the heads of cerberus by francis stevens

Hercules took Cerberus to King Eurystheus in Mycenae, where the king offered a sacrifice. Cerberus raised his three heads and his barbed tail as a warning, but Hercules was protected by his lion pelt and continued to apply pressure to Cerberus' throat until he weakened and yielded.Īs Cerberus barked with all three heads and struggled against Hercules, his saliva landed on the ground and caused the poisonous aconite plant to grow. Hercules found Cerberus chained to the gates of Acheron and grabbed him by the throat.

Hades replied that Hercules could have him if he could overpower him without using any weapons. After freeing his friend Theseus, Hercules demanded that Hades and Persephone hand over Cerberus. Hercules armed himself but was reassured that ghosts could not harm him. Charon, the boatman of Hades, did not hesitate to ferry Hercules across the rivers of the underworld.Īs Hercules stepped out of the boat, all the souls of the dead fled, except for the Gorgon Medusa and the Greek hero Meleager. Hercules entered the Underworld from near the Black Sea, with Athena and Hermes guiding him. Before descending into the underworld, Hercules had to be cleansed for his murder of the centaurs and inducted into the Greater Mysteries (Eleusinian Mysteries), with Theseus as his sponsor. Hercules had to bring Cerberus up from Tartarus. The twelfth and last labour was the most dangerous one yet. Hercules was the only Greek hero to defeat Cerberus physically. When Hercules entered Hades to capture Cerberus, he was able to rescue Theseus but was prevented from saving Pirithous. They became trapped as Cerberus and the Furies attacked them, and Hades looked on. Unbeknownst to Theseus and Pirithous, Hades had instructed them to sit in the Chair of Forgetfulness. Hades listened calmly to their request and invited them to sit down. They knocked at the gates of Hades' palace and asked for Persephone. Although Theseus wanted no part in this plan, he remained true to his oath and accompanied Pirithous down to Hades. This oracle suggested that they seek Persephone as a bride for Pirithous.

Once Helen was older, Pirithous reminded Theseus of their pact, and they consulted an oracle of Zeus. However, Helen was still a child, and Theseus did not wish to cause any problems with the Dioscuri, so he sent Helen to another village to be guarded by his friend, Aphidnus, and to be cared for by his mother. After drawing lots, Theseus was the winner. They rode into Sparta with an army and ambushed Helen while she was at a temple.

They both swore an oath to each other – to draw lots for Helen's hand in marriage, with the loser getting to marry another one of Zeus' daughters. King Pirithous of the Lapiths invited his friend Theseus to visit Sparta with him so that they could attempt to marry Helen, sister of the Dioscuri. Aviad Bublil (CC BY-SA) Theseus & Pirithous

The heads of cerberus by francis stevens