Hydra, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

Rochester Bestiary

15 Oct

Written By KAS

In ancient myths, the Hydra is depicted as a fearsome multi-headed water dragon inhabiting the marshes of Lerna in Arcadia. Known as excĕtra in Latin, this mythical creature was infamous for its regenerative powers: you cut off one head and three more grow back in its place. This tale is more legend than reality. The truth reveals that the Hydra was not a monster but a source of devastating floods that plagued a nearby city. When one channel was blocked, others erupted, causing chaos.

Hercules took on the challenge, drying up the floods and sealing the destructive waters. The name Hydra derives from the Greek word for water, ὕδωρ (ýdor). The myth of Hercules defeating the hydra was often used to symbolise the triumph of virtue and faith over evil. Just as Hercules successfully subdued the Hydra, so too could the faithful overcome sin and evil through perseverance and divine assistance.

Distinct from the Hydra is the Hydros or Hydrus, a cunning snake with a vendetta against crocodiles. When it spots a crocodile sleeping with its mouth open, the hydros wraps itself in mud, slipping into the crocodile's throat. The crocodile, startled, swallows it alive. Yet, the hydros does more than survive; it tears apart the crocodile's entrails and emerges unscathed.

This struggle mirrors the spiritual battle between death and life. In Christian theology, death and hell are symbolised as a crocodile, with Jesus Christ as their ultimate adversary. By taking on human form, Christ descended to hell, tearing apart its grasp and liberating souls held unjustly. His resurrection marked the defeat of death itself. As the prophet exclaims, "O death, where is your sting? O hell, where is your victory?" This triumphant declaration celebrates Christ's victory over death and the promise of eternal life.

The hydra’s many heads and its regeneration were allegorically linked to the Devil or Satan. In Christian symbolism, the Devil is often depicted as a multi-faceted force of evil that persists despite attempts to overcome it. The hydra’s ability to regrow heads symbolized the way Satan’s influence could seem to multiply, making the struggle against sin a continual battle.

Est serpens aquatilis qui(changed from que) dicitur ydros.
Greci atuem ydros aquam vocant. A quo ic-
ti; oburgescunt. sed fimo boum morbus me-
detur. Quem morbum quidam bam dicunt
propter predictam proprietatem;
Idra draco multorum capitum aquatilis. fuit in
lerna insula vel palude provincie archadie. Hec lati-
ne exedra dicitur. quod uno ceso tria capita excres-
cebant. Sed hoc fabulosum est. Nam constat ydram
locum fuisse evomentem aquas vastantem visci-
nam civitatem. In quo uno meatu clauso; multi
erumpebant. Quod hercules videns; loca exhau-
sit. et sic aque clausit meatus. Nam ydra ab aqua
dicta est. Sed ydros sive ydrus serpens inimicus est
cocodrillo. et hanc habet naturam et consuetu-
dinem. ut cum viderit cocodrillum dormientem
in littore; (vadit aperto changed to a.v.) ore; et involvit se in luto.
quo facilius possit in faucibus eius illabi. Coco-
drillus igitur subito illum vivum transglutit. Ille
vero dilanians omnia viscera eius; non solum
vivus; sed etiam illesus exit. Sic ergo mors et in-
fernus figuram habent cocodrilli quorum inimicus
est. dominus noster ihesus cristus. Nam assumens humanam
carnem; descendit ad infernum. et dirumpens
omnia viscera eius; eduxit eos qui iniuste tene-

The Hydra is a multi-headed water dragon. It is found on the island or marsh of Lerna[1] in the province of Arcadia. The hydra is called excĕtra in Latin: cutting off one head causes three more to grow back. This is a fairy tale. It is established that the Hydra was a place where floods flew into the neighbouring city, devastating it. If one of its passages were blocked, many others would gush out. Hercules, seeing this, dried up the place and thus closed off the water passages. The Hydra is named after the Greek word for water, ὕδωρ/ýdor. Do not confuse the hydra with the hydros or hydrus, which is a snake that is the enemy of crocodiles. When it sees a crocodile sleeping on the shore with its mouth open, it wraps itself in mud so that it can more easily slip into the crocodile's throat. The crocodile, therefore, suddenly swallows it alive. However, not only does the hydra manage to tear apart all the crocodile’s entrails but also comes out alive and unscathed. Thus, death and hell have the form of a crocodile, whose enemy is our Lord Jesus Christ. When taking on the human flesh, He descended to hell, and, ripping apart all its entrails, He rescued the souls

from unjust captivity. He mortified death itself by rising from the dead. The prophet[2] taunts it, by saying, "O death, where is your sting? O hell, where is your victory?"[3]

Endnotes

[1] Lerna was a region of springs and a former lake located in the municipality of the same name, near the east coast of the Peloponnesus, south of Argos. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lerna

[2] The Apostle Paul discusses the resurrection of the dead and the victory over death brought by Jesus Christ. It celebrates the Christian belief in the resurrection and eternal life, asserting that death and the grave have been defeated.

[3] 1 Corinthians NKJV 15:55: "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” Here, "Hades" is used in place of "grave" or "hell", referring to the place of the dead. The question highlights that Hades no longer has the power to claim victory over believers due to the resurrection.

KAS

Hydra, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

Further Reading

Endnotes

Kent Archaeological Society

Hydra, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

Further Reading

Endnotes

Amphisbaena, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

Jaculus, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

Kent Archaeological Society