Hydrus (legendary creature)
Encyclopedia
The Hydrus is a creature from Medieval bestiaries
. They were said to be found in the Nile River. While in the Nile, a crocodile
would roll the hydrus in the mud before eating the smaller creature. However, once inside the crocodile's stomach, the hydrus would burst free from the stomach lining. In medieval Christian tradition, this bursting free from the crocodile became an emblem of the resurrection of Christ bursting free from Hell.
There is considerable confusion in applying the name hydrus and its variations to beasts. The root of the word itself refers to water, and this led to several beasts, mostly serpents, being so labeled. Isidore of Seville lists the hydros, a water snake that causes those bitten to swell up, the cure for which is the dung of an ox. The hydrus was also confused with the Hydra
of the Hercules
legend, some texts saying that it was a many-headed water dragon, living in the swamp of Lerna, that could grow new heads.
. Normally it is considered to be a water snake, although Pliny believed that it was an otter. Other animals the hydrus has been thought of as include a bird, a dragon, and a mongoose. Depending on whether it is a snake, otter, bird, dragon, or mongoose, it would have a different size. If it were a mongoose, it would probably be 1 foot long and three to six inches high. Almost always, however, a hydrus would be caked in mud because of the crocodile rolling them in the substance before consuming the hydrus.
Bestiary
A bestiary, or Bestiarum vocabulum is a compendium of beasts. Bestiaries were made popular in the Middle Ages in illustrated volumes that described various animals, birds and even rocks. The natural history and illustration of each beast was usually accompanied by a moral lesson...
. They were said to be found in the Nile River. While in the Nile, a crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
would roll the hydrus in the mud before eating the smaller creature. However, once inside the crocodile's stomach, the hydrus would burst free from the stomach lining. In medieval Christian tradition, this bursting free from the crocodile became an emblem of the resurrection of Christ bursting free from Hell.
There is considerable confusion in applying the name hydrus and its variations to beasts. The root of the word itself refers to water, and this led to several beasts, mostly serpents, being so labeled. Isidore of Seville lists the hydros, a water snake that causes those bitten to swell up, the cure for which is the dung of an ox. The hydrus was also confused with the Hydra
Lernaean Hydra
In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra was an ancient nameless serpent-like chthonic water beast, with reptilian traits, that possessed many heads — the poets mention more heads than the vase-painters could paint, and for each head cut off it grew two more — and poisonous breath so virulent even...
of the Hercules
Hercules
Hercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
legend, some texts saying that it was a many-headed water dragon, living in the swamp of Lerna, that could grow new heads.
Appearance
A hydrus has no set appearanceVisual appearance
The visual appearance of objects is given by the way in which they reflect and transmit light. The color of objects is determined by the parts of the spectrum of light that are reflected or transmitted without being absorbed...
. Normally it is considered to be a water snake, although Pliny believed that it was an otter. Other animals the hydrus has been thought of as include a bird, a dragon, and a mongoose. Depending on whether it is a snake, otter, bird, dragon, or mongoose, it would have a different size. If it were a mongoose, it would probably be 1 foot long and three to six inches high. Almost always, however, a hydrus would be caked in mud because of the crocodile rolling them in the substance before consuming the hydrus.