The Sybil of Cumae, an oracle priestess of Apollo, charmed the dog with a honey cake to allow Aeneas to pass into the underworld. There were only a few occasions on which anyone got past the enormous watchdog. The great hound was so closely associated with the underworld that his inclusion is one of the only ways to identify images of Hades. He had great claws, a shaggy mane, or a more lion-like face in later Greek and Roman images. Later images gave the dog qualities of a lion as well. Some accounts also said he had a snake in place of a tail, and several more serpents protruding from his back, neck and joints. So many eyes meant he could be watchful at all times.Ī giant animal, he towered above the gates he watched.
While he is usually depicted with three heads, some writers gave him as many as fifty. In fact, sneaking past Cerberus was impossible. He only troubled these souls when one tried to sneak past him and escape. Most souls wandered the Asphodel Fields without emotion, joy, or purpose. Those with exceptionally good lives or close connections to the gods enjoyed a more pleasant existence in Elysium.įor most people, however, an undistinguished and unremarkable life led to an afterlife that was just as neutral. The worst humans were imprisoned in Tartarus, the deepest and blackest part of the underworld. It was a dreary place, mostly consisting of darkness and haze.
His job in the realm of Hades was as much to keep the souls of the dead within the afterlife as to keep the living out. Fetching one of these animals was a task assigned to Heracles, who killed the terrifying dog in the process.Ĭerberus, meanwhile, became the guardian of the underworld. Orthrus, with two heads and a serpent’s tail, watched over the cattle that belonged to the giant Geryon. Orthrus and Cerberus embodied the wildness and viciousness the Greeks feared in wild dogs. Wild dogs were well-known in Greece and were seen as ferocious, dangerous beasts. The Greeks described these two as wild dogs, not the domesticated animals common in daily life. Cerberus and Orthrus were both multi-headed hounds known for guarding great sites. The list of these monstrous siblings has some variation, but the two terrible dogs of Greek mythology are always on it. Some writers added the Caucasion Eagle that tortured Prometheus and the first Gorgon to the family tree. The Hydra, Namean Lion, Sphynx, Ladon, and Scylla were all said to be their children. Together, Typhon and Echidna were the parents of many of the most terrifying monsters in Greek mythology. Her mother may have been Ceto, the primordial sea goddess who gave birth to many of the terrors of the ocean. His mate was Echidna, a monster that was half a beautiful woman and half a horrible snake. The later writings of Nonnus said that Typhon not only had a hundred heads but that each was that of a different animal. Some said he had multiple heads, others claimed he had wings. He failed in his task, and was imprisoned in Tartarus.ĭescriptions of him vary, but the ancient sources agreed that he was an enormous, monstrous giant associated with snakes and fire. Typhon was a child of Gaia and Tartarus, the earth and the most dreadful aspect of the underworld, who was sent by his mother to challenge Zeus for power when he angered her. His real job, though, was to keep any would-be escapees from finding a way out of the land of the dead.Ĭerberus didn’t guard flocks or riches, he guarded the souls of the dead.įrom his monstrous family to his only defeat, Cerberus was the most memorable dog in Greek mythology! The Family of CerberusĬerberus was generally considered to be one of the many terrifying children of Typhon and Echidna. His master was the ruler of the dead, and the door he guarded was the gateway to the underworld.Īn enormous, monstrous canine with three heads and a snake for a tail, Cerberus was enough to keep any would-be intruder at bay. The difference was that Cerberus was no ordinary guard dog. The only time the myths ever have him leave his post was when he was dragged away by force. He did his job as a guard dog more diligently than any other animal in history.
Humans domesticated dogs not just for companionship but also to do important jobs, and the best dogs were the ones who served their owners with loyalty and obedience.īy that measure, Cerberus was a very good dog. In the ancient world, though, dogs were not just favorite pets and they certainly weren’t pampered. Most pet owners love and care for their pups as if they are a member of the family, or even a child. Dogs are some of mankind’s most beloved companions.
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