Lernaean Hydra

The Multi-Headed Monster (Art by Nicolo Van Aelst and Antonio Tempesta)

### Aliases

Hydra of Lerna, Hydra, Hydra Lernaia, Hydra Lernaea, Lerna Water-Serpent, The Six-Headed Dragon, Kaross

## Relatives

### Siblings

Orthrus, Cerberus, Chimera, Ladon, Sphinx, Nemean Lion, Gorgon

The **Lernaean Hydra**, or simply the **Hydra** for short, is a gigantic dragon monster with numerous heads, with the center one being immortal. It is one of the offspring of Typhoeus and Echidna.

## Overview

The Lernaean Hydra is a gigantic, ancient nameless serpent-like chthonic nine-headed water dragon. The monster's haunt was the marshes of Lerna near Argos which was the site of the Danaids. Lerna was reputed to be an entrance to the Underworld, and archaeology has established it as a sacred site older than Mycenaean Argos.

There were also another Hydra, called Hydrae, that had many differences from the Lernaean Hydra.

## Personality

Similar to the Trihexa, she does not have a "human" personality, instead having a more animalistic personality, driven by instinct. This can be reinforced by the fact that she is a child of Typhoeus, the personification of natural disasters, literally a force of nature driven by a desire for destruction. However, like her father, it is likely that she still has some rationality, probably being much more intelligent than other land creatures.

## History

### Origins

The Lernaean Hydra was one of the monster born from the unity of Typhoeus and Echidna before the former went out to defeat and usurp Zeus. It, along with the rest of its siblings, were allowed to leave their nest by Echidna.

While a young Lernaean Hydra wandered around, it was found by the goddess Hera who decided to raise it herself for unknown reasons. The Lernaean Hydra guarded an entrance to Hades at a swamp near Lake Lerna where it terriozed nearby villages.

### Labors

The Hydra, a fearsome creature, had the peculiar ability to regrow two heads for every one that was severed. Consequently, Iolaus resorted to cauterizing the neck stumps with firebrands as soon as Heracles cut off each head to prevent them from regenerating.

In the end, Heracles managed to overcome the Hydra by severing its one immortal head from its body, ensuring it would never regenerate. He then buried this immortal head beneath a massive rock. Additionally, Heracles used arrows dipped in the Hydra's poisonous blood or gall, which inflicted fatal wounds on his enemies.

### Revival

A couple of years after its death, the Lernaean Hydra was revived by Hera to be used as her personal monster and "pet".

## Myths and Legends

There are often 2 kinds of hydras in Greek Mythology. The serpentine, aquatic hydra with fins on its head and usually no legs was the Lernaean Hydra which Heracles fought. The other is the terrestrial hydra which is the one with 4 legs and horns and spikes which is usually in other tales. Both of these hydra's could have any number of heads and does not have a set amount.

## Trivia

* The Lernaean Hydra is usually referred as a female.
* The Lernaean Hydra does not already have a set number of heads because the hydra had way too many heads for the vase painters to paint so they always gave it between 3 and 20 heads. Under normal circumstances the monster never has less than 3 heads.
* Some believe that the Hydra was the offspring of the Titan Pallas and Styx.