Echidna (mythology)
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In the most ancient layers of Greek mythology Echidna (ekhis, meaning "she viper") was called the "Mother of All Monsters". Echidna was described by Hesiod (Theogony) as a female monster, who mothered with Typhon every major monster in the entire Greek mythos. Usually considered offspring of Uranus and Gaia, or sometimes Ceto and Phorcys or Chrysaor and the naiad Callirhoe. She had the face of a beautiful woman but the body of a serpent (see also Lamia). When she and her mate, Typhon, attacked the Olympians, Zeus beat them back and punished Typhon by sealing him under Mount Etna. However, Zeus allowed Echidna and her children to live as a challenge to future heroes. She was ageless, but not immortal as she is killed by Argus Panoptus, the 100-eyed giant.
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Echidna and Typhon's Offspring
The offspring of Typhon and Echidna were:
According to Herodotus ((3, c. 108), Hercules had three children by her:
Echidna in Other Media
Echidna was a recurring character in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys as she is played by Bridget Hoffman.
In the Gargoyles episode "The New Olympians," a snake woman named Ekidna is presumed to be Echidna's descendant.
In Disney's Hercules, Echidna also appeared as the mother of monsters.
See also
External links
ast:Equidna (mitoloxía) bg:Ехидна (митология) de:Echidna (Mythologie) el:Έχιδνα (μυθολογία) es:Equidna (mitología) fr:Échidna it:Echidna (mitologia) lt:Echidna (mitologija) nl:Echidna (mythologie) ja:エキドナ pl:Echidna ru:Ехидна (мифология) sv:Echidna uk:Єхидна (міфологічна)