Here there be monsters

Hector Barbossa, as portrayed by Geoffrey Rush, says the line "Here there be monsters" to Jack Sparrow in The Curse of the Black Pearl.

"You're off the edge of the map, mate. Here there be monsters!"

―Hector Barbossa to Jack Sparrow

Here there be monsters, or here be dragons, is a phrase used on geographical maps. It derived from the inscriptions on old maps of the mostly unexplored world, were on the edges, the mapmaker, having run out of information, would draw fanciful creatures (such as sea serpents) and write, Here There Be Monsters. It was most notably said by Hector Barbossa to Jack Sparrow as their sword blades locked during the battle of Isla de Muerta. "Section IV. BEYOND THE SEA Here Be Monsters!" was a title written by Joshamee Gibbs in his book.

Behind the scenes

"Here there be monsters" was first said by Captain Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) in the 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, during the climactic battle scene between Barbossa and Jack Sparrow. It derives from the inscriptions on old maps of the mostly unexplored world, were on the edges, the mapmaker, having run out of information, would draw fanciful creatures (such as Sea Serpents) and write, Here There Be Monsters. This is most likely a reference to the real-world phrase "Here be dragons" which medieval cartographers put on the maps along the illustrations of dragons, sea monsters and other mythological creatures of the sea to indicate potential dangers in uncharted areas. The phrase "Here Be Dragons" was used in a title of one section describing Sao Feng's Map in the 2007 reference book Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide. "Section IV. BEYOND THE SEA Here Be Monsters!" was a title featured in The Pirates' Code Guidelines.

"Here There Be Monsters" written in the map of Isla Tesoro.

In the 2006 revamp of Walt Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland, the long-anonymous island port was officially named Isla Tesoro, to better tie the location into an emerging, overarching Pirates mythology. The phrase "Here There Be Monsters" can be seen written on Jeremy Fulton's map of Isla Tesoro found within the attraction.

Hector Barbossa's line would later be called back in Terry Rossio's original 2012 screenplay draft for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. As Jack begins to hallucinate, he notices Barbossa swimming alongside him. Barbossa says the line, laughs just before the moonlight hits him, transforming him into a skeleton, and then sinks into the depths of the sea. As noted in Rossio's annotations, Barbossa delivered the line quickly and loudly in the midst of battle and it was somewhat lost in the first film, giving an opportunity here to say it slowly and with relish.

On January 16, 2024, (the Appreciate a Dragon Day) Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War released the HERE BE DRAGONS coupon.

Appearances

• Walt Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean (2006 update)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (First appearance) (First identified as Here there be monsters)
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2006 junior novelization)
  • Fluch der Karibik
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War

Sources

• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide (First identified as Here be dragons)

External links

• Here be dragons on Wikipedia