Greek Mythology · monster

Echidna

Ἔχιδνα
monsterthe monster-mother

Half-woman, half-serpent monster who, with Typhon, mothered many of the great monsters of Greek myth.

EC
The account

Who they are

Echidna is a half-woman, half-serpent creature who dwelt in a cave and, in partnership with the monster Typhon, mothered many of the great monsters of Greek myth, including Cerberus, the Lernaean Hydra, the Chimera, the Sphinx, and Orthrus [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text. She is the 'mother of monsters,' a source of the chthonic terror that the heroes of Greek myth must overcome.
Worth knowing
  • Mother (with Typhon) of Cerberus, the Hydra, the Chimera, the Sphinx, and more [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.
Relationships (2)

Connections

Family & kinship

PARENT_OFCerberus — Echidna (with Typhon) is the parent of Cerberus.[S1]

Partners

PARTNER_OFTyphon — Typhon and Echidna are the monster-couple that parent the great monsters.[S1]
Local graph

Their corner of the divine world

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hierarchical — generations top → bottom, partners side by side
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FocusEchidnaGreek
GREEK · 41variantvariant♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥AegisHelmet of HadesCaduceus of Her…Trident of Pose…Thunderbolt of …Alcmenamortalthe mortal mother of Heracles1 relationsAndromedamortalthe rescued princess2 relationsAphroditedeitylove7 relationsAtlasdeitythe sky (bore)1 relationsChaosprimordialorigin2 relationsDanaemortalthe mortal mother of Perseus1 relationsDemeterdeityharvest6 relationsEchidnamonsterthe monster-mother2 relationsGaiadeityearth6 relationsHadesdeitythe dead7 relationsHeradeitymarriage8 relationsHestiadeityhearth1 relationsLetodeitymotherhood (as mother of Apollo/Artemis)2 relationsMedusamonsterthe Gorgon3 relationsMetisdeitycounsel2 relationsOceanusdeitythe great world-river1 relationsOdysseusherocunning2 relationsPenelopemortalthe faithful wife of Odysseus2 relationsPoseidondeitythe sea6 relationsRheadeitymotherhood2 relationsSemelemortalthe mortal mother of Dionysus1 relationsTethysdeitythe primordial sea1 relationsTyphonmonsterthe great monster7 relationsCerberusmonsterthe guardian of the underworld3 relationsErosdeitylove2 relationsHebedeityyouth2 relationsHephaestusdeityfire6 relationsMaiadeitythe nymph2 relationsUranusprimordialsky6 relationsPersephonedeitythe underworld2 relationsTelemachusmortalthe son of Odysseus2 relationsCronusdeitytime (later association)9 relationsZeusdeitysky29 relationsApollodeitysun (later)4 relationsAresdeitywar (violence, bloodshed)3 relationsArtemisdeitythe hunt3 relationsAthenadeitywisdom4 relationsDionysusdeitywine3 relationsHeraclesherostrength7 relationsHermesdeitymessengers5 relationsPerseusheroheroism8 relations
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