Cerberus, sometimes known as Cerberus, was a monstrous-looking dog with three heads and a serpentine tail. In Greek mythology, this ferocious-looking creature fulfilled a very specific function: to protect the gates of the underworld or kingdom of Hades.
In this way, no one without permission could enter Hades and no ghost could leave it, since Cerberus was chained to its doors.
Cerberus was one of the children of a monstrous sea nymph named Echidna and a god in the form of a winged monster named Typhon. Cerberus is the brother of other equally sinister beings, such as the Lernaean Hydra, Ortro, and the Chimera.
In the history of art he is usually represented with blood-colored eyes, with a very fierce aspect and an intense black color.
Cerberus in the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice
In Greek mythology Orpheus was the son of Apollo and Calliope. Orpheus married a beautiful nymph named Eurydice. One day Eurydice accidentally stepped on a poisonous snake when she was fleeing from one of Apollo’s sons who wanted to possess her. She died and Orpheus was deeply grieved.
To rescue his beloved from the world of the dead, he decided to go to the underworld. There she found Cerberus and to calm the fierce three-headed dog he began to play a beautiful melody on his lyre until he managed to make the beast fall asleep peacefully. With this ingenious trick, Orpheus could already reach her beloved and rescue her from her.
Moved by the love of Orpheus, the gods allowed them to go out together, but they imposed a condition: Eurydice had to follow Orpheus on the path towards the light and he could not turn to look at her.
Orpheus could not resist the temptation and turned back to see if his beloved wife was following him. At that moment Eurydice disappeared forever and Orpheus was left deeply heartbroken until the end of his days, with the only company of his lyre and some beasts that came to him to listen to his music.
Cerberus and the twelve labors of Heracles
The god Zeus posed as Alcmene’s husband and got her pregnant. The result of this encounter was born Heracles (also known as Hercules in Roman mythology).
Hera, the true wife of Zeus, felt humiliated by her husband’s infidelity and directed her grudge against Heracles.
The vengeful Hera made Heracles have to face all kinds of tests, known as the twelve labors of Heracles. The last of them consisted precisely of facing the three-headed dog that guarded the gates of the underworld.
Despite his fierceness, Cerberus was defeated by the immense strength of Heracles.
Photo: Fotolia – Euichul