Cerberus is the hellhound or dog with three heads that guarded the entrance to the underworld. The three phases of life are symbolized in the three heads of the dog and Cerberus is a symbol of the. In ancient Greek mythology the dog Cerberus guarded the entrance to Hades (the misty and gloomy underworld, the abode of the dead), permitting anyone to enter but none to leave. Cerberus is usually depicted as a three headed dog and some have tried to link this to his seeing the past, present and future. Cerberus’ Continue reading 'Cerberus – the Mythical Three Headed Dog as an. Cerberus wasn’t going to let him pass, but Orpheus charmed him with his music, and the hound, tamed beyond recognition, stepped aside. When Aeneas visited the Underworld, he had some more than necessary help from the Sybil of Cumae, who threw Cerberus a honey-cake, spiced with few “drowsy essences.” Cerberus ate it.
May 3, 2014 - Cerberus the symbol of Thrace. In ancient Greek mythology the dog Cerberus guarded the entrance to Hades (the misty and gloomy underworld, the abode of the dead), permitting anyone to enter but none to leave. Cerberus is usually depicted as a three headed dog and some have tried to link this to his seeing the past, present and future. Cerberus’ Continue reading 'Cerberus – the Mythical Three Headed Dog as an.
Cerberus
The most dangerous labor of all was the twelfth and final one. Eurystheus ordered Hercules to go to the Underworld and kidnap the beast called Cerberus (or Kerberos). Eurystheus must have been sure Hercules would never succeed at this impossible task!
The ancient Greeks believed that after a person died, his or her spirit went to the world below and dwelled for eternity in the depths of the earth. The Underworld was the kingdom of Hades, also called Pluto, and his wife, Persephone. Depending on how a person lived his or her life, they might or might not experience never-ending punishment in Hades. All souls, whether good or bad, were destined for the kingdom of Hades.
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Main panel:Hercules and Cerberus, upper half
Photograph by Maria Daniels, courtesy of the Toledo Museum of Art
Cerberus was a vicious beast that guarded the entrance to Hades and kept the living from entering the world of the dead. According to Apollodorus, Cerberus was a strange mixture of creatures: he had three heads of wild dogs, a dragon or serpent for a tail, and heads of snakes all over his back. Hesiod, though, says that Cerberus had fifty heads and devoured raw flesh.
. . . A monster not to be overcome and that may not be described, Cerberus who eats raw flesh, the brazen-voiced hound of Hades, fifty-headed, relentless and strong. Hesiod, Theogony 310 |
Cerberus' parents were the monster Echinda (half-woman, half-serpent) and Typhon (a fire-breathing giant covered with dragons and serpents). Even the gods of Olympus were afraid of Typhon.
Among the children attributed to this awful couple were Orthus (or Othros), the Hydra of Lerna, and the Chimaera. Orthus was a two-headed hound which guarded the cattle of Geryon. With the Chimaera, Orthus fathered the Nemean Lion and the Sphinx. The Chimaera was a three-headed fire-breathing monster, part lion, part snake, and part goat. Hercules seemed to have a lot of experience dealing with this family: he killed Orthus, when he stole the cattle of Geryon, and strangled the Nemean Lion. Compared to these unfortunate family members, Cerberus was actually rather lucky.
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Side A: Kerberos
Photograph by Maria Daniels, courtesy of the Musée du Louvre
![Symbols Of Cerberus Symbols Of Cerberus](https://sites.google.com/site/basicgreekmythology/_/rsrc/1317263340115/olympian-gods/athena/athena2.jpg?height=400&width=279)
Before making the trip to the Underworld, Hercules decided that he should take some extra precautions. This was, after all, a journey from which no mortal had ever returned. Hercules knew that once in the kingdom of Hades, he might not be allowed to leave and rejoin the living. The hero went to Eleusis and saw Eumolpus, a priest who began what were known as the Eleusinian Mysteries. The mysteries were sacred religious rites which celebrated the myth of Demeter and her daughter Persephone. The ancients believed that those who learned the secrets of the mysteries would have happiness in the Underworld. After the hero met a few conditions of membership, Eumolpus initiated Hercules into the mysteries.
Hercules went to a place called Taenarum in Laconia. Through a deep, rocky cave, Hercules made his way down to the Underworld. He encountered monsters, heroes, and ghosts as he made his way through Hades. He even engaged in a wrestling contest! Then, finally, he found Pluto and asked the god for Cerberus. The lord of the Underworld replied that Hercules could indeed take Cerberus with him, but only if he overpowered the beast with nothing more than his own brute strength.
A weaponless Hercules set off to find Cerberus. Near the gates of Acheron, one of the five rivers of the Underworld, Hercules encountered Cerberus. Undaunted, the hero threw his strong arms around the beast, perhaps grasping all three heads at once, and wrestled Cerberus into submission. The dragon in the tail of the fierce flesh-eating guard dog bit Hercules, but that did not stop him. Cerberus had to submit to the force of the hero, and Hercules brought Cerberus to Eurystheus. Unlike other monsters that crossed the path of the legendary hero, Cerberus was returned safely to Hades, where he resumed guarding the gateway to the Underworld. Presumably, Hercules inflicted no lasting damage on Cerberus, except, of course, the wound to his pride!
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Main panel: Hercules and Kerberos
Photograph by Maria Daniels, courtesy of the Musée du Louvre
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To read more about these topics, see Further Resources.
- Labor 12: Cerberus
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If you don’t know who the Twelve Olympians are, the Twelve Olympians are the major deities that resided on Mount Olympus. It is important to know that some versions of Greek mythology have Hestia as the 12th Olympian, while other versions have Dionysus. We will include both Hestia and Dionysus in the first portion of our list, as well as Hades.
Symbols of the Twelve Olympians
- Zeus (Greek god of the skies): lightning bolt/thunderbolt, eagle, swan, clouds, bull, and oak tree
Facts: Zeus would use a lightning bolt or thunderbolt to inflict pain or death upon his enemies. He would also transform into various creatures, such as an eagle, swan, or bull. The oak tree represents the great wisdom that Zeus possesses.
Cerberus Represents What
- Hermes (Greek god of trade, merchants, travelers, sports, and athletes): Caduceus (rod staff with snakes entwined), winged shoes, a winged hat, and tortoise shell
Facts: Hermes was the god of travel, so he was often related to transportation methods, such as winged shoes and a winged hat.
- Hera (Greek goddess of marriage, queen of the gods): diadem/crown, pomegranate, peacock, and cow
Facts: Hera was the queen of the gods and often was adorned with a diadem or crown. Her sacred animal was the peacock and cow.
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- Hestia (Greek goddess of the hearth and home): hearth
Facts: Hestia was one of three virgin goddesses. She always kept the fire going at Mount Olympus, and food was always prepared in her name for her sacrifice.
- Dionysus (Greek god of wine and the vine): grapes, ivy, thyrsus of ivy and pine cone
Facts: Dionysus was considered an outsider to the Twelve Olympians because he had a mortal mother. Even though his father was Zeus, having a mortal mother made Dionysus feel separated from the rest.
- Poseidon (Greek god of the seas): trident
Symbols Of Cerberus
Facts: Poseidon plays a part in many Greek myths, including his relationship with Medusa and his anger with Odysseus.
- Aphrodite (Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure): golden apple, dove, swan, and scallop shell
Facts: Aphrodite could make people fall in love by wearing her sacred belt. Hera was among those who borrowed the belt.
- Hephaestus (Greek god of metalworking, blacksmithing, craftsmanship): Hammer, anvil, fire, donkey, and volcano
Facts: Hephaestus made all of the weapons and armor for Mount Olympus. Paradise casino in peoria illinois. A donkey is one of his symbols because he would ride a donkey instead of a chariot.
- Apollo (Greek god of healing, medicine, music, and poetry): Lyre (musical instrument), bow and arrow, python, a laurel wreath, and the sun
Facts: Hermes invented the Lyre but used it against Apollo when stealing his cattle. When Apollo noticed his cattle had been stolen, he confronted Hermes, who began playing music on the Lyre. Apollo, being the god of music, fell in love with the music on the Lyre and allowed Hermes to keep his cattle in exchange for the Lyre.
- Artemis (Greek goddess of animals and hunting): bow and arrow, deer, quiver, and the moon
Facts: Artemis accidentally killed her best friend, Orion, with a bow and arrow because Apollo made her believe that Orion was a villain who had raped one of her friends.
- Ares (Greek god of war): spear and helmet, armor, dog, chariot, torch, and vulture
Facts: Ares had two children, Phobos and Deimos, who represented fear and terror. They would often accompany Ares in war.
- Athena (Greek goddess of knowledge, wisdom, and civilization): owl, olives/olive tree, spear, aegis, and snakes/serpents
Facts: Modern-day Athens, Greece is named after Athena because of her close ties to the city and civilization.
- Demeter (Greek goddess of the harvest, agriculture, grain): grain, cornucopia, and bread
Greek Mythology Cerberus
Facts: Demeter’s daughter Persephone, whom Hades was in love with, was captured by Hades and taken to the underworld. To get her back, Demeter sent upon the earth a great famine and vowed the famine would remain until Persephone was returned to her.
- Hades (Greek god of the underworld): helmet, bident/scepter, and the horn of plenty
Facts: Hades gave Persephone a pomegranate to eat while she was in the underworld. When she returned to her mother, Demeter, her mother asked if she had eaten anything from the underworld. When Persephone said yes, Demeter told her that she was now bound to Hades and the underworld. Zeus intervened and made a deal: Persephone would spend one-third of a year with Hades in the underworld as her debt for eating the fruit.