A sphinx (/sfɪŋks/ SFINKS; Ancient Greek: σφίγξ, pronounced [spʰíŋks];[1] pl. sphinxes or sphinges /ˈsfɪndʒiːz/) is a mythical creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle. In Greek tradition, the sphinx is a treacherous and merciless being with the head of a woman, the haunches of a lion, and the wings of a bird. According to Greek myth, she challenges those who encounter her to answer a riddle, and kills and eats them when they fail to solve the riddle.[2] This deadly version of a sphinx appears in the myth and drama of Oedipus.
