Cerberus- a terrible monster, instilling horror with its very appearance. A powerful, strong, bestial body with three dog heads, frightening with a creepy grin of sharp fangs. A poisonous liquid flows from their mouths. On the monster’s back, instead of fur, they squirm, ready to fatally sting at any moment, Poisonous snakes. And to top it off - on the tail is the head of a monstrous dragon.
Cerberus owes its birth to a pair of some of the most disgusting creatures in history: Tephon (who had a hundred dragon heads, part of a human torso and writhing rings of snake bodies instead of legs) and the half-woman, half-snake Echidna. Cerberus had brothers and sisters as creepy as he was: Orcus - a dog with two heads and tails, the Nemean Lion, the Lernaean Hydra and. But it was the three-headed monster that was one of the cubs’ most beloved mothers. From a young age, the mother tempered her child in the unbearably blazing flames of a fire-breathing volcano, which was supposed to bring eternal life.
For the ancient Greeks, the name Kerber was always associated with the word danger. Meeting him initially meant grief and death. After all, it was this monster who was entrusted with the mission of guarding the entrance to the kingdom of eternal oblivion, the territory of the dead. It was not for nothing that Hades appointed just such a killer beast to greet the dead. When new arrivals appeared, the dog could joyfully wag its ugly tail, welcoming the new souls of the unfortunate. But until a certain point, no one managed to get out of the eternal darkness. The terrible dog mercilessly tore to shreds those who dared to escape.
Some sources say that Cerberus tried to bite even new inhabitants of the kingdom when they met. In order to somehow appease the impregnable guard, it was customary to put a honey delicacy - gingerbread - in the coffin of the deceased.
By the way, in his Aeneid, Virgil mentions how Sibylla put Cerberus to sleep by feeding him the same sweet treat, having previously soaked it with hypnotic herbs, which put the animal into sleep and allowed Aeneas to enter the forbidden zone for the living.
In mythology, there are few cases where it was possible to break through such powerful security. giant dog. One of the brave men describes Orpheus, who madly wanted to bring his beloved Eurydice back to life. Only thanks to his sweet-voiced singing did the young man manage to put the guard to sleep and pass the barrier. Unfortunately, it was not possible to rescue the girl from the captivity of Hades, but Orpheus was one of the few who successfully managed to leave the kingdom of the dead.
Another mythical hero who visited the afterlife is the famous Hercules. He promised King Eurystheus that he would bring Cerberus to him. The great son of Zeus managed to persuade Hades to release the dog with him into freedom. To do this, Hercules needed to cope with the evil guard with bare hands without using any weapons. The fight was life and death: the head of the dragon, located on the tail of Cerberus, mercilessly bit the attacker, the snakes tried to sting bringers of death stings. Hercules had to exert all his remarkable strength in order to win. He did not release his hands, closed around the dog’s neck, until he fell at his feet in exhaustion.
Once on the surface of the earth and falling under Sun rays, the animal raged and raged, growling and writhing. Saliva dripped from his jaws, gaping open in a terrible growl, onto the ground. A poisonous grass called aconite grew in these places. Despite everything, the winner kept his promise and brought Cerberus to the sight of King Eurystheus. He came into indescribable horror at the sight of the three-headed monster and ordered the monster to be sent back to the dark kingdom.
The origin of mythological creatures is inextricably linked with the religions of ancient peoples. According to the treatises of the great ancient Greek philosophers, Cerberus is the name of a watchdog who is a faithful servant of Hades.
Cerberus - a character from Greek mythology
Characteristics
Main feature hellhound is his appearance and incredible loyalty to his master Hades.
The three-headed creature instills fear in the hearts of people, but also involuntary respect for his devotion.
Even today, his name is a common noun, meaning a proud and unapproachable guardian.
Name
There are several sources explaining what Cerberus is. The Ancient Greek dictionary translates this word as spotted monster. Translated from Latin, it means “devourer of the souls of the dead.”
Another interpretation brings Cerberus closer to the guard dog Garm, who guards Helheim - world of the dead. In this case, both words are traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root “ger-,” which translates as “to growl.”
For the ancient Greeks, Cerberus always meant danger. This gave rise to many superstitions regarding ordinary dogs.
Origin
The Hellhound is the monstrous offspring of the hundred-headed dragon Typhon and Echidna, a monster combining the features of a woman and a snake. Like all their descendants, he was born to bring pain and suffering to ordinary people.
But the gods had mercy and assigned this monster to guard the passage to Tartarus, so that no one alive would enter there, and no one dead would come out.
In addition to his other brothers and sisters, he has a brother, Orff, with whom he is often confused. This is also a dog, but two-headed, which served the giant Geryon and guarded his red bulls.
His other siblings include:
- Nemean Lion;
- Ephon.
Appearance
The typical image of Cerberus changed over the years until a stable image emerged.
According to him, appearance dogs have the following characteristics:
- The height reaches 3 m.
- Its three heads are equipped with poisonous, sharp fangs.
- Where his saliva dripped onto the ground, plants grew - wolfsbane.
- His tail is replaced by a monstrous snake.
- The same snakes hang all over his body instead of fur.
- All three heads have a killer look.
In some sources, his appearance changes. So, instead of 3 heads there can be 1, 50 or even 100. Sometimes some of them are not dogs, but belong to lions, snakes or even humans.
There is also a description of it in the form of a chimera: the body is human, and the head is a dog. In one hand he held the severed head of a bull, and in the other - a goat.
However, the most common description of its appearance is that of a three-headed dog.
Some sources suggest that the 3 heads serve as symbols of the past, present and future. Others believe that these are symbols of childhood, youth and old age.
Purpose
Cerberus is a guard dog in Greek mythology. He guarded the gates to the kingdom of Hades, not letting out the souls of dead people. Situated on the banks of the River Styx, where the border between Earth and Hell passed, he tirelessly fulfilled his duty.
According to the philosopher Hesiod, he greeted new arrivals with joyful barks and wagging tails, but woe to those who dared to return back.
However, over time, people began to associate it only with anger. They believed that the torment of the soul in the Underworld began with the bite of Cerberus.
Cerberus sits on the banks of the River Styx
Legends of Cerberus
Myths ancient Greece, where Cerberus is mentioned, are quite common. However, among them there are 3 most common ones.
- The twelfth labor of Hercules.
- Rescue of Eurydice.
- Sibyl and Aeneas.
12th labor of Hercules
The hellhound is one of the main characters in the last labor of Hercules. According to legend, King Eurystheus demanded that a three-headed monster be delivered to his palace, guarding the border between the worlds of the living and the dead.
The Lord of the Underworld, Hades, allowed Hercules to bring the dog to the surface, but on one condition: he had to defeat Cerberus with his bare hands.
Thanks to his strength and the skin of the Nemean lion, which protected him from the bites of his poisonous tail, Hercules managed to defeat the monster. Having tied him tightly, he carried the dog to the king. Eurystheus did not expect that the hero would cope with this assignment and, seeing Cerberus on the threshold of his house, began to beg Hercules to bring him back.
Rescue of Eurydice
Another myth where the three-headed guard appears is the love story of Orpheus and Eurydice.
The Thracian singer, who had no equal, was happily married to the nymph Eurydice. But Hera was jealous of their love and sent a snake. Bitten by a poisonous creature, the nymph soon died, and the grief-stricken Orpheus no longer saw the meaning in life.
Desperate, he decided on a crazy act - he would go down to Tartarus to return his beloved from the captivity of Hades.
He charmed the ferryman with his playing of the lyre souls of the dead Charon, who took him on his boat straight to the entrance to the world of the dead.
The three-headed watchman also did not remain indifferent to Orpheus’ skill. As soon as the melody sounded, he obediently lay down on the ground and let the man into the underworld.
Hades and his wife Persephone allowed Orpheus to rescue his wife, but with one condition: he must not look back until he was in the lands of the living.
Orpheus could not resist and looked back, and at that very moment he turned into a ghost, forever chained to Tartarus.
Sibyl and Aeneas
During your journey great hero Aeneas, on the advice of the Cumaean Sibyl, descends to Tartarus to find out about his fate. A fortuneteller helps him get through Cerberus. She feeds the guard a honey gingerbread soaked in a decoction of sleepy grass.
Like many creatures in mythology, Cerberus is partial to sweet offerings, so this is the easiest way to get past him.
Mention in other cultures
In the mythology of other countries there are creatures similar to Cerberus. Their appearance may differ, but the main purpose remains the same.
Analogues of the Greek hellhound include the following creatures:
- Garm is a chthonic monster in. Looks like a four-eyed dog. Guards the entrance to Helheim, the world of the dead.
- Amt is an evil spirit in Egyptian mythology that devours the souls of dead people. Usually it has the appearance of a chimera: the head of a crocodile and the body of a dog.
- Barghest - in the mythology of the northern counties of England, evil spirit in the form of a huge black dog, which serves as a harbinger of death. He guards the soul of a person who will soon die so that it does not escape a fair trial.
- Anubis is the jackal-headed god of embalming and mummification in Egyptian mythology. He is a guide of souls to the kingdom of the dead, their judge and guard.
- Galu - in Sumerian mythology, guardian demons in the form of two-headed dogs that catch the souls of the dead.
- Inugami - or protector in the form of a dog, which is used by magicians of western Japan to cheat death. They collect the souls of dead people and present them to Death instead of the soul of their master.
- Make-up - in folklore of peoples Western Europe is Has the appearance of a large black dog. Barghest is similar.
- Dip is the Catalan version of Cerberus.
- Ku Shi - in Scottish folklore, a huge dog that is used to search for and protect the souls of the dead.
- Cun Annwn is the Welsh version of Cerberus.
Anubis - god of mummification
Conclusion
Cerberus is the offspring of Typhon and Echidna. He looks like a three-headed dog with a snake instead of a tail, his fangs exude poison, and his gaze turns to stone. Its purpose is to guard the entrance to Tartarus and prevent the living from entering the world of the dead, and souls from returning back to the world of the living. He recognizes Hades as his only master, whom he serves faithfully.
IN ancient greek mythology One of the most terrible monsters is considered to be a three-headed dog named Cerberus (in Greek Kerberus), which guards the entrance to Hell and serves Hades (the god of the Kingdom of the Dead). The spirits of the dead are allowed to enter the foggy and gloomy underworld, but no one is allowed to leave. In ancient times, dogs, like wild animals, roamed the outskirts of cities, which is apparently why such an image appeared in mythology. But the image of Cerberus is also terrible because he has snakes on his back and head, and a dragon’s tail. This strange mixture of several creatures in one is a nightmarish sight.
"Cerberus" comes from the Greek "Kerberos", meaning "spotted". Cerberus was a monstrous three-headed dog or devil with the tail of a snake, snakes for a mane, and the claws of a lion. According to some sources, his three heads represent the past, present and future. Other sources suggest that the heads are symbols of childhood, youth and old age. The most murderous gaze was that of Cerberus. Anyone he looked at immediately turned to stone. Cerberus had razor-sharp teeth and a poisonous bite. Where saliva dripped from the three mouths onto the ground, they grew poisonous plants, known as wolfsbane.
Charon's Boat, José Benlure y Gil, 1919
Cerberus' father was Typhon, a powerful and deadly god-like monster in Greek mythology. He had a hundred dragon heads, a hundred wings, and fiery glowing eyes. They were scared of him olympian gods. Wherever Typhon appeared, fear and disaster spread. His mission was to destroy the world and create obstacles for Zeus on his way to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Cerberus's mother was Echidna, half woman and half snake. She is known in Greek mythology as the mother of all monsters. She had black eyes, head and half of the body beautiful woman, and the lower part was the body of a snake. In the cave where she lived, she lured men with her body and ate them alive.
The main task of Cerberus was to guard the Greek underworld and faithfully serve the god Hades. Cerberus, on the banks of the River Styx, which forms the border between Earth and the Underworld, guarded the gates of hell and guarded the souls of the dead from escaping back. Cerberus gently wagged his tail to all the souls of the dead who entered, but cruelly tore into pieces anyone who tried to go back through the gate and return to earth to the living.
The Legend of Orpheus and Eurydice
Cerberus appears as the "watchdog of hell" in many myths.
One of the myths when Orpheus, the greatest musician of Greek mythology, makes his way into the underworld, lulling the aggressive Cerberus to sleep with the sounds of his lyre. The Thracian singer Orpheus, revered in Greece, was happily married to the nymph Eurydice. But one day she was bitten by a snake, and Eurydice died. Orpheus was so overwhelmed by the grief of his loss that he stopped singing and playing.He decided to risk his life and went on a desperate journey to the underworld to save Eurydice. With his playing of the lyre (an instrument similar to a harp), Orpheus charmed the ferryman Charon.
Charon transported only the souls of the dead across the River Styx, but agreed to take Orpheus even though he was alive. At the entrance, Orpheus encountered the three-headed monster Cerberus, who, at the sound of the lyre, also obediently lay down, and Orpheus was able to pass into the underworld.
Orpheus saving Eurydice, painting Jean Baptiste Camille
Hades and his wife Persephone allowed Eurydice to go back with Orpheus to the upper world on one condition: Eurydice would have to follow Orpheus, but he would be forbidden to look back at her. Before they reached the surface, Orpheus was so overcome by passion that he turned to look at Eurydice. The singer immediately turned into a ghost and remained forever in the underworld.
Mythological creatures are often distinguished by such high elaboration and popularity that many perceive them as quite real creatures. This is Cerberus, one of the most terrible monsters that the human imagination has ever generated.
He is particularly bloodthirsty, as well as aggressive in the process of completing the task assigned to him by the gods. Its other name is Kerber, and in Latin it is reserved for term eater. He is presented as one of the many products of the union of Echidna and Typhon, perhaps the most terrifying among his brethren.
If you compare it with the Lernian Hydra or the Nemean Lion, it is not difficult to notice that Cerberus is superior in strength to both of them combined. He is loyal to Hades until his death, and also performs the most important task - he kills everyone who tries to penetrate into afterworld.
What did Cerberus look like?
This creature was a terrifying wolfhound, which was distinguished by the presence of three heads with mouths studded with fangs. Some sources even indicate that this dog had five heads, but the story with three-headed monster.
Cerberus's neck is strewn with snakes that constantly wriggle and hiss. It is distinguished by a very long tail, the tip of which has a snake head instead of a pompom. The wool of this mythical creature it is also filled with snakes that protect him, leaving practically no vulnerable spot on his body.
Huge paws are capable of tearing apart almost any opponent. Cerberus, as the legends that have come down to us portray him, is distinguished by a very evil and even scary look, capable of terrify anyone and evoke primal fear.
Cerberus's mouth is constantly ready to bite, and foam flows down its fangs, which is particularly poisonous. If you believe one of the legends, then during Cerberus’ stay on the surface of the planet, poison covered small area land on which the herb aconite began to grow, which was later used by Medea to create her poison.
Other sources indicate that Cerberus could transform into a man who had only one dog's head left on his shoulders. His hand in this image was occupied by a severed bull's head, the stench of which made it possible to defeat enemies, crept up very close. In the other hand, the creature held the head of a goat, the look of its dead eyes killing enemies on the spot.
It is not uncommon for Cerberus to be depicted as an ordinary dog, similar to a modern shepherd. She still guards the passage to the underworld, but instead of attacking, she simply meets travelers and warns them against a deadly journey. But if such a dog was kind to the living, then the dead could not receive mercy from him.
He fell with his formidable force on anyone who tries to leave the kingdom of the dead without the permission of his master. He easily turns into a terrifying monster that literally devours anyone who tries to break into the kingdom of the living, violating the established laws of the universe. After all, everyone in ancient times knew that leave the kingdom of the dead impossible if you've already hit it.
Cerberus had the task of ensuring that the balance between the kingdoms of Hades and Zeus maintained a fragile parity. This requirement was established by the lord of the dead himself, when he and his brothers divided the kingdoms that they inherited after the Titans they overthrew.
The monster remained undefeated as it possessed supernatural strength and ferocity. He is also prescribed a special ability create fear in the hearts those who bravely challenge him. However, some heroes made attempts to overthrow the tyranny of Cerberus, and some of them managed to fight the monster quite effectively.
The first among the host of heroes to stand out was Hercules, who in Italy was called Hercules. He managed to defeat this terrible opponent due to the fact that he was the son of a god. Bringing Cerberus to one of the Greek kings was a task that was part of his canonical number great feats.
After the king saw that Hercules was really capable of such a feat, the monster was brought back, and for his exploits the hero was awarded a wreath of silver poplar. It is at this moment that aconite, born from the foam of the monster, appears on the ground.
Orpheus was also able to defeat Cerberus, who managed to play such a magnificent melody in front of him that it lulled the animal’s vigilance. Psyche gave the monster something to drink special decoction, thanks to which he falls asleep. Despite these isolated cases, Cerberus always remained the most terrible monster in the memory of the ancient Greeks, so meeting him meant instant and terrible death.
The image of the nightmarish monster Cerberus is found in many Greek myths. His task is to guard the gates of Hell so that the souls of the dead cannot return to earth.
Origin of the Nightmare Beast
In ancient Greek mythology, one of the most terrible monsters is considered to be a three-headed dog named Cerberus (in Greek Kerberus), which guards the entrance to Hell and serves Hades (the god of the Kingdom of the Dead). The spirits of the dead are allowed to enter the foggy and gloomy underworld, but no one is allowed to leave. In ancient times, dogs, like wild animals, roamed the outskirts of cities, which is apparently why such an image appeared in mythology. But the image of Cerberus is also terrible because he has snakes on his back and head, and a dragon’s tail. This strange mixture of several creatures in one is a nightmarish sight. "Cerberus" comes from the Greek "Kerberos", which means "spotted". Cerberus was a monstrous three-headed dog or devil with the tail of a snake, snakes for a mane, and the claws of a lion. According to some sources, his three heads represent the past, present and future. Other sources suggest that the heads are symbols of childhood, youth and old age. The most murderous gaze was that of Cerberus. Anyone he looked at immediately turned to stone. Cerberus had razor-sharp teeth and a poisonous bite. Where saliva dripped from the three mouths onto the ground, poisonous plants grew, known as wolfsbane.
Charon's Boat, José Benlure y Gil, 1919
Cerberus' father was Typhon, a powerful and deadly god-like monster in Greek mythology. He had a hundred dragon heads, a hundred wings, and fiery glowing eyes. The Olympian gods were afraid of him. Wherever Typhon appeared, fear and disaster spread. His mission was to destroy the world and create obstacles for Zeus on his way to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Cerberus's mother was Echidna, half woman and half snake. She is known in Greek mythology as the mother of all monsters. She had black eyes, the head and half of the body of a beautiful woman, and the lower part was the body of a snake. In the cave where she lived, she lured men with her body and ate them alive.
Cerberus' main task was to guard the Greek underworld and faithfully serve the god Hades. Cerberus, on the banks of the River Styx, which forms the border between Earth and the Underworld, guarded the gates of hell and guarded the souls of the dead from escaping back. Cerberus gently wagged his tail to all the souls of the dead who entered, but cruelly tore into pieces anyone who tried to go back through the gate and return to earth to the living.
The Legend of Orpheus and Eurydice
Cerberus appears as the "watchdog of hell" in many myths. One of the myths when Orpheus, the greatest musician of Greek mythology, makes his way into the underworld, lulling the aggressive Cerberus to sleep with the sounds of his lyre. The Thracian singer Orpheus, revered in Greece, was happily married to the nymph Eurydice. But one day she was bitten by a snake, and Eurydice died. Orpheus was so overwhelmed by the grief of his loss that he stopped singing and playing. He decided to risk his life and went on a desperate journey to the underworld to save Eurydice. With his playing of the lyre (an instrument similar to a harp), Orpheus charmed the ferryman Charon.
Charon transported only the souls of the dead across the River Styx, but agreed to take Orpheus even though he was alive. At the entrance, Orpheus encountered the three-headed monster Cerberus, who, at the sound of the lyre, also obediently lay down, and Orpheus was able to pass into the underworld.
Orpheus saving Eurydice, painting by Jean Baptiste Camille
Hades and his wife Persephone allowed Eurydice to go back with Orpheus to the upper world on one condition: Eurydice would have to follow Orpheus, but he would be forbidden to look back at her. Before they reached the surface, Orpheus was so overcome by passion that he turned to look at Eurydice. The singer immediately turned into a ghost and remained forever in the underworld.
The last labor of Hercules
Another myth about Cerberus is associated with the half-man, half-god Hercules. In the last twelfth labor of Hercules, King Eurystheus demanded that Cerberus be brought to earth. Eurystheus was sure that Hercules would not be able to return from Cerberus alive.
Battle of Hercules with Cerberus, Hans Sebald Beham, 1545
Hercules went to the underworld, found Hades, and he told him that if Hercules could defeat Cerberus with his bare hands without weapons, then he would be allowed to leave the underworld with the beast. Hercules found Cerberus on the shore of Acheron and began to fight him with his bare hands. Hercules gathered all his strength to subdue the huge monster. Cerberus, squeezed by Hercules and almost lifeless, yielded to him and recognized his strength. Hercules delivered the monster to Eurystheus, and then Cerberus returned safely to Hades, where he continued to guard the gates to the underworld.
Analogies with the image of Cerberus
The image of Cerberus or its signs appeared in many works of ancient Russian literature, although the description of the mythological creature often differed in many cultures. So Cerberus in Dante’s hell does not guard the entire underworld, but the third circle of Hell, which was considered the circle of gluttony, and Cerberus personifies uncontrollable appetite. Cerberus also appears in many famous works of Roman literature. The most famous are the Aeneid written by Virgil, the story of Orpheus in Plato's Symposium, and the Iliad written by Homer. In Scandinavian mythology, by analogy with Cerberus, Hell was guarded by the four-eyed dog Garm. In Egypt, his incarnation was Anubis, a dog who guards tombs and escorts souls to the afterlife. Some authors, such Greek poets as Hesiod and Horace, described Cerberus with fifty or one hundred heads, in the form of a lion, dog or wolf. Even in modern literature in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the sound of a flute lulls the beast to sleep, similar to the story of Orpheus and Eurydice.