Hydra
In Greek mythology, the Hydra was a multi-headed serpentine monster that lived in a swamp beyond the city of Lerna. It is usually depicted with nine heads, but some stories gave it as few as five, or as many as one hundred. In all of the stories, it was extremely poisonous (many accounts claim that the very air around it could kill a man in seconds), and had the ability to regrow its heads when severed. Some stories elaborated that the Hydra grew two heads for every head that was lost, and that one of its heads (thought to be its "original" and/or largest head) was immortal.
The Hydra was killed by Hercules as his second Labor. Holding his breath to avoid breathing in the beast's toxins, he cut off its heads and burned the necks with a torch (provided by his charioteer Iolaus in most stories) to prevent them from regenerating.
Following its death, the Hydra was placed in the stars as a constellation. Hercules was also said to have dipped his arrows in its poisonous blood, giving them unmatched lethality.
Family Member/s:
The Hydra was killed by Hercules as his second Labor. Holding his breath to avoid breathing in the beast's toxins, he cut off its heads and burned the necks with a torch (provided by his charioteer Iolaus in most stories) to prevent them from regenerating.
Following its death, the Hydra was placed in the stars as a constellation. Hercules was also said to have dipped his arrows in its poisonous blood, giving them unmatched lethality.
Family Member/s:
- Typhon (father)
- Echidna (mother)
- Hydra King (brother) †
- Cerberus (siblings)
- Chimera (siblings)
- Sphinx (siblings)