The Enigmatic Chimera

'The Chimera' by Jacopo Ligozzi (1590-1610)

The Chimera, from Homer's epic Greek poem, the Iliad, is described as a monstrous female fire-breathing creature with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent. It possessed the power of the three creatures it was created from. In the poem, the monster is slain by the hero Bellerophon.

Henry Justice Ford (1911)

     According to Homer, in "The Iliad," the Chimera was said to be the offspring of the monster Typhon and Echidna, a half-woman, half-snake creature. The Chimera lived in Lycia, in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), terrorizing the locals and ravaging the land. Eventually, King Iobates sent Bellerophon to slay the Chimera, though the king believed the task was impossible. With the help of his winged horse, Pegasus, Bellerophon was able to defeat the monster by attacking it from above, avoiding its deadly breath.

     In ancient times, the Chimera symbolized the chaos of nature and the fear of the unknown. With its blend of fantastical beauty and horror, Chimera has come to mean an illusion or fabrication of the mind. It represents something that is hoped for but is illusory and impossible to achieve. The term 'chimera' also means any hybrid creature composed of implausible parts to create an unrealistic and mythical monster.

Engraving by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (1747-1822)