The legend of Saint George and the Dragon is one of the most famous stories in Christian mythology. Although the tale has many variations, it generally involves the heroic Saint George, a knight, saving a town and a princess from a fearsome dragon. The Legend: Saint George was a Christian knight of Cappadocian Greek origins and a member of the Praetorian Guard for Roman emperor Diocletian, who was martyred in the early fourth century.
However, the story of Saint George and the Dragon takes place later in his life, in a narrative that became popular in the medieval period. According to the most popular version of the story, a town in Libya called Silene was being terrorized by a fearsome dragon that lived in a nearby pond. The dragon was poisoning the countryside, making the land barren. To appease the dragon, the townspeople fed it two sheep every day. However, when the sheep were not enough, they had to start sacrificing their children. The victims were chosen by lottery, and one day, the king’s own daughter was selected.
As the princess was being led to the pond to be sacrificed, Saint George happened to be passing by. He saw the princess in distress and asked her what was happening. After hearing her story, he vowed to save her and the town from the dragon. Saint George rode to the pond and faced the dragon, crossing himself and invoking the name of Jesus Christ. He charged the beast and wounded it severely with his lance, then asked the princess for her girdle. He placed it around the dragon’s neck, and it followed him back to the town like a docile pet.
Once back in Silene, Saint George offered to kill the dragon if the townspeople, including the king, would convert to Christianity. They all agreed, and Saint George slew the dragon with his sword. The king and his people were baptized, and they built a church on the site where the dragon died, from which a spring flowed that could cure all diseases. Symbolism and Interpretation: In this tale, Saint George is the archetypal chivalrous knight, and the dragon represents evil.
The story, therefore, symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. The fact that the dragon was tamed by the princess’s girdle has often been interpreted as a symbol of faith and virtue that can restrain the forces of evil. The theme of a hero saving a princess from a dragon was a common trope in medieval literature and has continued to be popular in modern times. The story of Saint George and the Dragon has had a significant influence on Christian iconography, particularly in England, where Saint George is the patron saint. Images of Saint George slaying the dragon are widespread and have been used in a variety of contexts, from religious art to national symbolism.
