Comments on: Why Does Hell Need A Guard Dog?

By: lacoste polo

lacoste polo — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 11:44:00 +0000

It was at that point that I admitted to Ryan that I really didn’t know how to correctly pronounce the name “Cerberus” and asked for a little guidance.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 03:24:00 +0000

I think everyone may need a dog ..HAHA
dog is friendly …..!

By: Submission Article

Submission Article — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 15:36:46 +0000

Atleast I need a guard Dog. Atleast it makes me feel safe. Even if it is just to make a fake impression that we are safe. Some Guard dogs can be really helpful. Opsss… I love Dogs..!!

By: Carl_Rosendahl

Carl_Rosendahl — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:20:09 +0000

So you're trapped in Hell and try to escape. You end up getting eaten by a three headed dog. Big deal, try again the next day… eventually you'll get through.
Kind of a Groundhog Day aspect to the whole thing.

By: jason4307

jason4307 — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:20:08 +0000

I think that means everyone has to stay inside on the line at Chrysler plants and keep making cars……

By: Stanislav Shalunov

Stanislav Shalunov — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:20:08 +0000

Kerberos is of course the original Greek version. It was pronounced with a [k]. The Latin spelling is Cerberus. (Classical Latin famously only uses the letter "K" in one word, Kalendae.) In classical Latin, the pronunciation is still with a [k]. In bastardized medieval Latin, the word would be pronounced with a [ts]. In English, it's naturally just [s].

Jill is quite correct about the purpose of Cerberus. He wags his tail as you go in. Good luck getting out.

Heracles finally captured the dog, overcoming him with brute force. Orpheus and Hermes were both smarter, using two different hacks to get past the dog: music and a drug (Lethe water).

– Stas

Here is how Hesiod puts this:

"a dreaded hound, on watch, who has no pity, but a vile stratagem: as people go in he fawns on all, with actions of his tail and both ears, but he will not let them go back out, but lies in wait for them and eats them up, when he catches any going back through the gates."
Hesiod, Theogony 769 ff

By: jason4307

jason4307 — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:20:08 +0000

Most excellent analysis. Thanks!

By: bfeld

bfeld — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:20:08 +0000

Yes – all the above are correct. Ryan explained it sort of backwards. While Cerberus guarded hell, his job was to keep people in! Now – map that to the private equity business.

By: jason4307

jason4307 — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:20:08 +0000

I always knew that you were smarter than me. Clearly, I’d be an exception. J

By: Jill S.

Jill S. — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:20:08 +0000

Cerberus' main job was to keep the spirits of Hades from getting out. He also kept living people from entering, since once you got in, you never got out. Of course, there are always a few exceptions.