The Chimera is a very popular creature in Greek mythology. The legend arose from Lycia, which is a village in Asia Minor. The creature is a hybrid of multiple animals because she is the offspring of Typhon and Echidna. Typhon and Echidna were known as the father and mother of all monsters because of their great power and numerous offspring. Typhon was the greatest beast who ever walked the earth; he had a head of a hundred dragon heads that reached up to the stars, as well as gigantic viper coils on his lower torso that could reach up to his head. Echidna, on the other hand, had the face and torso of a beautiful woman. This torso morphed into the body of a serpent that extended into two serpent tails.
Needless to say, Typhon and Echidna were qualified to be the parents of enormous and powerful beasts. The Chimera is a good example of this, since she is essentially invincible. Her head of that of a lion, as well as her body. However, her claws look more like those of a raptor. Her fur is nearly flat against her back, which exaggerates her robust frame. A goat head sticks out from the side of her body, and her lion head sprouts two sharp horns. Her tail turns into the body of a snake that erupts into a snake head at the end. The Chimera’s tail is poisonous, so very few creatures can get anywhere close to her. She also breathes fire, and I would personally advise staying away from her.
The Chimera was dangerous because her nature was full of malice. She was a beast bred by evil beings, so she was designed to only kill and destroy. The Chimera had the ability to create storms, cause shipwrecks, and initiate natural disasters. She was known specifically for her control over volcanoes, which she often erupted in order to destroy towns that she felt were too close to her territory. The territories that she roamed changed frequently, so she terrorized a vast amount of villages.
She was immortal, but not unstoppable. Many people tried to kill her, but they could not get close enough to her heads to cut one off. Anyone within striking distance would be burned or bitten. Finally, a man known for his ability to kill beasts decided to put a stop to the Chimera. His name was Bellerophon, and he was wise enough to realize that the Chimera had to be stopped in an unconventional way. He asked Pegasus for his help, since he knew the speed of flight would give him an advantage over the heads and tail of the Chimera. The Chimera could not fly, so she had no defense from the arrow that Bellerophon shot from above. He then threw a spear made of led into her mouth, which melted in her fiery breath and killed her.
Today, the word chimera describes any mythological creature that is made of multiple animals. It is also a phrase that is used in medicine when a person had two genetically distinct type of cells. I think it’s important to remember its original meaning though. After all, the Chimera is a pretty cool creature.