Gryphons are beasts of majesty and regality. They are seen multiple times throughout history in greek mythology and as symbols in medieval periods. They are often used to represent strength, royalty, and courage as a way of reflecting the Gryphon’s traits onto those who bare it as a symbol. The focus of this article will be mainly on its greek interactions but will also touch base on its interaction with the Medieval ages.
Gryphons are creatures that originate from greek mythology. They are described as an animal that is part lion and part eagle while being described by many sources as being the size of a wolf. Its head is that of an eagle while its body is that of a lion. Its feet bare eagle talons and on its back lay majestic wings (Spaid). Some describe it as the king of creatures because of its ability to rule both land and air with its incomparable strength. The strength it bares is said to be beyond that of a normal lion’s.
In addition to its amazing strength it is also said to be very wise(“Griffin”). They have a strong affinity for gold and tend to line their nests with it(Spaid). This led to many conflicts with other creatures that also have a liking for gold.
Some legends say that the Gryphon is related to the Sphinx and enjoys making travelers solve riddles like the Sphinx does. If the Traveler solves the riddle they are allowed to live and possibly welcome to some of the Gryphons gold. If a traveler were to be unable to solve the riddle he might be killed(“Griffin”). Many medieval factions used it as their banner symbol or marker since it represents wisdom and unbridled power.
Gryphons are largely associated with the Sun and the Greek god Apollo, ruler of the sun and light. It is said that they pull Apollo, Zeus a...
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...hion cups out of Gryphon claws or to put one of their claws in their drink so that they would know if it was poisoned or not. Gryphons feathers were said to be able to restore sight to those that were blind(Spaid).
Spaid, James. "the gryphon pages." the gryphon pages. N.p., 1 Jan. 2006. Web. 23 May 2014. .
(Spaid)
Spaid, James. "the gryphon pages." the gryphon pages. The Gryphon Pages, 1 Jan. 2006. Web. 23 May 2014. .
(Spaid)
Spaid, James. "the gryphon pages." the gryphon pages. The Gryphon Pages, 1 Jan. 2006. Web. 23 May 2014. .
"Griffin." MythOrTruth.Com Mythical Creatures Beasts and Facts associated with them. MythOrTruth.com, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 23 May 2014. .
(“Griffin”)
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Throughout several myths, monsters are described as many diverse creatures. At first glance, they all seem very distinctive. However, each monster is like a combination of several qualities and characteristics that are matched in different ways to form the monsters that appear in myths such as Hercules, Bellerophon, and Perseus. All monsters have very distinct looks that make them inferior to humans. Generally, they are a mixture of two or more different animals such as snakes, lions, or humans and they may have multiple heads. For example, Cerberus was a horrific three-headed dog that had the tail of a dragon and his back was covered with snakes. Several monsters have some part of them from a snake. Snakes symbolize an evil quality and that is why many monsters are forms of them. Cerberus had his whole back covered in snakes and a dragon tail. Both of these are snake-like parts that contribute to Cerberus looking terrifying. His tail is from a dragon which is very similar to a snake and his back is filled with snakes like fur. The Hydra of Lerna is also an im...
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