Ceryneian Hind
A golden-antlered, bronze-hooved deer sacred to Artemis that Heracles pursued for an entire year as his third labour.
The Myth of Ceryneian Hind
The Ceryneian Hind was sacred to Artemis, who had captured five such deer on Mount Lycaeus to pull her chariot, but this one escaped. It had golden antlers — unusual for a female deer — and hooves of bronze, and it could outrun any arrow. Eurystheus commanded Heracles to capture it alive as his third labour, creating a dilemma: harming an animal sacred to Artemis would bring the goddess's wrath. Heracles pursued the hind for an entire year across the Peloponnese, through Arcadia and Laconia, and all the way to Hyperborea in the far north. He finally caught it at the river Ladon in Arcadia, either netting it while it slept or wounding it slightly with an arrow. Artemis and Apollo confronted him, furious, but Heracles explained that Eurystheus had commanded the task and blamed the king. Artemis allowed him to take the hind, provided it was returned unharmed.
Parents
Sacred to Artemis
Symbols
Fun Fact
The Ceryneian Hind is the only labour where Heracles had to capture rather than kill, making it a test of patience rather than strength. The year-long chase has been compared to medieval quest narratives and is widely considered a source for the "White Hart" motif in Arthurian legend — the uncatchable deer that leads knights on transformative journeys through enchanted forests.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Ceryneian Hind
🐉 creatureGolden-horned deer sacred to Artemis
The Ceryneian Hind was a magnificent deer with golden antlers and bronze hooves, sacred to Artemis — the third labour of Heracles required capturing it alive without harming it.
Cretan Bull
🐉 creaturelabour, Crete
The magnificent bull sent by Poseidon to Minos that became the father of the Minotaur, later captured by Heracles as his seventh labour.
Calydonian Boar
🐉 creatureMonstrous boar sent by Artemis
The Calydonian Boar was a massive, destructive beast sent by Artemis to ravage Calydon after King Oeneus forgot to honour her in sacrifice.
Erymanthian Boar
🐉 creatureGiant boar of Mount Erymanthos
The Erymanthian Boar was a gigantic wild boar that ravaged the lands around Mount Erymanthos in Arcadia — the fourth labour of Heracles.
Artemis
⚡ godGoddess of the hunt, wilderness, and childbirth
The virgin huntress who roamed the wild places with her nymphs, punishing those who trespassed on her domain with lethal precision.
Arion
🐉 creatureSpeed, divinity
Supernaturally fast divine horse born from Poseidon and Demeter, later ridden by the hero Adrastus
Nemean Lion
🐉 creatureInvulnerable beast of Nemea
The Nemean Lion was a monstrous lion with an impenetrable golden hide that no weapon could pierce — the first of Heracles' twelve labours.
Artemis
⚡ godGoddess of the hunt, wilderness, the moon, childbirth
Twin sister of Apollo and goddess of the hunt. Artemis roamed the wild forests with her band of nymphs, fiercely protecting her virginity and the natural world.
Pegasus
🐉 creatureFlight, heroism
Winged divine horse born from the blood of Medusa who carried Bellerophon against the Chimaera
Ladon
🐉 creatureguardian, treasure
The hundred-headed serpent-dragon that guarded the golden apples in the Garden of the Hesperides, slain or tricked by Heracles during his eleventh labour.
Drakon Ismenios
🐉 creaturedragons
A sacred dragon of Ares that guarded the spring of Ismene near Thebes
Stymphalian Birds
🐉 creaturelabour, avian
Man-eating birds with bronze beaks and metallic feathers they could launch as arrows, inhabiting the marshes of Stymphalos in Arcadia.