The creature with a woman’s head and a lion’s body that posed riddles to travelers was the Sphinx.
The Greek Sphinx was a deadly mythical being usually described with a woman’s face, a lion’s body, and the wings of a bird. She guarded the road to Thebes and challenged travelers to solve a riddle. Those who failed were strangled and devoured, making her very different from the generally protective sphinxes of ancient Egypt.
The most famous encounter was with Oedipus. The Sphinx asked which creature walks on four legs in the morning, two at midday, and three in the evening. Oedipus answered “man”: a baby crawls, an adult walks upright, and an elderly person uses a staff. After he solved the riddle, the Sphinx died or destroyed herself, depending on the version.
The Egyptian sphinx traditionally has a human head—often representing a pharaoh—and a lion’s body, but it is typically male and not winged. Greek and Egyptian traditions therefore share a visual idea while giving the creature different identities and roles. Harpies, griffins, and chimeras are separate hybrid beings.