Ancient Greeks knew that death was the final door they had to cross. After a burial in the Earth, water carried deceased mortals into Hades, the realm of the Underworld. They spent the rest of their existence there until they were ultimately forgotten.
With the additional help of getting initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries, Heracles managed to do what few others had done before: going to the realm of the dead and returning. He brought Hades’ guard dog to the world above, and along the way Cerberus’ poisonous slobber sprayed the Earth, sowing the origin story for the lethal plant,
Dogs hold an ambiguous position in mythology, according to Marie-Claire Beaulieu, associate professor of classical studies at Tufts University. Canines are associated with Underworld divinities and therefore the afterlife, but plenty of ancient humans owned dogs as shepherds, guardians, or just loving companions – just like us.The mythic monster Cerberus was so dreadful, Beaulieu says, because it turned familiar associations of a beloved companion on its head.
“If you actually do capture the guard dog of the Underworld, what do you unleash when you do that?” Meineck asks. “Does a human go too far, sometimes, in thinking that they can actually upset the realm of the Earth Mother? I think there’s a sort of cautionary tale in lots of these myths.”