This document provides descriptions of characteristics for several ancient Greek monsters. It describes what each monster looks like physically and what behaviors or abilities each monster exhibits. The monsters included are the Basilisk, Cerberus, Charybdis, Chimera, Cyclops, Geryon, Gorgons, Laestrygonians, Lernean Hydra, Minotaur, Nemean Lion, Scylla, Sirens, Sphinx, Stymphalian Birds, and Typhon. Key characteristics mentioned include abilities to turn men to stone, create whirlpools, breathe fire, be cannibalistic, and have impenetrable coats.

1. Ancient Greek Monsters Chart of Characteristics
What it looks like What it does
Basilisk large snake looks like any ordinary
huge frightening snake (although it is
sometimes portrayed with wings),
It resembles a snake and is usually
portrayed with a variety of
characteristics including legs, scales,
fins and sharp fangs
ability to kill you by means of a single
glance. This monster also has lethal
venom for those of you who stare at
your feet. Also, it will probably eat
you, if you give it the chance
it has the ability to cause death with a
single glance. Additionally, legend
tells that the Basilisk leaves a wide
trail of dangerous venom in its wake,
killing all flora and fauna alike
Cerberus A large, three-headed dog, often
depicted as snarling with fangs and
an aggressive stance/expression
guards the gates of Hades
behaves very aggressively, killing
anything that comes close to it. He is
untamed and wild
Charybdis She is described as a sea monster,
but her actual appearance is not well
documented
creates giant whirlpools which would
suck up and destroy anything that
came near them
creates death traps for sailors
wishing to pass through the strait.
She doesn’t ever bargain or
communicate with the travelers,
instead attacking them as soon as
they come too close
Chimera a three-headed lion with the body
also of a lion's form a goat head rises
from its back, has udders of a goat,
and a serpent for a tail. There is
some debate over whether or not the
creature has wings.
breathed fire and protected its land
the Lycia
associated with bad omens and
major disasters, such as storms,
shipwrecks, volcanic activity,
the stories often saying it would be
seen at these sights of major
disasters. Took up residence near a
town and set about terrorizing and
killing off the population until he was
killed by another hero
Cyclops has only one eye in the middle of his
forehead and he is a giant
eats people knowing that it is wrong
Geryon three bodied, 4-winged giant, hairy
paws and a scorpion tail
He attacked cattle and his primary
feat was attacking Hercules while he
was on his tenth labor to get the
cattle of Geryon.
Gorgons winged female creatures with hair as
snakes, large projecting teeth, they
vicious and savage, devious,
manipulative

2. are also projected beautiful even
though they are deadly
1.
turn men into stone
Laestrygonians giants of humanoid shape
1.
primitive and cannibalistic
cannibalistic, killed many humans in
Odysseus’ fleet, destroyed
Odysseus’ boats
Lernean Hydra a serpent with 9 heads every time you cut off a head, 2
others grow back and it behaves by
attacking anyone/anything that
trespasses into the swamp
Minotaur bulls head and a human body it's a cannibal and feeds on women
and children
Nemean Lion larger than average, demonized lion.
It also sports a coat that is resistant
to all weapons
the Neman Lion is deadly, the cat
lures heroes into a cave by
transforming into a damsel in
distress, but when the hero gets
close enough the damsel turns back
into a lion and is killed. Victims who
would fight back would not succeed
due to the lion having an "armored"
coat
Scylla twelve feet, six necks, and heads
with three rows of teeth
is directly opposite to Charybdis and
resided in the rocks. If the sailors
strayed too close to the rocks Scylla
would eat six men with her heads.
Sirens winged individuals (specifically
women) such as normal human
bodies with wings and bird feet, or
had the bodies of birds with human
faces, the stories vary in description
after being captivated by the song the
Sirens would eat the individual.
However other tales say that the men
died by crashing their boats into reefs
and rocks to get to the sirens. in the
end, they die either way
Sphinx head of a woman, the body of a lion,
the wings of an eagle, and the tail of
a snake.
it would ask riddles, and anyone who
didn't answer the riddles correctly
would be promptly eaten by the
Sphinx. It is also mentioned that the
Sphinx can be a cause of famine and
drought
Stymphalian Birds birds with beaks of bronze, sharp
metallic feathers they could launch at
their victims, and poisonous dung
"These fly against those who come to
hunt them, wounding and killing them
with their beaks. All armor of bronze
or iron that men wear is pierced by
the birds;” they eat men

3. Typhon 2 snake tails and human upper body
on his head were possibly 50-100
snake heads each making a different
noise. He was the biggest creature
reaching the clouds when on land.
fights with Zeus
spits fire out the top of the mountain
father of Cerberus, the Lernean
Hydra and the Chimera