Greek myths abound in images of beauty and perfection: charming gods, attractive goddesses, and handsome heroes, all of them standards of physical and spiritual flawlessness. However, the ancient Greeks were not fond of absolutes. No god or hero is shown without blemishes in character and ethics, and some are even physically imperfect, like Hephaestus, who is ugly and lame. Another element that dominates Greek mythology is the idea of balance. Good and evil, light and darkness, hubris and punishment. What could not be missing from this world is the image of reversed beauty: monstrosity. The aim of this book is to explore the realm of the imaginary world of Greek mythology and present the reader with a categorization of monstrosity, referring to some of the most noted examples in each category.
Author(s): Spyros Syropoulos
Publisher: Archaeopress Archaeology
Year: 2018
Language: English
Pages: 150
City: Oxford
Cover
Copyright Information
Contents
Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction, by Richard Buxton
Introduction
Humanoid Monsters
Arimaspians (Αριμασποί)
Blemmyae (Bλέμμυαι)
Cyclopes (Κυκλωπεσ)
Cynocephaloi and Akephaloi (Kυνοκέφαλοι & Aκέφαλοι)
Giants (Γίγαντες)
Phorcids (Graeae, Gorgons & Sirens) – Φόρκυς (Γραίαι, Γοργονεσ, Σειρήνες)
Graeae (Γραίαι)
Gorgons (Γοργονεσ)
Chapter 2
Serpentine Creatures
Amphisbaina (Αμφισβαινα)
Cychreus (Kυχρευσ)
Typhon (Tyφων)
Python (Πυθων)
Hydra of Lerna (Λερναια Υδρα)
Chapter 3
Partly Human
Centaurs (Kentαυροι)
Echidna (Eχιδνα)
Scylla (Σκυλλα)
Sphinx (Σφιγξ)
Chapter 4
Monstrous Animals
Cerberus (Keρβεροσ)
Orthus (Ορθοσ)
Mares of Diomedes (Διομηδου Ιπποι)
Lion of Nemea (Λεων Νεμεασ)
Phoenix (Φοινιξ)
Hippalectryon (Iππαλεκτρυων)
Chapter 5
Ghosts and Daemons
Eidola (Eιδωλα)
Empousa (Εμπουσα)
Eurynomus (Ευρυνομοσ)
Gello (Γελλω)
Lamia (Λαμια)
Mormo-Mormolyce (Mορμω-Μορμολυκη)
Telchines (Tελχινεσ)
Epilogue
Works Cited
Ancient Greek Sources – Translations and Commentaries (English)
Greek
Ancient Greek Sources – Translations and Commentaries (Greek)
Electronic Sources
Disclaimer
Encyclopedias
