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File:Herakles_Kerberos_Eurystheus_Louvre_E701.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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Cerberus

Also known as Hound of Hades, Cerberos

thumb|right|Heracles, wearing his characteristic lion-skin, club in right hand, leash in left, presenting a three-headed Cerberus, snakes coiling from his snouts, necks and front paws, to a frightened [[Eurystheus hiding in a giant pot. Caeretan hydria (c. 530 BC) from Caere (Louvre E701)]]

AI overview

Cerberus is a three-headed monster dog from ancient Greek mythology, depicted with snakes coiling from its heads, necks, and front paws. According to the mythological tradition preserved in ancient Greek art, the hero Heracles captured Cerberus as one of his famous labors, as shown in this ancient Greek vase painting from around 530 BC.

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Wikidata facts

Image: Cerberus-Blake.jpeg

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Commons category: Cerberus (mythology)
name in native language: Κέρβερος

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~43 min read

Article

16 sections

Contents

Etymology
Descriptions
Twelfth Labour of Heracles
Theseus and Pirithous
Capture
Exit from the underworld
Presented to Eurystheus, returned to Hades
Principal sources
Iconography
Cerberus rationalized
Cerberus allegorized
Namesakes
See also
Notes
References
External links

In Greek mythology, Cerberus ( or ; Kérberos ), often referred to as the hound of Hades, is a multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. He was the offspring of the monsters Echidna and Typhon, and was usually described as having three heads, a serpent for a tail, and snakes protruding from his body. Cerberus is primarily known for his capture by Heracles, the last of Heracles' twelve labours.