crommyonian Sow:
A female wild boar similar to that of Erymanthus. She terrorized the inhabitants of Crommyon before being killed by Theseus. A legend says that this beast is in fact a prostitute nicknamed “Sow” because of her brigand practices, and that she was killed by the hero.
-The Calydonian Boar:
A third boar! Son of the previous one, he was sent to the region by Artemis, vexed by the lack of offer during the feast. He's huge, has needle-like hairs, his tusks are like an elephant's, and his breath is hot, according to Ovid.
Many hunters were following him, including many Argonauts, during an epic hunt.
-Orthos:
A two-headed dog and brother of Cerberus, it’s the sheepdog of the giant Geryon, who keeps a herd of cattle. He was killed by Heracles with two blows of his club, before his master arrived.
A big fox sent to Thebes to eat the children of the inhabitants, following an abject crime.
The characteristic of this fox is that it is impossible to catch up. So Amphitrion asked Cephalus for help, Cephalus left his legendary dog Laelaps, a racing dog capable of catching any other being. In view of the paradox caused by the two animals, Zeus transformed them into stone.
-The Cretan Bull:
A sacred white bull offered by Poseidon to sacrifice it. He’s the father of the Minotaur (And "lover" of Mino's wife, Pasiphaë). However, Minos, not wanting to sacrifice such a beautiful beast, provoked the anger of the sea god who made the bull mad. Heracles was charged with capturing the bull, which he transported to Argolis. The bull found himself much later at Marathon, and was finally killed by Theseus.
-The Stymphalian Birds:
Anthropophagous birds created by Ares. Their feathers, beaks and talons are said to be made of bronze; and they killed by raining their feathers on their terrified preys.
These birds are very sensitive to metallic noises, which Heracles used in his fight against them using his shield and magic rattles.
-The Ceryneian Hind:
A very fast hind with brass (or bronze) hooves and golden horns. There are 5 of them, all female despite their male attributes.
One of them was chased by Heracles, he had to tire her out, then capture her without injuring her. He shot an arrow just between the bone and the tendon, stopping her without hurting her.
-The Caucasian Eagle:
Prometheus is the titan who brought fire to humanity. To punish him, Zeus sent him this bird.
He devoured his liver every day. Heracles, during his quest, killed the eagle and delivered the titan.
Those half-birds half-deer hybrids were said to be the reincarnations of the surviving souls following the destruction of the mythic city Atlantis.
Is it said that in order to be free, they had to kill one human being.
They approached their victims, unaware of their monstrous nature du to the Peryton's human-like shadow, a vestige of their once human form.
The monster then killed its poor victim with brute strength.
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