Typhon

Typhon is a figure in Greek mythology, a colossal serpentine monster described as the most formidable creature in the Greek mythic tradition and sometimes called the father of all monsters.

His parentage varies by tradition: in Hesiod and other early sources he is the offspring of Gaia (Earth) and Tartarus, embodying the primordial forces of earth and abyss. In later tradition Echidna is described as his mate and the mother of many well-known monsters, including the Hydra, Cerberus, and Chimera.

Typhon is typically depicted as a vast, multiheaded monstrosity: a serpentine body, dragon heads, and sometimes wings; he is associated with storms, winds, and fiery breath.

In myth, Typhon challenged Zeus for control of the universe after the Titanomachy. Zeus defeated him with thunderbolts, and Typhon was either cast into Tartarus or imprisoned beneath Mount Etna, a stratagem that some traditions link to the volcano's eruptions.

Typhon's legacy stretches beyond myth. He has been a symbol of chaotic, elemental power in literature and art, and the name has influenced later uses connected with storms. The relationship between Typhon and the modern term typhoon is a topic of etymological discussion; some sources trace typhoon back to Typhon via Latin, while others propose different origins.

See also: Typhoeus, Echidna, Gaia, Tartarus, Mount Etna, Hydra, Chimera, Cerberus.