Myth Behind The Dragon Research Paper

I chose the constellation Draco for the reason that I just love dragons, as well as the myth behind the specific dragon that the constellation represents. That dragon is called Ladon, and he was a more serpent like dragon, with multiple heads, although stories disagree about how many exactly. The constellation is located in the northern sky, and is a circumpolar constellation, meaning it never sets below the horizon for many observers in the north.

Hercules defeated Ladon on a quest to retrieve a golden apple from the tree Ladon guarded in the garden of the Hesperiedes. This quest was one of Hercules’s ten labors (which later became twelve). In some accounts, Ladon is the brother of the Nemean Lion, which Hercules also defeated. Some accounts …show more content…
Ladon was sleeping, but if he was woken by some other than Aegle, Zoe’s sister, or the bright sunlight, his instincts would kick in. Zoe slowly back towards the stream, keeping her eyes on Ladon. She didn’t notice the man creeping towards Ladon until she bumped into him. She gasped quietly, putting her hand over her mouth. She stumbled backwards, tripping over the man’s foot and falling into the stream. She looked up, water dripping from her bangs, and saw a man with an enormous lion skin draped over his shoulders. His eyes widened for a moment, than he reached out his hand to help Zoe up. He began to say something, but Zoe clapped her hand over his mouth and hissed in his ear, “Do you want to get killed?” The man shook his head. Zoe removed her hand. Zoe led the man away from Ladon ever so quietly, and when they were far enough away Zoe asked him, “What are you doing here? Do you want my father to catch you? I can tell you are a demigod. He does not like demigods, and he will kill you if Ladon does not first.” The man laughed softly. “I am Hercules! I have bested a thousand beasts. Surely a dragon would not be harder than a Chimera, or a Hydra?” Zoe shook her head. “You are foolish. I sense you mean to take an apple. My sisters will not allow that to happen.” Hercules frowned. “Do you have any weapons? I had to leave mine behind to climb up the cliff to get here. And you never told me your name, little one.” Zoe pulled a jewel-encrusted comb out of her hair, letting it tumble down her shoulders. She flipped it over in her palm a few times. “I am Zoe, one of the Hesperides. I do not think I can help you get past Ladon; he has never trusted me. But I can give you this.” She handed him the clip. As it touched his palm, it grew into a bronze sword with a leather hilt and an inscription on the blade of ancient unreadable runes. “This is the only