Orthrus

In Greek mythology, Orthrus was a two-headed dog. He guarded the cattle of a powerful figure named Geryon. Stories from ancient writer Apollodorus tell us that Orthrus had two heads and was very strong.

Orthrus was one of the children of two huge monsters called Echidna and Typhon.

Orthrus had a famous brother named Cerberus, who was also a multi-headed dog. The hero Heracles had to face Orthrus as one of his adventures. This story is part of the great myths about heroes and powerful creatures.

Name

His name is either "Orthrus" or "Orthus". The poet Hesiod calls the dog "Orthus", while the mythographer Apollodorus calls him "Orthrus".

Mythology

According to Hesiod, Orthrus was the father of the Sphinx and the Nemean Lion. We do not know who Orthrus' mother was.

Orthrus and his master Eurytion were guards for a giant's herd of red cattle in a faraway land called Erytheia. Heracles fought and defeated Orthrus as one of his tenth labor. Later, Heracles also defeated Eurytion and the giant before taking the cattle.

In art

Orthrus is rarely shown in art. When he is, it is always linked to Heracles stealing Geryon's cattle.

The oldest picture of Orthrus is on a bronze piece from Samos made around the seventh century BC. It shows Orthrus with two heads, sitting at the feet of Geryon. Heracles stands nearby, wearing his famous lion skin.

A cup made around 550–500 BC by Euphronios from Vulci shows Orthrus lying on his back with an arrow in his chest. Heracles fights Geryon, who has three bodies. An Attic black-figure neck amphora by the Swing Painter from the same time shows Orthrus at Geryon's feet.

Similarities with Cerberus

Orthrus is very similar to Cerberus, a famous dog from old stories. Both dogs were born from the same parents, Echidna and Typhon. Like Orthrus, Cerberus also had many heads—sometimes shown with fifty or even one hundred, but often just three in stories. Both dogs were guards: Cerberus kept watch over the gates of Hades, and Orthrus guarded special cattle. The hero Heracles faced and defeated both of them during his famous tasks.