In Greek mythology, the Sphinx was a monster which appeared as a lion with a woman's head and feathered wings. In their belief, the Sphinx originated in a far off land, believed to be Ethiopia (which given the Egyptian Sphinx implies it was inspired by their Sphinx or the idea was otherwise imported to Greece and did not originate there). She was sent by the goddess Hera or Ares, god of war, to sit outside Thebes and ask a riddle to all passersby. Anyone who could not answer the riddle was strangled to death. The riddle's exact text did not appear until later on in Greek history, but the only riddle known to be associated with the story is this: "Which creature in the morning goes on four feet, at noon on two, and in the evening upon three?" (the answer is a human: they crawl on all fours