I wanted to split off into a new thread -- starting with these words from another thread:

I think I’ve seen some of these, they’re great. Not to mention several descriptions of “dragons” from history seem to match with modern understandings of dinosaurs. When one combs through the various descriptions of dragons written during the age of Ancient Greece and Rome, however, the dragons described there are gigantic serpents that seem to be Old World relatives of the Titanoboa. 

An intriguing and convincing case of a dinosaur that survived into more modern times is that of the Crosswicks Monster from Crosswicks, Ohio. I may post in a separate thread about this subject, as I would love to share some of my amateur research on this forum. 

Thanks Matthew! Here is most of my research: 

To most, the word “dragon” conjures up an image of a large scaly reptilian creature that walks on two or four feet and flies with imposing bat-like wings. However, sources from Antiquity and even the early Middle Ages convey a different understanding of these fascinating animals. St. Isidore of Seville in his Etymologies gives us this impressive definition:

The dragon (draco) is the largest of all the snakes, or of all the animals on earth. The Greeks call it drakon, whence the term is borrowed into Latin that we say draco. It is often drawn out of caves and soars aloft, and disturbs the air. It is crested, and has a small mouth and narrow pipes through which it draws breath and sticks out its tongue. It has its strength not in its teeth but on its tail, and it causes injury more more by its lashing tail than with its jaws. Also, it does not harm with poison; poison is not needed for this animal to kill, because it kills whatever it wraps itself around. Even the elephant with its huge body is not safe from the dragon, for it lurks around the paths along which the elephants are accustomed to walk, and wraps their legs in coils and kills by suffocating them. It is born in Ethiopia and India in the fiery intensity of perpetual heat.

(Etymologies, Book 12, Chapter 4:4-5) 

The image given here is essentially of a kind of gigantic serpent beyond any known living serpent, capable of killing using strangulation, a method used by living non-venomous snakes such as pythons. Considering that St. Isidore is careful to distinguish some level of difference between snakes and reptiles, as he defines the snake as being named after how it appear to creep (serpere) as it moves “…by secret approaches; it crawls not with open steps but tiny thrusts of its scales”, whereas he categorizes reptiles as being “…those animals that support themselves on four feet, like the lizard and the newt, are not snakes, but are called reptiles (reptile)”*, the lack of him mentioning any limbs on this animal is very telling, along with him describing it as “the largest of all the snakes”. 

Furthermore, other ancient Western sources corroborate this description of the dragon, in particular the authors Pliny the Elder and Aelian, both of whom wrote extensively on the subject of natural science. Though much of their research is considered outdated by modern standards, they are still respected as pioneers in this field. Pliny writes of the battles between elephants and dragons in great detail in Book VIII of his Natural History, when discussing the intelligence of the latter: 

The dragon has much difficulty in climbing up to so great a height, and therefore, watching the road, which bears marks of their footsteps when going to feed, it darts down upon them from a lofty tree. The elephant knows that it is quite unable to struggle against the folds of the serpent, and so seeks for trees or rocks against which to rub itself. The dragon is on its guard against this, and tries to prevent it, by first of all confining the legs of this animal with the folds of its tail; while the elephant, on the other hand, endeavours to disengage itself with its trunk. The dragon, however, thrusts its head into its nostrils, and thus, at the same moment, stops the breath and wounds the most tender parts. When it is met unexpectedly, the dragon raises itself up, faces its opponent, and flies more especially at the eyes; this is the reason why elephants are so often found blind, and worn to a skeleton with hunger and misery. What other cause can one assign for mighty strifes such as these, except that Nature is desirous, as it were, to make an exhibition for herself, pitting such opponents against each other?

(Natural History, Book VIII pg 260)

Quite a intriguing passage, considering that no snake alive in India in our time would have the strength or courage to engage an elephant in this kind of titanic struggle. However, as has been often said, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Aelian also recounts tales of these battles in the sixth volume of his work On the Characteristics of Animals:

In India, I am told, the Elephant and the Drakon (Dragon-Serpent) are the bitterest enemies. Now Elephants draw down the branches of trees and feed upon them. And the Drakones, knowing this, crawl up the trees and envelop the lower half of their bodies in the foliage, but the upper portion extending to the head they allow to hang loose like a rope. And the Elephant approaches to pluck the twigs, whereat the Drakon springs at its eyes and gouges them out. Next the Drakon winds round the Elephant's neck, and as it clings to the tree with the lower part of its body, it tightens its hold with the upper part and strangles the Elephant with an unusual and singular noose.

(On the Characteristics of Animals, 6.21)

https://www.theoi.com/Thaumasios/DrakonesIndikoi.html

In order to address those who may just dismiss these stories as mere traveler’s tales, it is important to note that there are similar stories of dragons as living within the native lands of the aforementioned authors, and within the lands of nearby Greece. Similar to these stories of Indian dragons, accounts from these parts of Europe term “dragons” as being large serpents, though not to the scale of the Indian dragons. A great repository of accounts from Ancient Rome can be found here (Thanks Laramie!): https://forge-and-anvil.com/2018/10/01/ancient-rome-had-a-dragon/. 

One such dragon was even brought to pagan Rome and worshipped as a god. Here is one account out of many from the link that addresses this event: 

When the [Roman] state was suffering with a pestilence, ambassadors [who were] deployed in order to transfer the image of Aesculapius to Rome from Epidaurus, brought a snake, which had brought itself into their ship, by which it was agreed that the god himself was present; and on the [serpent‟s] going [ashore] on the island of the Tiber, on the same place a temple was established to Aesculapius. (Valerius Maximus)

As mentioned in St. Isidore’s description, there are also accounts of dragons as having lived in the lands known by the ancients as Ethiopia, which was not the same location in their mind as the modern African nation of the same name. Aelian has the most informative account of any author on this specific breed since he provides measurements for their size, which none before or after him did. Of these gargantuan creatures and their homeland, he writes: 

The land of Aithiopia (Ethiopia)--the place where the gods bathe, celebrated by Homer under the name of Okeanos (Oceanus), is an excellent and desirable neighbour--this land, I say, is the mother of the very largest Drakones (Dragon-Serpents). For, you must know, they attain to a length of one hundred and eighty feet, and they are not called by the name of any species, but people say that they kill elephants, and these Drakones rival the longest-lived animals. Thus far the accounts from Aithiopia.

(On the Characteristics of Animals, 2.21) 

https://www.theoi.com/Thaumasios/DrakonesAithiopikoi.html

These descriptions from the “Dragon-Serpents” correspond most with the Titanoboa, a species of giant serpent that lived in South America some millions of years ago, according to the erroneous teachings of the paleontologists. These creatures could grow up to 50 feet long, and are regarded as the largest snakes that ever lived. I find it more than likely that the “Dragon-Serpents” were Old World relatives of this creature. 

Not all docuмentation of dragons in history describe them as being massive serpents, and I will illustrate this in future posts. 

Thank you StLouisIX, this is fascinating to ponder.

I agree, the accounts of Pliny, Aelian, and St. Isidore all seem to describe this "dragon" as a massive constrictor snake similar to a boa or python. It is interesting how many details are shared between the three accounts; location of the animal in India, trapping/killing prey via constriction, elephants being the prey of choice, and a possible arboreal (tree-living) behavior. Interestingly, pythons currently living in India (the Indian python, Python molurus) also spend much of their time in trees, but are much smaller than the animals in question.

If possible, it would be relevant to explore whether these three accounts had their ultimate origin in Pliny or some earlier author (and the later authors preserved/added to his original account as St. Albert the Great did with Aristotle's natural history works), or if the authors received these accounts from different contemporary sources at different times. If the second scenario is true, it would be even more interesting, as it would indicate separate yet extremely similar observations of the same animal and its behavior at different times. Also, looking into native writers in India before or contemporary to these Western authors might be interesting.

Thanks, I’m glad you’ve enjoyed reading about this! 

I have thought about looking into some Indian authors concerning these kinds of legends, but I think that studying their mythology concerning nagas (which is essentially their version of the dragon) would be more practical as there is a lot more there to work with. Though nagas are often depicted as half-human, half-serpent, I have heard it said that some nagas were said to be entirely serpentine, or were shapeshifters of some kind. This implies to me that there is some corroboration with what Westerners wrote about dragons living in India, and that perhaps the legend of the half-human, half-serpent nagas were the products of Hindu mythologizing the giant serpentine dragon. After all, the Hindus seem to make idols out of almost every animal native to India (elephants and monkeys are examples), so for them to mythologize dragons as entities that share some resemblance to humans makes sense in this context. 

Here is some information from Britannica.com concerning the various depictions of the naga that corroborates my point: 

In art, nagas are represented in a fully zoomorphic form, as hooded cobras having one to seven or more heads; as human beings with a many-hooded snake canopy over their heads; or as half human, with the lower part of the body below the navel coiled like a snake and a canopy of hoods over the heads. Often they are shown in postures of adoration, as one of the major gods or heroes is shown accomplishing some miraculous feat before their eyes.

A problem with my reasoning here is that most nagas seem to be depicted as cobras, a poisonous snake, while Europeans clearly wrote of dragons being non-poisonous and being more like pythons. I should do more research to see if I can find naga depictions that align clearly with python-like traits. 

More info on the role of nagas within Hindu mythology: 

Nagas are a race of semidivine serpent creatures in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Female Nagas are called Nagis or Naginis. Usually depicted as human above the waist and snake below the waist, Nagas can also change shape to appear fully human or snake. Nagas and Nagis are known for their strength, supernatural wisdom, and good looks. When Nagis take human form, they can marry mortal men, and some Indian dynasties claim descent from them.

According to legend, Nagas are children of Kadru, the granddaughter of the god Brahma*, and her husband, Kasyapa. Nagas lived on earth at first, but their numbers became so great that Brahma sent them to live under the sea. They reside in magnificent Jєωeled palaces and rule as kings at the bottom of rivers and lakes and in the underground realm called Patala.

Like humans, Nagas show wisdom and concern for others but also cowardice and injustice. Nagas are immortal and potentially dangerous. Some are demons; others seem friendly and are worshiped as gods. Nagas also serve as protectors and guardians of treasure—both material riches and spiritual wealth.

One famous Naga named Muchalinda spreads his cobra hood to shelter the prophet Buddha while he meditates. When the god Vishnu* sleeps, he is protected by Shesha, king of the Nagas. Shesha's seven snake heads cover the god. As servants of the god Indra, Nagas oversee the distribution of rain. Sometimes they withhold the rain until forced to release it by the eagle god Garuda.

Read more: http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Mi-Ni/Nagas.html#ixzz79Dq89vwU

The story of St. Columba driving away the Loch Ness Monster (often to be considered some kind of plesiosaur - not a dinosaur, but a marine reptile) is actually the first reported sighting of the creature. 

Here is the account lifted from the Life of St. Columba written by Adamnan: 

CHAPTER XXVIII 


How an Aquatic Monster was driven off by Virtue of the Blessed Man’s Prayer.
 
On another occasion also, when the blessed man was living for some days in the province of the Picts, he was obliged to cross the river Nesa; and when he reached the bank of the river, he saw some of the inhabitants burying an unfortunate man, who, according to the account of those who were burying him, was a short time before seized, as he was swimming, and bitten most severely by a monster that lived in the water; his wretched body was, though too late, taken out with a hook, by those who came to his assistance in a boat.

The blessed man, on hearing this, was so far from being dismayed, that he directed one of his companions to swim over and row across the coble that was moored at the farther bank.

And Lugne Mocuмin hearing the command of the excellent man, obeyed without the least delay, taking off all his clothes, except his tunic, and leaping into the water.

But the monster, which, so far from being satiated, was only roused for more prey, was lying at the bottom of the stream, and when it felt the water disturbed above by the man swimming, suddenly rushed out, and, giving an awful roar, darted after him, with its mouth wide open, as the man swam in the middle of the stream.

Then the blessed man observing this, raised his holy hand, while all the rest, brethren as well as strangers, were stupefied with terror, and, invoking the name of God, formed the saving sign of the cross in the air, and commanded the ferocious monster, saying, “Thou shalt go no further, nor touch the man; go back with all speed.” Then at the voice of the saint, the monster was terrified, and fled more quickly than if it had been pulled back with ropes, though it had just got so near to Lugne, as he swam, that there was not more than the length of a spear-staff between the man and the beast.

Then the brethren seeing that the monster had gone back, and that their comrade Lugne returned to them in the boat safe and sound, were struck with admiration, and gave glory to God in the blessed man. And even the barbarous heathens, who were present, were forced by the greatness of this miracle, which they themselves had seen, to magnify the God of the Christians.

https://catholicism.org/saint-columba-and-the-loch-ness-monster.html

How great a testimony this is to the power of prayer! I conclude my brief commentary with these words of Fr. Michael Mueller, C.SS.R: 

Ah, how powerful is the prayer of the just! It not only exercises its power over all kinds of creatures, rational and irrational; over those in Heaven, on earth and under the earth; it not only disarms the wrath of God against entire nations, lost to the fear and love of their Creator; it exercises even a mightier sway; it gives free access to the spiritual treasures of God; it causes them to flow in perpetual streams upon sinners, as well as upon the just, and to operate wonderful changes in their souls. 

(Prayer: The Key to Salvation pg. 90)

Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus

Something escaped from wuhan lab. 

This crosswicks thing is crazy. I live in Columbus, Ohio, not far away at all. I'm ganna think twice about leaving my door unlocked at night from now on . I've always been interested in these sorts of things. Does anyone think thaat some of these creatures people have claimed to see could be demonic? A Demons can take on any form. Demons used to appear to Padre Pio as a mouse, then transform into a claw and try to gouge his eyes. A large reptilian type creature of this description (crosswicks) grabbing a human being and running away with it sounds more like a supernatural creature/demon than an animal to me. Same thing with these "aliens" people claim to have had experiences with. If these things exist I'm sure they're demons. 

Thanks for sharing! I lean towards thinking that the Crosswicks monster was a real animal, though I'm not going to rule out demonic activity. It would seem odd in my view for a demon to act as an animal would do so and just stop there, even an animal that it is not recognized by the arbiters of modern science. Though one could view the Crosswicks monster grabbing the boy as demonic, it could very well fall under the normal behavior of a predator ambushing what it sees as prey. There are stories (sadly) of boys being snatched by tigers and lions, because predators prey on the weak and defenseless. On another note, it seems quite strange that stories of giant reptiles pop up around this region. The Trimble County creature I referenced in when discussing Crosswicks is better known as the "Milton lizard", and even has its own Wikipedia page, with two citations from newspapers that reported on the appearance of this alleged animal. The Milton creature seems more like a monitor lizard to me, similar to the Komodo dragon, while the Crosswicks monster (with the bipedalism being a dead giveaway in my opinion) clearly is some kind of dinosaur. 

Your point reminds me of those who believe in the "Bigfoot-UFO" connection (that Bigfoot is connected to the demonic activity of "UFOs"), as some alleged Bigfoot sightings purport the creature to do strange things that no mere animal could do, like vanishing without any trace, things that would definitely imply a supernatural origin. But then you have those who report sightings in which the creature acts in a similar manner to a mere great ape like a gorilla or orangutan (which if Bigfoot is real, would fall into this category).