Heracles & The Hydra

Heracles' Second Labour was to slay
The Hydra. It dwelt in swamps near a place
Named Lerna. It would often terrorise
The folk from the surrounding countryside.
It was a monstrous serpent with cold eyes,
And nine vile heads, one of which, could not die.
When bold Heracles finally arrived,
At the Hydra's foul dwelling place, he fired
Flaming arrows at it. As it emerged
From its den, Heracles then seized it. Birds
Nearby flew away, lest they got engaged
In the oncoming, ferocious fight. Skies
Darkened as Heracles, with all his might,
Tried to overcome the vicious serpent
With his club, Heracles did not relent,
Even though his foot could not be freed,
From the serpent's coil. So Heracles
Steeled himself and this time with much fury,
He attacked the Hydra's many heads. He
Smashed one head, but then two more would appear
Instantly. Henceforth, Heracles in fear,
Called on his friend Iolaus to help him
Out of this tricky situation. To win
This battle tactics had to be applied.
Each time Heracles bashed one of the sly
Hydra's heads, Iolaus held a torch to
The headless tendons of its neck. No new
Heads could grow now, due to the flames' effects
Every monster appears to have defects.
Heracles had the better, finally
Of the evil, slithering beast. Once he
Removed and destroyed the eight mortal heads,
Heracles chopped off the immortal head.
He buried this at the side of the road,
From Lerna to Elaeus. O he hoped
That he would not encounter such a beast
Again! Consequently, with a heavy
Rock he covered it. He slit open
The Hydra's scaly, lifeless body. Then
He dipped his arrows in the venomous blood.
To use for the next tasks. For he understood
All too well what would lay ahead of him.
With that, Heracles returned to the king.