Whenever Hades, the King of the Underworld, is mentioned, Cerberus is always automatically linked to it as if they were inseparable. The three-headed guard dog was definitely the most iconic thing that Hades had but did he own it or was it just another beast in Greek mythology?
Cerberus was under the ownership of Hades after he claimed possession of it from its parents, Typhoeus and Echidna. It is unknown how this came to be as there is no record of it in Greek mythology but Hades did pass ownership of Cerberus later on to Hercules.
Though Cerberus was definitely one of the most well-known things about Hades, Greek mythology rarely mentioned the three-headed beast except during the twelve labors of Hercules. Let’s dive into everything we know about the watchdog of Hades, Cerberus.
Who Was Cerberus?
Cerberus was the three-headed watchdog of Hades who was the gatekeeper to the Underworld. It ensured that the dead stayed in the Underworld while denying access to the souls of the living who would try to trespass the Land of the Dead.
The monster was a product of Typhoeus, the Titan avenger, and Echidna, a half-snake half-human hybrid who was known for her deep black eyes. It is also the sibling of the Lernaean Hydra, and the Chimera, both of which appeared in the legend of Hercules too.
The watchdog was said to be extremely loyal to Hades, only taking orders from the King of the Underworld and no other. Contrary to the belief, it was kind to the souls of the dead that entered the Underworld and only got violent when they tried to escape.
It will not hesitate to eat the souls of the damned if they were ever foolish enough to try and leave the Underworld. Those who would try to enter as the living will not have a great time either as the watchdog hated trespassers.
The origins of how Cerberus came into possession of Hades is completely unknown as it was never mentioned in the entirety of Greek mythology. The only thing we know was that Cerberus was definitely the watchdog of Hades.
Has Hades Ever Lost Ownership of Cerberus?
Cerberus’ ownership was once passed from Hades to the Greek hero, Hercules when the latter won a bet against the King of the Underworld. It all started when Hercules was completing his twelfth and final labor…
The King of Tiryns, Euripides, tasked the hero to capture the three-headed guard dog, Cerberus, from the realm of the Underworld. The King knew that the task was impossible but it served as the main motivation for Hercules to complete the task.
Hercules then consulted Hermes, the messenger of the Gods, and Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, both of which helped the hero on his task. The hero then confronted Hades to place a bet on his guard dog.
Hades told Hercules that he could have the dog as long as he could defeat the beast using only the weapons he carried with him. The beast was monstrous but it was no match for the strongest child of Zeus.
The Demi-god wielded his lion-skin shield he skinned from the Nemean Lion to defend himself off from two of the three heads and strangled the other. It didn’t take long for the beast to surrender itself to the might of Hercules.
Hades was impressed but he didn’t expect the hero to be able to defeat Cerberus. Unhappy with the result, Hades challenged Hercules to a battle for ownership of his dog.
Unfortunately for Hades, Hercules proved to be too much for him as he did in the battle of Pylos. Hercules then walked out of the Underworld with his prize, victorious from his battle with the King of the Underworld.
What Happened to Cerberus After?
There are a few stories as to what happened to Cerberus after he was brought back from the Underworld by Hercules. In the end, the three-headed beast did return to the Underworld after a period of time.
During its absence, the Underworld still needed a gatekeeper as hell would literally break loose without it. The angels, Cherubim and Seraphim, took the dog’s place as guardians until its eventual return.
Some say that Hercules paraded the dog all over Greece to show off his achievements of capturing the beast. The women and children would both be amazed and terrified of the three-headed dog as it walked through the streets.
Others believed that Cerberus was met with crowds that gave it a laurel wreath as a crown and sang songs for the beast. Eventually, Hercules was still kind enough to return the dog to its rightful owner.
The most common belief was that Hercules returned the dog personally to the King of the Underworld after his twelfth labor was acknowledged. Another belief was that Cerberus gained freedom after Hercules ascended to Godhood and the dog returned to the Underworld by itself.
Conclusion
Cerberus was to Hades what any other dog would be to men. It was Hades’ most loyal companion and he guarded the gates to the Underworld without prejudice.
Souls that tried to leave will have to face the jaws of this monstrous beast. As loyal as he was to Hades, the King of the Underworld lost ownership of the beast when he lost a bet to the Demi-god Hercules.
Cerberus was then dragged to the world of the living by the hero to be paraded as his prize. Fortunately for Cerberus, he was eventually released from Hercules’ grasp and returned to the Underworld for his duties.
The Greeks loved their dogs and had the utmost respect for them for guarding their homes. Cerberus was the perfect example of how a man’s best friend was treated during the early days of Greece.
