These mythological creatures are the cream of the Greek crop. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most iconic beasts and beings from Greek myths.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most iconic beasts
00:09and beings from Greek myths.
00:13Cool pet!
00:16Number 20.
00:20Phoenix.
00:23Symbolism of death and rebirth is found throughout a number of world mythologies, from Scandinavia
00:28and Egypt to the Middle East.
00:30The phoenix exemplifies this cyclical metamorphosis in Greek mythology, a fiery bird that emerges
00:36from the ashes of another phoenix that came before.
00:39Descriptions of phoenixes differ depending upon the source, with some deviating from
00:44how we typically view the bird.
00:45Bright and vibrant colors are sometimes replaced with blues or violets, but what remains is
00:51the same, a new phoenix being born again as its predecessor passes away.
01:03Number 19.
01:04Nemean Lion.
01:08There's a lot of adventure to be found within the labors of Hercules.
01:12These include many fantastic beasts and creatures, most of which need to be killed or captured
01:16by the Greek hero during his service to King Eurystheus of Mycenae.
01:21Capturing the famously huge Aramanthian boar was one of these labors, but the first task
01:26given to Hercules by Eurystheus was killing the Nemean lion.
01:30This beast boasted golden fur that was impenetrable to projectile weapons such as arrows.
01:36Hercules instead was forced to utilize cunning, trapping the Nemean lion in a cave and strangling
01:42the creature with his bare hands.
01:47But even this monster was no match for the son of Zeus.
01:55Number 18.
01:56The Empusa.
01:57There's generally some wiggle room when it comes to mythological creatures and their
02:01appearances, and that's especially true for this strange being.
02:05The Empusa is an underworld servant of Hecate that's known to shapeshift from a woman
02:10to a monster.
02:11Hecate is the goddess of magic, mistress of witches and sorceresses.
02:16She is the daughter of the titan Perseus, god of destruction.
02:20The Empusa is occasionally depicted as only having one leg, while still other stories
02:26claim it possesses one normal appendage and another leg crafted from copper.
02:30Either way, stories that surround the Empusa typically lend it characteristics similar
02:35to a succubus.
02:36These devilish dames seduce hapless young men with their beauty only to feed upon their
02:41blood when it's time to strike.
02:43Number 17.
02:44Typhon.
02:45Greek mythology has served as a wellspring of inspiration for countless artists over
02:49the years.
02:50This is thanks not only to the stories of the gods and titans, but examples from the
02:55Greek bestiary such as Typhon.
02:57With Tartarus itself as the father, Gaia gives birth to the monstrous Typhon, a kaiju-sized
03:01eldritch abomination with loads of heads, flaming eyes, and just a whole bunch of snakes.
03:05This gigantic serpent beast was actually the father of many famous mythological monsters,
03:10spawned from his loins and the womb of his mate, Echidna.
03:14These include Cerberus and the Lernaean Hydra.
03:17Typhon himself is a mass of multiple heads, hands, and snakes.
03:21He's the largest of all Gaia's giant children, he's got hundreds of limbs all made out
03:26of screaming serpents and dragons, he's got wings, he spits fire, he's the ultimate
03:30most monstrous monster of all monster kai.
03:33His temperament is terrible and unpredictable, a chaotic monster with a reputation for might
03:38that threatens the very safety of Olympus itself.
03:4116.
03:42Euryneis
03:43Your methods fail us, Magira.
03:47I will take care of him.
03:49AKA, the Furies.
03:50Oath-breaking was known as a serious offence within the world of Norse mythology, but the
03:54ancient Greeks also held true the power of a promise.
03:58This is where the Furies, also called Euryneis, come into the picture.
04:02These creatures lived beneath the earth and punished those who swore an oath and went
04:06back upon their word.
04:08Texts claim that these fearful goddesses were born from the blood of Uranus after he was
04:13slaughtered by his son, Cronos.
04:15Their mythological mother figure is Nyx, goddess of the night, and the Furies actually play
04:20a part in parenthood during their downtime.
04:23That's because families with misbehaving children were said to have sought the Euryneis for
04:28advice or guidance.
04:29Magira, Tis, you ready?
04:30Murderer.
04:38Three against one.
04:39Doesn't seem all that sporting now, does it?
04:43Orange will pass the need for any sprint.
04:46We'll kill you, whatever it takes.
04:49The Euryneis, now.
04:50Number 15.
04:51Lamia
04:52Zeus was a notoriously unfaithful husband to his queen, Hera.
04:57The ruler of Mount Olympus frequently had affairs with, well, anything that moved, basically,
05:02and this included a Libyan queen by the name of Lamia.
05:14The children of this union were cruelly abducted and destroyed by Hera, and Lamia was cursed
05:19with both insomnia and madness.
05:21This, combined with her bloodlust and habitual abduction of children, changed her appearance
05:27to that of a hideous monster.
05:29Lamia was given the gift of second sight by Zeus in the wake of her punishment, but this
05:33mattered little to the despondent mother, who was doomed to howl with rage at the loss
05:38of her family.
05:46Number 14.
05:47Scylla and Charybdis
05:48One can't really discuss the monster Scylla without also mentioning its counterpart, the
06:02sea beast known as Charybdis.
06:05The former was once a water nymph that was cursed to sprout vicious dogs from her torso
06:09as punishment for an affair with Poseidon, although other readings pair her up with a
06:14different sea god, Glaucus.
06:21Meanwhile, Charybdis is a daughter of Poseidon, effectively teaming up with Scylla to attack
06:27unwary sailors.
06:29Both monsters appear in such famous mythology works as The Odyssey by Homer, as well as
06:34Ovid's Metamorphoses.
06:36The phrase, between Scylla and Charybdis, meanwhile, has come to serve as a sort of
06:40fancy way of saying, between a rock and a hard place.
06:44Number 13.
06:45Gryphon
07:00The next monster is not solely the property of Greek myths, having been adopted by many
07:04other cultures over the last 3,000 years.
07:07The Gryphon is one of the most magnificent animals that's entered into legend at this
07:11point.
07:12A mixture of lion and eagle with razor-sharp front talons, strength, glory, and security
07:18are just a few of the characteristics symbolized by the Gryphon.
07:22With many historical coats of arms bearing the image of the creature, they're also often
07:25depicted as guardians of some ancient and valuable treasure, warding off intruders with
07:30their power and might.
07:38Number 12.
07:39Harpies
07:40Viewers of a certain age might remember watching the stop-motion animation of Ray Harryhausen,
07:45specifically his work on mythological adaptations like Jason and the Organauts.
07:59It was in this film that Harryhausen brought to life the Harpies, winged women creatures
08:04from Greek myth that personified wicked and foul winds.
08:08If you're annoyed by seagulls stealing your food at the beach, then imagine a Harpy scratching
08:13at your face with devilishly sharp claws.
08:15These creatures possess little in the way of mercy or goodness, and instead are almost
08:20always described as violent vultures with an evil temperament.
08:32Number 11.
08:33Sirens
08:34Sailors, take heed.
08:35Do not listen to the song of the sirens, lest ye dash yourselves upon the rocks of watery
08:40death.
08:50These lovely enchantresses are usually depicted with features of both fish and birds while
08:54also retaining human countenances.
08:57Their singing is said to lull seafarers into a stupor.
09:00They then lure the ships toward dangerous waters, and eventually to wreck.
09:05The legacy of the sirens has endured into the modern day as well, with many literary
09:09and cinematic portrayals of their sinister beauty and the formidable peril of an encounter.
09:17Number 10.
09:18The Sphinx
09:20Though most closely associated with the culture of ancient Egypt, this mythical creature was
09:24quickly adopted by the Greeks during the Bronze Age.
09:27Usually depicted with a human face, lion's body, and the wings of an eagle, the Sphinx
09:32serves as a gatekeeper.
09:33Upon crossing the Sphinx's path, it challenges the traveler with the riddle, which creature
09:38walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening?
09:43Should the traveler not reply with the answer, mankind, he or she will immediately be swooped
09:48upon and devoured by the vicious Sphinx.
09:51It's a tough life in ancient Greece, huh?
09:53Number 9.
09:54Satyrs
09:55From the classic Federico Fellini film, Satyricon, to the Norwegian black metal band, references
10:01to satyrs are a dime a dozen.
10:03But in Greek myth, these creatures are classic troublemakers and revelers.
10:11These man-beasts are companions of the god of wine, Dionysus, therefore having a penchant
10:17for drinking, and were usually depicted in human form but with horse tails and ears.
10:22The most famous of their kind was Salinas, a close cohort of Dionysus, and a character
10:27associated with fertility.
10:29Sometimes the figures would crop up in Greek plays, with their very own genre, the satyr
10:33play, which took a usually dramatic story well-known to the public and, you guessed
10:38it, made it satirical.
10:40It's not about the money, it's about the message, right?
10:43Wait a minute, whoa, whoa!
10:45You don't actually believe this crap, do you?
10:47Number 8.
10:48Chimera
10:49It seems metal bands really like Greek mythological beasts.
10:53The chimera is yet another hybrid creature, usually the body and head of a lion, with
10:58a second goat head and a snake's tail making up the rest.
11:01A monster with the head of a lion and the tail of a serpent.
11:07The earliest mention of the beast was in Homer's Iliad, which is where the physical
11:10description originated.
11:12The chimera is also known to possess a terrible temper as well as the ability to breathe deadly
11:18fire from her jaws at any who might oppose her bestial might.
11:22In other words, you might not want to get this one angry.
11:26Number 7.
11:27Medusa
11:28One of the most well-known creatures on our list, Medusa is the mightiest of a race called
11:32the Gorgons, who are snake-headed sorceresses with the power to turn men to stone with a
11:37single gaze.
11:39Many attempted to defeat her, hoping to gain the amassed gold and treasure in her lair.
11:44Myth tells of the hero Perseus finally beating her, which was later adapted for the screen
11:48in the Clash of the Titans films.
11:50Medusa has been portrayed in our time by such actresses as Uma Thurman,
11:55and appears in the video game worlds of the God of War and Castlevania franchises,
12:12which just goes to show her enduring legacy as an icon of evil.
12:21Number 6.
12:22Cerberus
12:23Cerberus, this triple-headed guard dog, is one of the fiercest and most frightening creatures
12:27from the world of Greek mythology, and with good reason.
12:30Cerberus is the gatekeeper of Hades, a hound of hell who prevents all lost souls from escaping
12:36the underworld.
12:37As if the three snarling maws weren't frightening enough, Cerberus has sometimes been described
12:42as having snakes emerging from his body, as well as a serpent for a tail, making this
12:47beast a dangerous foe from all angles.
12:50The only person to have ever tamed him was the hero Heracles, or the Roman Hercules.
12:56Number 5.
12:57Centaur
12:58These hybrid creatures are instantly recognisable.
13:01The legendary race has the lower half of a horse and a human upper body, and proves to
13:06be popular in the world of fantasy time and time again.
13:09Indeed, the image of centaurs has been adopted for ads like Adult Swim, and Old Spice, and
13:19if you've ever wished to see what a centaur version of Saturday Night Live's Chris Parnell
13:24would look like, look no further.
13:32Their usage in popular media isn't new, though.
13:35It dates back decades, as evidenced by their appearance in such films as Fantasia and The
13:40Golden Voyage of Sinbad.
13:42Number 4.
13:43Minotaur
13:44This next hybrid creature has the head of a bull and quite the reputation.
13:49According to myth, the minotaur was held in a labyrinth in the kingdom of Crete.
13:53Crete's king, Minos, pissed off the gods, and as a result, his wife was bewitched to
13:57fall for and lay with a bull, producing this enraged creature.
14:02The minotaur would devour 14 Athenians each year until Theseus succeeded in killing him
14:08with the help of Minos' daughter, Ariadne.
14:11The intimidating image of the minotaur carries on even now, in video games like God of War
14:16and Vagrant Story, as well as in such films as Wrath of the Titans and Percy Jackson and
14:21the Olympians' The Lightning Thief.
14:23He's that terrifying.
14:26Number 3.
14:27Cyclops
14:28This round-eyed race of giants was known for excellent building and crafting skills and
14:36their overall nasty nature.
14:38The most infamous Cyclops is undoubtedly Polyphemus, who appeared in Homer's classic poem The
14:44Odyssey as a significant obstacle for the stranded hero Odysseus.
14:48In this story, Polyphemus is the son of Poseidon, god of the sea, and a sea nymph known as Thusa.
14:54He holds the hero Odysseus and his crew hostage, devouring any man who attempts to escape.
15:00It isn't until Polyphemus falls asleep that Odysseus and his crew are able to blind the
15:04Cyclops and finally make their way away from their island prison.
15:08So to impale a god's son proved not to be the best choice, as Poseidon kept Odysseus
15:14from getting home for a while.
15:17Number 2.
15:18Pegasus
15:19This stark white and regal steed was actually birthed from the blood of the slain Medusa
15:24after her defeat at the hands of Perseus.
15:27Pegasus, a winged horse, would later be instrumental in the hero Bellerophon's defeat of the Chimera.
15:33He's made many appearances in pop culture, being seen in films like Fantasia, and his
15:38image has been used across several media, from a logo in World War II by UK parachute
15:44troops to the old opening montage of TriStar Pictures.
15:47Today, Pegasus is famous in the God of War franchise as an ally of Kratos.
15:52Regardless of his origins, Pegasus' use as an emblem demonstrates his legacy of beauty
15:58and wisdom.
15:59Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
16:03about our latest videos.
16:05You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
16:09If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
16:15Number 1.
16:16Hydra
16:17Cut off a limb, and two more shall take its place.
16:19The name Hydra may be more familiar in recent times, since it was adopted as the name for
16:24a terrorist organization in Marvel's universe.
16:32Hydra, also called the Lernaean Hydra after its den of choice, was a multi-headed water
16:37serpent that protected what was said to be a gateway to the underworld.
16:41As if that weren't bad enough, it was virtually impossible to decapitate this snake.
16:46In fact, after severing one head, two more would take its place.
16:50Couple that with the Hydra's poisonous blood and venomous breath, and you essentially have
16:55a beast with almost limitless destructive potential.
16:59Until Heracles came along.
17:00Hail Hydra!
17:01Hail Hydra!
17:02Hail Hydra!
17:03Hail Hydra!
17:04Hail Hydra!
17:05Which mythical creature would you love to see in real life?
17:07Let us know in the comments.