Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - Cerberus is a famous monster in Greek mythology. Often described as a giant three-headed dog, Cerberus guards the gates of the Greek underworld, ensuring that no one escapes from the realm of Hades, the god of the dead and the king of the underworld.
Stories of Cerberus are mentioned in both Greek and Roman mythology. The depiction of this multi-headed creature depends on the ancient source material. In most cases, Cerberus is described as having three heads, a serpent for a tail, and snakes protruding from parts of his body. Each head is uglier than the other. In some myths, the three heads represent the past, present, and future.
Multi-headed animals are often encountered in ancient myths and legends. In Hindu mythology, for example, we learn about the legendary Uchchaihshravas, a divine, seven-headed flying horse of God Indra. However, in other ancient accounts, such as Hesiod's Theogony, Cerberus has as many as 50 heads, and Pindar (c. 522 – c. 443 BC), an ancient Greek poet from Thebes, gave the monster as many as 100 heads.
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See also:
Sirens: The Secret Of The Power In Their Captivating Song That Heralded Death
Arimaspians: Mysterious Mighty One-Eyed Warriors From The North
