Centaur

	Centaur
	Other Names:
	Hippocentaur Ixionidae
	Images:


	Creature of Greek mythology that was half-horse and half-man, depicted as having the arms, head, and torso of a man and the body, legs, and tail of a horse. The entire centaurian race was composed of the grandchildren of Ixion, who had lusted for Hera. Zeus created a clone of his wife that went by the name of Nemele ("Cloud"), whom Ixion made love to. Nemele bore Centaurus from the union, who mated with the horses of Mount Pelion to produce the centaurs. Because of their descendance from Ixion, centaurs are sometimes referred to as Ixionidae. Most centaurs were loud and raucous followers of Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry, and often reveled in drunken orgies and carried off young girls. On the wedding of Pirithous, king of the Thessalonians, the centaurs violated the female guests and attempted to carry off the bride. A bloody battle ensued, and subsequently, the centaurs were driven from Thessaly. Chiron was an odd centaur in that he was wise and well-behaved. He was sometimes considered the leader of the centaurs and was the only one not driven from Thessaly.