Statue of a griffin at St. Mark's Basilica in Venice.
A fabulous creature supposed to have its origins in India, the griffin combines the noblest qualities of the eagle and the lion. It has the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion, and sometimes is presented with a serpent for a tail. Though this may not have done much for its looks, it is supposed to incorporate the superb vision and powerful flight of the eagle, with the regal agility and strength of the lion, rendering it unstoppable. Briefly put, it is the king of the birds and the king of the beasts rolled into one.
The griffin’s job description is as interesting as its looks. Legend has it that the griffins are able instinctively to find gold and buried treasure, which they then proceed to hoard in their nests and guard vigilantly. So the griffin’s nests were a constant target for daring treasure seekers, the chief among whom were the one-eyed Arimaspians of Scythia. The two were constantly at war for this reason. Milton has alluded to this in his Paradise Lost, Book II.
Depiction of a griffin by Sir John Tenniel for Lewis Carroll’s Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
There are many legends associating the griffin with notable historical personalities and a perennial favourite seems to be of Alexander the Great. Probably bored with his stint in world domination, the emperor turned his sights heavenwards. He is supposed to have starved two griffins for three days and then tied them to either sides of his throne. He then sat on the throne and tempted them with pieces of roasted meat held high over their heads, thus prompting them to fly high in a bid to reach it. His flight lasted seven days and then he was confronted by an angel who asked him why he was curious about heaven when he hadn’t really explored the earth. This seems to have struck home and he is said to have returned to earth, where he went back to plan A of conquering the world. This scene is depicted in some French and Italian cathedrals of the 12th century.
Apparently the griffin was a common motif in the ancient cultural art of the Persians, the Babylonians, the Assyrians, and the Romans. Surprisingly it even persisted in the early Christian architecture in the form of gargoyles on medieval church roofs. Early Christian symbolism attributed the epithet of “king of heaven and earth” of the griffin, to stand for Jesus Christ himself. The griffin was almost forgotten by all in the modern age, except perhaps for some scholars of mythology bent over ancient tomes, until recently J.K. Rowling thought it fit to resurrect this fantastic mythical creature in her own version, in the form of a hippogriff in the Harry Potter series.
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