Kerberos: The Dog In Greek Mythology

In Greek myths and literature, dogs have often been used for expressing some kind of monster, particularly beasts associated with the underworld.1 Kerberos, the dog of Hades, figures prominently in Greek myth and literature. The dog is described as a beast, often made up other animal parts. Kerberos has been portrayed as possessing multiple heads, with the tail of a serpent, a mane of snakes, and the claws of a lion. This dog was first mentioned in Homeric poems but was first referred to by name by Hesiod. The dog's duty was to guard the gates of Haides, which is the entrance to the underworld, to prevent ghosts of the dead from existing the underworld, which Hesiod describes clearly: “And before them a dreaded hound, on watch, who has no pity, …show more content…
The Greeks clearly understood the different attributes of the different breeds, and due to selective breeding they were able to make the most out of such differences by utilising breeds for specific purposes. In this way, the Greeks had a somewhat utilitarian approach to dogs, and although some dogs, particularly the toy breeds, were clearly cherished and kept as pets, the archaeological evidence suggests that dogs were sometimes used for food. However, given the importance that herding, hunting, and protection would have held for ancient Greeks, dogs must have been held in high regard given their abilities to assist their masters, and dog burials such as that of the single dog in Athens, with its thoughtful grave with beef bone, might attest to the significance that dogs held for the Greeks. Dogs also featured in Greek art, further signalling the mark and contribution that they made on the Greeks, and they are represented in Greek myth. Significantly, mythological dogs, such as Keberos and Lailaps, were associated with gods and possessed magical powers, which attests to the impact dogs must have had on Greek culture. This impact was so strong that dogs had importance in ancient Greek religion, specifically, dogs were thought of as being able to help people in the afterlife. They could provide protection and assistance in one's journey to the underworld, and they could help with illness and purification. Thus, that dog permeated so many significant aspects of ancient Greek culture and daily life, shows us that they were indeed highly important animals to the Greek