Cerberus and Hades: A Story of a Loyal Servant and His Master
Cerberus and Hades are Greek characters that are synonymous with the Land of the Dead. Even though there are only a few stories featuring Cerberus, he proved that he was a faithful servant to Hades and performed his job to the best of his abilities.
Discover the relationship between the King of the Underworld and the multiple-headed dog. Read on to learn more!
Who Are Cerberus and Hades?
Cerberus and Hades were similar to that of a master and a loyal servant. Cerberus, also called the hound of Hades, is a three-headed dog who serves as a guard at the gates of hell, responsible for making sure the dead stay in and the living stay out.
What Is the Cerberus and Hades Story?
Cerberus and Hades’ story is that when Hades became King of the Underworld, Cerberus was a gift. Cerberus’ primary job is to welcome the dead when they enter the Land of the Dead and ensuring they stay there, and none of the living will be able to enter the realm.
Origins of Cerberus
Cerberus and his family predate even the major Greek gods and goddesses. His parents are Typhon and Echidna. Typhon is well-known as the father of all monsters, with a hundred heads and the appearance of a fire-breathing dragon. Cerberus’ mother, Echidna, is a half-woman and half-serpent who was also known to have given birth to most of the infamous creatures known to the Greeks in ancient times.
The name of Hades’ loyal dog may be spelled differently, but Kerberos vs. Cerberus has the same meaning, coming from the Greek word “Kerberos,” which meant “spotted.”
Appearance of Cerberus
Coming from a family of hideous monsters with a father who had multiple heads and a mother who had a half-serpent body, Cerberus’ appearance was monstrous as well. He had three heads, a snake for a tail, and his mane consisted of snakes. His sharp teeth and claws come in handy when he devours those who would try to get past him.
The Life of Cerberus and Hades in the Underworld
Cerberus was a working dog and a faithful servant to his master, Hades. There were no accounts of any Hades Cerberus fight. In fact, there were even Hades and Cerberus statue up to this day to depict the good relationship between the two.
Even though Cerberus is also called a hellhound, he was not malevolent; he was just doing his job and responsibilities. His task involved guarding the gates of the underworld, making sure the dead do not escape and the living do not enter the Land of the Dead. Even though Cerberus’ job is quite simple, it maintains balance because, otherwise, there would be chaos.
However, despite being one of mythology’s most recognizable guard dogs, the majority of the most well-known stories featuring him focused on those who were able to avoid, confound, or otherwise overcome his efforts.
Cerberus in The Land of the Dead
Cerberus was a loyal guardian in the realm of the dead, where Hades was the ruler, and he caught different creatures entering or even leaving the kingdom. Below are the different stories of the guardian dog and how some creatures of different worlds passed Cerberus.
Myth of Orpheus
Orpheus is one of the several lucky ones to enter and leave the Land of the Dead still alive. He is a mortal known for his mastery of playing the lyre or kithara. He used his gifted musical ability to charm his way past Cerberus. His music could enchant wild animals; even streams would stop flowing, and trees would sway in response to his song. It was enough to put the vigilant Cerberus to sleep.
The 12th Labor of Hercules
The story involving Hercules or Heracles is the most well-known one regarding Cerberus. Hera made Hercules insane, and during that period, he murdered his family, including his wife and children. When he came to his senses, he went to atone for his transgressions, and as a punishment, he was told to fulfill the 12 Labors. Throughout these feats, Hercules had to kill at least three of Cerberus’ siblings.
The Nemean Lion, whose hide was resistant to all blades, had to be killed and skinned. Along with the multiple-headed Hydra, Hercules later defeated the two-headed hound Orthrus. The goal of Hercules’ ultimate work in the majority of his labors is to defeat and capture Cerberus. The command was that the dog must be delivered alive and unharmed and had to be presented to King Eurystheus, but Hercules was not allowed to use any weapons.
Aeneas
Aeneas, the main protagonist of Virgil’s Aeneid, wanted to go to the Land of the Dead like Hercules and Orpheus. However, his purpose was to visit the spirit of this father. He was aware that Cerberus would not permit him, so he sought the help of the Cumaean Sibyl, a prophetess.
She came with Aeneas, and together, they came face to face with Cerberus, unlike Orpheus, who enchanted Cerberus with music, and Hercules, who used his strength to defeat Cerberus. However, they did not come unprepared. The Sybil threw the dog the medication-laced biscuit just in time after hearing Cerberus growl. After eating the tiny cake, Cerberus soon dozed off, leaving them to continue their journey.
Conclusion
There were few written works about Hades and Cerberus’s relationship, other than the fact that Cerberus was a guard dog of the Gates of Hell and a loyal servant to his master, Hades. Let quickly sum up what we covered in the article so far:
- Hades and Cerberus’ names are synonymous with the Land of the Dead. A primordial dog, Cerberus, was given as a gift to Hades.
- The appearance of Cerberus resembles that of his parents, who were both well-known monsters in the ancient Greek period.
- Cerberus was the three-headed dog with a serpent tail, snakes for a mane, and very sharp teeth and claws.
- Cerberus’ task is to guard the gates of the underworld and make sure the dead stay in and the living stay out.
However, he is still a dog who can be outsmarted, as proven by characters like Orpheus, Hercules, and Aeneas, who were able to get past his vigilant guarding.
