Centaurs

The Centaurs were born from Ixion's union with a cloud shaped like Hera (or, in other accounts, from Centaurus, son of Apollo). They inhabited the forests and mountains of Thessaly and Arcadia. Most Centaurs were savage, prone to drunkenness and violence.

The most infamous incident was the Battle of the Lapiths and Centaurs. Invited to a Lapith wedding feast, the Centaurs drank too much wine and attempted to abduct the bride and other women. The ensuing battle became a favorite subject of Greek art, symbolizing the struggle between civilization and barbarism.

The great exception was Chiron, wisest of all Centaurs, who was the son of Kronos and the Oceanid Philyra. Chiron was renowned for his knowledge of medicine, music, archery, and prophecy. He tutored some of Greece's greatest heroes, including Achilles, Jason, and Asclepius. When accidentally wounded by one of Heracles's poisoned arrows, Chiron — being immortal — could not die but suffered endlessly. He eventually surrendered his immortality to Prometheus and was placed among the stars as the constellation Centaurus.