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Immortal Journey
The Tales of Heracles, Leo, Cancer,
Sagittarius, Centaurus, Draco, Sagitta and Cerberus
Chapter 13: Cerberus, the Guardian
of Hell
"Your twelfth labor is to capture Cerberus,
the guardian of the gates of Hell, and bring him here," Copreus
said. He no longer felt excited as he described the tasks, because
he had become used to Heracles accomplishing the impossible. "Cerberus
is a son of Typhon and Echidna. He is the three-headed, serpent-tailed
watchdog of Tartarus. His spine is a mane of writhing snakes, venomous
and deadly. If you complete this labor, it will be your last."
How does one prepare to enter the kingdom of the dead? What would
he find? How could he ensure his return? Persephone knew what lay
below, for each year she returned from the land of the dead and
with her brought life's renewal to the surface of earth. Each year
her mother Demeter celebrated her return and each year mourned her
loss, and she taught the Eleusian Mysteries to all who wished initiation
into the cycle of life. Eumolpus was guardian of the mysteries at
Eleusis. Heracles prepared for his journey by first visiting Eumolpus.
"We do not accept those whose hands have been washed in blood,"
Eumolpus said to Heracles. "You cannot become an initiate until
you have been purified of the murder of the centaurs."
"I have done that and other countless evils as well," Heracles said.
"How can I be purified?" he asked as he stood beside the master
of the secret society. Eumolpus motioned for Heracles to follow
as he walked toward the sea.
"Walk into the salt sea water and wash yourself clean in the tides."
Eumolpus said to Heracles as he faced the sea.
"How civilized and peaceful this man is," Heracles thought, feeling
calm as he watched his new teacher. Heracles walked into the water.
"Relax into the waves," called out Eumolpus. "Experience joy and
delight in these moments. Our mysteries are the celebration of life,
and we must learn to enjoy every experience to the fullest." Heracles
relaxed and floated on the waves, clearing his mind of all thoughts
of himself and his life. He took his time until finally his thoughts
ceased and he experienced the sensations of the moment.
Eumolpus touched his hand, motioning him to rise from the water
and follow him into a hall illuminated by the glow of a hundred
torches. "You will stay here and fast for three days," Eumolpus
said, and then he left Heracles. On the night of the third day Eumolpus
returned and, leading Heracles, he motioned for him to sit in a
chair covered with a ram's skin, then he gave Heracles a cup of
wine to drink.
Before him initiates gathered, carrying ears of corn and chanting
songs to the earth goddess Demeter and Persephone, her daughter.
The songs told of Demeter and her lover, the farmer Iasion. Then
they sang of Persephone and her abduction, of the death of life
on earth and it's resurrection with the return of Persephone. Heracles
mind was free of thoughts and, as he drank the wine, he witnessed
life begin within a seed. He saw it break through the darkness of
the earth and reach for the sun. In the sunlight it matured, blossomed,
bore fruit and then returned back into earth, to be food for the
seed that it had borne. Then he witnessed the same cycle again,
but this time he was the seed born to Demeter herself. He joined
the cycle of life, first as a plant, then as an animal, and always
as a part of the earth. He saw death now only as a phase of regeneration,
the soil which transferred life from layer to layer, cycle to cycle,
generation to generation; the hidden point, the nadir, of the transition.
Now he understood and was not afraid and he traveled to the River
Styx.
A snow-fed Arcadian spring became a raging river whose torrents
plunged six hundred feet down the black rock face of Mt. Chelmos.
The waterfall ended in a wild gorge where its white waters tore
through the once peaceful valley. Finally, when the angry river
spent its fury, it joined the waters of the Crathis. It was here
that the gods swore there oaths and Heracles was sprayed by its
poisoned waters, for it was here that Heracles crossed the River
Styx.
"I've been sent to guide you," said the laughing young god with
wings upon his feet, and Heracles realized that this was Hermes.
"You can't be expected to know the secret passages between the two
worlds," Hermes said as he led the way past the Temple of Poseidon
in Taenarun, and to a nearby cave. Unlike a normal cave which grew
narrower as it grew deeper, this cave had a very small opening hidden
behind a waterfall. They crept through its passages and the corridor
became larger and higher as they descended.
Far below the surface, their passageway lit up like day. "We are
near our destination," Hermes said. "The fires of central earth
are as bright as the sun." The walls of the cave disappeared as
they stepped into a mammoth opening that had no walls. The only
thing limiting their vision was a cloud of smoke and sulfur so strong
it made their eyes water.
Faces of Hell's inhabitants peeked out to look at them as they passed,
although most of them quickly disappeared. Meleager, who killed
the boar sent by Artemis and then killed his uncles who tried to
take it from him, was afraid of no man and he stayed watching them
to prove it. The other one who stayed to look was the Gorgon Medusa.
The snakes upon her head hissed at Heracles, but Hermes said, "Don't
worry about Medusa. She is only a phantom and cannot harm you. Ignore
her and we will pass safely." Heracles did as he was told and they
passed without incident through Hades' gates.
They passed Tantalus, unable to quench his thirst or feed his hunger.
The water in which he stood receded as he reached for it and the
fruit from the overhanging bough was always just beyond his reach.
"He is punished for giving nectar and ambrosia to mortals and feeding
his son to the gods," Hermes said.
"Ixion tried to seduce Hera, and lied that he had made love to her,"
Hermes said as they passed a man chained to an eternally turning
wheel. "Look at Phlegyas. He is forever threatened that the rock
above his head will fall. He violated the temple at Delphi. Over
there is Sisyphus," Hermes said pointing to a man pushing a rock
up a hill. As the man neared the top of the hill, the rock rolled
back to the bottom, and when he again pushed it uphill, the rock
rolled down again. "He tried to cheat Hades out of death," Hermes
said.
Then they reached a gate where Theseus and Peirithous were chained.
"Peirithous wanted to marry Persephone, and he and Theseus came
to Hades to kidnap her. Hades was angry and jealous, and punished
Peirithous forever." They stretched out their hands to Heracles
and he pulled Theseus free, but when he tried to grab Peirithous'
hand the earth shook and Heracles fell backward. "Hades won't allow
Peirithous to go free," Hermes said, "but he allowed you to let
Theseus go." Theseus thanked Heracles and quickly left. Where the
earth opened up, they could see little Ascalaphus held prisoner
beneath a rock. Long before, Demeter had rolled the rock over him
after he told Zeus that he saw Persephone eating pomegranate seeds.
Heracles easily rolled the rock away and little Ascalaphus jumped
up and ran away.
The souls they passed called out for blood and finally Heracles
could bear it no longer. He slaughtered one of Hades' cattle and
spread it before them as they scrambled over each other to grab
a piece. Menoetes, the one who had told Geryon that Heracles was
stealing his cattle, was the keeper of the cattle of Hell, and when
he saw the dead bull and the crowd and Hermes with the rustler,
he said, "We'll settle this with a wrestling match," and he reached
for Heracles.
Heracles picked up Menoetes and put him into a tight hold, hugging
him and breaking his ribs. Persephone heard the noise and came to
see what was happening. "Harming my cowherd certainly can't be your
mission here," the goddess said. "So, what is it that you want?"
Heracles explained his labor to Persephone and she led him to her
husband. "You may take my hound Cerberus with you only if you can
overpower him without any of the weapons you carry with you," Hades
said. "If you are successful, you must also bring him back here."
Heracles thanked the god for his help.
He found Cerberus at the gates of Acheron. Covering himself with
his lion skin and protective armor, he slowly and quietly crept
up behind the hound of hell. He threw his arms around the creature's
heads and held them as though they were only one, instead of three.
The serpent tail bit him, but still he held on. Tightening his grip
around the throat, he held on until Cerberus, gasping for air, gave
up his fight and peacefully obeyed Heracles. Heracles took Cerberus
to the upper world and showed him to Eurystheus. Heracles had finally
completed all his labors.
Heracles returned the hound to hell before he set off on his new
life. When Cerberus was returned to Hades, Zeus picked him up and
placed the watchdog of hell in the stars to guard the sky. Meanwhile,
Demeter, in her ongoing quarrel with the poor little tattletale
Ascalaphus, made him grow a beak and feathers, long hooked claws
and big, big eyes; for after Heracles freed him from beneath the
rock, she imprisoned him in the body of a horned owl.
Tales of
the Immortal Night ©2003, J.J. Kuhl
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