Typhoeus

Typhoeus or Typhon was considered the mightiest and deadliest monster in Greek mythology. He was the last son of Gaea and Tartarus, created as a last attempt to repel the Olympian gods from defeating the Titans during the Titanomachy.

The Father of all monsters

Known as the "father of all monsters", Typhon was a fire-breathing dragon who had one hundred heads that never slept. After the Titanomachy, Gaea wanted to punish Zeus for imprisoning her Titan children in Tartarus; thus, Typhon was born.

Typhon confronts Zeus

Typhon confronted Zeus and in their first battle, managed to repel almost all of the Olympian gods and tear out Zeus' tendons. Hermes managed to get the tendons back and give them to Zeus, who eventually threw his lightning bolts against Typhon and overwhelmed him. He finally trapped him underneath Mount Etna.

Typhon marries Echidna

Typhon was married to Echidna, who was considered as the "mother of all monsters". The two of them had a number of children, including:

• the Sphinx, sent by Hera outside Thebes and killing anyone who could not answer her riddles. Oedipus answered correctly, and Sphinx, enraged, drowned herself in the ocean.
• the Nemean Lion, which had impenetrable skin. Heracles was asked to kill it as part of his Twelve Labours.
• Cerberus, a three-headed dog that became the guardian of the Underworld.

See Also: Gaea, Zeus, Cerberus