Campe: The She Dragon Guard of Tartarus

Campe was a vicious fire-breathing female monster that had only one purpose in life. She is a famous character in Greek mythology. Interestingly, the death of Campe plays a very important role in the infamous Titanomachy. Here we have gathered all the information on this monster.

Who Is Campe?

Campe mythology includes the story of Campe being a guard. She guarded some of the most troublesome and chaotic creatures. In Greek mythology, there exists a place known as Tartarus. Tartarus is a dark abyss used as a dungeon to punish, creatures that cannot exist in the normal world because of their powers and intentions.

Campe in Tartarus

Campe guarded Tartarus. She was created and appointed by Cronus, the first Titan. She guarded Tartarus day and night and inside the dungeon were Cyclops and the Hundred-Handers. Both of these characters are described with great warning as they possessed powers that could overthrow Cronus.

She dragons are very rare to come by in any mythology. Campe or Kampe is therefore a treasured creature, one that brings out the beauty of Greek mythology and its writers.

Physical Features of Campe

Campe is a humongous creature that is unmatched. A dragon which would breath fire and has wings to fly. She was called the nymph of Tartarus and also was the female counterpart of Typhon.

Some also explain the appearance of Campe as half human and half dragon. She had a beautiful upper body of a female with luscious hair and bold eyes whereas the lower part of her body was that of a dragon with wings attached from behind.

Titanomachy

Zeus was the son of Cronus who had appointed Campe at Tartarus. There was a huge unsettlement between Zeus and Cronus. Cronus came across a prophecy that one of his sons would overthrow him and take his throne. This paranoid Cronus so any child that was born to him, he ate it.

Rhea, Cronus' wife, was heartbroken because Cronus ate all of her children. One time Rhea managed to save one of her sons, Zeus. She hid Zeus from Cronus until Zeus grew up. He went on to take revenge on Cronus and free his siblings. The war between Cronus, a Titan, and his son, Zeus, an Olympian is known as Titanomachy.

For the fight against the first god of the Titans, Zeus needed every possible help he could get. He firstly freed his siblings from Cronus with the help of Rhea. Secondly, he went to gather all the creatures that were against Cronus and would help him take down his own father.

Campe and Zeus

Zeus went to Tartarus where Campe was guarding the gates. Inside the gates were Cyclops and the Hundred-handers. Zeus wanted to free them so that they can help him win against the Titans. Zeus was against a literal fire-breathing chthonic dracaena, whose one blow would burn the life out of Zeus.

He worked his way around the she-dragon very slowly when she was sleeping. He swung his throat at the dragon with all his might and power. He slew her head off and the dragon lay their life-less. Zeus hurried towards the gates and freed Cyclops and the Hundred-handers.

Both of the now free prisoners agreed to help Zeus kill his father. Unfortunately, there is no more information about the Campe other than the fact that Zeus killed her because of her own advantage.

FAQ

What Are Some of the Most Famous Monsters in Greek Mythology?

Greek mythology is filled with monstrous characters that have vile stories and are exceptionally deadly. Some of the most famous Greek mythology monsters are Medusa, Typhon, Campe, Scylla, Echidna, and Hekatonkheires Greek mythology.

Conclusion

Campe or Kampe was a she-dragon that was appointed by Cronus for some important work at the Tartarus. She was in the way of Zeus and his way to victory. Here are some of the most important points about Campe in Greek mythology:

• Campe was a fire-breathing dragon guarding the Tartarus.

• Tartarus is a deep abyss that imprisons creatures that are not safe for the world. Cronus had captured and imprisoned Cyclops and the Hundred-handers in Tartarus.

• Zeus wanted to destroy Cronus for eating his siblings and wanted the throne for himself. For this purpose, he wanted the prisoners of Tartarus with him.

• Zeus killed Campe and freed Cyclops and the Hundred-handers. They helped him win Titanomachy and brought Cronus to his death.

The dragon, Campe is surely an amazing creature of Greek mythology but was sadly put down by Zeus for his own benefits. Here we come to the end of the article about Campe. We hope it was a pleasant read for you.