Editing Cerberus (section)

=== Theseus and Pirithous ===
While in the underworld, Heracles met the heroes [[Theseus]] and [[Pirithous]], where the two companions were being held prisoner by Hades for attempting to carry off Hades's wife [[Persephone]]. Along with bringing back Cerberus, Heracles also managed (usually) to rescue Theseus, and in some versions Pirithous as well.<ref>Gantz, pp. 291–295.</ref> According to Apollodorus, Heracles found Theseus and Pirithous near the gates of Hades, bound to the "Chair of Forgetfulness, to which they grew and were held fast by coils of serpents", and when they saw Heracles, "they stretched out their hands as if they should be raised from the dead by his might", and Heracles was able to free Theseus, but when he tried to raise up Pirithous, "the earth quaked and he let go."<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text;jsessionid=9AC4F2564ED0593B31146372FEC08E36?doc=Apollod.+2.5.12 2.5.12], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text;jsessionid=9AC4F2564ED0593B31146372FEC08E36?doc=Apollod.+Epit.+E.1.24 E.1.24]; compare with [[John Tzetzes|Tzetzes]], ''[[Chiliades]]'' 2.36.396–410, 4.31.911–916 (Greek: Kiessling, pp. [https://books.google.com/books?id=dG0GAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA55 55–56], [https://books.google.com/books?id=dG0GAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA153 153]; English translation: Berkowitz, pp. [https://archive.org/stream/TzetzesCHILIADES/Chiliades#page/n48/mode/1up 48], [https://archive.org/stream/TzetzesCHILIADES/Chiliades#page/n138/mode/1up 138]).</ref>

The earliest evidence for the involvement of Theseus and Pirithous in the Cerberus story, is found on a shield-band relief (c. 560 BC) from [[Olympia, Greece|Olympia]], where Theseus and Pirithous (named) are seated together on a chair, arms held out in supplication, while Heracles approaches, about to draw his sword.<ref>''LIMC'' [http://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treesearch.php?source=100&term=%22Herakles+3519%22 Herakles 3519]; Gantz, p. 292; Schelfold 1966, pp. 68–69 fig. 24.</ref> The earliest literary mention of the rescue occurs in Euripides, where Heracles saves Theseus (with no mention of Pirithous).<ref>[[Euripides]] ''[[Heracles (Euripides)|Heracles]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Eur.+Her.+1169 1169–1170.], :[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Eur.+Her.+1221 1221–1222]; Gantz, p. 293.</ref> In the lost play ''Pirithous'', both heroes are rescued,<ref>Gantz, P. 293; Collard and Cropp, [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/euripides-dramatic_fragments/2008/pb_LCL506.637.xml p. 637]; ''Pirithous'' ''[[TrGF]]'' 43 F1 Hypothesis (Collard and Cropp, [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/euripides-dramatic_fragments/2008/pb_LCL506.640.xml pp. 640–641]).</ref> while in the rationalized account of [[Philochorus]], Heracles was able to rescue Theseus, but not Pirithous.<ref>[[Philochorus]], ''FGrH'' 328 F18a, b, c; Harding, [https://books.google.com/books?id=KH4T9CBXwEEC&pg=PA67 pp. 67–70]; Ogden 2013b, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ir5FhAQbcfAC&pg=PA73 p. 73]; Ogden 2013a, p. 109 (Philochorus F18a = [[Plutarch]], ''Theseus'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0067%3Achapter%3D35%3Asection%3D1 35.1], compare with [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0067%3Achapter%3D31%3Asection%3D1 31.1–4]).</ref> In one place Diodorus says Heracles brought back both [[Theseus]] and [[Pirithous]], by the favor of Persephone,<ref>[[Diodorus Siculus]], [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/4B*.html#26 4.26.1].</ref> while in another he says that Pirithous remained in Hades, or according to "some writers of myth" that neither Theseus, nor Pirithous returned.<ref>[[Diodorus Siculus]], [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/4D*.html#63 4.63.4]; Gantz, pp. 294–295.</ref> Both are rescued in the ''[[Fabulae]]'' of Hyginus.<ref>[[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [http://www.theoi.com/Text/HyginusFabulae2.html#79 79].</ref>