Cerberus
Cerberus - In Greek mythology Cerberus or Kerberos
was the hound of Hades, a monstrous three-headed dog
(sometimes said to have 50 or 100 heads). Cerberus
guarded the gate to Hades and ensured that spirits
of the dead could enter, but none could exit
(additionally no living person was to come into
Hades). Among his siblings are Chimera and the
Hydra. Cerberus is the offspring of Echidna and
Typhon.
In the last of his Twelve Labours, Hercules was to capture Cerberus. After having been given the task, Hercules went to Eleusis to be initiated in the Eleusinian Mysteries so that he could learn how to enter and exit the underworld alive, and in passing absolve himself for killing centaurs. He found the entrance to the underworld at Tanaerum, and Athena and Hermes helped him to traverse the entrance in each direction. He passed Charon with Hermes's assistance and his own heavy and fierce frowning.
Whilst in the underworld, Hercules freed Theseus, but the earth shook when he attempted to liberate Pirithous, so he had to leave him behind.
They had been imprisoned by Hades, by magically binding them to a bench, because they had attempted to kidnap Persephone. The magic was so strong that when Hercules pulled Theseus free, part of Theseus's thighs remained on the bench, explaining why his descendants had notably lean thighs.
Hercules presented himself before the throne of Hades and Persephone and asked permission to take Cerberus, to which the gods agreed as long as Hercules did not harm the hound in any way. Some say Persephone gave her consent because Hercules was her own brother. In any case, Hercules wrestled the dog into submission and dragged it out of Hades, passing through a cavern entrance in the Peloponnesus. When he returned with Cerberus to the palace, Eurystheus, the man who had assigned the task to Hercules, was so afraid of the fearsome beast that he jumped into a pithos (large storage jar) to hide. From the spittle of the dog which fell upon earth, the first poisonous plants were born, including deadly aconite.
Posted in: Mythical Creatures, Cerberus and Greek Mythology.
In the last of his Twelve Labours, Hercules was to capture Cerberus. After having been given the task, Hercules went to Eleusis to be initiated in the Eleusinian Mysteries so that he could learn how to enter and exit the underworld alive, and in passing absolve himself for killing centaurs. He found the entrance to the underworld at Tanaerum, and Athena and Hermes helped him to traverse the entrance in each direction. He passed Charon with Hermes's assistance and his own heavy and fierce frowning.
Whilst in the underworld, Hercules freed Theseus, but the earth shook when he attempted to liberate Pirithous, so he had to leave him behind.
They had been imprisoned by Hades, by magically binding them to a bench, because they had attempted to kidnap Persephone. The magic was so strong that when Hercules pulled Theseus free, part of Theseus's thighs remained on the bench, explaining why his descendants had notably lean thighs.
Hercules presented himself before the throne of Hades and Persephone and asked permission to take Cerberus, to which the gods agreed as long as Hercules did not harm the hound in any way. Some say Persephone gave her consent because Hercules was her own brother. In any case, Hercules wrestled the dog into submission and dragged it out of Hades, passing through a cavern entrance in the Peloponnesus. When he returned with Cerberus to the palace, Eurystheus, the man who had assigned the task to Hercules, was so afraid of the fearsome beast that he jumped into a pithos (large storage jar) to hide. From the spittle of the dog which fell upon earth, the first poisonous plants were born, including deadly aconite.
Posted in: Mythical Creatures, Cerberus and Greek Mythology.