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Manticore
Jonston1650-quadruped-TabLIII-manticore

Other Names

Manticore, Mantichore

First Appearance

Persian Mythology

Created by

Persian Mythology

Origin[]

The manticore or mantichore is a Persian legendary creature similar to the Egyptian sphinx that proliferated in Western European medieval art as well. It has the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the tail of a scorpion or a tail of venomous spines similar to porcupine quills. There are some accounts that the spines can be launched like arrows. It eats its victims whole, using its three rows of teeth, and leaves no bones behind.

Public Domain Literary Appearances[]

  • Indica
  • Myriobiblon
  • De Natura Animalium
  • Naturalis Historia
  • Historiae animalium
  • The Historie of Foure-footed Beastes
  • Dante's Inferno

Notes[]

  • Dante Alighieri, in his Inferno, depicted the mythical Geryon as a manticore-like creature, following Pliny's description.

See Also[]

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