Cerberus

Cerberus (sûr`bərəs), in Greek mythology, many-headed dog with a mane and a tail of snakes; offspring of Typhon and Echidna. He guarded the entrance of Hades. One of the 12 labors of Hercules was to capture him.

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Cerberus

In Greek mythology, the monstrous watchdog of the underworld. He was usually said to have three heads, though Hesiod says he had 50. Heads of snakes grew from his back, and he had a serpent's tail. He devoured anyone who tried to escape Hades's kingdom, and he refused entrance to living humans, though Orpheus gained passage by charming him with music. One of the labours of Heracles was to bring Cerberus up to the land of the living; after succeeding, he returned the creature to Hades.

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Cerberus

Greek myth a dog, usually represented as having three heads, that guarded the entrance to Hades

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Cerberus

three-headed beast guarding gates of hell. [Classical Myth.: Zimmerman, 55–56]

See : Dogs

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Cerberus

three-headed dog, guards gate to Hades. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 55]

See : Guardianship

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Cerberus

three-headed watchdog of Hades. [Gk. Myth.: Avery, 270]

See : Monsters

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Cerberus

a genus of snakes of the family Colubridae. The body measures up to 1.3 m in length. The tail is slightly compressed laterally. The upper parts are light gray with indistinct black spots or transverse stripes and the underparts are light yellow with dark markings. There are three species, found in Southeast Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and northern Australia.

The best-known species, C. rhynchops, inhabits the mouths of rivers and brackish and freshwater lagoons and feeds on fish. The females bear from eight to 26 young, which measure 18–20 mm in length.