Difference between revisions of "Sphinx"
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==Quotes== | ==Quotes== | ||
− | {{Quote|The sphinx is the riddle, not the riddler. Do you know what that means?{{ref| | + | {{Quote|The sphinx is the riddle, not the riddler. Do you know what that means?{{ref|aFfC|45}}| [[Samwell Tarly]] to [[Alleras]]}} |
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+ | ==See also== | ||
+ | * [[Chimera]] | ||
==References== | ==References== |
Revision as of 19:48, 11 May 2019
A sphinx is a mythical creature, with a human face, the body of a lion, the wings of a hawk and the tail of a serpent.[1][2]
In tales, they speak in riddles, including stories of dragons riddling with them.[1][3] They are also found as statues, often in female-male pairs flanking doors, entrances or gateways, such as the vast green marble sphinxes by the gates to the Citadel at Oldtown, with eyes of onyx.[1][2]
Though the Valyrians carved sphinxes into the gateway to the Long Bridge of Volantis, they also had their own sphinxes, referred to as Valyrian sphinxes, with the bodies of dragons, and human faces.[4][5]
Contents
Recent Events
A Game of Thrones
The council chamber door of the Red Keep is flanked by Valyrian sphinxes with eyes of polished garnets smoldering in black marble faces.[6][7]
A Clash of Kings
As Tyrion Lannister enters the Red Keep’s council chamber, he pauses to admire the Valyrian sphinxes at its entrance, and rests his hand on the head of one of them just before he goes.[8]
A Feast for Crows
While observing Alleras, Pate notes that he has eyes of onyx, like the green marble sphinxes that flank the Citadel’s main gate.[1]
Euron Greyjoy uses plunder from half a hundred distant lands to bind the ironmen to him. Among the plunder are ancient Valyrian sphinxes.[9]
Samwell Tarly recalls some of Maester Aemon’s words during the sea voyage from Braavos, remembering that he said to Sam that,
The sphinx was the riddle, not the riddler.[10]
Once in Oldtown Sam enters the gates of the Citadel, which are flanked by a pair of towering green sphinxes. They have the bodies of lions, the wings of eagles, and the tails of serpents. One has a man’s face and the other a woman’s.[2]
Alleras, also called The Sphinx, is a novice studying at the Citadel.[1] He seeks Samwell out as soon as he enters the Citadel and instructs him to go to Marwyn.[2]
A Dance with Dragons
While traveling, Tyrion Lannister and Illyrio Mopatis come across a huge Valyrian sphinx crouched beside the road. It has a dragon’s body and a woman’s face. However her king is missing, dragged off by the Dothraki back to Vaes Dothrak on wooden wheels. There is a smooth stone plinth where he once stood, grown over with moss and flowering vines. Tyrion considers this "dragon queen" sphinx a pleasant omen and her missing king an omen too, but not as hopeful.[5]
The Long Bridge, which joins the two halves of Volantis across the mouth of the Rhoyne, has a gateway that is an arch of black stone carved with sphinxes, manticores, dragons and other strange beasts.[4]
Tyrion mentions to Brown Ben Plumm most of the stories heard about dragons are fodder for fools - one of which is dragons riddling with sphinxes.[3]
Quotes
The sphinx is the riddle, not the riddler. Do you know what that means?[2]
— Samwell Tarly to Alleras
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 A Feast for Crows, Prologue.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 45, Samwell V.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 57, Tyrion XI.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 27, Tyrion VII.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 5, Tyrion II.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 20, Eddard IV.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 51, Sansa IV.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 3, Tyrion I.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 29, The Reaver.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 35, Samwell IV.
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