Greek mythology 3.
Country of Hesperides. (A. Fantalov, water-colour, 1993).
According to Greek mythology, there is on the remote west an isle of the Hesperides. They are 4 nymphs, who saved apples of eternal youth, and dragon Ladon helped them. Myth talks that titan Atlas has obtained these apples for Heracles. The images of the marvelous apples widely spread in the Indo-European traditions: the apples of Manannan (Ireland mythology), apples of Idun (Scandinavian mythology), ones of Slav tales. Lastly we can remember motive of the Bible: serpent and apple-tree.
Echidna’s posterity. (A. Fantalov, water-colour, 2001).
One of the most importance progenitor of chtonic monsters was Echidna. Tyhere are in this water-colour: three-headed dog Cerberus, many-headed Hydra, Lion and winged Chimera. These creatures troubled ancient Greeks. Lion and Hydra were killed by Heracles; Bellerophon defeated Chimera. Echidna was killed by giant Argus (in this picture we can see his eyes). Only Cerberus escaped. He guarded Hades (the Underworld).
The great Scilla. (A. Fantalov, water-colour, 2001).
Once Scilla was beautiful nymphs who was love by sea god. Treacherous sorceress Circe turned her into creature with six dog heads (the Etruscans pictured Scilla with wings and serpent tails). Scilla lived on the rock and was on the watch for ships. Haribda - other terrible monster lived opposite from her. Only Argonauts and Odysseus’s ship could pass between these dangers.
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