In this article we will tell you who he was Geryon in Greek mythology, since it is said that it was a giant monster that was made up of three brothers who shared the same body, it was an anthropomorphic being because it had three heads and six arms and was the owner of a herd of red cattle that he was very famous. Keep reading the article and we will tell you everything about Geryon!
The Giant Geryon
In Greek mythology Geryon is known as the son of Chrysaor and Callírroe, he was also the grandson of the God Poseidon and the Greek titan Oceanus. Geryon was also known as the King on the Island of Eritia, which was to the west of the Mediterranean Sea. There he stood out as the king of the Tartessos civilization. After his death he was replaced by the popular Gargoris.
Geryon was described as a being that had an anthropomorphic body, being made up of three bodies together. He where he had three heads, although many claimed that he also had six legs and six hands and had wings. But the best representation they make of the giant Geryon is where he is represented with a single body that has two legs and from the waist up he has three bodies with six hands and three heads.
King Gerión lived on the so-called island of Eritia, which was an archipelago that was located in the Gaideras, currently known as Cádiz, a province of Spain. According to Greek mythology, this island could be found beyond the Pillars of Hercules to the west of the Mediterranean Sea.
In this same way it is affirmed that the giant Geryon was the grandson of Medusa, that is why he had great strength. In some fables, the giant Geryon is described as a body inhabited by three brothers who were united, but who lived in harmony and were moved by a single soul. But he was also identified as the chthonic demon of death. Since he was in the direction of the extreme west.
Geryon's appearance was that of a warrior as he was always with his helmets and clothes ready for combat. The giant Geryon was the owner of a very important herd of red cattle that was guarded by his guard dog named Ortro and by the shepherd Euritión.
Ortro the dog of Geryon
It is said that the dog Ortro was the dog that protected the flock owned by the giant Geryon. That he was also cared for by the shepherd named Eurytion. The dog Ortro is the brother of Cerberus, in Greek mythology Ortro is described as a large dog that had two heads and large, sharp teeth and is the son of Edquina, a monstrous nymph with Typhoon known as the God of the hurricanes and was the last son of the Goddess Gea.
The first owner of the Ortro dog was the well-known Greek titan Atlas who kept him for a long time. But later he had to give it to Geryon, who kept it on the Island of Eritia with the shepherd Eurytion to take care of the prestigious herd of red cows and oxen that belonged to Geryon.
The Origin of Geryon Cattle
In Greek mythology it is stated that when the sun illuminates the constellation of Gemini. It is found with the so-called Auriga constellation. Many ancient religions have the belief that the path that the sun travels through the sky. It is the Sun God who is directing a fiery chariot. That is why the path that the sun travels annually is carried out in the car named Auriga.
In Greek mythology there is another knowledge. Where it is considered that the sun makes use of a glass to be able to cross the sky. In this way it is said that there is a region of the sky where there are no stars or they are very difficult to observe and the ancient Greeks affirmed that it was a desert in space. This is why a story about Geryon's cattle needed a great desert and the Greeks referred to the Libyan desert. Because it is a large desert area.
This is why the Milky Way was baptized by the Greeks "like a big milk stain that crossed the sky”. Other ancient Greeks said that they were able to observe individual stars in the Milky Way and that they looked like a herd of cows and the milk produced by these animals filled the gaps between them.
There is a star known asThe Chapel” which is part of the Auriga constellation. It is known as the shepherd's star, here many Greek philosophers claim that Auriga is a shepherd driving a fiery chariot. That he also carries a goat on his left shoulder. Although the Capella star is outside the Milky Way, it is the closest star to the Milky Way.
While in the constellation of Gemini, the constellation of Canis Major is located, which acts as if it were protecting it. This in reference to the bicephalous dog Ortro that belonged to the giant Gerión. In this same way, the great constellation of Orion appears in space. Since it has several stars that are visible from both hemispheres of planet Earth.
The ancient Greeks considered the constellation of Orion as a great giant where three complete bodies could be distinguished that were united at the waist. As the giant Geryon is particularly described, but it had a particularity in the legs that were in very different directions and in the diagrams that have been made, three arms are shown instead of two. Since the second and third share the same right shoulder.
Hercules and the Tenth Labor
The God Zeus impregnates Alcmene, a mortal woman who after giving birth becomes the mother of the demigod Hercules and The God Zeus proclaimed that the next child born in the house of Perseus would become King. The wife of the God Zeus. Hera hearing these words was upset and made Eurystheus be born two months before Hercules. Since this also belonged to the house of Perseus.
Being Adult Hercules. The Goddess Hera wife of Zeus provoked a fit of madness. For this situation Hercules murdered his wife and his children and also two nephews. When Hercules restored him to sanity he felt sad for the terrible deeds he had done and decided to isolate himself from the world and started living alone in the wilderness.
After spending some time Hercules was found by his brother Iphicles who recommended that he visit the Oracle of Delphi.
Hercules went to visit the Oracle of Delphi and the Delphic Sibyl placed a penance on him for the terrible action he did against his family. The penance that he had to fulfill was that he had to carry out a series of works ordered by King Eurystheus. This was the one who had taken away his right to the crown for being born first than Hercules and also Hercules hated him with all his heart.
King Eurystheus who also hated Hercules gave him a set of jobs that were very difficult to overcome, even Hercules had to risk his life to be able to perform the twelve jobs. Although Hercules with his skill and cunning was able to solve the problems that he had in front of him, job number ten consisted of going to steal Geryon's cattle.
In the tenth job that Hercules had to fulfill was to steal the red cows and bulls that belonged to the large monster known as Geryon which inhabited the island of Eritia (currently known as the province of Cádiz in Spain) .
In the story of Hercules the giant Geryon Geryon is represented as a giant who has human form. But from the waist up he is made up of three bodies that each body has its respective limbs and heads. But he only has one soul. In other versions of the story of Hercules, Geryon is represented in the same way, only that they put wings on him and he had the ability to fly.
The Island of Eritia was beyond the Pillars of Hercules. In the Mediterranean Sea. The red cattle that belonged to the giant Geryon was guarded by Geryon's dog known by the name of Other a dog that had two heads and a row of very sharp teeth this dog was the brother of Cerberus the dog of the God Hade .
In addition, the red cattle of Geryon were cared for by the shepherd Eurytion. The journey that Hercules had to make in order to fulfill job number ten which was to steal Geryon's cattle. That trip was very dangerous since he had to face various creatures and in the Strait of Gibraltar he erected the so-called Pillars of Hercules.
Having spent several days on his long journey, Hercules was very tired due to the unbearable heat, so he took one of his arrows and shot Helios. Helios was amazed at how brave Hercules is and rewarded him by giving him his golden cup which he used to navigate the sea from east to west every night. In this way, Hercules used that cup to be able to reach the island of Eritia faster and to be able to steal the red cattle from the giant Geryon.
When Hercules was finally able to reach the island of Eritia, he met the dog Another that belonged to Geryon and was in charge of guarding Geryon's valuable red flock. There a fierce fight broke out between Hercules and the dog Ortro, but Hercules landed a fatal blow to the dog Ortro on both heads which killed him instantly.
After that he had to face the shepherd Eurytion although this fight was much easier since he killed him with a single blow. When the giant Geryon heard such a scandal, he went to see what was happening, but since he was always ready for battle, he put on his three helmets and took his three spears and shields.
The giant Geryon had to chase Hercules to the river Antemus, where the fight was hard for Hercules and Geryon. Since they both had a lot of strength. Although the story is told that this was one of the toughest fights that Hercules had since the giant Geryon was being helped by the goddess Hera, wife of Zeus. Hercules realizing the situation that occurred decides to shoot an arrow at the goddess Hera which he wounds in the right chest.
At that moment the fight between Geryon and Hercules begins to balance in favor of the hero. He also decides to shoot an arrow poisoned with the blood of the poisonous hydra at the giant Geryon, who falls to the ground bending his neck to the side like a poppy, ruining his delicate forms and losing each petal at a time.
After Geryon died in battle against Hercules, He must fulfill the job and bring Geryon's red cattle to King Eurystheus. While Hercules is directing Geryon's cattle. He decides to rest to regain strength. But while he sleeps the giant Cacus steals a few animals from Geryon's cattle.
The giant Caco makes the red cattle walk backwards so as not to raise suspicions, but Hercules notices and starts looking for the stolen cattle and finds the sister of the giant Caco named Caca, he asks him about the cattle and she answers that Caco has it and tells him its location. Hercules decides to go to that site, kills the giant Cacus and recovers Geryon's cattle.
The goddess Hera, in a fit of rage, sent some horseflies to bite Geryon's cattle and Hercules took a year to bring them back together to take them to King Eurystheus.
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