The legendary creature said to have the body of a lion and the head of a man is the sphinx. This mythical being is most famously associated with ancient Egypt and serves as a guardian of sacred spaces. The sphinx poses riddles to intruders, demanding wise answers to grant passage. In Greek mythology, the sphinx is known for its tragic narrative, where it terrorizes the city of Thebes until its riddle is solved by Oedipus, highlighting themes of knowledge, mystery, and human intellect.