Sybaris or Lamia of
Mount Cirphis, Greece, was a legendary cave-dwelling giant beast that devoured both livestock and humans. It was hurled from an
overhanging rock and killed by the hero
Eurybatus.
Though precise physical description is given in the primary source, it has been hypothesized by modern commentators that she must have been a
dragon or an
anguiped.
Mythology
According to the
Greek mythology
A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the Cosmogony, origin and Cosmology#Metaphysical co ...
myth, recorded by
Antoninus Liberalis, Sybaris or Lamia was a giant beast ( el, θηρίον μέγα και υπερφυές) that dwelled on
Mount Cirphis and terrorized the countryside of Krisa, ancient name of
Delphi
Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The oracle ...
, devouring livestock and people.
The people of the region asked the
Oracle of Delphi
Pythia (; grc, Πυθία ) was the name of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. She specifically served as its oracle and was known as the Oracle of Delphi. Her title was also historically glossed in English as the Pythoness ...
how to end the depredations. The god
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= ...
answered that a young man should be offered to the beast to achieve peace from it. The young and handsome
Alkyoneus
In Greek mythology, Alcyoneus or Alkyoneus (; Ancient Greek: Ἀλκυονεύς ''Alkuoneus'') was a traditional opponent of the hero Heracles. He was usually considered to be one of the Gigantes (Giants), the offspring of Gaia born from the b ...
, son of Diomos and
Meganeira Meganeira or Meganira (Ancient Greek Μεγάνειρα) is a name that may refer to one of the following figures in Greek mythology:
*Meganeira, daughter of Crocon and Saesara,Pausanias, 1.38.2 and