Although most of the myths were created in time immemorial, many of their characters are familiar to modern people. In addition, popular mythical heroes have spawned many phraseological units and sayings.
Medusa Gorgon - killing gaze
This creature, which gave the name to a whole subspecies of invertebrates, was mentioned in ancient myths. According to one version, the Gorgon was a beautiful girl who wanted to compete in beauty with the goddess Athena. For this, the impudent Medusa was punished and turned into a monster with snakes instead of hair. According to another version, the Gorgon was the daughter of the sea deity Forkia and had this appearance from birth, and she also had several sisters. Medusa's gaze was able to turn all life into stone. According to Greek legend, the Gorgon was killed by Perseus, who received such an assignment from the king Polydect. The head of the slain Gorgon has not lost its properties. Perseus took advantage of this, taking revenge on Polydetus and turning him into stone. In Russia, there were also legends about a similar character - the maiden of Gorgonia, who was killed by a sorcerer.
Sphinx - Guardian of the Kingdom of the Dead
The Sphinx is one of the most mysterious mythical creatures. The Egyptian Sphinx was depicted with the body of a lion and the head of a man. Sometimes he had wings. It was believed that the sphinx possessed absolute wisdom. He included all 4 elements, both sexes, male and female, and served as a guard guarding the entrance to the Kingdom of the dead. Therefore, images of sphinxes are often present on Egyptian tombs. The Greek Sphinx was slightly different from the Egyptian. He was portrayed exclusively with a female head and always with wings. The famous riddle belongs to the Greek Sphinx: "Who walks on four legs in the morning, on two in the afternoon, and on three in the evening?" The images of these creatures were widely used in urban architecture during the Renaissance and Enlightenment.
Cerberus - the dog of the underworld
The expression "evil as Cerberus" has become a famous phraseological unit. The aforementioned Cerberus is a fierce, three-headed dog with a serpentine tail that possesses poisonous saliva. According to legend, he belonged to the god of the underworld, Hades and strictly guarded the souls of the dead. Cerberus's parents were two other monsters - the giant Typhon and the half-woman, half-snake Echidna. Only Hercules managed to defeat Cerberus in one of his exploits. Images of a monstrous dog guarding the entrance to the Kingdom of the Dead later appeared in Indian and Scandinavian mythology.
Pegasus is a favorite of the muses
This light creature, associated with art and cultural discovery, was the product of the evil monster Medusa the Gorgon. According to legend, he appeared from the drops of blood of the slain Gorgon. According to legend, the winged horse flew faster than the wind, could create water sources with a blow of the hoof, and sometimes was the squire of Zeus, carrying his lightning. Pegasus was very much loved by the patroness of the arts - the muses. According to legend, the horse once created the source of Hippocrene. Its waters helped poets write beautiful poetry. Hence, the sayings "draw inspiration" and "ride Pegasus" appeared.
