There are many mythical creatures in Greek mythology, and many of them are found in the sea. If you have ever wondered about the mythical sea creatures that are found in Greek mythology, we have the complete list here!
Some of these mythical sea creatures are ugly and evil, while some of them are beautiful and mischievous. These mythical sea creatures make an appearance in many stories of Greek mythology.
1. Cetus
In the myth of Perseus and Andromeda, Perseus was on his way home from beheaded the Gorgon monster, Medusa, when he saw a beautiful woman chained to a rock and facing imminent death from being eaten by Cetus. Cetus was a sea monster that Poseidon sent to bring terror to the land of Aethiopia.
Andromeda was the beautiful daughter of the king and queen of Aethiopia. Queen Casseiopeia bragged that Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereid sea nymphs. To punish her, Poseidon sent Cetus to devour Andromeda while she was chained to a rock. Just as Andromeda was about to be eaten, Perseus saved her from Cetus by either stabbing Cetus or using Medusa’s head to turn the Cetus into stone.
2. Scylla and Charybdis
Scylla was a six-headed sea monster who lived under a rock in the straits of Messina. Charybdis was the whirlpool that would devour the ships of sailors who may have escaped the wrath of Scylla during their journey.
3. The Sirens
Not all sea monsters are ugly, and not all sea monsters look threatening. This is what makes the Sirens so dangerous. Sailors would be lured by the beautiful looks and singing voices to cause sailors to wreck their ships along the rocky coast of the Sirens.
4. Kraken
In Norse mythology, the Kraken is a giant Octopus that brings terror upon those sailors who sail in the waters where it lives. The Kraken would wrap its large tentacles around the ships and pull the ships to the bottom of the sea, devouring them along the way.
5. Calypso
In The Odyssey, Odysseus is on his journey home when he is imprisoned by Calypso for seven years. Calypso is a sea nymph who wanted to turn Odysseus into an immortal and marry him. Odysseus is married to Penelope, who he is trying to return home to. While on Calypso’s island, Athena asks Zeus to release Odysseus from Calypso, to which Zeus complies.
6. Circe
Another mythical sea creature in The Odyssey is Circe. Circe is a goddess and is also the daughter of the god of the sun, Helios. Circe turned Odysseus and his men into swine while on their journey home.
7. Lernean Hydra
The Lernean Hydra was a nine-headed serpent that lived on the coast of Lerna. If one of the hydra’s heads were cut off, two more would grow back in its place. The Lernean Hydra also lived near the entrance of the underworld. In one of the 12 labors of Hercules, he had to slay the Lernean Hydra.
To do this, Hercules had the help of his nephew. When Hercules would cut off a head, his nephew would use a flaming torch to prevent a new head from growing in its place. Once all of the heads were cut off, and a flame was applied to each one, the Lernean Hydra died, and Hercules buried it under a large rock.
