Cerberus - Guardian of the Underworld

As a superfan of the TV series Supernatural, I loved the episodes that featured the hellhounds—some of the best-crafted tales in the series, if you ask me. This fascination has led me to ponder the ultimate hellhound: Cerberus. A legendary figure in Greek mythology, Cerberus stands as the formidable guardian of the underworld, ensuring that the dead remain in their realm and the living stay out, devouring anyone who dares to cross that threshold.

Cerberus protects the entrance of Hades

Often depicted as a terrifying creature with three heads, a serpent for a tail, and even more serpents sprouting from his back, Cerberus is a pretty frightening creature. Some myths even go so far as to describe him with as many as 50 to 100 heads! It's no surprise Cerberus looks so fearsome, considering he is the offspring of Echidna—a half-woman, half-snake monster—and Typhon, the deadliest creature in Greek mythology and known as the father of all monsters.

Cerberus is ultimately a devoted companion to Hades, excelling at his role as the guardian of the underworld. Surprisingly, he's only been outsmarted three times. One famous occasion involved the musician Orpheus, who enchanted Cerberus with his music to retrieve his beloved Eurydice from the underworld. Once Orpheus made it through, Hades agreed to let Eurydice return to the realm of the living on one condition: Orpheus must not look back at her during their ascent. Overwhelmed by anxiety, Orpheus glanced back just before they emerged from the underworld, sealing Eurydice’s fate. 

The second incident occurred when Cumaean Sibyl, a wise priestess and prophet, led Aeneas into the underworld to reconnect with his father. She lulled Cerberus into a slumber by offering him honey cakes laced with sleep-inducing herbs. The third—and perhaps most legendary—tale is that of Hercules, who was tasked with capturing Cerberus as one of his twelve labors. Armed with nothing but his strength, Hercules managed to ensnare the beast in a chokehold, causing it to faint. However, when he dragged Cerberus into the light, the creature awoke in a fury, barking and frothing, leaving a trail of saliva across the ground. Where that frothy saliva landed, the poisonous flower Aconite sprouted—part of the wolfsbane family, famed for its toxic properties and historically used to coat the tips of weapons. 

For the ancient Greeks, the afterlife was a daunting concept. While the gods were immortals, the majority faced an eternity in Hades’ domain, filled with monsters and unable to escape. The rich mythology surrounding Cerberus has inspired fictional writers to imagine the three-headed dog taking on a human form. Others have even drawn parallels between Cerberus and vampires, suggesting that he may have similarities to the undead, slipping in and out of the underworld at will. From haunting tales to chilling legends, Cerberus continues to be a source of inspiration, breathing life into countless stories and inviting us to explore the darker corners of mythology. Who knows what other captivating narratives await us in the shadow of this legendary creature?