Hippogriff
The Hippogriff is a legendary creature from European mythology, possessing the front half of an eagle and the hind half of a horse. It symbolizes the union of opposites, mastering both the domains of the sky and the earth, embodying grace, strength, and a wild, untamed spirit.
At a glance
- Tradition
- European folklore (general)
- Kind
- Griffin lineage
- Trait family
- The Fore-Knowing
- Kin
- Griffin (derived from)
Kinship
Lines of descent added by hand and approved one at a time.
- Griffin derived from
why
The Hippogriff was introduced by Ludovico Ariosto in his epic Orlando Furioso as the offspring of a griffin and a mare, a deliberate play on the old proverb, going back to Virgil, that crossing griffins with horses was the very image of impossibility.
Near this figure
Traits
Read from the figure's description, which a model wrote. Open "why" for the sentence a trait came from.
Form
- Front half back half different species hybrid
why
possessing the front half of an eagle and the hind half of a horse
- Hybrid of multiple animals
why
possessing the front half of an eagle and the hind half of a horse
Behaviour
- Symbolizes the impossible
why
In mythology and folklore, the Hippogriff is often portrayed as a symbol of impossibility made real, as eagles and horses were traditionally considered natural enemies.
Utility powers
- Flight
why
Capable of soaring to great heights with its powerful wings and galloping across vast plains with its sturdy horse legs, the Hippogriff embodies freedom of movement in its purest form.
- Superhuman speed
why
Its equine lower half grants it the strength and speed of the noblest steeds.
- Keen eyesight
why
Its piercing eyes, inherited from its eagle lineage, possess a keen intelligence and fierce pride.
Roles
Judged from the works' own entries, not from the description. Carries: the figure holds the role. Meets: the role is in its stories, held by something it meets.
- Hero meets
4 citations
- Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, A Complete Guide to Heraldry.
- Carol Rose, Giants, Monsters, and Dragons, s.v. "Hippogriff."
- George M. Eberhart, Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology, s.v. "Hippogriff."
- Theresa Bane, Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore, s.v. "Hippogriff."