DRAGONS from greek mythology

Hi, your myth friend JC again, this time to talk about some people favourite creatures, the dragons!

In greek mythology dragons, were serpentine monsters, more like giants snakes with some other fantastic attributes like poisonous breath. They differ from western conception of a dragon, but share the origin and often source of many legends around dragons.

In general terms there 2 type of dragons in greek mythology, the previous mentioned serpentine monster, and the drakainas, such ones are female dragons, usually depicted as half woman upper body and snake tail lower body, in some cases they match with a hero and became or they by their own the ancestress of a important lineage.

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The Lernaean Hydra

-The Hydra of Lerna is a multi-headed serpentine monster, famed for its ability to regenerate two heads for each one cut off, it could spit or breath poison, also its blood is poisonous, Hydra was the offspring of Echidna and Typhoon (both serpentine monsters) defeated by Heracles as one of his Twelve Labors.

Python

-Python is a mythical serpent or dragon associated with the Oracle of Delphi, famously slain by the god Apollo, making it a key figure in Greek mythological lore. Most versions state Python as a female being, and a lesser deity who role was protect the Delphi temple, in that temple was a cult for Gaia (earth primordial goddess) wich also is the mother/creator of Python. The defeat of Python represent the foundation of a new god cult and the Oracle of Delphi. In other version, Python was pursuing Leto (Apollo and Artemis mother) and a child Apollo slain Python by orders of Leto.

Delphyne

-Delphyne is a fearsome she-dragon or serpent, known for guarding the Oracle of Delphi and playing key roles in myths involving Apollo, Typhon, and Zeus. In some versions, was also slain by Apollo during his battle with Python, in difference with Python, she is described has half woman, in others versions she is the guardian of a cave where the strong monster Typhon hided Zeus's tendons after their battle.

Campe

-Campe or Kampe, was the guard of Tartarus (a place in the underworld, equivalent to hell in greek mythology), after the titan Cronus dethroned his father Uranus (primordial sky god) he imprisoned the Cyclops and Hecatoncheires (a race of giants of hundred arms and heads) there with Campe as guard. Zeus slained Campe in order to free the Cyclops and Hecatoncheires to defeat Cronus. There is no much data about Campe geneology.

Drakon Gigantamakhios (Giant-War Dragon)

-During the events of Gigantomachy, a war between a breed of giants who Gaia spring up to punish the olympian gods, a giant dragon was thrown to Athena during the battle, Athena defeat the dragon and throw it up to the sky, in some version this is the dragon who is represented in the draco constellation.

Ladon

-Ladon was a dragon-serpent guardian of the Hesperides garden, particullary the golden apples who granted immortality, the garden belonged to goddess Hera, in there lived a group of nymph (commonly three) named the Hesperides. Heracles (Hercules) killed Ladon to get the golden apple part of his Twelve Labours, the Hesperides nymphs cryed so much the death of Ladon that gods decided to put him in the sky, being Ladon the represented dragon in the draco constellation in this case.

Ismenian Dragon

-Is a dragon son or belonged to god Ares, guarded a sacred spring of Ares in a region named Ismenus. The hero Cadmus who was seeking to found a city, lost a couple of his men killed by the dragon, the hero slew the monster and founded in that place the city of Thebes, by orders of Athena he took the dragon teeth and sow them, producing a fully grown armed warriors called Spartoi (sow men) they helped Cadmus to built the ciy. Gods had to stop Ares anger for the slew of his dragon/son, later he avenged transforming Cadmus and his wife into serpents

Colchian dragon

-A dragon who was the guardian of the golden fleece in a sacred grove of Ares in Colchis (modern day Georgia). Part of the Argonauts and the golden fleece quest, the sorceress Medea slew or put to sleep the dragon with a spell. The teeth of this dragon also had magical properties bringing Spartoi men when the teeth are harvested.

Cychreides

-A huge serpent-dragon from the island of Salamis, this case have heavy variants, there is a version this was a big snake wich the hero Cychreus son of Poseidon had as pet, the snake grown causing havoc, another hero expelled the serpent-dragon and goddess Demeter took it as a sacred pet. In other version Cychreus killed this serpent monster, making him king. A less epic version tell that this hero Cychreus had a very angry temper nicknaming him "dragon", later he end up as a Demeter high priest.

Trojan Dragons

-the Trojan Dragons were two huge sea-serpents summoned from the deep by the goddess Athena to slay the Trojan seer Laocoon when he tried to warn the Trojans of the ruse of the Wooden Horse.

Sidenotes:

-Most of this creature dont have a own name, commonly they receive the name of the place of where they dwell or guard.

-Most of them have the duty of guard some place or magical item

-Some of then spit or breath venom, unlike western dragons who breath fire, only Chimaira in greek mythology breath fire, but its description dont match to a dragon

-Some of them born from Gaia a primardial goddess, some from other primordial gods, there is a huge amount of monster creatures that are born from the female monster Echidna, some of them dragon-looking

-Medea, mentioned in Colchian dragon, had 2 serpents dragons who can fly and pull her chariot, it is only mentioned they are a gift from his grandfather the sun god Helios

-In many myth is mentioned that Gaia can gave birth or spring up from the earth creatures and monsters, including dragons. As far i know only other gods who can create/spawn creatures from earth are Artemis and Ares, particullary Ares involves dragons, is not clear if he gave birth with other deity or created them.