Griffin

The Griffin is one of the most imposing and revered creatures of ancient mythologies. Its body is that of a lion — king of earthly animals — and its head, wings, and front talons are those of an eagle — king of the skies. This fusion concentrates in a single creature the two supreme powers of nature, making it a symbol of absolute royalty, strength, and vigilance.

Representations of griffins appear in the oldest civilizations: Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, and Greece. In Mesopotamia, they guarded the tree of life and royal city gates. In Persia, they protected kings' treasures and were seen as benevolent beings. In medieval European tradition, they became wilder creatures, symbols of brutal power and nobility.

In Greece, the griffin is closely linked to the god Apollo, whose mount and faithful companion it is. Aeschylus describes them as "the hounds of Zeus that never bark" — silent and formidable guardians. Griffins guard the gold of the Hyperboreans, the mysterious people living at the edge of the world, and the sacred crater holding Dionysus's wine.

The legend of the Arimaspians — a one-eyed people of Scythia — tells of their endless battles against griffins to steal the gold they guarded. These creatures were immune to poison: their claws changed color in the presence of toxic substances, warning their master of danger. Their eggs, set with diamonds according to some accounts, were the most coveted objects in the world.

One of the most famous legends features a griffin guarding the Golden Fleece — Jason and the Argonauts' quest. On their way to Colchis, the heroes had to face this formidable guardian. Another tale recounts that a griffin seized Alexander the Great and lifted him into the sky, offering him a vision of the entire world before setting him safely back down — a symbol of his exceptional destiny.

In late Greek mythology, the griffin was also associated with the sun and divine light — its piercing gaze, comparable to the eagle that can stare at the sun, made it a solar creature capable of seeing what mortals cannot perceive.

In the Hades Saga, the specter wearing the Griffin Surplice is Minos — one of the three great judges of the Underworld. This choice is rich in meaning: in Greek mythology, the griffin is a guardian of divine treasures and a relentless executor of the gods' will. Minos, as the supreme judge of souls, plays exactly this role in Hades's kingdom.

The superimposition of the two figures — Minos the judge and the Griffin the guardian — creates a character of formidable symbolic power. Minos of the Griffin is one of the most powerful and feared spectres, his surplice conferring the strength of the king of creatures and the eagle's piercing vision to track souls that might try to escape his judgment.