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A centaur ( ; grc, κένταυρος, kéntauros; ), or occasionally hippocentaur, is a creature from
Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities ...
with the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse. Centaurs are thought of in many Greek myths as being as wild as untamed horses, and were said to have inhabited the region of Magnesia and Mount
Pelion Pelion or Pelium (Modern el, Πήλιο, ''Pílio''; Ancient Greek/ Katharevousa: Πήλιον, ''Pēlion'') is a mountain at the southeastern part of Thessaly in northern Greece, forming a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the ...
in
Thessaly Thessaly ( el, Θεσσαλία, translit=Thessalía, ; ancient Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, The ...
, the
Foloi oak forest The Folóï oak forest ( el, Δρυοδάσος Φολόης) is an oak forest in southwestern Greece. It is located in the municipal unit Foloi, Elis, in the western part of the Peloponnese peninsula. The Folóï oak forest is situated at an alt ...
in
Elis Elis or Ilia ( el, Ηλεία, ''Ileia'') is a historic region in the western part of the Peloponnese peninsula of Greece. It is administered as a regional unit of the modern region of Western Greece. Its capital is Pyrgos. Until 2011 it was ...
, and the Malean peninsula in southern Laconia. Centaurs are subsequently featured in
Roman mythology Roman mythology is the body of myths of ancient Rome as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans. One of a wide variety of genres of Roman folklore, ''Roman mythology'' may also refer to the modern study of these representa ...
, and were familiar figures in the medieval bestiary. They remain a staple of modern fantastic literature.


Etymology

The Greek word ''kentauros'' is generally regarded as being of obscure origin. The
etymology Etymology ()The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p. 633 "Etymology /ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒi/ the study of the class in words and the way their meanings have changed throughout time". is the study of the history of the Phonological chan ...
from ''ken'' + ''tauros'', 'piercing bull', was a
euhemerist Euhemerism () is an approach to the interpretation of mythology in which mythological accounts are presumed to have originated from real historical events or personages. Euhemerism supposes that historical accounts become myths as they are exagge ...
suggestion in
Palaephatus Palaephatus (Ancient Greek: ) was the author of a rationalizing text on Greek mythology, the paradoxographical work ''On Incredible Things'' (; ), which survives in a (probably corrupt) Byzantine edition. This work consists of an introduction and ...
' rationalizing text on Greek mythology, ''On Incredible Tales'' (Περὶ ἀπίστων), which included mounted archers from a village called ''Nephele'' eliminating a herd of bulls that were the scourge of Ixion's kingdom. Another possible related etymology can be "bull-slayer".


Mythology


Creation of centaurs

The centaurs were usually said to have been born of
Ixion In Greek mythology, Ixion ( ; el, Ἰξίων, ''gen''.: Ἰξίονος means 'strong native') was king of the Lapiths, the most ancient tribe of Thessaly. Family Ixion was the son of Ares, or Leonteus, or Antion and Perimele, or the not ...
and
Nephele In Greek mythology, Nephele (; Ancient Greek: Νεφέλη from νέφος ''nephos'' "cloud"; Latinized to ''Nubes'') was a cloud nymph who figured prominently in the story of Phrixus and Helle. Mythology Greek myth has it that Nephele is t ...
. As the story goes, Nephele was a cloud made into the likeness of Hera in a plot to trick Ixion into revealing his lust for Hera to
Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label= genitive Boeotian Aeolic and Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label= genitive el, Δίας, ''Días'' () is the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek reli ...
. Ixion seduced Nephele and from that relationship centaurs were created. Another version, however, makes them children of
Centaurus Centaurus is a bright constellation in the southern sky. One of the largest constellations, Centaurus was included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations. ...
, a man who mated with the Magnesian mares. Centaurus was either himself the son of Ixion and Nephele (inserting an additional generation) or of
Apollo Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label= Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label ...
and the nymph
Stilbe Stilbe (; Ancient Greek: Στίλβη ''Stílbē'') in Greek mythology may refer to the following personages: * Stilbe, mother of Callisto by Ceteus. *Stilbe, a nymph, daughter of the river god Peneus and the Naiad Creusa. She bore Apollo twin so ...
. In the latter version of the story, Centaurus's twin brother was Lapithes, ancestor of the
Lapith The Lapiths (; grc, Λαπίθαι) are a group of legendary people in Greek mythology, whose home was in Thessaly, in the valley of the Peneus and on the mountain Pelion. Mythology Origin The Lapiths were an Aeolian tribe who, like the Myr ...
s. Another tribe of centaurs was said to have lived on
Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ge ...
. According to
Nonnus Nonnus of Panopolis ( grc-gre, Νόννος ὁ Πανοπολίτης, ''Nónnos ho Panopolítēs'', 5th century CE) was the most notable Greek epic poet of the Imperial Roman era. He was a native of Panopolis (Akhmim) in the Egyptian Theb ...
, they were fathered by
Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label= genitive Boeotian Aeolic and Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label= genitive el, Δίας, ''Días'' () is the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek reli ...
, who, in frustration after
Aphrodite Aphrodite ( ; grc-gre, Ἀφροδίτη, Aphrodítē; , , ) is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, and procreation. She was syncretized with the Roman goddess . Aphrodite's major symbols inclu ...
had eluded him, spilled his seed on the ground of that land. Unlike those of mainland Greece, the Cyprian centaurs were horned. There were also the Lamian Pheres, twelve rustic daimones (spirits) of the
Lamos river The Limonlu River ( grc, Λάμος ''Lamos''; Latin: ''Lamus''), also known as ''Gökler Deresi'', is a river of ancient Cilicia, now in Mersin Province, Turkey. The river rises at Yüğlük Dağı in the Taurus mountains and flows through deep ...
. They were set by
Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label= genitive Boeotian Aeolic and Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label= genitive el, Δίας, ''Días'' () is the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek reli ...
to guard the infant
Dionysos In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity, and theatre. The Romans ...
, protecting him from the machinations of Hera, but the enraged goddess transformed them into ox-horned Centaurs. The Lamian Pheres later accompanied Dionysos in his campaign against the Indians. The centaur's half-human, half-horse composition has led many writers to treat them as
liminal being Liminal beings are those that cannot easily be placed into a single category of existence. Associated with the threshold state of liminality, from Latin ''līmen'', "threshold", they represent and highlight the semi-autonomous boundaries of the so ...
s, caught between the two natures they embody in contrasting myths; they are both the embodiment of untamed nature, as in their battle with the
Lapith The Lapiths (; grc, Λαπίθαι) are a group of legendary people in Greek mythology, whose home was in Thessaly, in the valley of the Peneus and on the mountain Pelion. Mythology Origin The Lapiths were an Aeolian tribe who, like the Myr ...
s (their kin), and conversely, teachers like
Chiron In Greek mythology, Chiron ( ; also Cheiron or Kheiron; ) was held to be the superlative centaur amongst his brethren since he was called the "wisest and justest of all the centaurs". Biography Chiron was notable throughout Greek mythology ...
.


Centauromachy

The Centaurs are best known for their fight with the
Lapith The Lapiths (; grc, Λαπίθαι) are a group of legendary people in Greek mythology, whose home was in Thessaly, in the valley of the Peneus and on the mountain Pelion. Mythology Origin The Lapiths were an Aeolian tribe who, like the Myr ...
s who, according to one origin myth, would have been cousins to the centaurs. The battle, called the Centauromachy, was caused by the centaurs' attempt to carry off Hippodamia and the rest of the Lapith women on the day of Hippodamia's marriage to
Pirithous Pirithous (; grc-gre, Πειρίθοος or , derived from ; also transliterated as Perithous), in Greek mythology, was the King of the Lapiths of Larissa in Thessaly, as well as best friend to Theseus. Biography Pirithous was a son of "h ...
, who was the king of the Lapithae and a son of Ixion.
Theseus Theseus (, ; grc-gre, Θησεύς ) was the mythical king and founder-hero of Athens. The myths surrounding Theseus his journeys, exploits, and friends have provided material for fiction throughout the ages. Theseus is sometimes describ ...
, a hero and founder of cities, who happened to be present, threw the balance in favour of the Lapiths by assisting Pirithous in the battle. The Centaurs were driven off or destroyed. Another Lapith hero,
Caeneus In Greek mythology, Caeneus ( ; grc, Καινεύς, Kaineús) was a Lapith hero of Thessaly. Family According to Book XII of Ovid's ''Metamorphoses'', he was originally a woman, Caenis (; grc, Καινίς, Kainís), daughter of Atrax. I ...
, who was invulnerable to weapons, was beaten into the earth by Centaurs wielding rocks and the branches of trees. In her article "The Centaur: Its History and Meaning in Human Culture," Elizabeth Lawrence claims that the contests between the centaurs and the Lapiths typify the struggle between civilization and barbarism. The Centauromachy is most famously portrayed in the
Parthenon The Parthenon (; grc, Παρθενών, , ; ell, Παρθενώνας, , ) is a former temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, that was dedicated to the goddess Athena during the fifth century BC. Its decorative sculptures are considere ...
metopes by
Phidias Phidias or Pheidias (; grc, Φειδίας, ''Pheidias'';  480 – 430 BC) was a Greek sculptor, painter, and architect. His Statue of Zeus at Olympia was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Phidias also designed the stat ...
and in a Renaissance-era sculpture by Michelangelo.


List of centaurs

* Abas, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought against the Lapiths and fled.Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 12.306 *
Agrius Agrius (; Ancient Greek: Ἄγριος means 'wild, savage') in Greek mythology, is a name that may refer to: *Agrius, one of the Giants, sons of Gaia. He, together with Thoon, was clubbed to death by Moirai with maces made from bronze, during th ...
, repelled by Heracles in a fight. Apollodorus
2.5.4
/ref> *
Amphion There are several characters named Amphion in Greek mythology: * Amphion, son of Zeus and Antiope, and twin brother of Zethus (see Amphion and Zethus). Together, they are famous for building Thebes. Pausanias recounts an Egyptian legend accor ...
, tried to plunder Pholus of his wine and was killed by Heracles. Diodorus Siculus, 4.12.7 *
Amycus In Greek mythology, Amykos ( grc, Ἄμυκος), Latinized as Amycus, was the king of the Bebryces, a mythical people in Bithynia. Family Amycus was the son of Poseidon and the Bithynian nymph Melia. Mythology Amycus was a doughty man but ...
, son of
Ophion In some versions of Greek mythology, Ophion (; grc-gre, Ὀφίων "serpent"; ''gen''.: Ὀφίωνος), also called Ophioneus () ruled the world with Eurynome before the two of them were cast down by Cronus and Rhea. Mythology Pherecydes of ...
. He attended Pirithous' wedding and fought against the Lapiths. Amycus was killed by Pelates.Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 12.245 * Anchius, repelled by Heracles when he tried to steal the wine of Pholus. *
Antimachus Antimachus of Colophon ( el, Ἀντίμαχος ὁ Κολοφώνιος), or of Claros, was a Greek poet and grammarian, who flourished about 400 BC. Life Scarcely anything is known of his life. The Suda claims that he was a pupil of the p ...
, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought in the battle against the Lapiths and was killed by Caeneus. *
Aphareus Aphareus (Ancient Greek: Ἀφαρεύς) may refer to the following figures. * Aphareus, a Messenian king, son of Perieres and Gorgophone. * Aphareus, a Centaur that attended the wedding of Pirithous and Hippodamia. In the battle initiated by th ...
, killed by Theseus in the fight at Pirithous' wedding. * Aphidas, killed by
Phorbas In Greek mythology, Phorbas (; Ancient Greek: Φόρβας ''Phórbās'', gen. Φόρβαντος ''Phórbantos'' means "giving pasture"), or Phorbaceus , may refer to: * Phorbas of Elis, son of Lapithes and Orsinome, and a brother of Periphas. ...
in the fight at Pirithous' wedding. * Arctus, attended Pirithous' wedding and fought against the Lapiths. * Areos, attended Pirithous' wedding and fought against the Lapiths.Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 12.310 * Argius, killed by Heracles when he tried to steal the wine of Pholus. *
Asbolus In Greek mythology, Asbolus (Ancient Greek: Ἄσβολον or Ἄσβόλη means "sooty" or "carbon dust") was a centaur. He was a Clairvoyance, seer and Hesiod calls him an augur (''oionistes'' οἰωνιστής) who read omens in the flight ...
, an augur who had attempted in vain to dissuade his friends from engaging in battle against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding. * Bienor, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought in the battle against the Lapiths and was killed by Theseus. *
Bromus ''Bromus'' is a large genus of grasses, classified in its own tribe Bromeae. They are commonly known as bromes, brome grasses, cheat grasses or chess grasses. Estimates in the scientific literature of the number of species have ranged from 100 ...
, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought in the battle against the Lapiths and was killed by Caeneus.Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 12.459 *
Chiron In Greek mythology, Chiron ( ; also Cheiron or Kheiron; ) was held to be the superlative centaur amongst his brethren since he was called the "wisest and justest of all the centaurs". Biography Chiron was notable throughout Greek mythology ...
* Chromis, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought in the battle against the Lapiths and was killed by Pirithous. * Chthonius, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought in the battle against the Lapiths and was killed by Nestor.Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 12.441 * Clanis, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought in the battle against the Lapiths and was killed by Peleus. * Crenaeus, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought in the battle against the Lapiths and was killed by Dryas. * Cyllarus, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought in the battle against the Lapiths. Killed by a javelin thrown from an unknown hand. He was married to Hylonome. *
Daphnis In Greek mythology, Daphnis (; grc, Δάφνις, from , ''daphne'', "Bay Laurel") was a Sicilian shepherd who was said to be the inventor of pastoral poetry. Family According to tradition, he was the son of Hermes and a nymph, despite which ...
, tried to plunder Pholus of his wine and was killed by Heracles. *
Demoleon In Greek mythology, Demoleon (Ancient Greek: Δημολέων) was a Trojan warrior, son of Antenor and Theano. His father was a counselor to King Priam and his mother was a priestess of Athena. Family Demoleon was the brother of Crino, Acamas ...
, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought in the battle against the Lapiths and was killed by Peleus. *
Dictys Dictys ( grc, Δίκτυς, ''Díktus'') was a name attributed to four men in Greek mythology. * Dictys, a fisherman and brother of King Polydectes of Seriphos, both being the sons of Magnes and a Naiad, or of Peristhenes and Androthoe,Scholi ...
, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought in the battle against the Lapiths and was killed by Pirithous.Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 12.334 ff. * Dorylas, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought in the battle against the Lapiths and was killed by Peleus.Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 12.378 * Doupon, tried to plunder Pholus of his wine and was killed by Heracles. * Dryalus, son of Peuceus who attended Pirithous' wedding and fought against the Lapiths. * Echeclus, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought in the battle against the Lapiths and was killed by Ampyx.Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 12.450 * Elatus, tried to plunder Pholus of his wine. Heracles shot an arrow at him, which, passing through his arm, stuck in the knee of Chiron. * Elymus, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought in the battle against the Lapiths and was killed by Caeneus. * Eurynomus, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding. Killed by Dryas. *
Eurytion Eurytion (Ancient Greek: Εὐρυτίων, "widely honoured") or Eurythion (Εὐρυθίων) was a name attributed to several individuals in Greek mythology: * Eurytion, the king of Phthia. *Eurytion, a Centaur of Arcadia who demanded to marr ...
, acted in an insulting manner towards Hippolyte when she was being joined in marriage to Azan or in the house of Pirithous. He was killed by Heracles. *
Eurytus Eurytus, Eurytos (; Ancient Greek: Εὔρυτος) or Erytus (Ἔρυτος) is the name of several characters in Greek mythology, and of at least one historical figure. Mythological *Eurytus, one of the Giants, sons of Gaia, killed by Dionysus ...
, the wildest of the wild Centaurs. He started the fight at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Theseus. * Gryneus, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Exadius. * Helops, attended Pirithous' wedding and fought in the battle against the Lapiths. While fleeing from Pirithous fell from a precipice into the top of a tree and impaled his body. *
Hippasus Hippasus of Metapontum (; grc-gre, Ἵππασος ὁ Μεταποντῖνος, ''Híppasos''; c. 530 – c. 450 BC) was a Greek philosopher and early follower of Pythagoras. Little is known about his life or his beliefs, but he is sometimes c ...
, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding. Killed by Theseus. *
Hippotion ''Hippotion'' is a genus of sphinx moths. The genus was erected by Jacob Hübner Jacob Hübner (20 June 1761 – 13 September 1826, in Augsburg) was a German entomologist. He was the author of ''Sammlung Europäischer Schmetterlinge'' (1796– ...
, another Centaur, killed by Heracles when he tried to steal the wine of Pholus. *
Hodites In Greek mythology, the name Hodites (Ancient Greek: Ὁδίτην ) may refer to: *Hodites, a Centaur at the wedding of Pirithous and Hippodamia, killed by Mopsus. *Hodites, killed by Clymenus during the battle between Perseus and Phineus. *Hodite ...
, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding. Killed by Mopsus. * Homadus, tried to plunder Pholus of his wine. Some time after he attempted to rape Alcyone, a granddaughter of Perseus. He got killed in Arcadia. * Hylaeus, tried to rape Atalanta but was shot by her (same thing happened to Rhoecus).Apollodorus, 3.9.2 * Hylaeus, killed by Heracles under unknown circumstances. * Hylaeus, followed Dionysus in his Indian campaign and was killed by Orontes, an Indian General. * Hyles, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought in the battle against the Lapiths and was killed by Peleus. * Hylonome, attended Pirithous' wedding together with her lover Cyllarus. Having seen the latter dead, she threw herself upon the spear which had killed him. * Imbreus, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Dryas. * Iphinous, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Peleus. * Isoples, killed by Heracles when he tried to steal the wine of Pholus. * Latreus, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Caeneus. * Lycabas, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought against the Lapiths and fled.Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 12.302 *
Lycidas "Lycidas" () is a poem by John Milton, written in 1637 as a pastoral elegy. It first appeared in a 1638 collection of elegies, ''Justa Edouardo King Naufrago'', dedicated to the memory of Edward King, a friend of Milton at Cambridge who dro ...
, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Dryas. * Lycopes, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Theseus.Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 12.350 * Lycus, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding was killed by Pirithous. * Medon, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought against the Lapiths and fled. * Melanchaetes, killed by Heracles when he tried to steal the wine of Pholus. *
Melaneus In Greek mythology, Melaneus (; Ancient Greek: Μελανεύς) was the founder of Oechalia (Oikhalia), variously located in Thessaly, Messenia or Euboea and also king of the Dryopes.Antoninus Liberalis4as cited in Nicander's ''Metamorphoses'' ...
, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought against the Lapiths and fled. *
Mermerus In Greek mythology, Mermerus ( grc, Μέρμερος, ''Mérmeros''; la, Mermerus) and Pheres ( grc, Φέρης, ''Phéres'', modern pronunciation ''Féris''; la, Pheres) were the sons of Jason and Medea. They were killed either by the Corinthia ...
, wounded by the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and fled. * Mimas, attended Pirithous' wedding and fought against the Lapiths. * Monychus, attended Pirithous' wedding and fought in the battle against the Lapiths. He was conquered by Nestor, mounted on his unwilling back. * Nedymnus, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding. Killed by Theseus. * Nessus, a black Centaur. Fled during the fight with the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding. Later he attempted to rape Deianira and before dying gave her a charm which resulted in the death of Heracles. He was killed by the latter. *
Ophion In some versions of Greek mythology, Ophion (; grc-gre, Ὀφίων "serpent"; ''gen''.: Ὀφίωνος), also called Ophioneus () ruled the world with Eurynome before the two of them were cast down by Cronus and Rhea. Mythology Pherecydes of ...
, father of Amycus. *
Orius The genus ''Orius'' (commonly called minute pirate bug) consists of omnivorous bugs in the family Anthocoridae (pirate bugs). Adults are 2–5 mm long and feed mostly on smaller insects, larva and eggs, such as spider mites, thrips, ...
or Oreius, killed by Heracles when he tried to steal the wine of Pholus. *
Orneus In Greek mythology, Orneus (; Ancient Greek: Ὀρνεύς) may refer to two different personages: * Orneus, an Athenian prince as the son of King ErechtheusPausanias, 2.25.6; Plutarch, ''Theseus'' 32.1; Stephanus of Byzantium, s.v. Orneiai'' Euse ...
, attended Pirithous' wedding fought against the Lapiths and fled. *
Perimedes Perimedes (Ancient Greek: Περιμήδης) was a name attributed to several characters in Greek mythology. *Perimedes, a Centaur, son of Peuceus, who attended Pirithous's wedding and fought against the Lapiths. *Perimedes, a prince of Tiryns as ...
, son of Peuceus and attended Pirithous' wedding and fought against the Lapiths. * Petraeus, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Pirithous. * Peuceus, father of Perimedes and Dryalus. * Phaecomes, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Nestor. * Phlegraeus, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Peleus. * Pholus *
Phrixus In Greek mythology Phrixus (; also spelt Phryxus; el, Φρίξος, ''Phrixos'' means "standing on end, bristling") was the son of Athamas, king of Boeotia, and Nephele (a goddess of clouds). He was the twin brother of Helle and the father of ...
, killed by Heracles when he tried to steal the wine of Pholus. * Pisenor, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought against the Lapiths and fled.Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 12.303 * Pylenor, having been wounded by Heracles washed himself in the river Anigrus, thus providing the river with a peculiar odor. * Pyracmus, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Caeneus. * Pyraethus, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Periphas. *
Rhoecus Rhoecus (or Rhaecus, Rhœcus, Rhæcus, Rhoikos) ( grc, Ῥοῖκός) was a Samian sculptor of the 6th century BCE. He and his son Theodorus were especially noted for their work in bronze. Herodotus says that Rhoecus built the temple of Hera at ...
, He also tried to rape Atalanta and was killed by her. *
Rhoetus Rhoetus was a character mentioned by Ovid in Book V of his mock-epic ''Metamorphoses''. After Perseus rescues Andromeda from the sea monster, her betrothed Phineus, brother of her father, attacks Perseus, throwing a spear at him. Perseus, in turn ...
, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Dryas. * Ripheus, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Theseus. * Styphelus, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Caeneus. * Teleboas, fought against the Lapiths at Pirithous' wedding and was killed by Nestor. *
Thaumas In Greek mythology, Thaumas (; grc, ; grc, , label=gen.) was a sea god, son of Pontus and Gaia, and the full brother of Nereus, Phorcys, Ceto and Eurybia. Etymology Plato associates Thaumas' name with ("wonder"). Mythology According to He ...
, attended Pirithous' wedding, fought against the Lapiths and fled. * Thereus, this Centaur used to catch bears and carry them home alive and struggling. Attended Pirithous' wedding and fought in the battle against the Lapiths. Killed by Theseus. * Thereus, killed by Heracles when he tried to steal the wine of Pholus. * Ureus, attended Pirithous' wedding and fought against the Lapiths.


Origin of the myth

The most common theory holds that the idea of centaurs came from the first reaction of a non-riding culture, as in the
Minoan The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age Aegean civilization on the island of Crete and other Aegean Islands, whose earliest beginnings were from 3500BC, with the complex urban civilization beginning around 2000BC, and then declining from 1450B ...
Aegean world, to nomads who were mounted on horses. The theory suggests that such riders would appear as half-man, half-animal.
Bernal Díaz del Castillo Bernal Díaz del Castillo ( 1492 – 3 February 1584) was a Spanish conquistador, who participated as a soldier in the conquest of the Aztec Empire under Hernán Cortés and late in his life wrote an account of the events. As an experience ...
reported that the
Aztec The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl ...
s also had this misapprehension about Spanish cavalrymen. The Lapith tribe of Thessaly, who were the kinsmen of the Centaurs in myth, were described as the inventors of horse-riding by Greek writers. The Thessalian tribes also claimed their horse breeds were descended from the centaurs. Robert Graves (relying on the work of Georges Dumézil, who argued for tracing the centaurs back to the
Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...
Gandharva A gandharva () is a member of a class of celestial beings in Dharmic religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, whose males are divine performers such as musicians and singers, and the females are divine dancers. In Hinduism, they are ...
), speculated that the centaurs were a dimly remembered, pre-Hellenic fraternal earth cult who had the horse as a
totem A totem (from oj, ᑑᑌᒼ, italics=no or '' doodem'') is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system. While ''the ...
. A similar theory was incorporated into
Mary Renault Eileen Mary Challans (4 September 1905 – 13 December 1983), known by her pen name Mary Renault ("She always pronounced it 'Ren-olt', though almost everyone would come to speak of her as if she were a French car." ), was an English writer best ...
's ''
The Bull from the Sea ''The Bull from the Sea'' is the sequel to Mary Renault's ''The King Must Die''. It continues the story of the Greek mythology, mythological hero Theseus after his return from Crete. Plot introduction The story is a retelling of the life of m ...
.''


Variations


Female centaurs

Though female centaurs, called
centaurides The Centaurides ( grc, Κενταυρίδες, ''Kentaurides'') or centauresses are female centaurs. First encountered in Greek mythology as members of the tribe of the Centauroi, the Centaurides are only occasionally mentioned in written sourc ...
or centauresses, are not mentioned in early Greek literature and art, they do appear occasionally in later antiquity. A
Macedon Macedonia (; grc-gre, Μακεδονία), also called Macedon (), was an Classical antiquity, ancient monarchy, kingdom on the periphery of Archaic Greece, Archaic and Classical Greece, and later the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. Th ...
ian mosaic of the 4th century BC is one of the earliest examples of the centauress in art.
Ovid Pūblius Ovidius Nāsō (; 20 March 43 BC – 17/18 AD), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace, with whom he is often ranked as one of the th ...
also mentions a centauress named Hylonome who committed suicide when her husband Cyllarus was killed in the war with the Lapiths.


India

The Kalibangan
cylinder seal A cylinder seal is a small round cylinder, typically about one inch (2 to 3 cm) in length, engraved with written characters or figurative scenes or both, used in ancient times to roll an impression onto a two-dimensional surface, generally ...
, dated to be around 2600-1900 BC, found at the site of
Indus-Valley civilization The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also known as the Indus Civilisation was a Bronze Age civilisation in the northwestern regions of South Asia, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, and in its mature form 2600 BCE to 1900&n ...
shows a battle between men in the presence of centaur-like creatures. Other sources claim the creatures represented are actually half human and half tigers, later evolving into the
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
Goddess of War. These seals are also evidence of Indus-Mesopotamia relations in the 3rd millennium BC. In a popular legend associated with
Pazhaya Sreekanteswaram Temple Pazhaya Sreekanteswaram Temple or Old Sreekanteswaram Temple, located at Puthenchantha in Thiruvananthapuram, is one of the ancient Shiva temples in Kerala. According to the renowned historian Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai, this temple existed even ...
in
Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
, the curse of a saintly
Brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (gur ...
transformed a handsome
Yadava The Yadava (literally, descended from Yadu) were an ancient Indian people who believed to be descended from Yadu, a legendary king of Chandravamsha lineage. The community was formed of various clans, being the Abhira, Andhaka, Vrishni, and ...
prince into a creature having a horse's body and the prince's head, arms, and torso in place of the head and neck of the horse.
Kinnaras In the Mahabharata, Kinnara Kingdom is referred to the territory of a tribe called Kinnaras. The Kinnaras, along with other exotic tribes, were inhabitants of the Himalaya mountains. In the epic Mahabharata the Kinnaras are described as half-ma ...
, another half-man, half-horse mythical creature from Indian mythology, appeared in various ancient texts, arts, and sculptures from all around
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. It is shown as a horse with the torso of a man where the horse's head would be, and is similar to a Greek centaur.


Russia

A centaur-like half-human, half-equine creature called ''
Polkan {{Expand Russian, Полкан (фольклор), date=April 2010 Polkan or Palkan (Russian: Полка́н or Палкан, from the Italian ''Pulicane'') is a half-human, half-horse (in some variants, half-dog) creature from Russian folktale ...
'' appeared in Russian folk art and
lubok A ''lubok'' (plural ''lubki'', Cyrillic: russian: лубо́к, лубо́чная картинка) is a Russian popular print, characterized by simple graphics and narratives derived from literature, religious stories, and popular tales. Lubki ...
prints of the 17th–19th centuries. Polkan is originally based on ''Pulicane'', a half-dog from
Andrea da Barberino Andrea Mangiabotti,Geneviève Hasenohr and Michel Zink, eds. ''Dictionnaire des lettres françaises: Le Moyen Age''. Collection: La Pochothèque. (Paris: Fayard, 1992. ), pp. 62–63. called Andrea da Barberino ( 1370–1431''The Cambridge Histo ...
's poem ''I Reali di Francia'', which was once popular in the Slavonic world in prosaic translations.


Artistic representations


Classical art

The extensive Mycenaean pottery found at
Ugarit ) , image =Ugarit Corbel.jpg , image_size=300 , alt = , caption = Entrance to the Royal Palace of Ugarit , map_type = Near East#Syria , map_alt = , map_size = 300 , relief=yes , location = Latakia Governorate, Syria , region = ...
included two fragmentary Mycenaean terracotta figures which have been tentatively identified as centaurs. This finding suggests a
Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...
origin for these creatures of myth. A painted terracotta centaur was found in the "Hero's tomb" at
Lefkandi Lefkandi () is a coastal village on the island of Euboea, Greece. Archaeological finds attest to a settlement on the promontory locally known as Xeropolis, while several associated cemeteries have been identified nearby. The settlement site is loca ...
, and by the Geometric period, centaurs figure among the first representational figures painted on Greek pottery. An often-published Geometric period bronze of a warrior face-to-face with a centaur is at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...
. In
Greek art Greek art began in the Cycladic and Minoan civilization, and gave birth to Western classical art in the subsequent Geometric, Archaic and Classical periods (with further developments during the Hellenistic Period). It absorbed influences of E ...
of the Archaic period, centaurs are depicted in three different forms. Some centaurs are depicted with a human torso attached to the body of a horse at the
withers The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of an animal, typically a quadruped. In many species, it is the tallest point of the body. In horses and dogs, it is the standard place to measure the animal's height. In contrast, cattle a ...
, where the horse's neck would be; this form, designated "Class A" by Professor Paul Baur, later became standard. "Class B" centaurs are depicted with a human body and legs joined at the waist to the hindquarters of a horse; in some cases centaurs of both Class A and Class B appear together. A third type, designated "Class C", depicts centaurs with human forelegs terminating in hooves. Baur describes this as an apparent development of
Aeolic In linguistics, Aeolic Greek (), also known as Aeolian (), Lesbian or Lesbic dialect, is the set of dialects of Ancient Greek spoken mainly in Boeotia; in Thessaly; in the Aegean island of Lesbos; and in the Greek colonies of Aeolis in Anato ...
art, which never became particularly widespread. At a later period, paintings on some ''amphorae'' depict winged centaurs. Centaurs were also frequently depicted in Roman art. One example is the pair of centaurs drawing the chariot of
Constantine the Great Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to convert to Christianity. Born in Naissus, Dacia Mediterran ...
and his family in the Great Cameo of Constantine (''circa'' AD 314–16), which embodies wholly pagan imagery, and contrasts sharply with the popular image of Constantine as the patron of early Christianity.


Medieval art

Centaurs preserved a
Dionysian The Apollonian and the Dionysian are philosophical and literary concepts represented by a duality between the figures of Apollo and Dionysus from Greek mythology. Its popularization is widely attributed to the work ''The Birth of Tragedy'' by Fr ...
connection in the 12th-century Romanesque carved capitals of Mozac Abbey in the
Auvergne Auvergne (; ; oc, label= Occitan, Auvèrnhe or ) is a former administrative region in central France, comprising the four departments of Allier, Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal and Haute-Loire. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region Au ...
. Other similar capitals depict harvesters, boys riding goats (a further Dionysiac theme), and griffins guarding the
chalice A chalice (from Latin 'mug', borrowed from Ancient Greek () 'cup') or goblet is a footed cup intended to hold a drink. In religious practice, a chalice is often used for drinking during a ceremony or may carry a certain symbolic meaning. R ...
that held the wine. Centaurs are also shown on a number of
Pictish Pictish is the extinct Brittonic language spoken by the Picts, the people of eastern and northern Scotland from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages. Virtually no direct attestations of Pictish remain, short of a limited number of geographica ...
carved stones from north-east
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
erected in the 8th–9th centuries AD (e.g., at
Meigle Meigle ( gd, Mìgeil, ) is a village in Strathmore, Scotland. It lies in the council area of Perth and Kinross in the Coupar Angus and Meigle ward. It lies on the A94 road between Perth and Forfar. Other smaller settlements nearby are Balk ...
, Perthshire). Though outside the limits of the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post- Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediter ...
, these depictions appear to be derived from Classical prototypes.


Modern art

The John C. Hodges library at The University of Tennessee hosts a permanent exhibit of a "Centaur from
Volos Volos ( el, Βόλος ) is a coastal port city in Thessaly situated midway on the Greek mainland, about north of Athens and south of Thessaloniki. It is the sixth most populous city of Greece, and the capital of the Magnesia regional unit ...
" in its library. The exhibit, made by sculptor Bill Willers by combining a study human skeleton with the skeleton of a
Shetland pony The Shetland pony is a Scottish breed of pony originating in the Shetland Isles in the north of Scotland. It may stand up to at the withers. It has a heavy coat and short legs, is strong for its size, and is used for riding, driving, and p ...
, is entitled "Do you believe in Centaurs?". According to the exhibitors, it was meant to mislead students in order to make them more critically aware.


In heraldry

Centaurs are common in European heraldry, although more frequent in continental than in British arms. A centaur holding a bow is referred to as a sagittarius. Arthur Fox-Davies
''A Complete Guide to Heraldry''
T.C. and E.C. Jack, London, 1909, p 228.


Literature


Classical literature

Jerome's version of the ''Life'' of St
Anthony the Great Anthony the Great ( grc-gre, Ἀντώνιος ''Antṓnios''; ar, القديس أنطونيوس الكبير; la, Antonius; ; c. 12 January 251 – 17 January 356), was a Christian monk from Egypt, revered since his death as a saint. He is d ...
, written by Athanasius of Alexandria about the hermit monk of Egypt, was widely disseminated in the Middle Ages; it relates Anthony's encounter with a centaur who challenged the saint, but was forced to admit that the old gods had been overthrown. The episode was often depicted in ''The Meeting of St Anthony Abbot and St Paul the Hermit'' by the painter
Stefano di Giovanni ''For the village near Livorno, see Sassetta, Tuscany'' Stefano di Giovanni di Consolo, known as il Sassetta (ca.1392–1450 or 1451) was an Tuscan painter of the Renaissance, and a significant figure of the Sienese School.Judy Metro, ''Italia ...
, who was known as "Sassetta". Of the two episodic depictions of the hermit Anthony's travel to greet the hermit Paul, one is his encounter with the demonic figure of a centaur along the pathway in a wood.
Lucretius Titus Lucretius Carus ( , ;  – ) was a Roman poet and philosopher. His only known work is the philosophical poem ''De rerum natura'', a didactic work about the tenets and philosophy of Epicureanism, and which usually is translated into En ...
, in his first-century BC philosophical poem ''
On the Nature of Things ''De rerum natura'' (; ''On the Nature of Things'') is a first-century BC didactic poem by the Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius ( – c. 55 BC) with the goal of explaining Epicurean philosophy to a Roman audience. The poem, written in some 7 ...
,'' denied the existence of centaurs based on their differing rate of growth. He states that at the age of three years, horses are in the prime of their life while humans at the same age are still little more than babies, making hybrid animals impossible.


Medieval literature

Centaurs are among the creatures which 14th-century Italian poet
Dante Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian people, Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', origin ...
placed as guardians in his ''
Inferno Inferno may refer to: * Hell, an afterlife place of suffering * Conflagration, a large uncontrolled fire Film * ''L'Inferno'', a 1911 Italian film * Inferno (1953 film), ''Inferno'' (1953 film), a film noir by Roy Ward Baker * Inferno (1973 fi ...
''. In Canto XII, Dante and his guide
Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: th ...
meet a band led by
Chiron In Greek mythology, Chiron ( ; also Cheiron or Kheiron; ) was held to be the superlative centaur amongst his brethren since he was called the "wisest and justest of all the centaurs". Biography Chiron was notable throughout Greek mythology ...
and Pholus, guarding the bank of
Phlegethon In Greek mythology, the river Phlegethon ( Φλεγέθων, English translation: "flaming") or Pyriphlegethon (Πυριφλεγέθων, English translation: "fire-flaming") was one of the five rivers in the infernal regions of the underworld, ...
in the seventh circle of Hell, a river of boiling blood in which the violent against their neighbours are immersed, shooting arrows into any who move to a shallower spot than their allotted station. The two poets are treated with courtesy, and Nessus guides them to a ford. In Canto XXIV, in the eighth circle, in Bolgia 7, a ditch where thieves are confined, they meet but do not converse with Cacus (who is a giant in the ancient sources), wreathed in serpents and with a fire-breathing dragon on his shoulders, arriving to punish a sinner who has just cursed God. In his ''
Purgatorio ''Purgatorio'' (; Italian for "Purgatory") is the second part of Dante's ''Divine Comedy'', following the '' Inferno'' and preceding the '' Paradiso''. The poem was written in the early 14th century. It is an allegory telling of the climb of D ...
'', an unseen spirit on the sixth terrace cites the centaurs ("the drunken double-breasted ones who fought Theseus") as examples of the sin of gluttony.


Modern day literature

C.S. Lewis CS, C-S, C.S., Cs, cs, or cs. may refer to: Job titles * Chief Secretary (Hong Kong) * Chief superintendent, a rank in the British and several other police forces * Company secretary, a senior position in a private sector company or public se ...
' ''
The Chronicles of Narnia ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' is a series of seven high fantasy novels by British author C. S. Lewis. Illustrated by Pauline Baynes and originally published between 1950 and 1956, ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' has been adapted for radio, tele ...
'' series depicts centaurs as the wisest and noblest of creatures.
Narnian Centaurs Magical creatures are an important aspect of the fictional world of Narnia contained within ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' book series and connected media originally created by C. S. Lewis. Throughout the seven books of the series, the protagonis ...
are gifted at stargazing, prophecy, healing, and warfare; a fierce and valiant race always faithful to the High King
Aslan Aslan () is a major character in C. S. Lewis's ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' series. Unlike any other character, he appears in all seven chronicles of the series. Aslan is depicted as a talking lion, and is described as the King of Beasts, the ...
the Lion. In
J.K. Rowling Joanne Rowling ( "rolling"; born 31 July 1965), also known by her pen name J. K. Rowling, is a British author and philanthropist. She wrote ''Harry Potter'', a seven-volume children's fantasy series published from 1997 to 2007. The ser ...
's '' Harry Potter'' series, centaurs live in the Forbidden Forest close to
Hogwarts Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry () is a fictional Scotland, Scottish boarding school of Magic in Harry Potter, magic for students aged eleven to eighteen, and is the primary setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Pot ...
, preferring to avoid contact with humans. They live in societies called herds and are skilled at archery, healing, and astrology, but like in the original myths, they are known to have some wild and barbarous tendencies. With the exception of
Chiron In Greek mythology, Chiron ( ; also Cheiron or Kheiron; ) was held to be the superlative centaur amongst his brethren since he was called the "wisest and justest of all the centaurs". Biography Chiron was notable throughout Greek mythology ...
, the centaurs in
Rick Riordan Richard Russell Riordan Junior (; born June 5, 1964) is an American author, best known for writing the ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series. Riordan's books have been translated into forty-two languages and sold more than thirty million co ...
's ''
Percy Jackson & the Olympians ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' is a series of five fantasy novels written by American author Rick Riordan, and the first book series in the '' Camp Half-Blood Chronicles''. The novels are set in a world with the Greek gods in the 21st centu ...
'' are seen as wild party-goers who use a lot of American slang. Chiron retains his mythological role as a trainer of heroes and is skilled in archery. In Riordan's subsequent series, ''
Heroes of Olympus ''The Heroes of Olympus'' is a pentalogy of fantasy-adventure novels written by American author Rick Riordan. The novels detail a conflict between Greek demigods, Roman demigods, and Gaia (Roman name Terra). In the fourth book of the series, ...
'', another group of centaurs are depicted with more animalistic features (such as horns) and appear as villains, serving the
Gigantes In Greek and Roman mythology, the Giants, also called Gigantes (Greek: Γίγαντες, ''Gígantes'', Γίγας, ''Gígas''), were a race of great strength and aggression, though not necessarily of great size. They were known for the Giganto ...
.
Philip Jose Farmer Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...
's '' World of Tiers'' series (1965) includes centaurs, called Half-Horses or Hoi Kentauroi. His creations address several of the metabolic problems of such creatures—how could the human mouth and nose intake sufficient air to sustain both itself and the horse body and, similarly, how could the human ingest sufficient food to sustain both parts.
Brandon Mull Brandon Mull is an American author best known for his children's fantasy series, ''Fablehaven'', as well as '' Dragonwatch'', ''The Candy Shop War'', the '' Beyonders'' trilogy, and the ''Five Kingdoms'' series.Howard, Chris (March 7, 2008)Inter ...
's ''
Fablehaven ''Fablehaven'' is a fantasy book series for children written by Brandon Mull. The book series, which includes '' Fablehaven'', '' Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star'', '' Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague'', '' Fablehaven: Secrets of the D ...
'' series features centaurs that live in an area called Grunhold. The centaurs are portrayed as a proud, elitist group of beings that consider themselves superior to all other creatures. The fourth book also has a variation on the species called an Alcetaur, which is part man, part moose. The myth of the centaur appears in John Updike's novel '' The Centaur''. The author depicts a rural Pennsylvanian town as seen through the optics of the myth of the centaur. An unknown and marginalized local school teacher, just like the mythological Chiron did for Prometheus, gave up his life for the future of his son who had chosen to be an independent artist in New York.


Gallery

File:Centaur lekythos Met 51.163.jpg, Diosphos Painter,
white-ground White-ground technique is a style of white ancient Greek pottery and the Greek vase painting, painting in which figures appear on a white background. It developed in the region of Attica, dated to about 500 BC. It was especially associated with ...
lekythos A lekythos (plural lekythoi) is a type of ancient Greek vessel used for storing oil (Greek λήκυθος), especially olive oil Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea''; family Oleaceae), a traditiona ...
(500 BC) File:Sandro Botticelli 063.jpg, Botticelli, ''
Pallas Pallas may refer to: Astronomy * 2 Pallas asteroid ** Pallas family, a group of asteroids that includes 2 Pallas * Pallas (crater), a crater on Earth's moon Mythology * Pallas (Giant), a son of Uranus and Gaia, killed and flayed by Athena * Pa ...
and Centaur'' (1482–83) File:Canova - Theseus defeats the centaur - close.jpg, Antonio Canova, ''Theseus Defeats the Centaur'' (1805-1819) File:Bova1860.jpg, Prince Bova fights ''Polkan'', Russian
lubok A ''lubok'' (plural ''lubki'', Cyrillic: russian: лубо́к, лубо́чная картинка) is a Russian popular print, characterized by simple graphics and narratives derived from literature, religious stories, and popular tales. Lubki ...
(1860) File:Centaure Malmaison crop.jpg, A bronze statue of a centaur, after the '' Furietti Centaurs''


See also

Other hybrid creatures appear in Greek mythology, always with some liminal connection that links Hellenic culture with archaic or non-Hellenic cultures: * Furietti Centaurs *
Hippocamp The hippocampus or hippocamp, also ''hippokampos'' (plural: hippocampi or hippocamps; grc, ἱππόκαμπος, from , "horse" and , "sea monster"
*
Hybrid (mythology) Hybrid beasts are creatures composed of parts from different animals, including humans, appearing in the folklore of a variety of cultures as legendary creatures. In burial sites Remains similar to those of mythological hybrids have been found ...
* Ipotane * Legendary creature * Lists of legendary creatures * Minotaur * Onocentaur * Ichthyocentaur * Sagittarius *
Satyr In Greek mythology, a satyr ( grc-gre, σάτυρος, sátyros, ), also known as a silenus or ''silenos'' ( grc-gre, σειληνός ), is a male nature spirit with ears and a tail resembling those of a horse, as well as a permanent, exa ...
Also, *Hindu
Kamadhenu Kamadhenu ( sa, कामधेनु, , ), also known as Surabhi (, or , ), is a divine bovine-goddess described in Hinduism as the mother of all cows. She is a miraculous cow of plenty who provides her owner whatever he desires and is often ...
*Indian
Kinnara A kinnara is a celestial musician, part human and part bird, who are musically paradigmatic lovers, in Hinduism and Buddhism. In these traditions, the ''kinnaras'' (male) and ''kinnaris'' (female counterpart) are two of the most beloved mytho ...
which are half-horse and half-man creature. *Islamic
Buraq The Buraq ( ar, الْبُرَاق "the lightning") is a heavenly equine or chimeral beast in Islamic tradition that notably served as the mount of the Islamic prophet Muhammad during his Isra and Mi'raj journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and up ...
, a heavenly steed often portrayed as an equine being with a human face. *Philippine
Tikbalang The Tikbalang (/ˈtikbaˌlaŋ/) (also Tigbalang, Tigbalan, Tikbalan, Tigbolan, or Werehorse) is a creature of Philippine folklore said to lurk in the mountains and rainforests of the Philippines. It is a tall, bony humanoid creature with the he ...
*Roman
Faun The faun (, grc, φαῦνος, ''phaunos'', ) is a half-human and half-goat mythological creature appearing in Greek and Roman mythology. Originally fauns of Roman mythology were spirits (genii) of rustic places, lesser versions of their c ...
, and the
Hippopodes The Hippopodes were a race of humanoids with horses' hooves mentioned in Greek mythology and Medieval bestiaries. Ancient sources According to some ancient geographers, the Hippopodes shared an island with two other legendary races: the Panott ...
of
Pomponius Mela Pomponius Mela, who wrote around AD 43, was the earliest Roman geographer. He was born in Tingentera (now Algeciras) and died  AD 45. His short work (''De situ orbis libri III.'') remained in use nearly to the year 1500. It occupies less ...
,
Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic ' ...
, and later authors. *Scottish
Each uisge The each-uisge (, literally " water horse") is a water spirit in Scottish folklore, known as the each-uisce (anglicized as ''aughisky'' or ''ech-ushkya'') in Ireland and cabyll-ushtey on the Isle of Man. It usually takes the form of a horse, an ...
and
Nuckelavee The nuckelavee () or nuckalavee is a horse-like demon from Orcadian folklore that combines equine and human elements. British folklorist Katharine Briggs called it "the nastiest" of all the demons of Scotland's Northern Isles. The nuckelavee ...
*Welsh Ceffyl Dŵr Additionally, '' Bucentaur'', the name of several historically important Venetian vessels, was linked to a posited ox-centaur or ''βουκένταυρος'' ''(boukentauros)'' by fanciful and likely spurious folk-etymology.


Footnotes


References


References

* Apollodorus, ''The Library'' with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.Greek text available from the same website
* Diodorus Siculus, ''The Library of History'' translated by Charles Henry Oldfather. Twelve volumes. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989. Vol. 3. Books 4.59–8
Online version at Bill Thayer's Web Site
*Diodorus Siculus, ''Bibliotheca Historica. Vol 1-2''. Immanel Bekker. Ludwig Dindorf. Friedrich Vogel. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1888–1890
Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library
* Gaius Julius Hyginus, ''Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus'' translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies
Online version at the Topos Text Project.
* Gaius Valerius Flaccus, ''Argonautica'' translated by Mozley, J H. Loeb Classical Library Volume 286. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1928
Online version at theio.com.
* Gaius Valerius Flaccus, ''Argonauticon.'' Otto Kramer. Leipzig. Teubner. 1913
Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
*
Hesiod Hesiod (; grc-gre, Ἡσίοδος ''Hēsíodos'') was an ancient Greek poet generally thought to have been active between 750 and 650 BC, around the same time as Homer. He is generally regarded by western authors as 'the first written poet ...
, ''Shield of Heracles'' from ''The Homeric Hymns and Homerica'' with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Cambridge, MA.,Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.Greek text available from the same website
*
Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
, ''The Odyssey'' with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, Ph.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1919.
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.Greek text available from the same website
* Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus, ''Lives'' with an English Translation by Bernadotte Perrin. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. London. William Heinemann Ltd. 1914. 1
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.Greek text available from the same website
* Nonnus of Panopolis, ''Dionysiaca'' translated by William Henry Denham Rouse (1863-1950), from the Loeb Classical Library, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 1940.
Online version at the Topos Text Project.
*Nonnus of Panopolis, ''Dionysiaca. 3 Vols.'' W.H.D. Rouse. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1940–1942
Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library
*
Pausanias Pausanias ( el, Παυσανίας) may refer to: *Pausanias of Athens, lover of the poet Agathon and a character in Plato's ''Symposium'' *Pausanias the Regent, Spartan general and regent of the 5th century BC * Pausanias of Sicily, physician of t ...
, ''Description of Greece'' with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918.
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library
* Pausanias, ''Graeciae Descriptio.'' ''3 vols''. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903.
Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library
* Publius Ovidius Naso, ''Metamorphoses'' translated by Brookes More (1859-1942). Boston, Cornhill Publishing Co. 1922
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
* Publius Ovidius Naso, ''Metamorphoses.'' Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892
Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library
*
Publius Vergilius Maro Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: th ...
, ''Aeneid.'' Theodore C. Williams. trans. Boston. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1910
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
*Publius Vergilius Maro, ''Bucolics, Aeneid, and Georgics''. J. B. Greenough. Boston. Ginn & Co. 1900
Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library
*
Sextus Propertius Sextus Propertius was a Latin elegiac poet of the Augustan age. He was born around 50–45 BC in Assisium and died shortly after 15 BC. Propertius' surviving work comprises four books of ''Elegies'' ('). He was a friend of the poets Gallus a ...
, ''Elegies'' from ''Charm.'' Vincent Katz. trans. Los Angeles. Sun & Moon Press. 1995
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.Latin text available at the same website


Further reading

*M. Grant and J. Hazel. ''Who's Who in Greek Mythology''. David McKay & Co Inc, 1979. * * Homer's Odyssey, Book 21, 295ff * Harry Potter, books 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. *
The Chronicles of Narnia ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' is a series of seven high fantasy novels by British author C. S. Lewis. Illustrated by Pauline Baynes and originally published between 1950 and 1956, ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' has been adapted for radio, tele ...
, book 2. *
Percy Jackson & the Olympians ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' is a series of five fantasy novels written by American author Rick Riordan, and the first book series in the '' Camp Half-Blood Chronicles''. The novels are set in a world with the Greek gods in the 21st centu ...
, book 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. *Frédérick S. Parker. ''Finding the Kingdom of the Centaurs''.


External links


Theoi Project on Centaurs
in literature

on female centaurs

article on centaurs

article on centaurs in the Harry Potter universe

contemporary art {{Greek religion, state=collapsed Greek legendary creatures Roman legendary creatures Horses in mythology Mythological human hybrids