Editing Crocotta

{{short description|Mythical dog-wolf of India or Aethiopia}}
{{Redirect|Leucrocotta|the mayfly genus|Leucrocuta}}
{{distinguish|text=[[Corocotta]], the Cantabrian guerrilla or bandit}}
[[Image:Crocotta.jpg|thumb|Crocotta, as illustrated in a medieval [[bestiary]]]]

The '''crocotta'''  or '''corocotta''', '''crocuta''', '''leucrocotta''', or '''leucrotta''' is a mythical [[dog]]-[[wolf]] of [[India]] or [[Aethiopia]], linked to the [[hyena]] and said to be a deadly enemy of men and dogs.

==Ancient accounts==
[[File:Hyenamosaic.jpg|thumb|A mosaic depicting a crocotta (Greek: Κροκόττας), which in this case closely resembles a [[striped hyena]]. The mosaic in [[Palestrina]] depicts the [[river Nile]] and its fauna]]
[[File:Animal drawings collected by Felix Platter, p2 - (45).jpg|thumb|right|Drawing collected by Felix Platter, to be used in ''Historiae animalium'' (1551–1558). [[Manticore]] and Crocotta]]

[[Strabo]], who uses the word "crocuttas", describes the beast as the [[wolfdog|mixed progeny of a wolf and a dog]] (''[[Geographica]]'', XVI.4.16]).<ref>[[Strabo]], ''[[Geographica]]'', [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/16D*.html#4.16 XVI.4.16].</ref>

[[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]] in his work ''[[Pliny's Natural History|Natural History]]'' (VIII.72 and 107) variously described the crocotta as a combination between dog and wolf or between hyena and lion.<ref name=Pliny>[[Pliny the Elder]] ''[[Pliny's Natural History|Natural History]]'', [http://attalus.org/translate/pliny_hn8a.html#72 VIII.72 + 107].</ref>

<blockquote> When crossed with this race of animals the Ethiopian lioness gives birth to the corocotta, that mimics the voices of men and cattle in a similar way. It has an unbroken ridge of bone in each jaw, forming a continuous tooth without any gum.<ref name=Pliny/></blockquote>

Pliny (VIII.72-73) also writes of another hyena-like creature, the leucrocotta, which he calls "the swiftest of all beasts, about the size of an ass, with a stag's haunches, a lion's neck, tail and breast, badger's head, cloven hoof, mouth opening right back to the ears, and ridges of bone in place of rows of teeth—this animal is reported to imitate the voices of human beings."

The Byzantine scholar [[Photios I of Constantinople|Photius]] summarizing the book [[Indica (Ctesias)|Indica]], by the Greek author [[Ctesias]], writes: 
:"In Ethiopia there is an animal called crocottas, vulgarly ''kynolykos'' [dog-wolf], of amazing strength. It is said to imitate the human voice, to call men by name at night, and to devour those who approach it. It is as brave as a lion, as swift as a horse, and as strong as a bull. It cannot be overcome by any weapon of steel."

[[Claudius Aelianus]] (aka Aelian) in his book ''On the Characteristics of Animals'' (VII.22) specifically links the hyena and corocotta and mentions the creature's fabled ability to mimic human speech<ref>[[Claudius Aelianus]], ''On the Characteristics of Animals'' [http://attalus.org/translate/animals7.html#22 VII.22].</ref> [[Porphyry (philosopher)|Porphyry]] in his book ''[[On Abstinence from Eating Animals|On Abstinence from Animal Food]]'' (III.4), writes that "the Indian hyaena, which the natives call crocotta, speaks in a manner so human, and this without a teacher, as to go to houses, and call that person whom he knows he can easily vanquish."

According to the ''[[Augustan History]]'', the emperor [[Antoninus Pius]] presented a corocotta, probably at his decennalia in AD 148.<ref>[[Augustan History]], ''Pius'', [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Historia_Augusta/Antoninus_Pius*.html#10.9 X.9]</ref> The historian [[Cassius Dio]] credits the later emperor [[Septimius Severus]] with bringing the crocotta to Rome, saying this "Indian species...was then introduced into Rome for the first time, so far as I am aware. It has the color of a lioness and tiger combined, and the general appearance of those animals, as also of a dog and fox, curiously blended."<ref>[[Cassius Dio]], [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/e/roman/texts/cassius_dio/77*.html#1.3 LXXVII.1.3-5]</ref>

Later bestiaries of the Middle Ages confounded these various accounts, so that one finds the largely mythical creature given differing names and various characteristics, real and imaginary. Among the characteristics not found in the ancient sources was the idea that the eyes of a crocotta were striped [[Gemstone|gem]]s that could give the possessor [[oracle|oracular powers]] when placed under the tongue.
The [[Aberdeen Bestiary]] describes a ''Leucrota'' as "a swift animal born in India. It is the size of an ass with the hindquarters of a stag, the chest and legs of a lion" and shows an illustration of it on Folio 15v.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px">
File:Leucrote royal MS12.jpg|A crocotta, Bestiary, Royal MS 12 C XIX; (1200-1210).
File:Левкрот. Миниатюра из Абердинского бестиария.png|A crocotta, [[Aberdeen Bestiary]] [[manuscript]] (1200).
File:Northumberland Bestiary - A Mole; A Leucrota (f33v).jpg|A crocotta, [[Northumberland Bestiary]], England, circa (1250-1260).
</gallery>

==Similarity to hyena==
[[File:Hyena.jpg|thumb|right|Spotted Hyena, ''Crocuta crocuta'']]
The scientific name of the [[spotted hyena]] (''Crocuta crocuta'') was taken from the mythological crocotta,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Funk|first=Holger|title=Hyaena: On the Naming and Localisation of an Enigmatic Animal|publisher=GRIN Verlag|year=2010|isbn=978-3-640-69784-7|pages=52–54}}</ref> and there are some similarities in the description. Hyenas do have very powerful teeth and jaws, can digest a wide range of foods, are known to dig up human bodies for food, and can make unnervingly humanlike vocalizations (such as their famous laugh). Local folklore about hyenas often gives them powers such as gender switching (males and females are difficult to distinguish), shape shifting, and human speech—all of which encourages the belief that the hyena may have contributed to the original myth of the crocotta.

==In literature==

[[Jorge Luis Borges]] in his ''[[Book of Imaginary Beings]]'' expounds on the crocotta and the leucrocotta. Leucrocottas appear in [[Rick Riordan]]'s ''[[The Demigod Diaries]]'', where Luke and Thalia encounter a small pack of them in a haunted mansion.
 
The leucrocotta is featured in Susanna Clarke's ''[[Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell]]'', in the chapter "Leucrocota, the Wolf of the Evening", where the titular character names another person in the book as one, as a reference to his personality and lifestyle.<ref>{{cite book |last=Clarke |first=Susanna |title=Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell |year=2004 |publisher=Bloomsbury |isbn=0-7394-5210-X |pages=655, 666 |chapter=Leucrocota, the Wolf of the Evening January 1817}}</ref>

A talking Leucrotta appears in Catherynne M. Valente's ''[[The Orphan's Tales]]: In The Night Garden'' and provides aid to the protagonists despite its fearsome appearance and reputation.

==See also==
*[[Werehyena]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast160.htm Medieval Bestiary: Leucrocuta]
*[https://www.livius.org/ct-cz/ctesias/photius_indica.html Photius' excerpt of Ctesias' ''Indica'' (English)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716183321/http://www.livius.org/ct-cz/ctesias/photius_indica.html |date=2012-07-16 }}
*[https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/L/Roman/Texts/Aelian/de_Natura_Animalium/7*.html Aelian's ''De Naturam Animalum'' VII (Latin)]

[[Category:Medieval European legendary creatures]]
[[Category:Legendary mammals]]
[[Category:Greek legendary creatures]]
[[Category:Legendary creatures in Roman mythology]]