Cerberus

**Cerberus**, in Greek myth, is the monstrous hound of Hades that guards the gates of the underworld, the realm of Hades and the dead. Cerberus was one of the monsters born from the union of Echidna and Typhon, both as monstrous and hideous as their offspring.

## Description

It is generally depicted as a vicious, gargantuan dog with three heads, although accounts may vary. Cerberus is in fact the Latin transliteration of the Greek name Kerberos. He said to have eyes which emit a smoldering fire and his mane is covered in snakes. In addition, some legends say that should one stare into Cerberus's eyes they would turn to stone much like a Gorgon.

## History

### Background

Cerberus was born from the union between Typhon and Echidna. His activities during his days in the mortal realm was unknown, but he likely avoided any confrontations with the gods during and after their battle against Typhon. Among his brothers, the most famous are Hydra, Chimera, and Orthrus.

Cerberus was found by Hades after he was appointed as lord of the Underworld by the Fates and instead of smiting him, Hades adopted the young beast and became his closest companion. Cerberus was at the time Hades' only friend during his reign in the Underworld and would grow to become a fierce and terrible creature that no shade or demon would dare to provoke as the guardian of the Underworld, specifically its gates.

Cerberus was also the first creature Persephone had come across when she ventured into the Underworld through one of its entrances. At first Cerberus was somewhat hostile towards her, perceiving her as an intruder, though he grew quite fond of her after she calmed him down and posed no threat to him. He led her to where Hades resides, sparking the relationship that blossomed between Persephone and Hades. When Persephone was coronated as wife of Hades and Queen of the Underworld, Cerberus was just as loyal to her as he is to Hades. Compared to Hades, Persephone was known to pamper Cerberus given that she outwardly adored the beast.

### Final Labor of Heracles

Cerberus' only mythology concerns his capture by Heracles. Heracles was sent by Eurystheus, the king of Tiryns, to bring back Cerberus from Hades the king of the underworld. This was the twelfth and final labor imposed on Heracles. Heracles says that, although Eurystheus commanded him to bring back Cerberus, it was not from any desire to see Cerberus, but only because Eurystheus thought that the task was impossible.

Heracles was aided in his mission by his being an initiate of the Eleusinian Mysteries. Euripides has his initiation being "lucky" for Heracles in capturing Cerberus. And that Heracles was initiated into the Mysteries, in preparation for his descent into the underworld. According to Diodorus, Heracles went to Athens, where Musaeus, the son of Orpheus, was in charge of the initiation rites, while according to Apollodorus, he went to Eumolpus at Eleusis. Heracles also had the help of Hermes, the usual guide of the underworld, as well as Athena.

### Paraded by Heracles

According to Apollodorus, Heracles asked Hades for Cerberus, and Hades told Heracles he would allow him to take Cerberus only if he "mastered him without the use of the weapons which he carried", and so, using his lion-skin as a shield, Heracles squeezed Cerberus around the head until he submitted. Although another account says that, according to Diodorus, Persephone welcomed Heracles "like a brother" and gave Cerberus "in chains" to Heracles with the chains being made of adamant.

After bringing Cerberus up from the underworld, Cerberus was said to have poisoned the aconite. When Heracles dragged forth Cerberus to the mortal realm from a cave for the first time upon the shores of Scythia, he was dazzled by the unaccustomed daylight. In response, Cerberus thrashed about furiously in his chains, and spewed out a "poison-foam", which made the aconite plants growing there poisonous.

Heracles paraded the captured Cerberus through Greece. Heracles lead Cerberus through Midea in Argolis, as women and children watch in fear, and Diodorus Siculus says of Cerberus, that Heracles "carried him away to the amazement of all and exhibited him to men." Heracles showed Cerberus to Eurystheus, as commanded, though upon seeing the hound, the king was so frightened he hid in a vase and demanded to return Cerberus from whence he was taken. After the ordeal, Heracles returned Cerberus to the underworld.

## Cerberus

### Aliases

Κέρβερος Kérberos, Hound of Hades, Great Hound of Hell, Satan's Guard Dog, Devourer of Shades, Vicious Keeper, Gatekeeper of the Underworld, Guardian of the Threshold