ABSTRACT
The term “Hydra” is from Greek mythology (see Figure 1.1). The Hydra was a giant swamp monster with seven dragonlike heads, each on a long, spiny, dragonlike neck. Each of the monster’s heads turned, moved, and attacked with the speed of a cobra. To complicate matters, the Hydra’s breath was toxic enough to bring death. Thus, if a would-be dragon slayer was brave enough to survive the sheer fright created by the Hydra’s physical appearance, and fortunate enough to evade the beast’s ferocious heads snapping and attacking, he was still at mortal risk from the Hydra’s noxious breath. Also, the Hydra had been granted the power of regeneration by the Gods. If a champion successfully cut off one of the Hydra’s heads in a fight, two would instantly grow back in its place and some legends credit that the Hydra had as many as 100 heads; in addition, its central head could not be harmed by the weapons of man. It was a fierce, formidable killing beast. All who confronted the Hydra were certain to perish.
