Steve Korté - Wonder Woman and the Monsters of Myth

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In Greek mythology, the goddess Gaia gave birth to the Cyclops siblings. These one-eyed giants were larger than the tallest oak trees. They labored as blacksmiths and supplied weapons to the gods. Some of the weapons included thunderbolts for Zeus, a trident for Poseidon, and a helmet of invisibility for Hades.

The Cyclops known as Polyphemus once fell in love with the sea-nymph Galatea. But she was in love with a young shepherd named Acis instead. In a jealous rage, Polyphemus crushed Acis with a boulder and killed him. After the Cyclops fled to a faraway cave, Galatea transformed Acis into a flowing river so that he could always be near her.

The Greek poet Homer described the Cyclopes as savage creatures that lived within caves on an island. When the great warrior Odysseus sailed his fleet of ships too close to the Cyclopes island, Polyphemus ate six of Odysseus sailors! To fight back, Odysseus plunged a sharpened stick into the giants one eye, blinding him forever.

Wonder Woman first battled Polyphemus when he escaped from the underworld of dead souls known as Hades. Polyphemus and his two brothers had been to Hades lowest level the pits of Tartarus. While trapped in that horrible place, Polyphemus ate his siblings! Wonder Woman defeated Polyphemus when he invaded the Amazons home island of Themyscira. She banished him once again to the depths of Tartarus.

banish to send away forever

WHY ONE EYE?

The legend of Cyclopes having only one eye may be based on the work habits of ancient blacksmiths. They often wore an eye patch over one eye to prevent injury from flying sparks. If a spark blinded the unprotected eye, the blacksmith would still have one good eye to work with.

FACT

More than 400 species of freshwater one-eyed crustaceans are known as Cyclopes. Unlike the mythological Cyclopes,they are tiny. Some are smaller t han 1/100 of an inch long.

In addition to giving birth to the Cyclops siblings, the Greek goddess Gaia also gave birth to the Hecatoncheires. These three giant beasts were named Cottus, Briareus, and Gyges. Each of them had 50 heads and 100 arms, and they were all incredibly stupid. Despite their lack of intelligence, they were feared because of their terrible tempers and superhuman strength. Some said that Cottus toppled a mountain by throwing heavy boulders at it. Uranus, the father of Cottus, was so disgusted by his children that he banished them to the pits of Tartarus. There they stayed for more than 2,000 years.

During their time in Tartarus, a war broke out among the gods that almost destroyed the universe. The god Zeus chose to free Cottus and his brothers, and won the war. Their freedom was short-lived, though. Zeus soon sent them back to Tartarus and gave them the job of guarding the losers of the war. Cottus and his siblings were so stupid that they thought this was a great honor.

In the world of Wonder Woman, the Amazons guarded Dooms Doorway. This sealed portal led to some of the worlds most ferocious monsters, including Cottus. The first to visit Themyscira was an American test pilot named Diana Trevor. Shortly after her arrival, Cottus smashed through Dooms Doorway. Diana Trevor bravely fought the beast and saved the Amazons. Years later, her name would be given in honor to Princess Diana, the most famous Amazon of all.

mortal human, referring to a being who will eventually die

In Greek and Roman myth, Cerberus was a giant hound that prowled the gates of Hades. The ferocious three-headed watchdog guarded the entrance, displaying razor-sharp teeth and dripping poisonous foam from his mouth. He only stepped aside to allow a new dead soul to enter the underworld. Cerberus also made sure that no dead souls could ever escape Hades.

One man was brave enough to try to tame Cerberus. His name was Orpheus, and he was the most famous musician in Greece. After his wife, Eurydice, was killed by a snakebite, Orpheus traveled to Hades to bring her back to life. When he arrived at the gates, he played his so beautifully and sang so movingly that Cerberus wagged his tail like a puppy. He let Orpheus enter.

Wonder Woman journeyed several times to the underworld of dead souls. Each time, she confronted Cerberus. Their most unusual encounter happened during an annual contest on Themyscira. Dianas mother dropped a golden apple into the depths of Hades and challenged her daughter to prevent it from hitting the ground. Cerberus caught the apple in his mouth. Just as he was about to drop it at the feet of his master, Wonder Woman inhaled her breath with hurricane force, causing the apple to fly to her.

lyre a small, stringed, harplike instrument played mostly in ancient Egypt, Israel, and Greece

The Minotaur was a fierce monster in Greek mythology with the head of a bull and the body of a man. The Minotaur was born of a fire-breathing bull and Queen Pasipha, who was the wife of King Minos of Crete. King Minos imprisoned the Minotaur within the Labyrinth, a building filled with hundreds of tunnels that offered no escape. Each year, the king sent 14 young Athenians into the Labyrinth as a to the Minotaur. They were never seen again.

One man was brave enough to enter the Labyrinth and fight the Minotaur. He was Prince Theseus of Athens. The kings daughter, Ariadne, was in love with Theseus, and gave him a ball of thread and a sword. He unraveled the thread as he made his way through the Labyrinths winding corridors. Then he killed the Minotaur with the sword and followed the thread back out of the Labyrinth.