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Sphinx, mythological creature with a┬аlionтАЩs┬аbody and a┬аhuman┬аhead, an important image in┬аEgyptian┬аand┬аGreek art┬аand┬аlegend. The word┬аsphinx┬аwas derived by Greek grammarians from the verb┬аsphingein┬а(тАЬto bindтАЭ or тАЬto squeezeтАЭ), but the etymology is not related to the┬аlegend┬аand is dubious.┬аHesiod, the earliest Greek author to mention the creature, called it Phix.
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The winged┬аsphinx of Boeotian Thebes, the most famous in legend, was said to have terrorized the people by demanding the answer to a┬аriddle┬аtaught her by the MusesтАФWhat is it that has one voice and yet becomes four-footed and two-footed and three-footed?тАФand devouring a man each time the riddle was answered incorrectly. Eventually┬аOedipus┬аgave the proper answer: man, who crawls on all fours in infancy, walks on two feet when grown, and leans on a staff in┬аold age.
(source: Encyclopedia Britannica)