Research: Griffin

Source

The Mythology of the Griffin 
http://www.gods-and-monsters.com/mythology-griffin.html
Copyright 2011-2015 by Royal Mint Publishing LLC.

What is it?
-A mix between an Eagle and Lion
--Head of an Eagle, Body of a Lion
--Other features up for debate.

Specific Traits?
-"wise and wily"
--deceptive, wise, skilled
-seek out gold and treasures
-"tricksters"
--"riddles in contest of wits"
---"Winners, keep lives and treasures"
-wisdom is to power as strength is to war
-"chosen for  coat of arms for medieval families and armies"

Historain
-Adrienne Mayor

Origin?
Greek

Story?
"griffin pulled the chariot of Apollo"

Review: I wouldn't say that I'd work for these people considering it's a company that practically says "Oh, you know something? Cool. We'll take your word for it!" This gets me started but I'm sure there are websites and books out there that will say more. I wouldn't recommend anything written by Royal Mint Publishing LLC based on this article I read. There's probably information that would be helpful in someway (as I said this is good starting point for me) but it only helps through a fraction of its content.

Griffin, Der Naturen Bloeme manuscript 

c. 1350, National Library of the Netherlands

Source 

Grypes 

http://www.theoi.com/Thaumasios/Grypes.html

Theoi Project Copyright 2000-2011 Aaron J. Atsma, New Zealand 

Known in Greek as "Γρυψ, Γρυπες Γρυφοι" translated as "Gyps, Grypes, Gryphoi" 

Latin Spelling "Gryps, Gryphis,Gryphi" 

English Translation: "Griffin, Griffins, or Gryphon"

Intro 

• "Beast Guarded rich gold deposits certain nothern or eastern mountains" 
• "Skythian Arimasp tribe battled with them for riches" 
• I'll have to find out what this is about. 
• Decorative Griffins - Greek Art 
• Appeared in Medieval Bestiaries and heraldic devices  

Aeschychlus, Prometheus Bound (see full title at website)

• "sharp-beaked hounds of Zeus"
• One-eyed Arimaspoi (The tribe of Skythian Arimasp) 
• Mounted on Horses

Basically, Prometheus describes the battle between the two tribes.

Aristophanes, Frogs (see full title on website) 

• Skamandros (Scamander) 

Here, they speak of Griffins on Copper Shields" 

Encyclopedia: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology 

• "dwelled in the Rhipaean Mountains" 
• "between the Hyperboreans and the one-eyed Arimaspians" 
• guarded the gold of the north" 
• Hesiod first writer about them 
• Poem "Arimaspae" of Aristeas" 
• Guarded Gold of India
• Represented on the helmet of the statue of Athena by Phidias 

Herodutus, Histories 3. 116 (Full Title) 

• Location 
• "North of Europe" 

------------------------- 4. 13. 1

Aristeas*

------------------------- 4. 27. 1

------------------------- 4. 79. 1

Mentions Sphines and Gypes working in white marble 

------------------------ 4. 152. 4

Mentions the bronze statue of Hera and the Griffin on the helmet 

Ctesias, Indica (Full Title) 

• "four footed birds as large as a wolf, their legs and claws resembling...a lion" 
• "deathers are red" "body black" 
• riches in mountains guarded by them 

Strabo, Geography (Full Title) 

Pausanias, Description of Greece 1. 24. 6(Full Title) 

Mentions the fight. Arimaspoi/Arimaspiasn (Cyclopes...?) 

Pausanias, Guide to Greece 8. 2. 7

"I have also heard that Gryphoi have spots like the leopard"

--------------------------------  1. 31. 2

Not sure what this info has to do with Griffins. It talks about the Arimaspoi. 

Aelian, On Animals (Full Title)

CONTINUE HERE

Extra Sources: (It'd be nice if I could figure out what this meant) 

• Aeschylus, Prometheus Bond - Greek Tragedy, C5th B.C
• Aritophanes, Frogs - Greek Comedy c5th-4th B.C. 
• Herodotus, Histories - Greek History C5th B.C 
• Ctesias, Indica - Greek History C5th B.C.
• Pausanias, Guide to Greece - Greek Geography C2nd A.D. 
• Aelian, On Animals - Greek Natural History C2nd - C3rd A.D. 
• Philostratus, Life of Apollonius of Tyana - Greek Biography C2nd A.D. 
• Pliny the elder, Natural History - Latin Encyclopedia C1st A.D. 
• Apuleius, The Golden Ass - Latin Epic C2nd. A.D. 
• Nonnos, Dionysiaca - Greek Epic C5th A.D.
• Photius, Myribiblon - Byzantine Greek Scholar C9th A.D. 

Other varieties of a Griffin

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Art by Hioshiru