10th Labour of Hercules: Obtain the cattle of the monster Geryon.

Orthrus killed from Hercules.

The 10th Labour of Hercules was to obtain the cattle of the monster Geryon. Geryon was son of Chrysaor and Callirrhoe and grandson of Medusa, was a fearsome giant who dwelt on the island Erytheia of the mythic Hesperides in the far west of the Mediterranean. Geryon had one body and three heads. Other variations in Greek Mythology report that he had three bodies (Aeschylus), he had six hands and six feet and is winged (Stesichoros), and he had wings. In all cases, his appearance was that of a warrior and he owned a two-headed hound named Orthrus. Orthus was was the brother of Cerberus, and a herd of magnificent red cattle that were guarded by Orthrus, and a herder Eurytion, son of Erytheia.

According to the Bibliotheca, Hercules planned to go to the island of Erytheia through the Libyan desert in the far west to get the Cattle. During his journey there, he became so frustrated from the heat that he shot an arrow at the Sun. The sun-god Helios, in admiration of his courage, gave Hercules the golden chariot Helios used to sail across the sea from west to east each night. Thus, Hercules rode the chariot to Erytheia.

Hercules fighting with Geryon.

When Hercules landed at Erytheia, he was confronted by the two-headed dog Orthrus. Hercules killed Orthrus using his club. Eurytion came to assist Orthrus, but Hercules killed him the same way. On hearing what happened, Geryon run to Hercules, carrying three shields and three spears, and wearing three helmets. He attacked Hercules at the River Anthemus, but Hercules used his poisoned arrows to kill him. Hercules then had to herd the Cattle back to Eurystheus.

Next there are two variation of the story. In the Roman version of the greek myth, Hercules drove the Cattle over the Aventine Hill on the future site of Rome. The giant Cacus, who lived there, stole some of the Cattle as Hercules slept. In other versions, Cacus' sister Caca told Hercules where he was. Hercules then killed Cacus, and set up an altar on the spot, later the site of Rome's Forum Boarium (the cattle market).

Hercules made it to the edge of the Ionian Sea. Later, to make things harder, Hera sent a gadfly to bite the cattle, irritate them, and scatter them. The myth says that Hercules within a year retrieved them. Thus, Hercules instead goind directly to Eurystheus, he had to go through north of Greece and Thrace. Hera was angly with him, so she sent a flood which raised the level of a river Strymon in Thrace so much, Hercules could not cross with the cattle. He piled stones into the river to make the water shallower but also unnavigable. When he finally reached the court of Eurystheus, the cattle were sacrificed to Hera.