Express Yourself Meme: Favourite Monsters!

This week, I have to choose my 5 favourite monsters in history, and I think I'm going to go with some mythological monsters, because they always fascinate me more than vampires and werewolves and things, which are a little overdone at the minute!

It's going to be hard to condense the list to just 5, as there are so many interesting mythological monsters!

So, here are my 5 favourite mythological monsters:

1. The Basilisk - obviously mostly known from Harry Potter, the Basilisk is known as the King of serpents, able to kill with only a single glance. One of my favourite monsters, because not only can it kill you just by looking at you, it's also super poisonous, so you have no chance, really!

2. Gorgon - a gorgon is a female creature whose gaze had the power to turn men to stone. The most famous gorgon is Medusa, who had snakes for hair, and was the only one who was mortal, and could therefore be killed.

3. Cerberus - Cerberus is known as the three-headed dog who guards the Underworld, preventing souls from escaping. He was allowed to eat any mortals who attempted to enter the Underworld.

4. Harpy - Harpies were fierce winged monsters, halfway between women and birds. They are often depicted as hideous female faces mounted on the body of a vulture. Harpies served Zeus, and are known for 'snatching' things; food, small children, the weak and wounded...

5. Scylla and Charybdis (I know that's two, but they go together so it's not really cheating!) - I only learnt about these recently, because of a song by Trivium - Torn between Scylla and Charybdis. They are both sea monsters who lie on either side of a narrow strait, so that ships who pass through must either encounter Scylla on the one side, or Charybdis on the other. If you try to avoid one, you will encounter the other. Both monsters will cause a lot of harm to the ship, which is where the expression 'torn between Scylla and Charybdis' came from - choosing between two things that will cause harm.

Comments

  1. Adam Gaylord22 October 2012 at 15:00

    I had never heard of #5. Very cool!

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    1. Laura Clipson22 October 2012 at 15:07

      I hadn't until I heard the song, I found it very interesting so I had to put it up there! :)

      Delete
  2. Dani22 October 2012 at 15:16

    Oh you hit a soft in me. I love love love mythology of all sorts. Ever since the 7th grade I have been pulled towards the lands of myths and legends. Great choices here! Medusa and her sisters were always so fascinating to me.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Laura Clipson22 October 2012 at 15:19

      Thanks! I was making my list of monsters, and the ones that interested me the most were the mythological ones, so I thought what the hell, I'll just use those!

      Delete
  3. A Beer for the Shower22 October 2012 at 15:26

    I've never heard of #5 either.

    As for me, I'm partial to the Kraken. He's a giant squid, and he also has his own rum. What's not to love?

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    1. Laura Clipson22 October 2012 at 15:37

      Oh yeah the Kraken's a good one, I ran out of room though :)

      Delete
  4. Allison22 October 2012 at 16:50

    I've never heard of #5 or that expression before! Cerberus is also one of my favourite monsters.

    Allison (Geek Banter)

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    Replies
    1. Laura Clipson23 October 2012 at 16:09

      I know neither had I, I think I'm going to use it all the time now!

      Delete
  5. Outcast22 October 2012 at 16:58

    Harpies are pretty cool in concept but if a flight of them came out of nowhere and started attacking me I would be absolutely horrified in all honesty haha. I love the Basilisk too and was introduced to it by the Harry Potter series as well, it's such a terrifying monster haha, Colin Creevey must have been terrified when he saw it!

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    1. Laura Clipson23 October 2012 at 16:10

      I would hate to come face to face with a Basilisk, but then I guess you wouldn't get much time to be scared! Same with the harpies, wouldn't want to meet one of those.

      Delete
  6. Tonja Drecker23 October 2012 at 09:40

    It's nice to see the mythical monsters mentioned. They've 'scared' people longer than any others :) The last one(s) were especially interesting. I'll have to write those down.

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    1. Laura Clipson23 October 2012 at 16:10

      I thought it would make a nice change from vampires and werewolves :)

      Delete
  7. Tina23 October 2012 at 15:53

    Great monster choices. I love mythology, too. The baselisk certainly is a bad-ass monster, good choice. Harry certainly encountered a lot of strange ones in his quest. I also like Medusa. I can't remember the name of the movie, but Uma Thurman plays Medusa (I think it was something something Lightning Thief...) and in the end, the abused wife puts the head in the fridge with signs telling her hubs not to open it but of course he does. Good stuff.
    Tina @ Life is Good
    http://kmdlifeisgood.blogspot.com

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    1. Laura Clipson23 October 2012 at 16:11

      Thanks! I saw bits of that movie the other day, strange stuff!

      Delete
  8. Jackie24 October 2012 at 04:08

    These are ALL great choices, Laura! I love that you went the mythological route. I'd never heard of #5 until reading it on your blog. So great to learn new things!

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  9. Wayne Assiratti24 October 2012 at 20:23

    I'm getting a Greek Mythology vibe here! Good list, and Trivium rock!

    ReplyDelete

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