Riddles of the Sphinx

The Sphinx is a common sphinx in Egyptian and Greek works of art, and the Sphinx in Egypt is the oldest one. Later, the Sphinx spread to West Asia, with two wings, and then the female Sphinx appeared. The Greek Sphinx appeared around 1600 BC. The Sphinx in the illustration is the Sphinx of Greece. It appeared in a vase painting in the 5th century BC. It is a female animal with wings and a snake tail. She is squatting on the post, asking riddles to passers-by.

In ancient Greece, there was a fairy tale about the mystery of the Sphinx:

Legend has it that there is a banshee named Sphinx-the winged Sphinx.

Hera sent the Sphinx to sit on the cliff near the city of Tebai, confusing people with riddles taught by the Muse: "What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon and three legs at night?" When he has the most legs, he walks the slowest and has the weakest physical strength. "Who can't guess was eaten by her. Thebes can't figure out this riddle, and they are often troubled by it. Oedipus met the Sphinx while passing through Tebai. He guessed the riddle: This is a man. Because people crawl in infancy, branch their feet when they grow up, and walk with crutches when they are old. Hearing this, the Sphinx was ashamed and jumped off the cliff and died. 』