TYPHON
Typhon was the largest monster ever born. Instead of legs his bottom portion was a mass of coiled snakes as were his hands. His outstretched arms would reach hundreds of leagues in either direction. "His vast wings darkened the sun, fire flashed from his eyes, and flaming rocks hurtled from his mouth." (Graves, Robert The Greek Myths) He frightened the gods on Olympus and they fled to Egypt. Only when Zeus was taunted for his cowardice did he return to do battle with the mighty Typhon.

The area around the Mediterranean Sea is still pockmarked with evidence of this tremendous struggle. The two beings first grappled on Mount Casius, Zeus was here defeated and the sinews that gave him movement in his hands and feet were severed. It was only through devious trickery that Hermes and Pan were able to reassemble the immortal Zeus.

The battle continued in mountainous Thrace where Typhon hurtled whole mountains at Zeus and tremendous thunderbolts electrified the sky. Typhon was here wounded and bleeding. It was due to these streams of blood that Mount Haemus got its name. In his pained rage Typhon fled towards Sicily where Zeus was able to end the battle by throwing Mount Aetna on top of Typhon. This is why the mountain still belches fire and flame even today.