Famous Greek Mythical Creatures Names and Pictures

In Greek mythology, there are mythical creatures that many Greek heroes have to overcome or kill during their quests. These are the most famous Greek mythical creatures with pictures!

1. Cerberus

In the underworld, Hades had a three-headed dog named Cerberus. Cerberus would keep Hades company as well as guard the entrance of the underworld so that no one could enter to steal souls. Cerberus also guarded the entrance so that no souls of the underworld could ever leave.

2. Minotaur

The Minotaur was a half-man, half bull creature that King Minos kept in a labyrinth on the island of Crete. Each year, King Minos would feed 7 boys and 7 girls from the city of Athens to the Minotaur. The Minotaur was placed in a labyrinth so that anyone who was in the labyrinth with the Minotaur could not find their way out, resulting in always being eaten by the Minotaur.

3. Lernean Hydra

In the swamps of Lerna lived the nine-headed sea serpent called the Hydra. You could not cut off a head of the Hydra without two more growing back in its place. Hercules would have to kill the Lernean Hydra during one of his 12 labors.

4. Trojan Cetus

The Trojan Cetus was a giant sea monster sent to plague the city of Troy by the Greek god of the sea, Poseidon. The Trojan Cetus could not be killed, and the only way the beast could be removed from the land would be to offer it the daughter of the king. The king followed the orders and chained his daughter Hesione to the rocks of the shore. Hesione would be saved by Hercules during his 12 labors.

5. Medusa

Medusa was a Gorgon monster who had snakes for hair and could turn anyone to stone who looked into her eyes. She was once a beautiful woman who was cursed by Athena with hideous looks and snakes for hair. This is because Medusa was impregnated by Poseidon while in Athena’s temple. Medusa would turn everyone to stone who looked into her eyes until Perseus was able to behead her.

6. The Cyclops Polyphemus

During his journey back home from the Trojan War, Odysseus comes upon the island of the cyclops. Odysseus and his men enter a cave on the island when the cyclops who lives in the cave returns home. His name is Polyphemus, and he finds Odysseus and his men in his cave. Polyphemus was a giant cyclops, and he immediately ate two of Odysseus’s men. Odysseus and his men spent the night in the cave.

The next morning, Polyphemus ate two more of Odysseus’s men before leaving for the day. Polyphemus rolled a stone in front of the entrance to the cave so that Odysseus and his men could not leave. Odysseus and his men were too small and weak to defeat the cyclops, so they had to outsmart him if they wanted to survive. Odysseus and his men found a large log and sharpened one end of the log into a sharp point and hid the log.

When Polyphemus returned that night, he devoured two more of Odysseus’s men. Odysseus then offered Polyphemus some wine. Polyphemus never had drunk wine, so he became very drunk and fell asleep. As Polyphemus slept, Odysseus and his men got their log and heated the sharpened end in the fire. When it was red hot, they stuck the log into the cyclops eye, blinding him. Odysseus and his men were able to escape on the bellies of the sheep inside the cave.