Mythical Irish Heroes
Somewhere in the world, every eight seconds, a mother is throwing her hands up and declaring that her child is a little monster. But for Echidna it was the literal truth.
Echidna was called the mother of all monsters, though his children were no more than a dozen people, and Many children have been exemplary and a pride for all parents. They may still roam the earth in the calm lands unknown, waiting for the day a new hero will come to challenge them.
There are many arguments about Echidna exact lineage, but who among us can vouch of all unions in our own background? Suffice it to say that she was the daughter of powerful mythical beings. Sources agree, however, about her appearance …
"Half fair-cheeked and bright-eyed nymph and half huge and monstrous snake, a snake that strikes quickly and feeds on living flesh. "(Hesiod, Theogony, 295-303)
As a striking combination of beautiful woman and deadly snake, it was expected that its children were also unusual. His firstborn was Orthus, a hard working cattle dog on an island beyond the Pillars of Hercules. Orthus guarding these unique red cattle to Geryon, the strongest man alive at that time.
Cerberus, his next son and another dog formidable guarded the entrance to the Underworld and very carefully guarded life entering the world of the dead. This "hunting dog with the voice of brass of Hades "had three heads of wild dogs abd the tail of a serpent.
Another snake was the nine-headed hydra, which squeezes Sun itself on the rocks overlooking the sacred well in marshy areas of Lerna. She was afflicted with bad breath water sulphurous it was said one exhalation could kill a man – and his blood was poisonous.
The Chimera is another wonderful combination, the multi-headed family trait with three of them. Not only has the head of a lion, a goat and a snake, his body was three distinct parts. The summit was unconscionable, in the middle like a goat, and all ended with the long tail docking of a snake. Spitfire, terrified all the Chimera of Lycia, killing cattle and burning the countryside until killed by Bellepheron Hero.
Another girl's Echidna has been fierce Crommyonian Sow, who played a leading role in the life of the hero Theseus.
Echidna also produced the Eagle Caucasus (the one that keeps eating away the liver of Prometheus), the Lion of Nemea and the riddle-loving Hercules fell in love with her and engaged in a case that has produced three kings to come, but it seems doubtful that a mother would stoop to Dalliance with the murderer of so many children.
Whatever the truth is, it is now lost in time, but Zeus has decreed that the children of Echidna would remain on Earth forever, for testing the courage of heroes future. Suitable work for such wonderful monsters and a credit to their mother long decried.
Susanna Duffy is a Civil Celebrant and mythologist. She creates ceremonies and Rites of Passage for individual and civic functions using ancient myths in modern settings.
Tir Na Nog : Enter Tate
