Which mythical creature with many heads did Hercules defeat by placing its heads under a rock?

• A. Hydra
• B. Chimera
• C. Cyclops
• D. Cerberus

Answer: (A)

The important idea here is how a monster with many heads is defeated by stopping its heads from regrowing. The Hydra is famous for having numerous heads, and in the myth, cutting off one head would cause two more to grow back. That makes sheer decapitation ineffective unless the wound is treated so regrowth can’t happen. In the Hercules story, this is achieved by burning the neck stumps after removing a head (often with help from a companion), sometimes coupled with trapping the severed heads under a rock to keep them from sprouting new ones. This combination—removing the heads and preventing regrowth—is what finally ends the Hydra.

Chimera isn’t about regrowing heads; it’s a fire-breathing creature made of several different animal parts. Cyclops is a single-headed giant, and Cerberus is a three-headed guard dog, but neither relies on a head-regrowth mechanic to be defeated in the way the Hydra does.