HYDRA LERNAEAN : Giant serpent of Lerna, labor Heracles ; Greek mythology ; pictures ; constellation : HYDRA LERNAIA — theoi.com

Heracles & the Hydra, Paestan black-figure hydra C6th B.C., J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu HYDRA LERNAIA was a gigantic, nine-headed water-serpent, which haunted the swamps of Lerna. Herakles was sent to destroy her as one of his twelve labours, but for each of her heads that he decapitated, two more sprang forth. So with the help of Iolaos, he applied burning brands to the severed stumps, cauterizing the wounds and preventing regeneration. In the battle he also crushed a giant crab beneath his heel which had come to assist Hydra. The Hydra and the Crab were afterwards placed amongst the stars by Hera as the Constellations Hydra and Cancer.

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