Sphinx (Riddle)
creatureThe Sphinx's riddle — "What walks on four legs, two legs, then three?" — is the most famous riddle in Western civilisation, a question about human nature itself.
The Myth
The riddle is deceptively simple: what creature changes its number of legs? The answer is Man — crawling as an infant, walking upright in prime, and using a cane in old age. But the riddle is also about self-knowledge: to answer correctly, you must understand what it means to be human. Oedipus solves the riddle but cannot solve the riddle of his own identity. The Sphinx destroys herself when her riddle is answered — wisdom destroys the questioner.
Symbols
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Oedipus
heroThe tragic king of Thebes who unknowingly killed his father and married his mother, fulfilling a...
Sphinx
creatureA creature with the body of a lion, wings of an eagle, and head of a woman. The Sphinx terrorized...
Argus Panoptes
creatureArgus Panoptes was a giant with a hundred eyes covering his body — the all-seeing watchman whom...
Ascalaphus
creatureAscalaphus was the son of the underworld river Acheron who told the gods that Persephone had eaten...
Calydonian Boar
creatureThe Calydonian Boar was a massive, destructive beast sent by Artemis to ravage Calydon after King...
Centaur (Nessus)
creatureNessus was the centaur whose poisoned blood, given as a false love charm, ultimately destroyed the...