The Chimera
Fire-breathing hybrid monster slain by Bellerophon.
The Chimera—also known as Chimaera, Chimæra, or Khimaira—was a fire-breathing monster from Greek mythology, said to hail from Lycia in Asia Minor. Its body was a patchwork of different animals: typically a lion, with a goat’s head rising from its back and a tail that ended in a snake’s head. Some versions also gave it dragon’s wings. Born to Typhon and Echidna, it was a sibling of other famous monsters, including Cerberus and the Lernaean Hydra. Over time, the word “chimera” has come to mean any mythical or fictional creature made from parts of various animals.
In the *Iliad*, Homer described the Chimera as “of divine stock,” with a lion’s forepart, a serpent’s hind, and a goat in the middle, breathing fierce fire. Hesiod and Apollodorus offered similar accounts, calling it a three-headed beast: a lion in front, a fire-breathing goat in the middle, and a serpent at the rear. According to Hesiod, the Chimera’s mother was ambiguously referred to as “she”—possibly Echidna, with Typhon as the father, though the Hydra or Ceto might have been intended. Later mythographers Apollodorus and Hyginus, both citing Hesiod, explicitly named Echidna and Typhon as its parents. Hesiod also made the Sphinx and Nemean lion offspring of Orthus and another ambiguous “she,” often understood as the Chimera, though Echidna or Ceto remain possibilities.
In a lesser-known tale, the Cumaean Sibyl encountered the Chimera in a vision and interpreted it as an omen. She urged her followers to foster harmony in their community to avoid the chaos and destruction the monster might bring.
The Chimera was famously slain by the hero Bellerophon. According to Homer, the monster was raised by Araisodarus and was “a bane to many men.” The king of Lycia ordered Bellerophon to kill it, hoping the beast would destroy him. But Bellerophon, “trusting in the signs of the gods,” succeeded. Hesiod added that the hero had help from Pegasus. Apollodorus gave a fuller account: King Iobates sent Bellerophon against the Chimera, which had been killing cattle and devastating the land, expecting the monster to overpower him. Instead, Bellerophon mounted the winged horse Pegasus (born from Medusa’s blood), soared high, and shot the Chimera down from above.
Though Homer placed the Chimera in foreign Lycia, its artistic representation was wholly Greek. Greek vase painters developed an independent visual tradition. The Chimera first appeared early in the repertory of proto-Corinthian pottery, providing some of the earliest identifiable mythological scenes in Greek art. By the 670s BC, a fixed Corinthian type emerged, though variations suggest multiple origins. By the end of the seventh century, the monster had become a decorative motif in Corinth, while the image of Bellerophon on Pegasus took on a separate life. An Attic tradition, where the goat breathes fire and the rear is serpentine, began with confidence that undiscovered local precursors existed. Two vase painters used the motif so consistently they were nicknamed the Bellerophon Painter and the Chimaera Painter.
Similar creatures appear in other cultures. In ancient Egypt, a fire-breathing lioness was an early solar and war deity, with representations dating back 3,000 years before the Greeks. The lioness represented the war goddess and protector of both cultures that would unite as Egypt: Sekhmet in upper Egypt and Bast in lower Egypt. Bast, as divine mother and protector of Lower Egypt, became closely linked with Wadjet, the region’s patron goddess. In Etruscan civilization, the Chimera appears in the Orientalizing period before Etruscan Archaic art, and in wall paintings from the fourth century BC. In the Indus Valley Civilization, the Chimera is depicted on many seals, composed of animals from the Indian subcontinent, and is called the Harappan Chimera.
Although the ancient Chimera was forgotten in Medieval art, chimerical figures survived as embodiments of deceptive or satanic forces of raw nature. They were shown with a human face and a scaly tail, as in Dante’s vision of Geryon in *Inferno* (XVII.7–17, 25–27), a hybrid monster.
- Mythology
- Greek
- Origin
- Lycia, Asia Minor
- Parents
- Typhon and Echidna (according to Apollodorus and Hyginus)
- Siblings
- Cerberus, Lernaean Hydra
- Killed by
- Bellerophon
- Known for
- Fire-breathing hybrid monster
Lore & Background
According to Hesiod, the Chimera's mother was a certain ambiguous 'she', which may refer to Echidna, in which case the father would presumably be Typhon, though possibly the Hydra or even Ceto was meant instead. However, the mythographers Apollodorus (citing Hesiod as his source) and Hyginus both make the Chimera the offspring of Echidna and Typhon. Hesiod also has the Sphinx and the Nemean lion as the offspring of Orthus, and another ambiguous 'she', often understood as probably referring to the Chimera. Homer described the Chimera in the Iliad as 'of divine stock not of men, in the fore part a lion, in the hinder a serpent, and in the midst a goat, breathing forth in terrible wise the might of blazing fire.' Hesiod and Apollodorus gave similar descriptions: a three-headed creature with a lion in front, a fire-breathing goat in the middle, and a serpent in the rear. In a lesser known tale, the Cumaean Sibyl encountered the Chimera in a vision, interpreting it as an omen. According to Homer, the Chimera was reared by Araisodarus and was 'a bane to many men.' The hero Bellerophon was ordered by the king of Lycia to slay the Chimera, and succeeded 'trusting in the signs of the gods.' Hesiod adds that Bellerophon had help, saying 'her did Pegasus and noble Bellerophon slay.' Apollodorus gave a more complete account: Iobates, the king of Lycia, ordered Bellerophon to kill the Chimera (which had been killing cattle and devastating the country), but the hero mounted his winged horse Pegasus 'and soaring on high shot down the Chimera from the height.'
Reader's Guide
The Chimera is significant as a prime example of the hybrid monsters in Greek mythology, embodying the fusion of multiple animals into a single terrifying creature. Its depiction in art was wholly Greek, first appearing in the repertory of proto-Corinthian pottery painters in the 670s BC, providing some of the earliest identifiable mythological scenes in Greek art. The term 'chimera' has come to describe any mythical or fictional creature with parts taken from various animals, extending its legacy beyond ancient Greece into modern fantasy and science fiction. The myth also has a hypothesized origin in natural phenomena: Pliny the Elder cited Ctesias identifying the Chimera with an area of permanent gas vents in southwest Turkey, called Yanartaş (flaming rock), which emit burning methane. The Chimera's legacy persists in heraldry, where it is shown with specific composite features, and in popular culture, where chimeras of differing description appear in contemporary works.
Did You Know?
- The Chimera was an offspring of Typhon and Echidna and a sibling of Cerberus and the Lernaean Hydra.
- Homer described the Chimera as having a lion's fore part, a serpent's hinder, and a goat in the midst, breathing fire.
- The hero Bellerophon killed the Chimera with the help of the winged horse Pegasus.
- The term 'chimera' now describes any mythical or fictional creature with parts taken from various animals.
Common Misconceptions (Editorial)
1. A common misconception is that the Chimera had only one head. In fact, Homer, Hesiod, and Apollodorus described it as a three-headed creature: a lion in front, a goat in the middle, and a serpent in the rear. 2. Some might think the Chimera’s only parents were Echidna and Typhon according to all sources, but the facts note that Hesiod’s wording is ambiguous and may refer to Echidna, the Hydra, or Ceto instead; the definite parentage comes from Apollodorus and Hyginus. 3. It is often assumed the Chimera was killed by Bellerophon alone, but Hesiod specifies that “her did Pegasus and noble Bellerophon slay,” and Apollodorus adds that Bellerophon shot it from above while mounted on the winged horse.
Why It Matters (Editorial)
The Chimera endures because it embodies the ancient Greek fascination with hybrid, chaotic forces that test heroic order—a literal fire-breathing blend of predator and serpent that defies nature. Its legacy lives on in the modern word “chimera,” used in biology and genetics to describe any organism composed of mixed parts, showing how a mythology built on monsters can still shape scientific language today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is The Chimera?
The Chimera is a fire-breathing hybrid monster from Greek mythology, hailing from the region of Lycia in Asia Minor. It stands as one of the most recognizable chimeric beasts in the entire mythological canon.
What does The Chimera look like?
It is most commonly depicted as a lion-bodied creature with a goat's head sprouting from its back and a tail that ends in a snake's head. Some artistic traditions also give it dragon wings, and it is famous for breathing fire.
Who killed The Chimera?
The hero Bellerophon is credited with slaying the beast, making the encounter one of the defining hero-versus-monster stories in Greek myth.
Who are The Chimera's parents?
According to the accounts of Apollodorus and Hyginus, it was sired by Typhon and born of Echidna. This makes it a sibling to other famous monsters like Cerberus and the Lernaean Hydra.
Why is The Chimera important in folklore?
As a fire-breathing hybrid, it set the template for what 'chimeric' creatures represent in Western storytelling. Its multi-animal design made it a lasting icon that still influences fantasy and cryptid culture today.
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