~ HYDRA  id+ | WATER SERPENT |
         also DEVASTATION or POISON or
              PERSISTENT EVIL from the fact that
  HYDRA COULD DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF ITS HEADS
  FOR EACH HEAD CUT ANOTHER AROSE TO REPLACE IT
  myth> THE LERNEAN HYDRA WAS THE OFFSPRING OF
        TYPHON & ECHIDNA AND SIBLING OF CHIMERA
  HERA SENT HYDRA TO CAUSE DEVASTATION
  WITH HER NINE HEADS WHICH IF ANY OF EIGHT
  WAS CUT IT WOULD REGENERATE INTO TWO
  ONE HEAD VULNERABLE AND MORTAL
  THE 2nd LABOR OF HERCULES WAS TO
  KILL THE HYDRA WHICH HE DID
  WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF
  IOLAOS AND ATHENE
  THE TRICK WAS TO SEAR OFF
  THE NECKS UNTIL THE LAST AND MORTAL HEAD
  WAS HELD UNDER A ROCK
  HERCULES USED THE BLOOD FROM THE HYDRA
  AS A POISON FOR HIS ARROWS
  astr> A SERPENT LIKE SOUTHERN CONSTELLATION
  biol> the name is used to denote TENTACLES or
        SERPENT PROPERTIES as in
  HYDRACTINEA  HYDRALLAMANIA  HYDRASPIS  HYDRASPOTHERIUM
  in vern HYDRA denotes
  A NUMBER OF VERY SMALL FRESH WATER ANIMALS
  WITH TUBE LIKE BODIES AND
  AN ORAL OPENING SURROUNDED BY TENTACLES
  note that FRESHWATER HYDRA REPRODUCE
            BY BUDDING AND PERHAPS THE
  HYDRA IN LERNA IS
  A MAGNIFIED ACCOUNTING OF SUCH EVENTS
  see> HERCULES