Manticore: Colossal Monster of Greek Mythology

07/09/2020

     Manticore was a mystical creature from Greek Mythology. Very similar to the Chimeras, these monsters had red hair, scorpion's tail. So little talked about in the history books, check.

Mantocore in Greek Mythology:

     Manticore is a mythological creature, similar to chimeras, with a man's head, three sharp rows of shark teeth and a thundering voice - and a lion's body (usually with red hair), differently colored eyes and a scorpion or dragon's tail with which it can shoot poisonous spines, which kill any being, except the elephant. In some descriptions, it appears with dragon or bat wings, varying the descriptions, with regard to their size, a common manticore is 70 meters long, an alpha is 84 to 94 meters long, and the parents (mother of other manticores) are over 120 meters.


SOURCE:

     Originating in Persian Mythology, where it was presented as a man-eating monster; the term that identifies it also comes from the Persian language: from martiya (man) and khvar (eating). The word was later used by the Greeks, in the form Mantikhoras, which gave rise to the Latin Mantichora. The figure came to be referred to in Europe through the accounts of Ctésias de Cnido, a Greek physician of the court of King Artaxerxes II, in the 4th century BC, in his notes on India ("Indika"). This work, widely used by Greek writers of Natural History, has not survived until today. 

     Pliny the Elder included it in his Natural History. Later, the Greek writer Flávio Filóstrato mentioned it in his work Life of Apolônio de Tiana (book III, chapter XLV). They have a skin that repels almost all known spells. According to some legends, the manticores came about when a king was cursed and became a manticore. Apparently these creatures were inspired by tigers.

     To this day, many stories of missing people in India are linked to Manticoras. Today we know that tigers were actually responsible for the disappearances. The manticore is famous for humming softly while eating its prey in order to distract and / or frighten it.

Check: Chimera

10 Appearances in Popular Culture:

  • In book three, it is said that Prince Oberyn Martell uses refined manticore poison on his spear, which allows him to kill his opponents slowly and painfully, which gives him the title "The Red Viper" (The Red Viper).
  • In the series "Chronicles of Ice and Fire", book one (Game of Thrones), there is a reference to the manticoras that were kept in cages in the Oriental Market.
  • In the game Age of Mythology, it appears as a mythological creature when it venerates, in the Heroic Era, the god Apollo.
  • In the seventh volume published by Panini of the comic book Fables (Fables, in the original), created by Bill Willingham, a manticore appears to be fighting the Adversary's wooden army.
  • In God of War: Ascension, the manticore appears as an enemy, faced in the Tower of Delphi and the Lantern of Delos.
  • In the album Tarkus (1971) of the English progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP), one of the subparts of the title song is called "Manticore" (the English equivalent of manticora). In 1973, the band founded its own label, the label "Manticore".
  • In the series Merlin, a manticore appears in the ninth episode of the third season ("Love in the Time of Dragons") as an invoked creature from the spirit world who can exercise control over men. The manticore's behavior resembles that of a bulldog dog.
  • A manticore appears in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Curse of the Titan by Rick Riordan. It can also be seen in the movie The Sea of ​​Monsters.
  • In the game World of Warcraft it appears as a mount and also as NPC (Creature of the Game), besides being the most used by the Horde.
  • In the One Piece anime, Luffy struggles with several manticores that were being held in the Impel Down prison.

Check Now:

As for Kratos from God of War, we all already know! But what about the Cratos that really existed within Greek Mythology? Have you heard of or know their incredible story?

Roman Mythology: Are Greek and Roman Gods the Same Thing? In a simplified way, yes! With the exception of their respective Names. Check out everything about the Roman Gods below.

The Erinyes (or Furies) are, in Greek and Roman Mythology, women represented as a symbol of revenge. They are very similar to the Keres and, also, often confused, check it out.

Although Dragons are of Chinese origin, the Greeks also had their representations for the Dragon figure. We've separated for you 3 exclusive Dragons that only exist in Greek Mythology!

Jason, in Greek Mythology, is one of the most relevant Characters, so much so that, in addition to being a Hero, he is the son of Zeus, thus: a demigod. He knows more about its history, from Medea and Argonauts to the Golden Fleece.

The Griffin, in Greek Mythology, is a mystical creature with the body of a lion and an eagle's head. Unlike the Greek sphinxes (which are perverse and treacherous), Griffins are good creatures and often help demigods.

The Trojan Horse was a huge wooden horse used as a military strategy by the Greeks during the Trojan War. If in fact it existed, it was one of the greatest feats of warfare in history! Know.