Greek Mythological Beasts

Ancient Greek Myths

Greek myths and legends are a collection of traditional stories that were told by the ancient Greeks to help explain the existence of the world.

They are captivating tales of fantasy, often featuring adventure and danger.

What Is a Greek Myth?

Which Greek myths do you know?

Medusa (med-yoos-uh)

• Her hair was a nest of snakes.

• Anyone who looked at her was turned to stone.

• She was killed by Perseus.

Hydra• It had nine

heads.

• Each time you cut a head off, two more would grow in its place.

• It was killed by Heracles.

Cerberus (ker-ber-us)

• Three-headed dog belonging to Hades.

• It guarded the Underworld and stopped the dead from leaving.

Chimera (ki-meer-uh)

• It had the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a dragon.

• It breathed deadly fire.• It was killed by a hero called Bellophron.

Cyclops

• They lived on an island.

• They had a single eye in the middle of their forehead.

• They ate people who landed on the island.

Minotaur

• It had the body of a man and the head of a bull.

• It lived in a giant labyrinth under King Minos’s palace.

• It ate young men and women.

PegasusAppearancePegasus was a beautiful, pure-white horse, with feathered wings on his back. He sometimes wore a magical, golden bridle.

Special AbilitiesPegasus could fly and also had an array of supernatural powers. He could create springs of water with his hooves. His wings clapped like thunder if he was angry.

Pegasus in Greek Mythology

• Pegasus was Medusa’s son and lived by a spring he created beside Mount Helicon.

• Pegasus wore Athena’s enchanted golden bridle while Bellerophon rode him into battle with the chimera.

• Zeus gave Pegasus the responsibility of carrying his lightning bolts.

Which is which?