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__**The Twelfth Labor: Cerberus the Three-Headed Dog **__



 Hercules' last labor was an order from Eurystheus to go to the underworld and capture Cerberus, the three headed dog. Ancient Greeks thought that everyone's soul would go to the underworld when they died and depending on the life the person lived, they may or may not endure eternal suffering. Cerberus was the monster that guarded the entrance to the underworld so that the living could not enter. No one knew exactly what parts of what creatures his body was made of but Apollodorus thought that he had 3 heads of a dog, a dragon for a tail and snake heads all over its back. On the other hand, Hesiod depicted Cerberus with 50 heads. Cerberus' mother was Echinda and Typhon, who was even feared by the gods of Olympus. These two figures were also the parents of Orthrus (whom Hercules killed in Geryon's cattle and who was the father of the nemean lion) and the hydra. Hercules knew that this would be his most challenging labor so he thought it best to be prepared. He went to Eleusis and saw a priest named Eumolpus to learn the secrets of the Mysteries. "The Mysteries" were sacred religious rights. It is thought that if a person knew these, they would have good luck in the underworld. Hercules entered the underworld through Taenarum, Laconia. On his quest through the cave, he encountered many challenges including monsters and ghosts. He finally found Hades, god of the underworld, and asked to take Cerberus. He said he could but with one condition, that he would only conquer Cerberus with his own strength, no aids or weapons. Hercules agreed and found the creature. He then put his arms around Cerberus and wrestled with it. However, as they were wrestling the dog's tail, which was apparently made of a dragon's head, bit Hercules. This didn't stop him. He persisted through the pain and kept up his guard. When it finally complied, he took it back to Eurystheus and then returned him to Hades where he could guard the underworld for eternity. ("Hercules' Twelfth Labor: Cerberus.")