Chalkydri (Ancient Greek: χαλκύδραι khalkýdrai, compound of χαλκός khalkós "brass, copper" ὕδρα hýdra "hydra", "water-serpent" — lit. "brazen hydras", "copper serpents") are mythical creatures mentioned in the apocryphal Second Book of Enoch from the 1st century CE, often seen as an angelic species. In the narrative, chalkydri dwell near the Sun and ran its course around the Earth with it bringing heat and dew to the Earth. The chalkydri and phoenixes are described as creatures 900 measures in size with the head of a crocodile and the feet and tail like that of a lion, each having twelve wings, and are empurpled like the color of the rainbow. Both the chalkydri and phoenixes are referred to as "flying elements of the Sun" in the Second Book of Enoch. At sunrise, all the chalkydri break into song with their counterparts, alerting the birds of the world for a new day to rejoice.
The name has been interpreted as a translation of Nehushtan, the bronze serpent constructed by Moses to protect the Israelites from attacks by fiery flying serpents, and destroyed by King Hezekiah as idolatrous, from Hebrew into Greek.
Similarities to the story of the chalkydri and phoenixes mentioned in the Second Book of Enoch can be found in the Greek Apocalypse of Baruch, which mentions a story of Baruch seeing a large bird flying around the Sun said to guard the Earth who an angel identifies as a phoenix.
See also
- List of angels in theology
References
