What was the name of J.R.R. Tolkien’s invented dragon in the poem “The Adventures of Tom Bombadil”?
Answer
Chrysophylax Dives
J.R.R. Tolkien’s invented dragon in “The Adventures of Tom Bombadil” is Chrysophylax Dives.
The dragon appears in the poem “The Dragon’s Visit,” included in Tolkien’s 1962 collection The Adventures of Tom Bombadil. Chrysophylax is a proud, treasure-loving dragon who visits the land of a farmer and causes trouble before being confronted by a knight.
The Latin-style name suggests wealth: “Chrysophylax” can be understood as a guardian of gold, while “Dives” means rich. The poem has a lighter, more comic tone than the major dragon stories in Tolkien’s legendarium.
Chrysophylax is often confused with Smaug, the dragon in The Hobbit, or with Glaurung and Scatha, who belong to Tolkien’s older Middle-earth legends. Those dragons are separate characters. The specific reference to “The Adventures of Tom Bombadil” identifies Chrysophylax Dives.