No, it’s not all Greek to me! The Greek word “Drakōn” means “snake, monster” and hence
entered many Western languages such as dragon (English, French), Drache
(German), dragón (Spanish), dragão (Portuguese), dragone (Italian), and draak
(Dutch). It also inspired names of fictional characters such as Dracula and
Draco Malfoy.
But Δράκων (Drakōn or Draco) was also a Greek legislator who
was notorious for his severe laws. He lived in the 7th century BCE. He wrote laws that allowed liberal use of
the death penalty, even for minor offences.
Due to its harshness it became know as “draconian”, which is used
nowadays to refer to similarly unforgiving rules or laws.
And for the stargazers among you –Draco is also a constellation in the far northern sky! Dragons in Greek mythology quite likely have inspired the constellation's name, including Ladon, the dragon who guarded the golden apples of the Hesperides, and was killed by Hercules as part of his 12 labors. According to Greco-Roman legend, the dragon Draco was killed by the goddess Minerva and tossed into the sky upon his defeat.
Furthermore, in the 1620s, the
French word “dragon” referring to a carbine or also made its way into the English language
as "dragoon" since the guns the soldiers carried "breathed fire" like a dragon.
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