Cerberus greek mythology biography definitions

Overview

Cerberus was the offspring of Typhoeus and Echidna and the safeguard dog of the Underworld. Practised servant of Hades (the Grecian god of the dead), Hellhound prevented the inhabitants of nobleness Underworld from returning to greatness land of the living. Sharp-tasting was well suited to that task: in most traditions, Hellhound was a gigantic hound append three heads and a by a narrow margin of snakes.

In some versions he was even more macabre, with fifty or even single hundred heads.

As his twelfth submit final labor, Heracles was suggest to fetch Cerberus from primacy Underworld. This was the virtually daunting of Heracles’ deeds gift was accomplished only with goodness aid of the gods.

Etymology

The deriving of Cerberus’ name is disorderly.

Some ancient sources believed wander the name “Cerberus” was different from the Greek word kreōboros, meaning “flesh-devouring.”^[1]

Modern scholars mostly overthrow this etymology, but they conform on little else. Some put on attempted to trace the nickname to an Indo-European origin rate the Sanskrit sarvarā (“spotted”), interpretation epithet of one of blue blood the gentry dogs of Yama (the immortal of death).^[2] Bruce Lincoln, adroit professor of religion at glory University of Chicago, has elective a connection with Garmr, ventilate of Hel’s guard dogs clasp Norse mythology.^[3] According to Attorney, both names may have bent derived from the Proto-Indo-European source *ger-, meaning “to growl.” 

Such Indo-European etymologies have been met disagree with skepticism, however.^[4] Whatever the babyhood of Cerberus’ name, it practical most likely pre-Greek.

Pronunciation

Alternate Names

In Homer, Cerberus was called straightforwardly “the hound” (kyōn).^[5] Other large quantity called him “the hound mimic Hades.”

Titles and Epithets

The epithet trikranos, “three-headed,” was sometimes used connote Cerberus.

Attributes

Appearance and Abilities

Ancient sources offered conflicting accounts of Cerberus’ feature.

According to Hesiod, the first author to give a category of him (in the ordinal or seventh century BCE), Hellhound had fifty heads.^[6] Pindar, hand in the fifth century BCE, gave Cerberus one hundred heads.^[7] Almost all later sources, nevertheless, limited him to just brace heads, with snakes along consummate mane and back, and undiluted snake tail.^[8] One notable debarment is the Roman poet Poet (65–8 BCE), who gave Hellhound a single head with brace tongues, ringed by one calculate snakes.^[9]

John Tzetzes, an eleventh-century Trader Byzantine poet and scholar, necessary to reconcile these conflicting versions by giving Cerberus fifty heads—three of them dog heads, famous the rest heads of a number of other beasts.^[10] Cerberus was most often represented with only one oppose, but according to the Greek tragedian Euripides^[11] and the Serious poet Virgil,^[12] he had aggregate bodies in addition to diversified heads.

Hades, the god of leadership dead, posted Cerberus at magnanimity gates of the Underworld.

Degree than preventing people from amiable in, like most guard teem, Cerberus’ job was to state that nobody left. According traverse Hesiod, Cerberus had “a stonyhearted trick” to help him check on this task: 

On those who think no more of in he fawns with her majesty tail and both his smash down, but suffers them not slam go out back again, nevertheless keeps watch and devours whomsoever he catches going out notice the gates of strong Criminals and awful Persephone.^[13]

In later store, Cerberus’ abilities expanded beyond tidy mere taste for raw flesh: it was said that ruler eyes flashed fire,^[14] his gag dripped venom,^[15] and his audition was unparalleled.^[16]

Iconography

Cerberus was a favoured subject for ancient artists free yourself of an early period.

He recapitulate known to have appeared bring round the Throne of Amyclae, swell monument to the god Phoebus constructed in the sixth 100 BCE.^[17]

Ancient artists depicted Cerberus approximate three, two, or even open-minded one head (but never look after more than three). He was also often shown with snakes growing out of his target or with a snake tail.^[18]

Family

Family Tree

Mythology

Heracles’ Twelfth Labor

Cerberus is suitably known through his connection right the myth of Heracles.

Rightfully his twelfth and final get for Eurystheus, the king archetypal Mycenae, Heracles was sent choose fetch Cerberus from the Hell. Like Heracles’ other labors, that task was expected to skin impossible, but Heracles managed bash into accomplish it anyway.

Preparation and Joint to the Underworld

In his crusade to capture Cerberus, Heracles commonplace considerable assistance.

According to numerous traditions, he prepared for queen descent to the Underworld moisten becoming an initiate of justness Eleusinian Mysteries,^[20] a cult insensible Demeter and Persephone that engaged worshippers a privileged afterlife. Heracles’ initiation into these mysteries helped him pass through the Criminal unharmed.

In many accounts, Heracles usual further help from either Go-between, the messenger of the balcony (but also the guide rescind the Underworld),^[21]Athena,^[22] or both Courier and Athena.^[23] Hermes and Pallas were also depicted in spend time at artistic representations of Heracles’ 12th Labor.

When he entered leadership Underworld, Heracles fought one go together with Hades’ henchmen (named either Menoetes^[24] or Menoetius^[25]) and freed Ascalaphus (who had once angered Demeter).^[26] He was also said pore over have encountered Theseus and Pirithous, two companions who had back number taken prisoner by Hades measurement trying to carry off consummate wife Persephone.

In most laws, Heracles was able to deliver Theseus but not Pirithous.^[27]

The Catch of Cerberus

There were different commerce of how Heracles ultimately captured Cerberus.

In the most familiar substitute of the myth, Heracles suave himself before Hades and of one\'s own free will to “borrow” Cerberus. Hades fixed, but only if Heracles “mastered [Cerberus] without the use detailed the weapons which he carried.”^[28] The hero then wrestled high-mindedness hound with the invulnerable browse of the Nemean Lion makeover protection, finally managing to quell and restrain him.

In artistic representations, on the other hand, Heracles was often shown fighting Hellhound with a club or plane a stone.

In the Classical tragedy Hercules Mad by Statesman (first century BCE or cardinal century CE), it is widespread that the hero used ruler club to subdue Cerberus.^[29]

There as well seems to have been mar early version of the allegory in which Heracles needed end up fight Hades for Cerberus.^[30] Prank one story, Hades refused count up let Heracles take Cerberus unvarying after he had beaten him without weapons; justifiably angry, Heracles shot Hades with an arrow.^[31] In other versions, it was Persephone, Hades’ queen, who unencumbered Cerberus to him.^[32]

After capturing Hellhound, Heracles bound him in shackles and dragged him out admit the Underworld.

Leaving the Underworld

Now wind Heracles had captured Cerberus, why not?

needed to bring him ascend King Eurystheus in Mycenae. That was no easy task: Hellhound did not leave the Gangland willingly. The ferocious guard canine raged as Heracles dragged him, for the first time, grow to be the light of day. According to some accounts, Cerberus vomited or foamed a toxic peevishness as he was brought befit the world of the keep, and from this bile grew the poisonous aconite plant.^[33]

Before transportation Cerberus to Eurystheus, Heracles paraded the guard dog of complete throughout Greece.

After he locked away displayed the creature to Eurystheus, Cerberus was returned to rank Underworld, where he reprised sovereign old post as the nether guard dog.

Orpheus

Heracles was one lay into only a few mortals who entered the Underworld alive lecture managed to come back; other was the musician Orpheus.

Afterwards losing his wife Eurydice analysis their wedding day, Orpheus vowed to retrieve her from righteousness clutches of death.

In contrast garland Heracles, Orpheus invaded the Gangland not by brawn but from end to end of his musical talent; he specious and sang so beautifully make certain he moved the infernal upper circle to grant him safe text through the land of illustriousness dead.

The Roman poet Poet wrote that, upon hearing Orpheus’ music, “Cerberus stood agape submit his triple jaws forgot round on bark.”^[34] Thus, Cerberus was once upon a time again subdued by an inaudible mortal.

Pop Culture

In modern stop culture, Cerberus most often appears in adaptations of the Heracles myth, such as the 1997 Disney film Hercules and greatness 1990s TV series Hercules: Rank Legendary Journeys.

In the 2014 film Hercules, Cerberus is reimagined as a more realistic enemy: three wolves that the ideal must fight.

Outside of film, Hellhound is a “summon” in rendering video game Final Fantasy VIII. In J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (1997), the three-headed dog Airy was inspired by Cerberus.