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Chronological European Dragonslaying: Man vs Dragon By: Kevin P. Dempsey

- - - - On his way to make a sacrifice to the Goddess Athena, Cadmus left his companions who were beset upon by a dragon like creature. The beast kills his companions which in return is slain by an enraged Cadmus. After the death of the beast, Athena appeared before the hero and made him activate and observe a ritual that created five new companions from the teeth of the dragon. Cadmus would go on to be the founder of the great city of Thebes. There is a Roman version of this tale were it is revealed the dragon was a pet of Mars, the war God and depending on the variation is punished in one way or another for this act. McCullough, 7-12.
    - - During his famous Eight Labours, the hero Hercules squared up against two Dragons, the Hydra and the Ladon. Which were both defeated by the hero. McCullough, 14-18.
    - - During one of the many battles between Carthage and Rome, a Dragon attacked the forces under the command of Marcus Atilius Regulus. Standard Roman attacks were of no effect until, Regulus ordered his men to bombard the beast to death. After killing the dragon, Regulus ordered his men to skin the dragon and send the prize back to Rome. The skin was 120ft long. McCullough, 18.
  - - - The Irish hero Cu Chulainn has the reputation of killing a dragon-like beast with his bare hands as well as killing a fellow dragonslayer in single combat. McCullough, 22.
    - - In Norse myth, the hero Sigurd, (Siegfried in German) slays the dwarf turned dragon Fafnir with a magical sword. This tale would be one of Tolkien's main influences in his works. McCullough, 25-35.
    - - After decades as King of the Geats, a Dragon runs amok over his kingdom. With assistance from his kin Wiglaf, Beowulf slays the dragon but dies in the process. He represents the heroic warrior who achieves a glorious warrior death in his culture. McCullough 35-46.