Often he is three-headed in art
as in literature, as may be seen conveniently in the reproductions in
Baumeister's _Denkmaeler des Klassischen Altertums_. Very familiar is the
statue in the villa Borghese of Pluto enthroned, three-headed Cerberus
by his side.[4] A Greek scarabaeus shows a pair of lovers, or a married
couple, who have died at the same time, crossing in Charon's ferry. As
they are approaching the other bank of the Styx, where a three-headed
Cerberus is awaiting them, the girl seems afright and is upheld by her
male companion.[5] On the other hand, a bronze in Naples shows the
smiling boy Herakles engaged in strangling two serpents, one with each
hand. The figure rests on a cylindrical base upon which are depicted
eight of the wonderful deeds which Herakles performs later on. By a rope
he leads a _two-headed_ Cerberus from Hades.[6]
This last of the wonderful deeds of Herakles is a favorite theme of vase
pictures. Herakles is regularly accompanied by Hermes and Athena; the
dog, whose marvelous shape Homer fails to reveal, is generally
two-headed.
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