Myths and Folklore WikiThe Myths and Folklore Wiki is a website for cataloging, studying, and celebrating the various mythological and folkloric traditions that have existed throughout humanity. Our goal is to create a website that serves as an open, easy access, and scholarly resource in the study of mythology and folklore. We plan to fulfill this goal by creating accessible, easy to understand articles on both mythology and folklore that are accurate and credibly sourced. Feel free to jump right in and begin adding material to existing articles or create new ones!
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According to descriptions, Cerberus was gigantic in size and terrible to behold. The poet Hesiod describes Cerberus as being "unspeakable, unmanageable...," and, "...a dreaded hound." He was bronze with a mane of snakes, snakes down the ridge of his back, and the tail of a dragon-like serpent. Cerberus also had the claws of a lion. According to Hesiod, Cerberus had a total of fifty heads, though most later sources say that he had three. A common descriptor used by ancient authors for Cerberus is "jagged-toothed." In mythology, Cerberus' main role is as the watchdog of the realm of Hades. Cerberus prevents the dead from ever leaving Hades, and denies entry of the living into the realm of the dead. Hesiod describes Cerberus guarding Hades as follows:
Cerberus is primarily featured in mythological stories describing the few times he's ever been bested or overcome. The first of these is the story of Orpheus' attempt at rescuing his love, Eurydice, from the realm of Hades. Orpheus, as a fabled musician, was able to sneak past Cerberus by lulling him with his music. The second, is the story of Heracles' twelfth labor, where the demigod was tasked with bringing Cerberus to the surface from Hades. --> View Full Entry
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