The Cynocephali and the Monster's Continual Role

Known throughout the European medieval world, the Cynocephali was easily the most popular and recognized monster (Friedman 15). Regarding his appearance, the Cynocephali possessed a "dog-headed face" with "fangs larger than that of a dog," "thick long legs," and "a hairy tail" protruding from its hind region (Dillon 49). Additionally, rather than a normal human speech the Cynocephali communicates though a series of barks and growls (Murphy 85). Using a bow or spear, a Cynocephali had impeccable precision. This battle expertise leads to many to many rumors and tales of the Cynocephali as fierce and brilliant warriors. Adding to the fear of the Cynocephali's battle prowess, the Cynocephali often consumed human flesh and would eat the bodies of warriors slain in battle (Cohen 15).

Despite their bestial nature, these dog-headed monsters actually had some very unique characteristics. Unlike many monsters, the Cynocephali were initially considered peaceful, "domesticating cattle, goats, and sheep" (Dillon 50). This human element likely helps to explain the implementation of the Cynocephali into religion and other important roles in medieval society. The Cynocephali was essentially a factual race of people. Thus, the idea that Saint Christopher, a Cynocephali, could become a human through his service and the will of God after a baptism was completely plausible to individuals of the period (Rudwick 213). Lastly, dog-headed people also possessed especially long lives, living far beyond the years of the average human life. Ultimately, disregarding their bizarre and fantastical elements, the Cynocephali was surprisingly similar to humans.

The origins of the Cynocephali begin in Greek society appearing in travel journals and collections of monsters. In the works of Pliny, the Cynocephali appears as a group of peaceful men who possess dog-like faces. As Christianity took its dominance, the Cynocephali begins to change and appear in Christian artwork and literature. The Cynocephali become more known for his cannibalistic tendencies and warrior instincts. The Cynocephali essentially progresses to become more of a monster as society changes.

Entirely across the world in North America, the Cynocephali finds a parallel in Algonquian mythology. The Windigo was an evil cannibalistic spirit that could transform humans (McKee 112). Additionally, the Windigo existed in Algonquian society as a warning of what the soul could become if an individual was to become to greedy or taken with vice. Similarly, the Cynocephali eventually became a tool for the church to use as an example of what happens to individuals who performed certain sinful acts.

Similar to the Cynocephali, the vampire exists as another recurrence of this dog-headed beast. The vampire while not cannibalistic does suck blood from its victims. Furthermore, the legends associated with the vampire give it the ability to transform into a bat. More recently, in the film Nosferato the vampire appeared to have the bestial features of a man combined with a rat. Thus, the idea of man and beast becoming one and the fear of cannibalism resurface with the fear of the vampire.

Most recently, a manifestation of the Cynocephali has appeared in the modern age. The Chupacabre became the name for a mysterious beast found in regions of North America and later as far away as Russia. The Chupacabre kills by poking several holes into its victims and then draining the all of blood in their body. Additionally, more recent descriptions of this monster have shown it to be canine-like and dog faced unlike the initial more reptilian descriptions. Essentially, the Chupacabre has grown to become more like the Cynocephali.

One of the most accurate and strikingly similar manifestations of the Cynocephali is the werewolf. Tracing its roots to ancient Greece, the concept of the werewolf is nearly as ancient as the Cynocephali itself. The idea of a man transforming into a wolf first appears in the story of Lycaon, in which a man transforms into a wolf for consuming human flesh (Ginsberg 228). The werewolf then evolves to become more human-like and ferocious. More recently the werewolf appears in the Navajo tradition, who believes that there is a "wolf man" that roams across the land who has the ability to shift his shape between that of a wolf and that of a human (Hendricks 59). The most modern adaptations of the werewolf have shown it as an infected human bitten by a wolf, who during a full moon transforms from human into a raging wolf-like beast. The werewolf essentially describes the Cynocephali's two sides. The werewolf's dormant human side demonstrates the Cynocephali's humane side, whereas the mad wolf-like state demonstrates the Cynocephali's animalistic rage.

Ultimately, the Cynocephali is the epitome of a monster. Combining the fears of cannibalism and man and beast combined, the Cynocephali ignited wild tales which inspired and continued on throughout the ages in the form of the Cynocephali and other later manifestations.

Cohen, Jeffery. Of Giants: Sex, Monsters, and the Middle Ages. Minnesota: University of

Minnesota Press, 1999

Dillon, Myles. "Notes on Irish Words." Language 17 (1941): 249-253. JSTOR. 17 Feb. 2008.

Friedman, John. The Monstrous Races: In Medieval Art and Thought. Syracuse: Syracuse UP, 2000.

Ginsberg, Warren. "Ovid's "Metamorphoses" and the Politics of Interpretation." The Classical Journal 84 (1989): 222-231. JSTOR. 17 Feb. 2008.

Hendricks, George. "Navajo Werewolf Belief." Western Folklore 26 (1967): 59. JSTOR.

17 Feb. 2008.

McKee, Richard. The Clan of the Flapdragon and Other Adventures in Etymology. Tuscaloosa: Tuscaloosa University of Alabama Press, 1997

Murphy, Trevor. Pliny the Elder's Natural History: The Empire in the Encyclopedia.

New York: Oxford UP, 2004.

Rudwick, M.J.S. Georges Cuvier, Fossil Bones, and Geological Catastrophes: New

Translations & Interpretations of the Primary Texts. Chicago: University of

Chicago Press, 1998.