Hydra

     The Hydra was offspring of a serpent maiden and a monster with one hundred heads. It was a combination of the two, becoming a giant reptile with multiple snake like heads. Hydra lived in the swamps on the outskirts of the ancient town of Lerna, where he rarely was visited due to his breath’s stench that could kill.  He is difficult to defeat, spawning new and possibly more heads when decapitated. Eventually, the hero Hercules defeated the Hydra. He discovered that to stopped the more heads from growing back by singeing the necks with fire. After it’s death Hercules soaked arrows in the Hydra’s poisonous blood in case they were needed in another adventure.

Baroque fresco painting of Hydra. Located at the Villa d’Este in Tivoli

Renaissance fresco painting of Hercules slaying Hydra. Located at the Villa Farnesina

Baroque fresco painting including Hydra. Located in the Santa Maria della Vittoria

"Hydra." Mythical Creatures & Beasts Wiki. WikiFoundry, 20 July 2012. Web. 19 Aug. 2013.

 <http://www.mythicalcreaturesguide.com/page/Hydra?t=anon>.

Leadbetter, Ron. "Hydra." Encyclopedia Mythica. Advameg Inc., 3 Mar. 1997. Web. 19 Aug. 2013.

 <http://www.pantheon.org/articles/h/hydra.html>.