Greek Mythology · monster

Typhon

Τυφώνας
also: Typhoeus
monsterthe great monsterchaos

The greatest of the monsters, born of Gaia to avenge the Titans; he was the only being to seriously wound Zeus before being overthrown.

Typhon, illustration from H. G. Wells, Outline of History (1919) — Typhon
Typhon · J. F. Horrabin (Illustrator) · undated · Wikimedia Commons (institution in source file) · Public domain
The account

Who they are

Typhon (Typhoeus) is the greatest and most terrifying of the Greek monsters, a hundred-headed (in some accounts) offspring of Gaia, born (in the Theogony, in a passage widely judged to be a later interpolation) to avenge the defeat of the Titans [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗. He warred against the gods and was the only creature to seriously wound Zeus (who was cut and whose sinews were cut, causing him to fall) before Zeus recovered, regained his thunderbolt, and buried Typhon under Mount Etna — whose fires are explained as Typhon's breathing [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text. He is the father (with the monster Echidna) of many of the great monsters of Greek myth, including Cerberus, the Hydra, and the Chimera [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.
Worth knowing
  • The only creature to seriously wound Zeus [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗.
  • Buried under Mount Etna; its fires are his breathing [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.
  • Father (with Echidna) of Cerberus, the Hydra, the Chimera, and others [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.
Uncertainties & variants
  • The Typhon passage in the Theogony (lines 810–835) is widely regarded as a later interpolation, not Hesiod's own — we flag it [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗.
Relationships (7)

Connections

Family & kinship

PARENT_OFCerberus — Typhon (with Echidna) is the parent of Cerberus.[S1]

Partners

PARTNER_OFEchidna — Typhon and Echidna are the monster-couple that parent the great monsters.[S1]

Creation

CREATEDGaia — Gaia bore Typhon (in the Theogony's interpolated passage).[S1]

Conflict & enmity

FOUGHTZeus — Typhon warred against the gods and wounded Zeus.[S1]
KILLEDZeus — Zeus overthrew and buried Typhon under Etna.[S1]
FOUGHTThunderbolt of Zeus — The thunderbolt is the instrument of Zeus against Typhon.[S1]

Alliances & rule

ALLY_OFHeracles — Heracles (in some accounts) helped bind Typhon.[S5]
Local graph

Their corner of the divine world

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FocusTyphonGreek
GREEK · 41variantvariant♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥AegisHelmet of HadesCaduceus of Her…Trident of Pose…Thunderbolt of …Alcmenamortalthe mortal mother of Heracles1 relationsAndromedamortalthe rescued princess2 relationsAphroditedeitylove7 relationsAtlasdeitythe sky (bore)1 relationsChaosprimordialorigin2 relationsDanaemortalthe mortal mother of Perseus1 relationsDemeterdeityharvest6 relationsEchidnamonsterthe monster-mother2 relationsGaiadeityearth6 relationsHadesdeitythe dead7 relationsHeradeitymarriage8 relationsHestiadeityhearth1 relationsLetodeitymotherhood (as mother of Apollo/Artemis)2 relationsMedusamonsterthe Gorgon3 relationsMetisdeitycounsel2 relationsOceanusdeitythe great world-river1 relationsOdysseusherocunning2 relationsPenelopemortalthe faithful wife of Odysseus2 relationsPoseidondeitythe sea6 relationsRheadeitymotherhood2 relationsSemelemortalthe mortal mother of Dionysus1 relationsTethysdeitythe primordial sea1 relationsTyphonmonsterthe great monster7 relationsCerberusmonsterthe guardian of the underworld3 relationsErosdeitylove2 relationsHebedeityyouth2 relationsHephaestusdeityfire6 relationsMaiadeitythe nymph2 relationsUranusprimordialsky6 relationsPersephonedeitythe underworld2 relationsTelemachusmortalthe son of Odysseus2 relationsCronusdeitytime (later association)9 relationsZeusdeitysky29 relationsApollodeitysun (later)4 relationsAresdeitywar (violence, bloodshed)3 relationsArtemisdeitythe hunt3 relationsAthenadeitywisdom4 relationsDionysusdeitywine3 relationsHeraclesherostrength7 relationsHermesdeitymessengers5 relationsPerseusheroheroism8 relations
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Myths featuring Typhon

1 story

Typhon and Zeus

Typhon, the greatest monster, warred against the gods and wounded Zeus, who was cut and fell. Zeus recovered, regained his thunderbolt, and buried Typhon under Mount Etna [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.

READ THE STORY →

Artifacts of Typhon

Objects they wielded, forged, or were bound to

INTERPRETIVE CLASSIFICATION · FULL PROFILE IN THE DIVINE VAULT

Thunderbolt of Zeus
Thunderbolt of Zeus
S · DivineAssociated
Artworks

Depictions

Typhon, illustration from H. G. Wells, Outline of History (1919) — Typhon
Typhon · J. F. Horrabin (Illustrator) · undated · Wikimedia Commons (institution in source file) · Public domain
Typhon · undated
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