| Orthus | |
|---|---|
 | |
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Other Name |
Orthrus |
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First Appearance |
Greek Mythology |
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Created by |
Unknown |
Origin[]
In Greek mythology, Orthrus or Orthus 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.
According to Hesiod, Orthrus was the father of the Sphinx and the Nemean Lion, though whom Hesiod meant as the mother, whether it is Orthrus' own mother Echidna, the Chimera, or Ceto, is unclear.
Orthrus and his master Eurytion were charged with guarding the three-headed, or three-bodied giant Geryon's herd of red cattle in the "sunset" land of Erytheia ("red one"), an island in the far west of the Mediterranean. Heracles killed Orthrus, and later slew Eurytion and Geryon before taking the red cattle to complete his tenth labor. According to Apollodorus, Heracles killed Orthrus with his club, although in art Orthrus is sometimes depicted pierced by arrows.
Depictions of Orthrus in art are rare, and always in connection with the theft of Geryon's cattle by Heracles. He is usually shown dead or dying, sometimes pierced by one or more arrows.
Public Domain Appearances[]
All published appearances of Orthus from before January 1, 1930 are public domain in the US.
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- Theogony
- Pindar, Odes
- The Library
- Fall of Troy