{"id":1044,"date":"2017-02-22T08:10:20","date_gmt":"2017-02-22T07:10:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fontecesia.it\/en\/?p=1044"},"modified":"2018-03-04T18:01:21","modified_gmt":"2018-03-04T17:01:21","slug":"dragons-regulus-todi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fontecesia.it\/en\/stories-legends-umbria\/dragons-regulus-todi\/","title":{"rendered":"Dragons and Regulus in Todi"},"content":{"rendered":"

Todi dragons and regulus<\/span><\/h2>\n

“We went after him in the middle of terrifying ditches<\/strong>, we saw his breath<\/strong> come out thicker from the Piana Cave shafts.<\/em><\/p>\n

We went to catch him also under the Tiber waters, in a place called “Hellhole<\/strong>” .<\/em><\/p>\n

Instead he, the king of the snakes<\/strong>, the regulus, the mythological dragon was two steps away from our homes.<\/em><\/p>\n

He was in the center of our city, carved, painted, he was told in more and more ways.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0He was born from a rooster, hatched by a toa<\/strong>d, half snake<\/strong>, he has scared us as children.<\/em><\/p>\n

He who makes the peasant folklore the real historical link of our community “.<\/em><\/p>\n

There are many stories and legends and \u201cevidence” about a fairy passed down through generations about Dragons who wandered in the Tiber valley .<\/p>\n

A few years ago, we hosted an exhibition entirely dedicated to our Dragons.<\/p>\n

It noted the presence of Dragons in the medieval iconography<\/strong> and sculptures<\/strong> of San Fortunato Church \u00a0and in Todi Cathedral .<\/p>\n

It was organized by the Speleological Group and by the Urban Divers of Todi, exposing some evidence like the rib of Forello Dragon<\/strong>.\"Hotel<\/p>\n

\u00a0The \u201cInfernaccio\u201d Dragon ( Hellhole dragon)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Speleologists tell about the Forello exploration<\/strong> and of its cavities that maintain, in the collective memory, a direct relationship with these mythological presences.<\/p>\n

So many tales and stories that revolve around the devil-turned-dragon<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

First of all the St Romana Cave<\/strong> from which the demonic dragon massacred people and animals, not to mention the stories about \u00a0the Snake Rock<\/strong> and the mysterious \u201cInfernaccio<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Dragon rib<\/strong>, according to legend, killed by the Bishop of Todi soldiers, is kept in the Temple of Santa Maria della Consolazione.<\/p>\n

The Dragon lair<\/strong> is indicated in the cartography and has been subject of several dives made by cave divers in order to better understand the cartographic signs.<\/p>\n

Explorations made especially in the\u201cInfernaccio area where the Tiber “disappear<\/strong> making gurgling noises \u00a0into a black hole<\/strong>“.\"Hotel<\/p>\n

If you are curious, like we are, and want to visit the Piana Cave<\/strong> or the Forello Gorges<\/strong>, contact us<\/a> or contact the Speleological Group of Todi or Urban Divers.<\/p>\n

It will be an unforgettable day<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

Saint Sylvester and the Dragon<\/span> <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Going down the main Corso you arrive at the Santa Maria trivium characterized by the presence of St Sylvester Church.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The church, one of the oldest in the city, was built before the eleventh century.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Inside there are many frescoes but the most important is the one where Pope Sylvester submits the Dragon<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The legend tells that the Pope, on Soratte Mountain defeated and killed a dragon.<\/p>\n

The dragon, symbol of evil<\/strong>, is pictured crouching at the feet of the saint, he is kept on chain, in a total submission<\/strong> act.<\/p>\n

The suggestion of St Sylvester dragon<\/strong> might have scared the unskilled workers into believing, when, in the eighteenth century, digging in S.S. Trinity church \u00a0garden, just a few meters from St Silvestro, they found out of the ordinary bones<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Here is the story by Pirro Lavi:\u00a0<\/p>\n

“In May 1773, in Todi, while digging the earth for the new S.S. Trinity monastery foundations, was discovered the skeleton of a \u201cgreat beast<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n

The bone of the front legs, which was without junction, measured seven palms<\/strong>, while the other bones of the legs had a scythe shape<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The laborers, just seen the beast, they began playing with the bones till reduce them into pieces, the teeth<\/strong>, however, were saved.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Mother Superior for absolute abhorrence<\/strong> or just for superstition<\/strong> disperse the already reduced in minute pieces skeleton\u201d<\/p>\n

The Regulus<\/span><\/h4>\n

Perhaps the smallest but certainly the most feared<\/strong>: The Regulus.<\/p>\n

The king of the snakes, a scaly reptile in the guise of a cock with a serpent’s tai<\/strong>l or a winged serpent.<\/p>\n

Reminds the greek basilisk.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Born from a cock’s egg seven or fourteen years old, hatched \u00a0by a toad<\/strong> or a frog on a manure pile.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He kills<\/strong> just by a look, with this lethal breath or carving up the unlucky only by contact.<\/p>\n

Legend tell that he lived along the Tiber in the “Snake Rock<\/strong>” terrorizing the people of Todi and of the valley.<\/p>\n

It is said that was killed by \u00a0Saint George<\/strong>, once released from the cave.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are many stories and legends and \u201cevidence” about a fairy passed down through generations about Dragons who wandered in the Tiber valley and in Todi.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":995,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[99],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n