CAMPE IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Campe was one of the monstrous creatures spoken of in Greek mythology, a drakaina, or she-dragon, Campe, or Kampe, was a monstrous mixture of serpent and woman.
Campe is a famous creature of Greek mythology, and yet she appears in relatively few ancient sources; this is mainly due to Campe's link with the Titanomachy, the ten year Titan War, a tale of Greek mythology where no ancient sources have survived.
Campe is a famous creature of Greek mythology, and yet she appears in relatively few ancient sources; this is mainly due to Campe's link with the Titanomachy, the ten year Titan War, a tale of Greek mythology where no ancient sources have survived.
Campe the Nymph of Tartarus
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It is generally considered that Campe was a child of the primordial deities, Tartarus, the hell-pit, and Gaia, Earth. Nonnus would name Campe as the Nymph of Tartarus, and it was with the underworld of Greek mythology, that the drakaina was primarily associated.
A child of primordial deities, Campe was first mentioned in the early period of Greek mythology, a time of transition between the rule of Ouranos (Sky) and the Titan Cronus. Ouranos became the first of supreme deity of the Greek pantheon, but Gaia plotted against him when Ouranos imprisoned their children, the Hecatonchires and the Cyclopes within Tartarus. This led to Cronus and the other Titans, at the instigation of Gaia, overthrowing their father, with Cronus becoming the next supreme deity. Cronus though was afraid of the power of his siblings, the Hecatonchires and Cyclopes, and instead of releasing them from their imprisonment, Cronus added an extra guard, this guard was Campe. The Death of CampeLater, Gaia would instigate another revolution, this time leading Zeus to rise up against Cronus and the other Titans. This uprising was the Titanomachy, a ten year war between Zeus and the Olympians, and the Titans.
Zeus was then advised that victory would come his way if he could harness the power of the Hecatonchires and the Cyclopes. It is known that Zeus descended into the underworld, killed Campe and released the Hecatonchires and Cyclopes, with Zeus going on to win the war. The details of the battle between Zeus and Campe are not recorded. |
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A description of Campe
A detailed description of Campe comes relatively late in the historic works relating to Greek mythology, for the description comes from Nonnus in the Dionysiaca, the epic that tells of the life and adventures of Dionysus.
Campe was a drakaina, half-woman and half-serpent; and Campe is considered to have an upper body and face of a beautiful woman. The rest of Campe though, was truly monstrous.
The lower part of Campe was serpentine in nature, with two tails, one a serpents, and one a scorpion; this second tail rose over Campe's head. Around the waist and shoulders of Campe were fifty individual heads, heads of the most dangerous animals, including lions and bears. A thousand vipers protruded where feet should be, and black wings emanated from her back.
Conversely, Diodorus Sciulus, in his Library of History, tells of Dionysus killing Campe near the Libyan city of Zabirna. Though more likely than this being a resurrected Campe, is perhaps the idea that this was Echidna, another Drakaina.
Campe was a drakaina, half-woman and half-serpent; and Campe is considered to have an upper body and face of a beautiful woman. The rest of Campe though, was truly monstrous.
The lower part of Campe was serpentine in nature, with two tails, one a serpents, and one a scorpion; this second tail rose over Campe's head. Around the waist and shoulders of Campe were fifty individual heads, heads of the most dangerous animals, including lions and bears. A thousand vipers protruded where feet should be, and black wings emanated from her back.
Conversely, Diodorus Sciulus, in his Library of History, tells of Dionysus killing Campe near the Libyan city of Zabirna. Though more likely than this being a resurrected Campe, is perhaps the idea that this was Echidna, another Drakaina.
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Colin Quartermain - Campe - 2nd May 2019