Echidna was a half-woman, half-snake creature known as the “mother of all monsters.” She lived in a cave, where she was visited only by Typhon, her lover. He spread fear and disaster everywhere he went and terrified even the Olympian gods. Typhon was the deadliest monster in Greek mythology, a huge dragon with a hundred heads and even more wings. Legends about Cerberus AdoptionĪlthough Cerberus spent most of his life in the care of Hades, he was actually born to Typhon and Echidna. He also has a special relationship with Persephone, who he allows free passage to and from the underworld. Greek writers described him “fawning over” the new souls who arrived at the underworld, welcoming them with excited affection. Anyone, alive or dead, who tried to break these rules and sneak past Cerberus was sure to be torn to pieces-but remember, this was a duty given to him by his master, not a random slaughter of innocent victims.Ĭerberus was capable of being loving and affectionate, as well as loyal. Cerberus obeyed two rules: he prevented living souls from entering the underworld and dead souls from leaving the underworld.

He was deeply devoted to his master, Hades, and when Hades decided to make him one of the guardians of the underworld, he became devoted to his duty as well. Personalityĭespite his nightmarish appearance and his position at the gates of the underworld, Cerberus was not a demonic creature.Ībove all else, this mighty dog was loyal. Some writers claim that these serpents form a mane around his head, while others describe the serpents growing up from his spine or hanging down like tangled fur all over his body.

Most writers claim that all of these heads are dog-like, but a few writers have described half of the heads as dog-like and the other half are “heads of beasts of all sorts.”Ĭerberus’s tail slowly morphs into a serpent, with a venomous head at the end, and more serpents sprout from his body.

He has the body of a dog with shaggy bronze or black fur, but there ends any sort of normality to this monster.Ĭerberus has multiple heads-usually three, although some writers have given him as many as one hundred-with “eyes that flash fire,” “jagged teeth” and three tongues per mouth. As you might expect of a dog that guards the gates to the underworld, Cerberus is a ghastly monster.

Cerberus hades download free