Mythology Mrs. R.

Poe

Name ______________________________

Mythical monsters
Greek myth includes many monstrous beings. Cerberus, the three-headed, giant hound that guarded the gates of Hades Charybdis, a sea monster whose inhalations formed a deadly whirlpool Gorgons, monstrous sisters with wings of gold, brazen claws and serpents for hair Medusa, capable of turning men to stone with her gaze

Graeae, three old women with one tooth and one eye between them Harpies, winged monsters with the bodies of birds and the heads and torsos of women

Mythical hybrids
These creatures combine human and animal attributes, or the attributes of several animals. Centaurs, a race of half-man, half-horse beings Chimera, a three headed monster, with the foreparts of a lion, the middle-parts of a goat and goat'shead rising from its back, and the tail of a headed-serpent; slain by Bellerophon Manticore, a monster with the head of a man, the body of a lion and the tail of a scorpion Minotaur, a monster with the head of a bull and the body of a man Satyrs and Satyresses, a tribe of nature-spirits with the upper bodies of men, and the tails of horses, pug-noses and the ears of donkeys Sirens, three winged bird-women whose irresistible song lured sailors to their deaths Sphinx, a creature with the body of a lion and the head of a woman

Dragons
The dragons of Greek mythology were serpentine monsters. They include the serpent-like Dracones, the marine-dwelling Cetea and the she-monster Dracaenae.

Dracones
Dracones were giant serpents, sometimes possessing multiple heads or deadly venom. The Lernaean Hydra, a nine-headed dragon which guarded the springs of Lerna; it was slain by Heracles Python, a dragon which guarded the oracle of Delphi; it was slain by Apollo

Dracaenae
The Dracaena or "She-Dragon" was a creature with the upper body of a beautiful woman and the lower body of a dragon or sea monster. Ceto, a monstrous marine goddess with the body of a sea monster Delphyne, a she-dragon which guarded the oracle of Delphi Scylla, a she-dragon which haunted the Straits of Messina Sybaris, a she-dragon who terrorised a mountain near Delphi; slain by the hero Eurybarus

Mythology Mrs. R. Poe

Name ______________________________

Create a Greek Mythology Shield History of Shields

The Hoplite shield was a large, round shield that was meant to protect the body of the soldier as well as to overlap with the soldier next to him. These shields were constructed of layers of tough leather, linen, wood, and usually finished with a bronze or copper skin. These shields were amazingly heavy, some weighing up to 20 pounds. Because Hoplites provided their own armor, each shield was decorated in an individual style.

Significance
The symbols emblazoned on the front of a Greek shield were often drawn from mythology. Ancient Greek pottery often depicted either battles or warriors about to go to battle, so scholars have a wealth of information about Greek shields. Pegasus was a popular symbol representing some of the mythical beings sent by the gods to assist Greek heroes, such as Perseus. Other symbols included the lightning bolts of Zeus and stylized eyes.

Function
Other shield symbols included references to Greek heroes. One popular design was the head of Medusa which was slain by the Greek hero Perseus. Perseus was favored by Athena who gave him her shield. Perseus was able to slay the gorgon, Medusa, because he avoided her petrifying gaze by looking at her in the reflection of his shiny shield. In honor of his feat, many Greek Hoplite painted their interpretations of Medusa on their shields.

Creating the shield

After choosing the image for your shield, use the template provided and decorate your shield with your creature. (Remember, too, that soldiers would draw pictures on the back representing family, Gods of protection, prayers of courage, etc.)