Sphinx_Beekman

__Origin__ In Greek mythology, the Sphinx was believed to have been the daughter of Orthus and either Echidna or the Chimera. Others believed the Sphinx to be the daughter of Echidna and Typhoon.

__ Facts __

__ Appearance __ In Greek mythology, the Sphinx has the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle, and the face of a beautiful woman. However in Egyptian mythology the Sphinx had the face of a man. __ Stories __
 * The oldest known description of a Sphinx was found in Gobekli Tepe, Turkey and was dated to be from 9,500 B.C.
 * While the Greeks thought of the sphinx as a vicious monster, the Egyptians thought of the Sphinx as a wise and benevolent creature
 * Sphinxes are found in stories and artwork in Greece, Egypt, Turkey, and many parts of Asia
 * The name Sphinx comes from the Greek word meaning "to squeeze" or "to tighten up"
 * The Greeks believed the Sphinx to be a demon of destruction and bad luck
 * The Sphinx was the emblem of the city-state of Chios

The sphinx was said to have guarded the ancient Greek city of Thebes, allowing travelers to pass only after successfully answering a riddle. While there were many riddles, perhaps the most famous was the riddle known as the riddle of the Sphinx. The riddle goes as such: "Which creature in the morning goes on four legs, at mid-day on two, and in the evening upon three, and the more legs it has, the weaker it be?" Legend has it the Sphinx would devour anyone unable to successfully answer the question. Oedipus successfully solved the riddle with the answer a man, who crawls as a baby, walks as a man, and uses a cane in its elder years. Defeated at last, the Sphinx threw herself from a cliff and died.

__ Modern Day Reference __

In the book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry is selected to participate in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. The final event in the tournament is a maze with various obstacles set up at random intervals. As harry progresses through the maze, he stumbles upon a Sphinx who presents Harry with the following riddle:

"First think of the person who lives in disguise, Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies, Next tell me what's always the last thing to mend, The middle of middle and end of the end? And finally give me the sound often heard, During the search for a hard-to-find word. Now string them together, and answer me this, Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?"

After giving the Sphinx the correct answer of spider, Harry continues on to the Tri-Wizard Cup.

__Works Cited__ [] []