Editing Cerberus (section)

== Iconography ==
[[File:Skyphos aus Argos.JPG|thumb|upright=1.3|One of the two earliest depictions of the capture of Cerberus (composed of the last five figures on the right) shows, from right to left: Cerberus, with a single dog head and snakes rising from his body, fleeing right, Hermes, with his characteristic hat (''[[petasos]]'') and [[caduceus]], Heracles, with quiver on his back, stone in left hand, and bow in right, a goddess, standing in front of Hades' throne, facing Heracles, and Hades, with scepter, fleeing left. Drawing of a lost Corinthian cup (c. 590–580 BC) from Argos.]]

The capture of Cerberus was a popular theme in ancient Greek and Roman art.<ref>''[[Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae]]'' (''LIMC''), Herakles 1697–1761 (Boardman, pp. 5–16), 2553–2675 (Smallwood, pp. 85–100); Schefold 1992, [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2DA_Aze7F0C&pg=PA129 pp. 129–132].</ref> The earliest depictions date from the beginning of the sixth century BC. One of the two earliest depictions, a [[Corinth]]ian cup (c. 590–580 BC) from Argos (now lost),<ref>''LIMC'' [http://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treesearch.php?source=100&term=%22Herakles+2553%22 Herakles 2553] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710015544/https://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treesearch.php?source=100&term=%22Herakles+2553%22 |date=10 July 2017 }} (Smallwood, pp. 87, 97–98); Schefold 1966, p. 68 fig. 23; Schefold 1992, [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2DA_Aze7F0C&pg=PA129 p. 129]; Ogden 2013a, pp. 106, 111; Gantz, pp. 22, 413&ndash;414.</ref> shows a naked Heracles, with quiver on his back and bow in his right hand, striding left, accompanied by Hermes. Heracles threatens Hades with a stone, who flees left, while a goddess, perhaps Persephone or possibly Athena, standing in front of Hades' throne, prevents the attack. Cerberus, with a single canine head and snakes rising from his head and body, flees right. On the far right a column indicates the entrance to Hades' palace. Many of the elements of this scene—Hermes, Athena, Hades, Persephone, and a column or portico—are common occurrences in later works. The other earliest depiction, a relief ''[[pithos]]'' fragment from [[Crete]] (c. 590–570 BC), is thought to show a single lion-headed Cerberus with a snake (open-mouthed) over his back being led to the right.<ref>''LIMC'' [http://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treesearch.php?source=100&term=%22Herakles+2621%22 Herakles 2621] (Smallwood, pp. 92, 97); Ogden 2013a, p. 108. Cerberus is perhaps being led by Heracles, but only the left arm is preserved. According to Smallwood, the identification as Heracles and Cerberus is "suggested by Dunbabin, taken as certain by Schäfer" (p. 92), and "too little of the fragment is preserved for a secure identification".</ref>

A mid-sixth-century BC [[Laconia]]n cup by the [[Hunt Painter]] adds several new features to the scene which also become common in later works: three heads, a snake tail, Cerberus' chain and Heracles' club. Here Cerberus has three canine heads, is covered by a shaggy coat of snakes, and has a tail which ends in a snake head. He is being held on a chain leash by Heracles who holds his club raised over head.<ref>''LIMC'' [http://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treesearch.php?source=100&term=%22Herakles+2605%22 Herakles 2605] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710021129/https://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treesearch.php?source=100&term=%22Herakles+2605%22 |date=10 July 2017 }} (Smallwood, p. 91); Schefold 1992, [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2DA_Aze7F0C&pg=PA129 pp. 129–130]; Pipili, p. 5, fig. 8; Gantz, p. 22; Ogden 2013a, p. 106, 111 with n. 185, p. 111 with n. 230.</ref>

In Greek art, the vast majority of depictions of Heracles and Cerberus occur on [[Attica|Attic]] vases.<ref>Schefold 1992, p. 98.</ref> Although the lost Corinthian cup shows Cerberus with a single dog head, and the relief ''pithos'' fragment (c. 590–570 BC) apparently shows a single lion-headed Cerberus, in [[Attica|Attic]] vase painting Cerberus usually has two dog heads.<ref>Schefold 1992, [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2DA_Aze7F0C&pg=PA129 p. 129]; Smallwood, p. 87. Exceptions include: ''LIMC'' Heracles 2570, 2576 (one head).</ref> In other art, as in the Laconian cup, Cerberus is usually three-headed.<ref>Smallwood, pp. 87, 93. Exceptions include: ''LIMC'' Herakles 2553, 2591, 2621 (one head), 2579 (two heads).</ref> Occasionally in Roman art Cerberus is shown with a large central lion head and two smaller dog heads on either side.<ref>''LIMC'' Herakles 2640, 2642, 2656, 2666, Smallwood, p. 93.</ref>

[[File:Herakles Kerberos Staatliche Antikensammlungen 1493.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Heracles with club in his right hand raised over head and leash in left hand drives ahead of him a two-headed Cerberus with mane down his necks and back and a snake tail. A neck-amphora (c. 530–515 BC) from Vulci (Munich 1493).<ref>''LIMC'' [http://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treesearch.php?source=100&term=%22Herakles+2604%22 Herakles 2604] (Smallwood, p. 91); Beazley Archive [http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/record/5058D8A6-1245-4283-B7F5-51A4D3734BD5 301639].</ref>]]

As in the Corinthian and Laconian cups (and possibly the relief ''pithos'' fragment), Cerberus is often depicted as part snake.<ref>Smallwood, p. 87; Ogden 2013b [https://books.google.com/books?id=Vv0Fxm6Amh4C&pg=PA63 p. 63]. Examples include: ''LIMC'' Herakles 2553–4, 2560, 2571, 2579, 2581, 2586, 2588, 2595, 2600, 2603–6, 2610–11, 2616, 2621, 2628).</ref> In Attic vase painting, Cerberus is usually shown with a snake for a tail or a tail which ends in the head of a snake.<ref>Smallwood, p. 87.</ref> Snakes are also often shown rising from various parts of his body including snout, head, neck, back, ankles, and paws.

Two Attic amphoras from Vulci, one (c. 530–515 BC) by the [[Bucci Painter]] (Munich 1493),<ref>''LIMC'' [http://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treesearch.php?source=100&term=%22Herakles+2604%22 Herakles 2604] (Smallwood, p. 91); Beazley Archive [http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/record/5058D8A6-1245-4283-B7F5-51A4D3734BD5 301639].</ref> the other (c. 525–510 BC) by the [[Andokides painter]] (Louvre F204),<ref>''LIMC'' [http://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treesearch.php?source=100&term=%22Herakles+2554%22 Herakles 2554] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710022236/https://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treesearch.php?source=100&term=%22Herakles+2554%22 |date=10 July 2017 }} (Smallwood, pp. 87, 98); Schefold 1992, [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2DA_Aze7F0C&pg=PA130 pp. 130–131], [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2DA_Aze7F0C&pg=PA131 fig. 152]; Beazley Archive [http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/record/2A5DF5DB-2CFF-4DD3-947A-0F9A51382F1A 200011]; Perseus [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/artifact?name=Louvre+F+204&object=vase Louvre F 204 (Vase)].</ref> in addition to the usual two heads and snake tail, show Cerberus with a mane down his necks and back, another typical Cerberian feature of Attic vase painting.<ref>Smallwood, pp. 8, 91.</ref> Andokides' amphora also has a small snake curling up from each of Cerberus' two heads.

Besides this lion-like mane and the occasional lion-head mentioned above, Cerberus was sometimes shown with other leonine features. A pitcher (c. 530–500) shows Cerberus with mane and claws,<ref>''LIMC'' [http://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treesearch.php?source=100&term=%22Herakles+2610%22 Herakles 2610] (Smallwood, p. 91); Buitron, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0044:entry=23 Worcester MA 1935.59]; Beazley Archive [http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/record/A9338627-1A1F-4AE8-B950-E4044C0DFD4E 351415].</ref> while a first-century BC [[sardonyx]] cameo shows Cerberus with leonine body and paws.<ref>''LIMC'' [http://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treesearch.php?source=100&term=%22Herakles+2628%22 Herakles 2628] (Smallwood, p. 93).</ref> In addition, a limestone relief fragment from [[Taranto]] (c. 320–300 BC) shows Cerberus with three lion-like heads.<ref>''LIMC'' [http://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treesearch.php?source=100&term=%22Herakles+2618%22 Herakles 2618] (Smallwood, p. 92).</ref>

During the second quarter of the 5th century BC the capture of Cerberus disappears from Attic vase painting.<ref>Smallwood, p. 98.</ref> After the early third century BC, the subject becomes rare everywhere until the Roman period. In Roman art the capture of Cerberus is usually shown together with other labors. Heracles and Cerberus are usually alone, with Heracles leading Cerberus.<ref>Smallwood, p. 99.</ref>