Jhori+Varner+-+Hydra

Jhori Varner Photo Credit: Svetlin Velinov Hy·dra (hdr) //n.// [Middle English, from Latin , from Greek , //Hydra, a water serpent//; see 1 in Indo-European roots.]
 * Lernean Hydra **
 * 1.** //Greek Mythology// The many-headed monster that was slain by Hercules.
 * 2.** A constellation in the equatorial region of the southern sky near Cancer, Libra, and Centaurus. Also called //Snake//2.
 * 3.** A persistent or multifaceted problem that cannot be eradicated by a single effort.

**Origins and Impo****rtance** Though an offspring of the two great monsters Typhon and Echidna (other myths claim the parents were Styx and Pallas) the goddess, Hera, was responsible for raising the beast. The Hydra dwelled in the swamps of the city of Lerna in Argolis. That's is why it's sometimes referred to as the //Lernean// Hydra. The beast, depending on the myth, had anywhere from three to nine “starting” heads that, when severed, would grow two more in their place. There was, however, one mortal head that, if severed, would kill the monster for good. It also had terrible breath that could kill any creature, and it also possessed deadly venom. Some versions even claim that it  could breathe fire. The monster was notoriou s in Lernae because it would routinely devour all the villagers and cattle that dared to wander too close to the swamp. It was because of this wide-spread fear that the Hydra became one of Hercules’ 12 Labors. There was also speculation that the swamp that the Hydra inhabited was actually a portal to the underworld, so it was possibly employed by Hades. Today, the name Hydra can also refer to an complicated issue or a species of polyps in the ocean that have tentacles.

**Appearance**  The Hydra is __always__ portrayed with three or more heads, but the most commonly accepted number is nine. The skin is scaly, and the heads have sharp teeth. Beyond that, the interpretations take one of two distinct forms. The Hydra can either be portrayed as: Depending on which form is used, the Hydra can have several distinctive characteristics. The dragon-like Hydras will have legs with claws on them, and sometimes wings. The serpentine ones don't have legs at all, but may have tentacles. Ancient drawings tend to be serpentine, while modern ones take on a dragon-like appearance.
 * serpent like (as with the picture to the right) or
 * dragon like (as with the picture at the left)

**Myths** The most notable appearance of the Hydra in Greek Mythology is in the story of Hercules. The second of his 12 Labors was to slaughter the monster. It is said that Hercules lured the monster out of it’s dwelling by shooting flaming arrows at it. When it finally emerged, Hercules tried to attack, but one of the monster’s coils wrapped around his ankle. Furthermore, a crab sent by Hera began snapping at Hercules feet in an effort to help the Hydra win. Hercules stomped the crab to death, but because Hera loved it so much, a constellation was created to honor it (That’s where Cancer the crab came from). With the crab gone, Hercules was able to free himself, and he seized a chance to cut off one of the beasts’ heads. He was surprised when two grew back in its place, but he used his quick thinking to find a solution. Hercules cut off each head, and with the help of his cousin, Iolaus, quickly cauterized each one to prevent it from growing back. Finally, he narrowed it down to the last, mortal head, and with one last beheading, the Hydra was slain. Hera created a constellation for it too. Hercules then dipped the tips of his arrows in the Hydra's venomous blood and promptly buried the mortal head by the side of the road leading to Elaeus, making sure to cover it with a huge rock. The king, Eurytheus, was furious that Hercules had succeeded. He nullified the victory because Hercules had help from his cousin. He added another Labor to the list and made more of an effort to get Hercules killed during the later trials. Some critics, like Pausanias, were unimpressed with Hercules' feat and claimed that the beast was no more than an overgrown water snake with //one// head.

**Modern R eferences **

The Hydra has appeared in many films and video games over the years. In the 1997 Disney animated movie //Hercules//, there is a battle scene between Hercules and the Hydra: media type="custom" key="11967198"  There is also a Hydra fight scene in the 2010 movie //Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.//   The Hydra appears in several video games such as //God of War// and //Kingdom Hearts 2// as "boss level" monsters. HYDRA is also the name of the infamous terrorist organization that appears in Marvel Comics. They even reference the Hydra's regeneration ability in their pledge: "Hail, HYDRA! Immortal HYDRA! We shall never be destroyed! Cut off a limb, and two more shall take its place! We serve none but the Master—as the world shall soon serve us! Hail HYDRA!"

—The HYDRA Oath from Strange Tales #135 (Aug. 1965) Other franchise references include the Pokemon character //Hyderegion// pictured below.

** References ** "Hercules' Second Labor: The Lernean Hydra." Perseus Digital Library. Tufts University, 2 Sept. 2008. Web. 06 Jan. 2012. . Hercules. Dir. Ron Clements. Perf. Tate Donovan, Danny DeVito, James Woods. Disney, 1997. Videocassette.  "Hydra." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. 2003. Houghton Mifflin Company 6 Jan. 2012 http://www.thefreedictionary.com/hydra

 "HYDRA LERNAEAN : Giant Serpent of Lerna, Labor Heracles ; Greek Mythology ; Pictures ; Constellation : HYDRA LERNAIA." THEOI GREEK MYTHOLOGY, Exploring Mythology & the Greek Gods in Classical Literature & Art. Web. 06 Jan. 2012. . "Lernaean Hydra." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 06 Jan. 2012. .

 "Villains of Marvel Comics: HYDRA!" Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. Web. 06 Jan. 2012. .