Cerberus_Constantine

__**Cerberus** __  By: Dylan Constantine

=__Background Information__=


 * Cerberus (//Kerberos,// as referred to in Greek texts) is the three-headed guard dog of the underworld, who acts as the buffer between the living realm and the realm of the dead. He is employed by Hades to ensure no living being enters, or leaves the Underworld.


 * __Appearance__**


 * Over the years, various renditions of Cerberus' appearance have been put forth. The most widely accepted portrayal is that of a three-headed dog, with a mane of serpents heads, and a serpents tail. Other theories range from Cerberus having fifty heads, to Cerberus' body being made from the flesh and bones of the dead.



=__Lineage__=


 * Cerberus is one of the many children of Typhon and Echidna, the "mother and father" of many Greek monsters. This relation ties to many other mythological creatures including:
 * Hydra
 * Chimera
 * Sphinx
 * Orthos (Cerberus' two-headed brother)

=__Cerberus In Greek Literature__=


 * There are many references to Cerberus in many Greek myths. He is usually unconquerable to all who try to pass him and gain access to the underworld. In one of his many tales, the Greek hero Orpheus, successfully passed Cerberus by playing him a song on his Lyre and lulling him to sleep.


 * The most well known tale involving Cerberus however, is the tale of the twelfth and final labor of Hercules. Hercules is tasked with capturing Cerberus and bringing him back from the underworld to present him to Eurystheus. Hercules defeated Cerberus using only his bare hands. After the beast was defeated, Hercules slung Cerberus over his shoulder and carried him out of the underworld. It is said that while in the realm of the living, Cerberus' drool dripped from his mouth and fell to the ground. As a result, the poisonous plant Aconite (or "Wolfsbane" as it is better known) was created.

=__Cerberus In Modern Times__=


 * Many references to Cerberus have been made in modern times as well. In the Disney movie, Hercules, Cerberus appears in a few scenes as Hades Dog.


 * In addition to his appearance in Hercules, Cerberus makes an appearance in the 2001 movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone under a new name. "Fluffy".

=__Works Cited__= []

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