Cattle of Geryon (Labour)
conceptThe tenth labour of Heracles: stealing the red cattle of the three-bodied giant Geryon from the island of Erytheia at the western edge of the world.
The Myth
He split a mountain in half to get there — creating the Strait of Gibraltar. To reach Erytheia (beyond the known world), Heracles sailed in a golden cup borrowed from Helios. He killed the herdsman Eurytion, the two-headed dog Orthrus (brother of Cerberus), and finally Geryon himself with arrows poisoned by Hydra venom. On the return journey, he set up the Pillars of Heracles (Gibraltar and Ceuta) to mark the boundary of the civilized world. The cattle drive back to Greece was an epic in itself — Cacus stole some cattle in Italy, and the wanderings established Heracles-cults across the Mediterranean.
Symbols
Fun Fact
The Pillars of Heracles (Strait of Gibraltar) marked the edge of the known world for ancient sailors.
Explore Further
Cerberus (Labour)
conceptThe twelfth and final labour of Heracles: descending to the Underworld and bringing back Cerberus,...
Geryon
creatureGeryon was a giant with three bodies joined at the waist who owned magnificent red cattle at the...
Helios (Sun God)
godHelios was the Titan god who drove the chariot of the sun across the sky each day — seeing...
Cerberus
creatureThe three-headed dog that guarded the gates of the underworld, preventing the dead from leaving and...
Helios
godThe Titan who drove the sun chariot across the sky each day, providing light to the world. Helios...
Hera
godQueen of the Olympian gods and goddess of marriage. Known for her jealous rages against Zeus's...
Hera Teleia
godAn epithet of Hera as goddess of marriage and its fulfilment, worshipped as the divine model of the...
Heracles
heroThe greatest hero of Greek mythology, son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmene. Famous for his...
Heracles (Labours)
heroHeracles performed twelve seemingly impossible labours as penance for killing his family in a...
Hydra
creatureA monstrous water serpent with multiple heads that grew two more whenever one was cut off. Slaying...
Orthrus
creatureOrthrus was a fearsome two-headed dog who guarded the cattle of the three-bodied giant Geryon at...
Pillars of Heracles
placeThe Pillars of Heracles were the two promontories at the Strait of Gibraltar — the boundary between...