Dragon

This article focuses on European dragons.

for dragons in Oriental cultures see Chinese dragon

Statue of dragon, Ljubljana, Slovenia

The dragon is a mythical creature typically depicted as a large and powerful serpent or other reptile with magical or spiritual qualities. Although dragons (or dragon-like creatures) occur commonly in legends around the world, different cultures have perceived them differently. Chinese dragons, and Eastern dragons generally, were usually seen as benevolent and spiritual, representative of primal forces of nature and universe and great sources of wisdom. In contrast, European dragons, as well as some cultures of Asia Minor such as the ancient Persian Empire were more often than not malevolent (there are of course exceptions to these rules), associated with evil supernatural forces and the natural enemy of man. They were commonly said to possess some form of magic or other supernormal powers, the most famous the ability to breathe fire from their mouths.

Over the years dragons have become the most famous and recognizable of all mythical creatures, used repeated in fantasy, fairy tales, video-games, movies and role-playing games of recent pop culture fame.

Description

Engraving of Ouroboros (a dragon swallowing its own tail) by Lucas Jennis, in alchemical tract titled De Lapide Philisophico.

Dragons more often than not fit into two categories in European lore: the first has large wings that enable the creature to fly and breathes fire from its mouth. The other corresponds more to the image of a giant snake, with no wings but a long, cylindrical body that enables it to slither on the ground. Both of these types are commonly portrayed as serpentine or reptilian, hatching from eggs with scaly bodies and occasionally large eyes. . Modern depictions of dragons are very large in size, but some early European depictions of dragons were only the size of bears, or, in some cases, even smaller, around the size of a butterfly. Some dragons were personified to the point that they could speak and felt emotions, while others were merely feral beasts.

Etymology

According to The Oxford English Dictionary, the word "dragon" has etymological roots as far back as ancient Greek, in the verb root Spakelv which translates as "to see strong". There were several similar words in contemporary langauges of the time that described some form of clear sight, but at some point the Greek verb was fused with the word for serpent, Spakov. From there it worked its way to the Latin language, where it was called (genitive: draconis), meaning snake or serpent. In the English langauge, the Latin word was split into several different words, all similar: dragon became the offical name for the large, mythical creatures, while variations on the root, such as draconian, draconic, and draconical all came to be adjectives describing something old, rigid, out of touch with the world or even evil.

Origins

Scholars have been attempting to uncover the true source of dragon legends since reports of the acient creatures themselves have been made public. While it is most probable that dragons in the form popular today never did exist, there is evidence to suggest that perhaps the belief in dragons was based on something real. Some have looked to dinosaurs as the answer. It is known that ancient cultures, such as the Greeks and Chinese found fossil remains of large creatures they could not easily identify. Such fossils have been held responsible for the creation of other mythical creatures, so it is probable that the belief in dragons could have been fostered in the remains of real animals. Some take this hypothesis a step further and suggest that dragons are actually a distant memory of real dinosaurs passed down through the generations of humanity. This belief explains first, why dragons appear in nearly every culture, as well why the dragon is most closely recognizable as a dinosaur then any other animal Such theories disregard the currently excepted timeline of the Earth's history, (man and dinosaurs are seperated by millions of years) and therefore are disregarded by mainstream scholars. It is more likely that a lack of understanding of nature, certain fossils, a stronger connection with the supernatural, and even perhaps a widespread fear of snakes and reptiles all helped form the idea of the dragon.

Some of the earliest references to dragons in the west come from Greece. Herodotus, often called the "father of history", visited Judea c.450 B.C.E. and wrote that he heard of dragons in the Arbia area, that were described as small, flying reptile like creatures. He also wrote that he observed the bones of a large, dragon creature. The idea of dragons was not unique to Herodutus in Greek mythology. There are many snake or dragon legends, usually in which a serpent or dragon guards some treasure. The first Pelasgian kings of Athens were said to be half human, half snake. The dragon Ladon guarded the Golden Apples of the Sun of the Hesperides. Another serpentine dragon guarded the Golden Fleece, protecting it from theft by Jason and the Argonauts. Similarly, Pythia and Python, a pair of serpents, guarded the temple of Gaia and the Oracular priestess, before the Delphic Oracle was seized by Apollo and the two serpents were draped around his winged caduceus, which he then gave to Hermes. . Of course these stories are not the first to mention dragon-like creatures, but are perhaps mark the time in which dragons become popular in Western beliefs, since European culture was so heavily influenced by ancient Greece.

European Mythology

Roman dragons

Roman dragons evolved from serpentine Greek ones, combined with the dragons of the Near East, in the mix that characterized the hybrid Greek/Eastern Hellenistic culture. From Babylon, the musrussu was a classic representation of a Near Eastern dragon. John's Book of Revelation — Greek literature, not Roman — describes Satan as "a great dragon, flaming red, with seven heads and ten horns". Much of John's literary inspiration is late Hebrew and Greek, but John's dragon, like his Satan, are both more likely to have come originally through the Near East. Perhaps the distinctions between dragons of western origin and Chinese dragons (q.v.) are arbitrary. A later Roman dragon was certainly of Iranian origin: in the Roman Empire, where each military cohort had a particular identifying signum, (military standard), after the Dacian Wars and Parthian War of Trajan in the east, the Draco military standard entered the Legion with the Cohors Sarmatarum and Cohors Dacorum (Sarmatian and Dacian cohort) — a large dragon fixed to the end of a lance, with large gaping jaws of silver and with the rest of the body formed of colored silk. With the jaws facing into the wind, the silken body inflated and rippled, resembling a windsock. This signum is described in Vegetius Epitoma Rei Militaris, 379 C.E. (book ii, ch XIII. 'De centuriis atque vexillis peditum'):

Dragons in Slavic mythology

Zmey Gorynych, by Victor Vasnetsov

Dragons of Slavic mythology hold mixed temperaments towards humans. For example, dragons (дракон, змей, ламя) in Bulgarian mythology are either male or female, each gender having a different view of mankind. The female dragon and male dragon, often seen as brother and sister, represent different forces of agriculture. The female dragon represents harsh weather and is the destroyer of crops, the hater of mankind, and is locked in a never ending battle with her brother. The male dragon protects the humans' crops from destruction and is generally loving to humanity. Fire and water play major roles in Bulgarian dragon lore; the female has water characteristics, whilst the male is usually a fiery creature. In Bulgarian legend, dragons are three headed, winged beings with snake's bodies.

In Russian, Belarusian, and Ukrainian lore, a dragon, or zmey (Russian), smok (Belarussian) zmiy (Ukrainian), is generally an evil, four-legged beast with few if any redeeming qualities. Zmeys are intelligent, but not very highly so; they often place tribute on villages or small towns, demanding maidens for food, or gold. Their number of heads ranges from one to seven or sometimes even more, with three- and seven-headed dragons being most common. The heads also regrow if cut off, unless the neck is "treated" with fire (similar to the hydra in Greek mythology). Dragon blood is so poisonous that Earth itself will refuse to absorb it.

The most famous Polish dragon is the Wawel Dragon or smok wawelski. It supposedly terrorized ancient Kraków and lived in caves on the Vistula river bank below the Wawel castle. According to lore based on the Book of Daniel, it was killed by a boy who offered it a sheepskin filled with sulphur and tar. After devouring it, the dragon became so thirsty that it finally exploded after drinking too much water. A metal sculpture of the Wawel Dragon is a well-known tourist sight in Kraków. It is very stylised but, to the amusement of children, noisily breathes fire every few minutes. The Wawel dragon also features on many items of Kraków tourist merchandise.

Other dragon-like creatures in Polish folklore include the basilisk, living in cellars of Warsaw, and the Snake King from folk legends.

Dragons in Germanic mythology

Having slain Fafner, Siegfried tastes his blood and comes to understand the speech of birds.

The most famous dragons in Norse mythology and Germanic mythology, are:

• Níðhöggr who gnawed at the roots of Yggdrasil;
• The dragon encountered by Beowulf;
• Fafnir, who was killed by Siegfried. Fafnir turned into a dragon because of his greed.
• Lindworms are monstrous serpents of Germanic myth and lore, often interchangeable with dragons.

Many European stories of dragons have them guarding a treasure hoard. Both Fafnir and Beowulf's dragon guarded earthen mounds full of ancient treasure. The treasure was cursed and brought ill to those who later possessed it.

Dragons in the emblem books popular from late medieval times through the 17th century often represent the dragon as an emblem of greed. (Some quotes are needed) The prevalence of dragons in European heraldry demonstrates that there is more to the dragon than greed.

Though the Latin is draco, draconis, it has been supposed by some scholars, including John Tanke of the University of Michigan, that the word dragon comes from the Old Norse draugr, which literally means a spirit who guards the burial mound of a king. How this image of a vengeful guardian spirit is related to a fire-breathing serpent is unclear. Many others assume the word dragon comes from the ancient Greek verb derkesthai, meaning "to see", referring to the dragon's legendarily keen eyesight. In any case, the image of a dragon as a serpent-like creature was already standard at least by the 8th century when Beowulf was written down. Although today we associate dragons almost universally with fire, in medieval legend the creatures were often associated with water, guarding springs or living near or under water.

Saint George versus the dragon

Other European legends about dragons include "Saint George and the Dragon", in which a brave knight defeats a dragon holding a princess captive. This legend may be a Christianized version of the myth of Perseus, or of the mounted Phrygian god Sabazios vanquishing the chthonic serpent, but its origins are obscure.

The tale of George and the Dragon has been modified for modern works, with Saint George portrayed in one Welsh nationalist rendering as an effete wally who faints at the sight of the dragon [1] and a poem by U. A. Fanthorpe based on Paolo Uccello's painting, which hangs in the British National Gallery. In the poem, Saint George is a thug, the Maiden considers the relative sexual merits of the dragon and saint, and the Dragon is the only sane character. Certainly, Uccello's fifteenth-century painting, in which the Maiden has the dragon on a leash, is itself not the most conventional representation of the story.

It is possible that the dragon legends of northwestern Europe are at least partly inspired by earlier stories from the Roman Empire, or from the Sarmatians and related cultures north of the Black Sea. There has also been speculation that dragon mythology might have originated from stories of large land lizards which inhabited Eurasia, or that the sight of giant fossil bones eroding from the earth may have inspired dragon myths (compare Griffin).

The Germanic tribe, the Anglo Saxons, under the warriors Hengest and Horsa broght the symbol of the White Dragon to England in the United Kingdom. Today, the White Dragon is representative of England.

Dragons in Celtic mythology

The Welsh flag, showing a red dragon passant

However, the dragon is now more commonly associated with Wales due to the national flag having a red dragon (Y Ddraig Goch) as its emblem and their national rugby union and rugby league teams are known as the dragons. An ancient story in Britain tells of a white dragon and a red dragon fighting to the death, with the red dragon being the resounding victor. The red dragon is linked with the Britons who are today represented by the Welsh and it is believed that the white dragon refers to the Saxons - now the English - who invaded southern Britain in the 5th and 6th centuries. Some have speculated that it originates from Arthurian Legend where Merlin had a vision of the red dragon (representing Vortigern) and the white dragon (representing the invading Saxons) in battle. That particular legend also features in the Mabinogion in the story of Llud and Llevelys.

It has also been speculated that the red dragon of Wales may have originated in the Sarmatian-influenced Draco standards carried by Late Roman cavalry, who would have been the primary defence against the Saxons. In Cymric language the word "ddraich" means also a chieftain, apparently due to the Roman draco standards.

The Welsh flag is parti per fess Argent and Vert; a dragon Gules passant.

Dragons in Basque mythology

Herensuge is the name given to the dragon in Basque mythology, meaning apparently the "third" or "last serpent". The best known legend has St. Michael descending from Heaven to kill it but only once God accepted to accompany him in person.

Sugaar, the Basque male god, is often associated with the serpent or dragon but able to take other forms as well. His name can be read as "male serpent".

A. Xaho, a romantic myth creator of the 19th century, fused these myths in his own creation of Leherensuge, the first and last serpent, that in his newly coined legend would arise again some time in the future bringing the rebirth of the Basque nation.

Dragons in Catalan mythology

File:Vibria.jpg

Vibria on Sant Jordi day, taken in Barcelona (Catalonia)

Dragons are well-known in Catalan myths and legends, in no small part because St. George (Catalan Sant Jordi) is the patron saint of Catalonia. Like most dragons, the Catalan dragon (Catalan drac) is basically an enormous serpent with two legs, or, rarely, four, and sometimes a pair of wings. As in many other parts of the world, the dragon's face may be like that of some other animal, such as a lion or bull. As is common elsewhere, Catalan dragons are fire-breathers, and the dragon-fire is all-consuming. Catalan dragons also can emit a fetid odor, which can rot away anything it touches.

The Catalans also distinguish a víbria or vibra (cognate with English viper and wyvern), a female dragon with two prominent breasts, two claws and an eagle's beak.

Dragons in Italian mythology

The legend of Saint George and the dragon is well-known in Italy. But other Saints are depicted fighting a dragon. For instance, the first bishop of the city of Forlì, named Saint Mercurialis, was said to have killed a dragon and saved Forlì. So he often is depicted in the act of killing a dragon. Likewise, the first patron saint of Venice, Saint Theodore of Tyro, was a dragon-slayer, and a statue representing his slaying of the dragon still tops one of the two columns in St. Mark's square.

Mediveal Christianity

In medieval symbolism, dragons were often symbolic of apostasy and treachery, but also of anger and envy, and eventually symbolized great calamity. Several heads were symbolic of decadence and oppression, and also of heresy. They also served as symbols for independence, leadership and strength. Many dragons also represent wisdom; slaying a dragon not only gave access to its treasure hoard, but meant the hero had bested the most cunning of all creatures. The Medieval Biblical interpretation of the Devil being associated with the serpent who tempted Adam and Eve, thus gave a snake-like dragon connotations of evil. Generally speaking, Biblical literature itself did not portray this association (save for the Book of Revelation, whose treatment of dragons is detailed below). The demonic opponents of God, Christ, or good Christians have commonly been portrayed as reptilian or chimeric.

In the Book of Job Chapter 41, the sea monster Leviathan, which has some dragon-like characteristics.

In Revelation 12:3, an enormous red beast with seven heads is described, whose tail sweeps one third of the stars from heaven down to earth (held to be symbolic of the fall of the angels, though not commonly held among biblical scholars). In most translations, the word "dragon" is used to describe the beast, since in the original Greek the word used is drakon (δράκον).

In iconography, some Catholic saints are depicted in the act of killing a dragon. This is one of the common aspects of Saint George in Egyptian Coptic iconography [2], on the coat of arms of Moscow, and in English and Catalan legend. In Italy, Saint Mercurialis, first bishop of the city of Forlì, is also depicted slaying a dragon.[3] Saint Julian of Le Mans, Saint Veran, Saint Crescentinus, and Saint Leonard of Noblac were also venerated as dragon-slayers.

However, some say that dragons were good, before they fell, as humans did. Also contributing to the good dragon argument in Christianity is the fact that, if they did exist, they were created as were any other creature, as seen in Dragons In Our Midst, a contemporary Christian book series by author Bryan Davis.

Literature and Fiction

The Old English epic Beowulf ends with the hero battling a dragon.

Dragons remain fixtures in fantasy books, though portrayals of their nature differ. For example, Smaug, from The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, who is a classic, European-type dragon; deeply magical, he hoards treasure and burns innocent towns.

A common theme in literature concerning dragons is the partnership of Dragon Riding between humans and dragons. This is evident in Dragon Rider and the Inheritance Trilogy. Most notably it is featured in Anne McCaffrey's Pern series; however, "dragons" (really genetically modified fire-lizards) feature prominently as workhorses, paired with so-called dragonriders to protect the planet from a deadly threat.

In Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea series, the portrayal of dragons undergoes significant changes from book to book.

The dragons in Harry Turtledove's Darkness series, a magical analogue of the Second World War, are beasts, highly pugnacious and under incomplete human control. In the storyline they are the analogue of fighter planes and dragon riders are obviously intended to represent fighter pilots of the Luftwaffe and the RAF.

Dragons have been portrayed in several movies of the past few decades, and in many different forms. In Dragonslayer (1981), a "sword and sorcerer"-type film set in medieval Britain, a dragon terrorizes a town's population. In contrast, Dragonheart (1996), though also given a medieval context, was a much lighter action/adventure movie that spoofed the "terrorizing dragon" stereotype, and depicts dragons as usually good beings, who in fact often save the lives of humans. Dragons can also be passionate protectors, just like the dragoness in Shrek and Shrek 2, who displays her love for a donkey. Reign of Fire (2002), also dark and gritty, dealt with the consequences of dormant dragons reawakened in the modern world.

Dragons are common (especially as non-player characters) in Dungeons & Dragons and in some computer fantasy role-playing games. They, like many other dragons in modern culture, run the full range of good, evil, and everything in between.

On the lighter side, Puff the Magic Dragon was first a poem, later a song made famous by Peter, Paul and Mary, that has become a pop-culture mainstay. The poem tells of an ageless dragon who befriends a young boy, only to be abandoned as the boy ages and dies.

Some stories give accounts of dragons in human form, notably the fourteenth-century French story Voeux du Paon tells the story of Melusine, a beautiful woman who seemed faithful but refused to take communion in church. When confronted, she turned into a dragon and fled. She has been depicted in Russian art of the 18th century as a woman's head on a dragon's body .

Heraldry

Yet another symbolic view of dragons is the Ouroborus, or the dragon encircling and eating its own tail. When shaped like this the dragon becomes a symbol of eternity, natural cycles, and completion.

File:Zmey.jpg

Dobrynya Nikitich slaying Zmey Gorynych, by Ivan Bilibin

.

The dragon is the emblem of Ljubljana, Slovenia. The city has a dragon bridge which is embellished with four dragons. The city's basketball club are nicknamed the "Green Dragons". License plates on cars from the city also feature a dragon.

Further reading

• Dragons, A Natural History by Dr. Karl Shuker Simon & Schuster (1995) ISBN 0-684-81443-9
• The Flight of Dragons by Peter Dickinson HarperCollins (1981) ISBN 0-06-011074-0
• Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons by Dugald A. Steer
• A Book of Dragons by Ruth Manning-Sanders (a representative collection of dragon fairy tales from around the world)

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

3. Littleton, C. Scott. (2002). Mythology. The Illustrated Anthology of World Myth and Storytelling. London: Duncan Baird.

4. Theosophical University Press. "Encyclopedia Theosophical Glossary Dis – Diz. (1999). Dragons. http://www.theosociety.org/Pasadena.etgloss.dis-diz.htm.

External links

• Dragons at Animal Planet

• European Dragons - an illustrated European dragon analysis, citing medieval bestiaries and contemporary works.
• Dragons in Art and on the Web, web directory with 1,470 dragon pictures
• Dragons Across Cultures on draconika.com
• General Dragon Information and Facts
• "Theoi Project" website: Dragons of classical Greece, excerpts from Greek sources, illustrations, lists and links.
• A víbria costume, as worn by a Catalan geganter.
• www.fectio.org.uk - Draco Late Roman military standard

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