These animals and animal-like creatures from Greek mythology played a range of roles in the lives of the ancient Greeks, from devouring to helping. This list is ranked in order of how close to human they were. Note: there are no generic animals here.
1. Medusa
Medusa goes on this list of animal and animal-like creatures from mythology because she was transformed by Athena into a woman with snakes for hair. One look at Medusa turned a man to stone. From her severed head sprang the winged horse Pegasus, whose father was Poseidon.Medusa was killed by Perseus.
2. Chiron
Chiron, not to be mistaken for Charon the ferry man, was half man and half horse because he was a centaur. Chiron taught most of the Greek heroes. He was the son of Cronus and is credited with inventing medicine.Chiron was immortal, but was accidentally mortally wounded by Hercules. To end the pain, Chiron gave up his immortality, and went to Tartarus. In return for Chiron's giving up his immortality, Prometheus was released from Tartarus where he was chained to a rock.
3. Minotaur
The minotaur was half man and half bull. Unlike the centaur, his bull half is usually shown as his head. His mother was the Queen of Crete, Pasiphae. His father was a bull Pasiphae fell in love with. The minotaur ate humans and to feed him, the Athenians were obliged to send 14 young men and women every nine years, until Theseus volunteered to go as one of the sacrificial victims, and slew the Minotaur.4. Pegasus
Pegasus was a winged horse. Born from the bleeding body of his mother Medusa when Perseus chopped off her head, Pegasus sprang forth with a warrior named Chrysaor on his back. Bellerophon tried to ride Pegasus to Mt. Olympus.While a horse is not very close to human, at least Pegasus was living. Not so the last of this selection.
5. Lernean Hydra
The Lernaean monster had nine heads, and one of these was immortal. If ever a mortal head was cut, from the stump would immediately spring forth two new heads. The hydra lived in the swamps and ravaged the countryside devouring cattle, until Hercules, with the help of Iolaus, put an end to it by burning the the neck stumps after severing the heads. When Hercules cut off the immortal head, he buried it underground with a stone to hold it down.6. Trojan Horse
The Trojan Horse was a wooden device designed by Odysseus to get the Greek troops inside the Trojan Walls. The Trojans took the horse as a gift not knowing it was filled with warriors.The Trojan Horse put an end to the great city of Troy.
