The Hydra as it appears in art for Dungeons & Dragons, featured in D & D Beyond, D & D’s 5th edition online resource

(10) CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY – VILLAIN: HYDRA

The Hydra – or the Lernaean Hydra – is one of many beasts that roam classical mythology

And how does it rank tenth place entry in my Top 10, you ask? I mean, it was merely one of the legendary Labors of Heracles (to kill it), so why does it rank above the other fantastic beasts of those labors – or of classical mythology in general?

Well, a couple of reasons. It was a particularly nasty beast – any of the offspring of Typhon and Echidna tended to be snaky bad news

It had poisonous breath and blood so virulent it was lethal, even indirectly – such that Heracles used arrows dipped in its blood thereafter to deadly effect, although that came back to bite him eventually.

But the primary reason is for its thematic or metaphorical significance – I tend to be in mythology for the metaphors

The Hydra had one particularly nasty trait that made it exceptionally dangerous and difficult to overcome – it regenerated its heads. Worse, it multiplied them, so that for every head cut off, it sprouted two in their place

As metaphors go, it is particularly resonant for those problems in life that simply seem to multiply when you try to solve them, especially by means of brute force or direct action rather than finesse. Now that I think of it, most of my files at work are hydras

ELDRITCH ABOMINATION

The Hydra certainly ranks highly as eldritch abomination, coming as it does from classical mythology’s finest pedigree of eldritch abominations – Typhon and Echidna.

FANTASY DARK LORD RANKING

Sadly, not so high for fantasy dark lord ranking, possessed at it was of only rudimentary animal intelligence – more Shelob than Sauron.

RATING:

A-TIER (TOP TIER)