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. 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

Monsters the monsters section mainly features beings that are singular entities in other words, there is but one Minotaur, Medusa, or Pegasus in Greek mythology; monsters were generally either friends or foes to various Greek heroes.

Argus Panoptes
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 shegoat, 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 waterserpent 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

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