Research source

This Sphynx they make a treble formed monster, a Mayden’s face, a Lyon’s legs, and the wings of a fowle; or, as…

Date of account: Published 1890
Source: Curious Creatures in Zoology
Reference: Curious Creatures in Zoology · selected passage 22
Rights: public_domain
Language: English
Record updated: 2026-08-24

Record summary

This Sphynx they make a treble formed monster, a Mayden’s face, a Lyon’s legs, and the wings of a fowle; or, as Ansonius and Varinus say, the face and head of a mayde, the body of a dogge, the winges of a byrd, the voice of a man, the clawes of a Lyon, and the tayle of a dragon: and that she kept continually in the Sph…

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Source passage

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This _Sphynx_ they make a treble formed monster, a Mayden’s face, a Lyon’s legs, and the wings of a fowle; or, as _Ansonius_ and _Varinus_ say, the face and head of a mayde, the body of a dogge, the winges of a byrd, the voice of a man, the clawes of a Lyon, and the tayle of a dragon: and that she kept continually in the _Sphincian_ mountaine; propounding to all travailers that came that way an _Ænigma_, or Riddle, which was this: _What was the creature that first of all goeth on foure legges; afterwards on two, and, lastly, on three_: and all of them that could not dissolve that Riddle, she presently slew, by taking them, and throwing them downe headlong, from the top of a Rocke. At last _Œdipus_ came that way, and declared the secret, that it _was a man, who in his infancy creepeth on all foure_, afterward, _in youth, goeth upon two legs_, and last of all, _in olde age taketh unto him a staffe which maketh him to goe, as it were, on three legs_; which the monster hearing, she presently threwe down herselfe from the former rocke, and so she ended.

Historical context

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Modern context

Contextual commentary · mention only

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