Centaurs
THE KENTAUROI (or Centaurs) were a tribe of half man, half horse savages
which inhabited the mountains and forests of Magnesia. They were a primitive
race who made their homes in mountain caves, hunted wild animals for food and
armed themselves with rocks and tree branches. The Kentauroi
were spawned by the cloud nymph Nephele who was raped by the impious Lapith King
Ixion. Her double-formed brood were deposited on Mount Pelion where the
daughters of the centaur-god Kheiron nursed and fostered them to adulthood.
They were invited to attend the wedding of their half-brother
Peirithoos, the Lapith king, but became drunk and attempted to carry off the
bride and the female guests. In the battle which ensued the Kentauroi were all
but wiped out. Another tribe of Kentauroi resided in the western Peloponnese where
they came into conflict with the hero Herakles. They may originally been a
seperate breed, although numerous writers combine their stories. One ancient
writer also mentions a tribe of bull-horned Kentauroi native to the island of Kypros. Female Kentaurides were also known, although these only appear in later art and literature.The Kentauros was depicted with the upper body of a man, from head to lion, set upon the body of a horse. Sometimes it had the facial feature of a man, at other times it was portrayed with the snub nose and pointed ears of a rustic Satyros.
which inhabited the mountains and forests of Magnesia. They were a primitive
race who made their homes in mountain caves, hunted wild animals for food and
armed themselves with rocks and tree branches. The Kentauroi
were spawned by the cloud nymph Nephele who was raped by the impious Lapith King
Ixion. Her double-formed brood were deposited on Mount Pelion where the
daughters of the centaur-god Kheiron nursed and fostered them to adulthood.
They were invited to attend the wedding of their half-brother
Peirithoos, the Lapith king, but became drunk and attempted to carry off the
bride and the female guests. In the battle which ensued the Kentauroi were all
but wiped out. Another tribe of Kentauroi resided in the western Peloponnese where
they came into conflict with the hero Herakles. They may originally been a
seperate breed, although numerous writers combine their stories. One ancient
writer also mentions a tribe of bull-horned Kentauroi native to the island of Kypros. Female Kentaurides were also known, although these only appear in later art and literature.The Kentauros was depicted with the upper body of a man, from head to lion, set upon the body of a horse. Sometimes it had the facial feature of a man, at other times it was portrayed with the snub nose and pointed ears of a rustic Satyros.