Greek+Mythology+Creatures

=Natalie Sapp= =Cyclopes= The Cyclopes were gigantic one eyed monsters. The most famous is Polyphemus, the Cyclops blinded by Odysseus. Hesiod mentions only three (not a race or tribe): Arges (thunderbolt), Steropes (lightning), and Brontes (thunder), obviously storm gods. They were born to [|Gaea] and [|Uranus]. They were also the first smiths. When [|Cronus] came to power he imprisoned the Cyclopes in [|Tartarus]. They were released by [|Zeus] and fought with him against the [|Titans]. As a reward for their release the Cyclopes gave Zeus his weapons of lighting and thunder. They continued as his workers at [|Mount Olympus] forging his thunderbolts. =** Centaur **= The Centaur's are half man, and half horse. They have the body of a horse but, in place of the horse head they have the torso, head and arms of a man. Most are wild and savage, known for lustfulness and drunkeness. The exception is the wise Centaur Chiron. =** Gorgons **= Gorgons are female monsters with snakes for hair. Their faces are so ugly that any man that sees the face will turn to stone. Oddly the three gorgons have very different origins. Stheno and Euryale were born as gorgons from Phorcys and Ceto. They are immortal. [|Medusa] was not. =** Pegasus **= Pegasus was a winged horse and good flyer. The Pegasus was the result of the ill fated mating of [|Medusa] and [|Poseidon]. It was born from Medusa when her head was cut off by [|Perseus]. Tamed by [|Bellerophon] it served as his mount during his adventures including his slaying of the [|Chimaera]. When Bellerophon attempted to fly Pegasus to [|Mount Olympus] he was dismounted by Zeus. Pegasus continued on and made it to Mount Olympus. Here Pegasus spent his days carrying lightning bolts for Zeus. =** Giants **= The Giants were generated from [|Uranus] blood resulting from his castration by [|Cronus]. They became powerful enough to try to unseat [|Zeus] and the [|Olympians] early in their rule. When the gods won they imprisoned the Giants in [|Tartarus]. =** Cerberus **= Cerberus is the three headed dog with a dragon tail which guards the entrance to the underworld. Allowing the dead to enter but, never leave. Fetching Cerberus was the last labor of [|Heracles]. =** Sirens **= Sirens were beautiful half-woman, half-birdlike creatures who sang such sweet songs that listeners forgot everything and died of hunger. The Sirens are sisters who lure sailors to their death. The song of the Sirens is irrestable but, they reside beyond unpassable reefs which destroy the sailors boat when they try to reach the Sirens. Among those tempted were Jason on the Argo and Odysseus. Odysseus escaped from them by filling his crew's ears with wax while he tied himself to the ship's mast. The Argonauts were saved by Orpheus' music. =** Chimaera **= Chimaera was spawned by [|Typhoeus] and [|Echidna], the Chimaera had three heads - lion, goat, and snake .Its body was also mixed having the front part of a lion, middle of a goat, and snake for a tail. It breathed fire. It ravaged Lycia, killing cattle and setting fires until it was killed by [|Bellerophon].