About the substance called "Manticore", a lot of information was preserved, only thanks to the ancient Greek physician Ctesia, who allegedly saw him at the court of the Persians. The Greek described the monster as a lion with the face of a man who devoured people and with one jump overtook the victim at great distances. There is a version, supposedly this creation is one of the images of the god Vishnu .
Manticore - who is this?
Manticore is a creature with a lion's body, a man's face and a scorpion's tail, the bright sign of which was teeth in three rows and blue eyes. It was believed that this monster is hunting people and eating their meat, so it was often depicted with parts of the human body in the teeth. The tail was crowned with huge thorns, with which the monster could also kill, so there was no chance of salvation.
Manticore - Greek mythology
Manticore - who is she? Although, judging by the description and habits of the monster, many researchers suggest that he comes from Persia or India, the exterior looks very much like a huge tiger. Even the name translated from Farsi means "cannibal", and such large wild cats in the jungle were also present. But the discoverer of the creation is not the Hindus, but the Greek physician Ctesias, who described the nightmarish creature in his books. According to his version, the Manticore is a wicked creature possessing:
- the body of a lion and the face of a man;
- three rows of teeth;
- claw at the tip of the tail;
- mustache filled with poison.
Such described the Manticore in their writings the ancient Hellenes. Later, Greek scholars formed their own version of this creation. Geographer Pausanias was sure that it was a giant tiger, and the red color of the skin gave him a sunset in the eyes of the Hindus. And already a triple row of teeth and a tail that shoots poisonous arrows are fictions of hunters who were afraid to overcome a huge beast.
What does the Manticore look like?
According to the descriptions of the ancient Greeks, which they received from the Persians, the Manticore was a symbiosis of different beings:
- the body of a lion, but not yellow, but red;
- sting of a scorpion on the tail, shooting with needles;
- lightning fast jumps, fast running;
- the voice is similar to the sounds of a pipe and a pipe.
Whose body is the Manticore? Judging by the descriptions, then a big lion or a giant cat, this was a characteristic feature of the monster. In the following centuries, her image was significantly supplemented by other features:
- Middle Ages. Huge teeth were placed no longer in the mouth, but in the throat, and the voice was like the hiss of a snake, with which the monster lured people.
- 20th century, science fiction books. Manticore got wings and shooting poisonous spikes, the voice sounded more like a purr. Instantly healed his wounds, the skin had the ability to reflect any spells.
What is the difference between a manticore and a chimera?
Some researchers link the manticore and the chimera to external features, but there is a difference between them. Chimera is a creation from Greek mythology, her mother was Echidna, and the father was the son of Gaia and Tartarus Tsifey, according to another version she was born from Orta and Hydra. It was believed that the chimera lived in Lycia, and bore her prince Bellerophon. This creature is from the Greek goddess of the pantheon of gods, and the Manticore is a guest from other people's legends. Chimera and Manticore had one common external feature: the lion's body, in the rest the Hellenic monster was different:
- the ability to spit fire;
- the back part of the goat's body;
- snake tail;
- three heads: goats, snakes and dragons.
The Legend of the Manticore
The legend of the Manticore, the Greek Ctesias did not bring, limited to general rumors about its existence. In the myths of Persia, there is a mention that this terrible monster, when meeting a man, likes to make riddles, and if the traveler answers everything, then he lets go. Researchers are inclined to believe that the Manticore, a monster that devours people, originated in the stories of India, and then migrated to Persia, where the Greek Ctesias heard about it.
Still there is a version, supposedly such monster was born by a legend about the god Vishnu, who knew how to turn into different creatures. In the image of one of them - a lion with a human face - he overcame the evil demon Hiranyakasipu. After that the Hindu people Vishnu began to be called Narasimha Mantikor. In the legend, he is described with the body of a lion, the tail of a scorpion and the teeth of a shark. In the Middle Ages, the Manticore became a symbol of tyranny and evil.