Centaurs

Appearance:

The Centaur is a Greek mythological creature made up of the torso and head of a man and the body of a horse. In recent times it has become commonplace for a centaur to be depicted holding a bow or sword, however they were initially seen as wild beasts too primitive to wield such weapons.

History:

In Ancient Greek Mythology, it is said that Centaurs were the offspring of the cloud nymph Nephele who was raped by the King of the Lapiths Ixion. They presided over Mount Pelion where a great battle ensued at the wedding of their half-brother Peirithoos, from which the centaurs were nearly wiped out. Hostility between humans and the centaurs continued as they became known for their heavy drinking, violent nature and raping of women.

However in contrast to such representations, the most famous of the centaurs was Chiron. A son of Cronus and therefore immortal, Chiron fathered a separate race of centaurs who were not only civilized but extremely wise and kind.

Adventures:

Blessed with great knowledge, Chiron became tutor to many Greek heroes including Jason, Hercules, and Achilles. One day King Pholus held a feast in Hercules honour. During the feast the King’s wine stocks had become depleted and as Hercules was still thirsty, men were sent into the forest to steal wine from the centaurs. Upon their return a battle began between the centaurs and Hercules. Chiron was a kind being and therefore did not take part in the battle, however he was accidentally wounded by his former pupil Hercules with a poison arrow. Although Chiron was immortal, he lived in great agony due to the incurable nature of the poison. So unbearable was the pain that he chose to give up his life for that of Prometheus, whom Zeus had sentenced to death for giving man the gift of fire. Chiron was rewarded with a place among the gods as part of the constellation Centaurus.

Relationships:

Centaurs are the offspring of the cloud nymph Nephele and the Lapith King Ixion.
Chiron was born when Cronos took the form of a horse and impregnated the nymph Philyra. As a great tutor, Chiron taught many famous and powerful pupils including Asclepius, Aristaeus, Ajax, Aeneas, Actaeon, Caeneus, Theseus, Achilles, Jason, Peleus, Telamon, Hercules, Oileus, Pheonix and Dionysus. He also fathered a kind and very wise race of centaurs, as well as a daughter Endeis.

Symbolism:

Centaurs are well known as the symbol of the zodiac sign Sagittarius and the constellation Centaurus, said to be in honour of Chiron. Centaurus is one of the largest and brightest constellations. The Alpha Centauri star system can be found within Centaurus. Centaurs have also appeared in such modern films as Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia. In ancient times, centaurs were associated with violence, lust and chaos.

Bibliography:

http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Creatures/Centaur/centaur.html
http://monsters.monstrous.com/centaurs.htm
http://www.mythicalcreaturesguide.com/page/Centaur
http://www.mythcreatures.co.uk/beasts/centaurs.asp
http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/greek-mythology.php?deity=CHIRON
http://www.greekmedicine.net/mythology/chiron.html
http://www.theoi.com/Georgikos/KentauroiThessalioi.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centaur
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiron