HERE BE DRAGONS
Monstrous Habitats in Early Modern Thought
Constructed in 1504, the Lenox Globe is one of the earliest known examples of a three-dimensional model of the earth. On the eastern coast of Asia, far from the European origins of the globe, the artist inscribed the phrase HERE BE DRAGONS (HIC SUNT DRACONES). Echoing ancient and medieval authorities who had situated their habitat in remote places like Africa and India, this fanciful inscription banished the dragon to the farthest reaches of Asia. In the early modern period (ca. 1500–1800), global systems of exploration and commerce signaled the retreat of these reptilian monsters from the relentless march of human societies. At the same time, however, the fascination with dragons increased in step with their growing rarity. Naturalists were eager to report encounters with them in remote swamps and desolate mountainsides, while antiquarians collected and published voluminous works of dragon lore culled from the annals of ancient and medieval authors and peppered with rumors of contemporary sightings. The most recent accounts of dragon encounters took place in the American hinterlands. In the late nineteenth century, the dragons made their final stand in the badlands of Arizona and the dense forests of California in a world almost completely stripped of its secrets by the inexorable advance of human knowledge.
STRANGE, YET NOW A NEIGHBOUR TO US1
Pamphlets and broadsides featuring lurid stories about strange creatures and monstrous births were common in early modern England. One such pamphlet about a young yet dangerous dragon living in a forest in Sussex attracted considerable attention in the seventeenth century. Published in 1614 by John Trundle (1575–1629), “arguably the most enterprising—and unprincipled—publisher of the early Stuart age,” this short story thrilled urban readers with its report of a serpentine horror that left a trail of “glutinous and slimy matter” in its wake and spit venom at unwary humans and dogs that approached it.2 Although it was more of a threat to a local rabbit warren than to the residents of the village of Horsham, the narrators of the story feared that the monster would soon grow wings and become truly dangerous to the neighboring communities. Needless to say, it was difficult for Trundle’s London audience to refute the veracity of this tall tale because it took place far from human habitation in the remote woodlands of Sussex.
In Sussex, there is a pretty market-town called Horsham, near unto it a forest, called St. Leonards forest, and there, in a vast and unfrequented place, heathy, vaulty, full of unwholesome shades, and overgrown hollows, where this serpent is thought to be bred; but wheresoever bred, certain and too true it is that there it yet lives. Within three or four miles compass are its usual haunts, oftentimes at a place called Faygate, and it hath been seen within half a mile of Horsham, a wonder, no doubt, most terrible and noisome to the inhabitants thereabouts. There is always in his track or path left a glutinous and slimy matter (as by a small similitude we may perceive in a snail’s) which is very corrupt and offensive to the scent, insomuch that they perceive the air to be putrified withal, which must needs be very dangerous. For though the corruption of it cannot strike the outward part of a man, unless heated into his blood, yet by receiving it in at any of our breathing organs (the mouth or nose) it is by authority of all authors, writing in that kind, mortal and deadly, as one thus saith: The poison of serpents is deadly only when mixed with the blood (Lucan).3
The serpent, or dragon, as some call it, is reputed to be nine feet, or rather more, in length, and shaped almost in the form of an axletree of a cart, a quantity of thickness in the midst, and somewhat smaller at both ends. The former part, which he shoots forth as a neck, is supposed to be an ell long, with a white ring, as it were, of scales about it. The scales along his back seem to be blackish, and so much as is discovered under his belly appeareth to be red; for I speak of no nearer description than of a reasonable occular distance. For coming too near it hath already been too dearly paid for, as you shall hear hereafter.
It is likewise discovered to have large feet, but the eye may be there deceived; for some suppose that serpents have no feet, but glide upon certain ribs and scales, which both defend them from the upper part of their throat unto the lower part of their belly, and also cause them to move much the faster. For so this doth, and rids way, as we call it as fast as a man can run. He is of countenance very proud, and, at the sight or hearing of men or cattle, will raise his neck upright, and seem to listen and look about, with arrogancy. There are likewise on either side of him discovered two great bunches so big as a large foot-ball, and, as some think, will in time grow to wings; but God, I hope, will defend the poor people in the neighbourhood, that he shall be destroyed before he grow so fledged.
He will cast his venom about four rod from him, as by woeful experience it was proved on the bodies of a man and woman coming that way, who afterwards were found dead, being poisoned and very much swelled, but not preyed upon. Likewise a man going to chase it and, as he imagined, to destroy it, with two mastiff dogs, as yet not knowing the great danger of it, his dogs were both killed, and he himself glad to return with haste to preserve his own life. Yet this is to be noted, that the dogs were not preyed upon, but slain and left whole; for his food is thought to be, for the most part, in a cony-warren, which he much frequents and it is found much scanted and impaired in the increase it had wont to afford.
These persons, whose names are hereunder printed, have seen this serpent, beside divers others, as the carrier of Horsham, who lieth at the White Horse, in Southwark, and who can certify the truth of all that has been here related.
JOHN STEELE.
CHRISTOPHER HOLDER.
And a Widow Woman dwelling near Faygate.
A WORLD FULL OF DRAGONS1
No early modern commentator on dragons could rival the energy and enthusiasm of Edward Topsell (ca. 1572–1625), an English priest with a lively interest in natural history and zoology. A diligent student of ancient and medieval history, Topsell compiled two massive illustrated compendiums of animal lore: The History of Four-Footed Beasts (1607) and The History of Serpents (1608). The popularity of these two books kept them in print throughout the seventeenth century. Topsell’s approach to his subjects was exhaustive and he did not shy away from descriptions of mythological creatures, including Gorgons and manticores. It is no surprise that he devoted many pages of his book on serpents to their larger cousins, the dragons. With a giddiness that betrayed his excitement about these monstrous creatures, Topsell collected all manner of information about the physical characteristics and habitats of dragons and shared stories about their interaction with human beings and other animals, both as allies and as adversaries. The result was without contest the longest treatment of the history of dragons in the western tradition before the modern era.
OF THE DRAGON
Among all kindes of serpents, there is none comparable to the dragon, or that affordeth and yeeldeth so much plentiful matter in history for the ample discovery of the nature thereof; and therefore herein I must borrow more time from the residue, then peradventure the reader would be willing to spare from reading the particular stories of many other. But such is the necessity hereof, that I can omit nothing making to the purpose, either for the nature or morality of this serpent, therefore I will strive to make the description pleasant, with variable history, seeing I may not avoid the length hereof, that so the sweetnesse of the one, (if my pen could so expresse it) may countervail the tediousnesse of the other.
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There are divers sorts of dragons, distinguished partly by their countries, partly by their quantity and magnitude, and partly by the different form of their external parts . . . It was wont to be said, because dragons are the greatest serpents, that except a serpent eat a serpent, he shall never be a dragon: for their opinion was, that they grew so great by devouring others of their kinde; and indeed in Ethiopia they grow to be thirty yards long, neither have they any other name for those dragons but elephant-kill
ers, and they live very long.
Onesicritus writeth, that one Aposisares, an Indian, did nourish two serpents dragons, whereof one was six and forty cubits long, and the other fourscore; and for the more famous verification of the fact, he was a very earnest tuter to Alexander the Great, when he was in India, to come and see them, but the king being afraid, refused.2
The chroniclers of the affairs of Chios do write, that in a certain valley neer to the foot of the Mountain Pellenaeus, was a valley full of straight tall trees, wherein was bred a dragon of wonderful magnitude or greatnesse, whose only voice or hissing, did terrifie all the inhabitants of Chios, and therefore there was no man that durst come nigh unto him, to consider or to take a perfect view of his quantity, suspecting only his greatnesse by the loudnesse of his voyce, until at length they knew him better by a singular accident worthy of eternal memory.3 For it hapned on a time that such a violent winde did arise, as did beat together all the trees in the wood, by which violent collision the branches fell to be on fire, and so all the wood was burned suddenly, compassing in the dragon, whereby he had no means to escape alive, & so the trees fel down upon him and burned him. Afterward, when the fire had made the place bare of wood, the inhabitants might see the quantity of the dragon, for they found divers of his bones and his head, which were of such unusual greatnesse, as did sufficiently confirm them in their former opinion: and thus by divine miracle was this monster consumed, whom never any man durst behold being alive, & the inhabitants of the countrey safely delivered from their just conceived fear.
It is also reported, that Alexander among many other Beasts which he saw in India, did there finde in a certain den a dragon of seaventy cubits long, which the Indians accounted a sacred beast, and therefore intreated Alexander to do it no harm.4 When it uttered the voice with full breath, it terrified his whole army; they could never see the proportion of his body, but only the head, and by that they guessed the quantity of the whole body, for one of his eyes in their appearance seemed as great as a Macedonian buckler.5 Maximus Tyrius writeth that in the days of Alexander, there was likewise seen a dragon in India, as long as five roods of lands are broad, which is incredible.6 For he likewise saith that the Indians did feed him every day with many several oxen and sheep. It may be that it was the same spoken of before, which some ignorant men, and such as were given to set forth fables, amplyfied beyond measure and credit.
Whereas dragons are bred in India and Africa, the greatest of all are in India, for in Ethiopia, Nubia, and Hesperia, the dragons are confined within the length of five cubits and twenty cubits; for in the time of Euergetes, there were three brought into Egypt, one was nine cubits long, which with great care was nourished in the Temple of Esculapius, the other two were seaven cubits long.7 About the place where once the Tower of Babel was builded, are dragons of great quantity, and under the equinoctial, as Nicephorus Callistus writeth, there are serpents as thick as beams, in testimony whereof their skins have been brought to Rome.8 And therefore it is no marvail, although S. Augustine writing upon the 148. Psalm, doth say, Dragons are certain great beasts, and there are none greater upon the earth.9 Neither is it to be thought incredible, that the souldiers of Attilius Regulus did kill a dragon which was a hundred and twenty foot long, or that the dragons in the dens of the Mountain Atlas, should grow so great that they can scarse move their fore-parts of their body.10 I am yet therefore to speak of the dragons in the Mountains Emodii or of Arigia, or of Dachinabades, or the regions of the east, or of that which Augustus shewed publiquely to the people of Rome, being fifty cubits long; or of those which be in the Alpes, which are found in certain caves of the south-sides of the hills, so that this which hath been said, shall suffice for the quantity and countries of dragons. Besides, there are other kindes of dragons which I must speak of in order; and first of all of the Epidaurian dragons, which is bred no where but in that countrey, being tame, and of yellow golden colour, wherefore they were dedicated to Aesculapius . . .11
There are likewise other kinde of tame dragons in Macedonia, where they are so meek, that women feed them, and suffer them to suck their breasts like little children. Their infants also play with them, riding upon them and pinching them, as they would do with dogs, without any harm, and sleeping with them in their beds . . . Of the Indian dragons there are also said to be two kindes, one of them fenny, and living in the marishes, which are slow of pace and without combes on their heads like females; the other in the mountains, which are more sharp and great, and have combes upon their head, their backs being somewhat brown, and all their bodies lesse scaly then the other. When they come down from the mountains into the plain to hunt, they are neither afraid of marishes nor violent waters, but thrust themselves greedily into all hazards and dangers; and because they are of longer and stronger bodies then the dragons of the fens, they beguile them of their meat, and take away from them their prepared booties. Some of them are of a yellowish fiery colour, having also sharp backs like saws; these also have beards, and when they set up their scales they shine like silver. The apples of their eyes are precious stones, and as bright as fire, in which there is affirmed to be much vertue against many diseases, and therefore they bring unto the hunters and killers of dragons no small gain, besides the profit of their skin, and their teeth; and they are taken when they descend from the mountains into the valleys to hunt the elephants, so as both of them are kill’d together by the hunters.
Their members are very great, like unto the members of the greatest swine, but their bodies are leaner, flexibly turning to ever side, according to the necessity of motion. Their snouts are very strong, resembling the greatest ravening fishes; they have beards of a yellow golden color, being full of bristles; and the mountain-dragons commonly have more deep eye-lids then the dragons of the Fens. Their aspect is very fierce and grim, and whensoever they move upon the earth, their eyes give a sound from their eye-lids, much like unto the tinckling of brasse, and sometimes they boldly venture into the sea and take fishes.
OF THE WINGED DRAGON
There be some dragons which have wings and no feet, some again have both feet and wings, and some neither feet nor wings, but are only distinguished from the common sort of serpents by the combe growing upon their heads, and the beard under their cheeks.
Saint Augustine saith, that dragons abide in deep caves and hollow places of the earth, and that sometimes when they perceive moistnes in the air, they come out of their holes, & beating the air with their wings, as it were with the strokes of oars, they forsake the earth and flie aloft; which wings of theirs are of a skinny substance, and very voluble, and spreading themselves wide, according to the quantity and largenesse of the dragons body12 . . . [Learned authors in accordance with ancient poets] do affirm that a dragon is of a black colour, the belly somewhat green, and very beautiful to behold, having a treble row of teeth in their mouths upon every jaw, and with most bright and cleer seeing eyes, which caused the poets to faign in their writings, that these dragons are the watchfull keepers of treasures. They have also two dewlaps growing under their chin, and hanging down like a beard, which are of a red colour; their bodies are set all over with very sharp scales, and over their eyes stand certain flexible eye-lids. When they gape wide with their mouth, and thrust forth their tongue, their teeth seem very much to resemble the teeth of wilde Swine. And their necks have many times grosse thick hair growing upon them, much like the bristles of a wilde boar.
Their mouth, (especially of the most tameable dragons) is but little, not much bigger then a pipe, through which they draw in their breath, for they wound not with their mouth, but with their tails only beating with them when they are angry. But the Indian, Ethiopian, and Phrygian dragons, have very wide mouths, through which they often swallow in whole fowls and beasts. Their tongue is cloven as if it were double, and the investigators of nature do say, that they have fifteen teeth of a side. The males have combes on their heads, but the females have none, and they are likewise disti
nguished by their beards.
They have most excellent senses both of seeing and hearing, and for this cause their name Drakon cometh of Derkein, and this was one cause why Jupiter the heathens great god, is said to be metamorphosed into a dragon, whereof their flyeth this tale.13 When he fell in love with Proserpina, he ravished her in the likenesse of a dragon, for he came unto her and covered her with the spires of his body; and for this cause the people of Sabazii did observe in their mysteries or sacrifices the shape of a dragon rowled up within the compasse of his spires; so that as he begot Ceres with childe in the likenesse of a bull, he likewise deluded her daughter Proserpina in the likenesse of a dragon; but of these transmutations we shall speak more afterwards, and I think the vanity of these took first ground from the Africans, who believe that the original of dragons took beginning from the unnatural conjunction of an eagle and a she wolf. And so they say that the wolf growing great by this conception, doth not bring forth as at other times, but her belly breaketh and the dragon cometh out, who in his beak and wings resembleth the eagle his father, and in his feet and tail, the wolf his mother, but in the skin neither of them both; but this kinde of fabulous generation is already sufficiently confuted. Their meats are fruits and herbs, or any venomous creature, therefore they live long without food, and when they eat, they are not easily filled. They grow most fat by eating of egges, in devouring whereof they use this art, if it be a great dragon, he swalloweth it up whole, and then rowleth himself, whereby he crusheth the egges to pieces in his belly, and so nature casteth out the shells, and keepth the meat. But if it were a young dragon, as if it be a dragons whelp, he taketh the egge within the spire of his tail, and so crushed it hard and holdeth it fast, until his scales open the shell like a knife then sucketh he out of the place opened all the meat of the egg. In like sort do the young ones pull off the feathers from the fowls which they eat, and the old ones swallow them whole, casting the feathers out of their bellies again.
The Penguin Book of Dragons Page 21
