Preview

Greek Mythology and Cerberus

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
321 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Greek Mythology and Cerberus
Cerberus In Greek myth Cerberus was a horrific dog who stood watch at the gates of Hades, the world of the dead. He would let souls in but would not allow them to leave Hades. Cerberus had three heads (some accounts gave him many more) and was so vicious that he was feared even by the gods. Cerberus is most famous for his role as one of the 12 labors of Hercules, the strong man who ventured to Hades and wrestled Cerberus into submission. Cerberus also appears in the story of Orpheus, who lulled the dog to sleep with music on his way into Hades to search for his lover Eurydice. Cerberus is best known for playing a part in Hercules' final labor. Hercules had to go to the Underworld and bring Cerberus back to the surface of the earth without using his arrows or his club.
Hercules grabbed Cerberus by the throat and dragged him to Mycenae through a crack in the surface of the earth. Having accomplished this, Hercules dispatched Cerberus to guard one of the secret groves of Demeter but the dog eventually made his way back to Hades where he still guards the entrance. In another legend, Orpheus makes the same journey to the underworld to bring back his lover, Eurydice. He manages to soothe Cerberus with his lyre.
In Dante's Inferno, Cerberus was the tormenting genius of the third circle. There the gluttonous and unrestrainable souls could be found immersed in turbid water. Hail and snow poured down through the dark air upon their grimacing faces. Cerberus took care to see that each soul received its due share of torment:
Cerberus, a monster fierce and strange, with three throats, barks dog-like over those that are immersed in it. His eyes are red, his beard greasy and black, his belly wide, and clawed his hands; he clutches the spirits, flays and piecemeal renders

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Do you know Hercules?Hercules is one of the best known heroes in Greek and Roman mythology. The name Hercules arrived from Etruscan named Hercle. Hercule means "Glory of Her". Hercules had two step - fathers. His first father is Amphitry and his second step-father is Radamanthes another of Zeus sons. Hercules first wife was Magara daughter of King Creon. Hercules had three sons with Magara. The names of the three sons where Creontidas , Thersimachus , and Deicoon . Hercules is an epic hero because her is self- confident , courageous , and strong.…

    • 407 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Prometheus: Prometheus was a young titan. Zeus did not like him. He never hesitated to ask questions. He asked Zeus many questions and it made him mad. Prometheus wasn’t happy about it either. He ended up making fire and zeus was amazed but then got angry once again. So he made his guards capture Prometheus and tie him to a mountain peak, which he couldn’t break. Later, another hero was born and he saved Prometheus and killed the vultures. The heroes name was Hercules…

    • 84 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    King Bael Research Paper

    • 8725 Words
    • 35 Pages

    Barbatos is an Earl and Duke of Hell, ruling thirty legions of demons and has four kings as his companions to command his legions. He gives the understanding of the voices of the animals, says past and future, conciliates friends and rulers, and he can lead men to hidden treasures that have been hidden by the enchantment of magicians.…

    • 8725 Words
    • 35 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Disney Archetypes

    • 1230 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Hercules--He was trying to prove to his father that he was worthy of living on Mount Olympus…

    • 1230 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hercules VS Heracles

    • 569 Words
    • 1 Page

    one of these being orpheus’s travel to get his wife. In the movie, it is very close to being…

    • 569 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hercules was brave as he was smart he was the only and the first to kill the Nemean Lion. The Nemean Lion was a very vicious monster in the Greek Mythology that lived in Nemea. It could not be killed with Mortal weapons because…

    • 481 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Hades was the Greek god of the dead and the King of the Underworld. He was the child of Rhea and Cronus, and the oldest of his two brothers; Poseidon and Zeus. After Hades and his brothers defeated their father to claim rulership over the cosmos, they decided to split their rule. Poseidon became the god of the sea, Zeus became the god of the skies, and Hades became the god of the underworld. Hades longed for a bride so he called on his brother Zeus to offer him one. Zeus provided him the daughter of Demeter, who was named Persephone. Hades knew she would resist the marriage so he forcefully kidnapped her. Demeter became furious when she found this out, so she caused a famine to fall on the Earth until her daughter was returned. Hades was forced…

    • 204 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Greek Mythology consist of various gods, goddesses, heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins of religious beliefs and practices. Even though Hades is best known for ruling the underworld, he is also known for an act of destruction and his influence of a moral lesson on today's society.…

    • 936 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hades' most famous myth was the "Rape of Persephone." There are many different versions of this story. It was a myth explaining the four seasons. When Hades asked Zeus for a wife, Zeus offered him Persephone without Demeter's approval. So Hades stole Persephone and brought her to the underworld and made her queen. When Demeter realized she was gone she searched the world for her daughter. When she couldn't find her she made the world go…

    • 476 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Perseus: A True Hero

    • 296 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Perseus, is an Olympian god/human. He was remembered for many things, but is remembered for decapitating the head of Medusa. Medusa was the "bad guy" and because Perseus killed her, he is considered a true hero. However, Perseus has done many other hero quality things, such as saving Andromeda. He was a great man…

    • 296 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    A Heros Quest

    • 330 Words
    • 4 Pages

    A Hero’s Quest (Hercules) Mary Beasley Kari Fernandes Christofer Price Stephanie Williams Michelle Wynn Hum/105 World Mythology Professor Megge Fitz-Randolph September 15, 2014 Agenda • • • • • Introduction of Hercules Introduction of Villain(s) The research of mythological and culture origins Analyzing the symbolisms, metaphors, and attributes Explaining conflicts personal desires and community responsibility • Identifying the four stages within the quest The Hero Hercules • Most popular and famous of Greek • • • • • hero 's. Often called defender of earth.…

    • 330 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Odyssey Essay

    • 1167 Words
    • 2 Pages

    and body to the underworld , but the river Styx would not allow him to pass unless he was given…

    • 1167 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Julius Caesar

    • 511 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Both the play and real history make Ceasar out to be very arrogant and think of himself to be above everyone and from what we know about Ceasar seems to be very true. In the play he always seems to turn down everything offered to him and to…

    • 511 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    First, however, I would like to start by giving a little bit of background information on the hero known as Hercules. Hercules was born as the son of Zeus and a beautiful mortal woman named Alcmene, in the Greek city of Thebes. Due to his father’s divinity, Hercules was given the gift of extraordinary physical strength and courage. From the beginning, the events of his life were shaped by the wrath of the goddess Hera, who scorned the boy that was a reminder of her husband’s infidelity. As he matured he faced countless tasks and hardships, but through his victories he forever glorified himself in ancient literature. The stories of Hercules had quite a large impact on the early Greeks. Some, such as the ancient Spartans, believed they were descendants of the great hero and strived to be like him on the battlefield and in the gymnasium. Elsewhere, in Thebes, the Cult of Heracles was a religious group that was created which worshiped him as the divine protector of man. The cult constructed many shrines throughout the ancient world and even held festivals in his honor every year (theoi.com). Later on, the…

    • 1705 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Essay On Heroic Mythology

    • 1479 Words
    • 6 Pages

    He took a challenge to go to the underworld to retrieve his wife who has recently died from a snakebite. He reached the underworld and made his way to the royal couple Hades and Persephone to persuade Hades to give him a chance to bring his wife back to life. Hades did grant him permission on the condition that he not look at Eurydice until they reached the light of day. This kind of heroism is noble because of the love behind it at least I believe so. Theseus, an Athenian hero who freed his city from the tyranny of King Minos of Crete and his monstrous Minotaur. He did have the help of the creature’s half-sister but he was able to slay the monster and find his way out of its labyrinth.…

    • 1479 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays

Related Topics