Editing Orthrus (section)

==Mythology==
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 (mythology)|Chimera]], or [[Ceto]], is unclear.<ref>[[Hesiod]], ''[[Theogony]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hes.+Th.+326 326&ndash;329]. The referent of "she" in line 326 of the ''Theogony'' is uncertain, see Clay, [https://books.google.com/books?id=2etBN0w0NGUC&pg=PA159 p.159, with n. 34].</ref>

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.<ref>[[Hesiod]], ''[[Theogony]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hes.+Th.+287 287&ndash;294], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hes.+Th.+979 979&ndash;983]; [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+2.5.10 2.5.10]; Gantz, pp. 402&ndash;408.</ref> [[Heracles]] killed Orthrus, and later slew Eurytion and Geryon before taking the red cattle to complete his [[The Twelve Labours|tenth labor]]. According to [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], Heracles killed Orthrus with his club, although in art Orthrus is sometimes depicted pierced by arrows.<ref>Woodford, p. 106.</ref>

The poet [[Pindar]] refers to the "hounds of Geryon" trembling before Heracles.<ref>[[Pindar]], ''Isthmian'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3atext%3a1999.01.0162%3abook%3dI. 1.13&ndash;15].</ref> Pindar's use of the plural "hounds" in connection with Geryon is unique.<ref>Race, [http://www.loebclassics.com/view/pindar-isthmian_odes/1997/pb_LCL485.139.xml p. 139 n. 3].</ref> He may have used the plural because Orthus had multiple heads, or perhaps because he knew a tradition in which Geryon had more than one dog.<ref>Bury, [https://books.google.com/books?id=c_xfAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA12 pp. 12&ndash;13 n. 13]; Fennell, [https://books.google.com/books?id=eLwNAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA129 p. 129 n. 13].</ref>