What Does Sphinx Mean In Greek?

The Sphinx in Greek Mythology was a very different and unique demon; this demon caused destruction and bad luck. The sphinx in Greek was represented on various vase paintings and different types of base relief's most of the time this sphinx was seated in an upright position. The Greek sphinx was represented a winged lion which had the head of a woman, or sometimes as woman who had the breast, claws and paws of a lion. It had the tail of a serpent along with the wings of an eagle. It is said that the sphinx was sent to the land of Thebes by Hera or Ares, from her Ethiopian homeland.

In Thebes she asks a very famous riddle, to save the town from the coming danger one had to give the correct answer to the riddle, the sphinx would strangle and kill any one who answered it wrong. The riddle "Which creature in the morning goes on four feet, at noon on two, and in the evening upon three?" finally the riddle was solved by Oedipus with the answer being "he crawls on all fours as a baby, then walks on two feet as an adult, and walks with a cane in old age"