The Lernaean Hydra was a Greek Monster that had many heads, and each time a head was cut off, two would grow in its place. It is generally said to have eight mortal heads, and one immortal head. This head could not be harmed by any weapon. There were also other Hydra, called Hydrae, that had some physical differences. They might be siblings of the Lernaean Hydra. The Lernaean Hydra is the daughter of the monsters Typhon and Ekhidna. It had the body of a huge hairless dog.
Myth
Birth
The Hydra was born to Ekhidna and Typhon.
Death
The Hydra guarded an entrance to the Underworld at a swamp near Lake Lerna at the time of her death. She terrorized with place quite often, and Hercules was sent to kill her as the second of his impossible labors. At his arrival to the cave that the beast swelled in, the hero threw a flaming branch into it. Out came the hydra, gnashing her teeth and spitting acid. When she exited, he killed three heads with his club, but found that two more grew back each time one was killed. Heracles sought the help of his nephew, Iolaus, who came up with the idea of burning the stumps of the severed heads, stopping the poison blood flow, causing her heads to stop returning. Hera sent a large crab, Karkinos (Cancer), to distract Heracles while he fought the Hydra, nipping his feet. When only one head remained, - the immortal one,- Heracles buried the still living one-headed Hydra under a large boulder. Finally, Cancer was crushed by Heracles. Both monsters were made into a constellation by the grieving Hera. Hercules also had filled a vile with Hydra blood, and dipped his arrows in it.
Powers and Abilities
The Hydra's most potent ability is the power to regrow any head that is cut off, with twice as many in its place. She is also said to be extremely venomous, killing someone with a single scent of her breath. She could also spit acid. And her blood is poisonous.
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