
Orthrus
Sign in to savethumb|280px|A two-headed Orthrus, with snake tail, lying wounded at the feet of Heracles (left) and the three-bodied [[Geryon (right). Detail from a red-figure kylix by Euphronios, 550–500 BC, Staatliche Antikensammlungen (Munich 2620).]] In Greek mythology, Orthrus (, Orthros) or Orthus (, Orthos) was, according to the mythographer Apollodorus, a two-headed dog who guarded Geryon's cattle and was killed by Heracles. He was the offspring of the monsters Echidna and Typhon, and the brother of Cerberus, who was also a multi-headed guard dog.
Wikidata facts
- Part of
- Greek mythology
- Gender
- male organism
- Child
- Nemean lion
- Father
- Typhon
- Mother
- Echidna
- Sibling
- Cerberus
- Owned by
- Geryon
- Image
- Orthos Staatliche Antikensammlungen 2620.jpg
Show 5 more facts
Sources (1)
via Wikidata · CC0
~7 min read
Encyclopedic overview
8 sectionsContents
- Name
- Mythology
- In art
- Similarities with Cerberus
- See also
- Notes
- References
- External links
thumb|280px|A two-headed Orthrus, with snake tail, lying wounded at the feet of Heracles (left) and the three-bodied [[Geryon (right). Detail from a red-figure kylix by Euphronios, 550–500 BC, Staatliche Antikensammlungen (Munich 2620).]] In Greek mythology, Orthrus (, Orthros) or Orthus (, Orthos) was, according to the mythographer Apollodorus, a two-headed dog who guarded Geryon's cattle and was killed by Heracles. He was the offspring of the monsters Echidna and Typhon, and the brother of Cerberus, who was also a multi-headed guard dog.
==Name== His name is given as either "Orthrus" (Ὄρθρος) or "Orthus" (Ὄρθος). For example, Hesiod, the oldest source, calls the hound "Orthus", while Apollodorus calls him "Orthrus".
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Orthrus” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.