GERYON

Real Name: Geryon

Identity/Class: Olympian God (Post Hyborian)

Occupation: King of Erytheia (13th Century BC)

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Orthrus

Enemies: Hercules

Known Relatives: Chrysaor (father), Callirrhoe (mother),  Echidna (sister, deceased), Typhon (brother-in-law), Cerberus, Ladon, the Nemean Lion, Orthrus (nephews), Chimaera, Hydra, Phaea (niece), Sphinx (niece, deceased), Delphyne (sister-in-law, deceased), Medusa (grandmother, deceased), Neptune (grandfather), Triton (uncle)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Erytheia in the 13th Century BC (Now part of modern Spain)

First Appearance: (Flashback) Hercules III#1 (June 2005)

Powers/Abilities: Geryon possibly possessed the conventional attributes of the Olympian gods including superhuman strength (Class 50 at least), a long-life enchantment, incredible stamina and limited invulnerability.

    He owned a large herd of prize redskin cattle superior to any other cattle herd in the Thirteenth Century BC. They were guarded by the two-headed dog Orthrus, a spawn of Typhon and Echidna.

Unusual Physical Features: Geryon is described as having three-heads or at least of having three bodies joined at the waist.

 

 

 

History: (Greek/Roman Myth) - Geryon is the son of the giant Chrysaor, son of Neptune; and Callirrhoe, an Oceanide and daughter of the Titans, Oceanus and Tethys. Due to a curse which the goddess Athena had levied on his grandmother, Medusa, a former lover of Neptune, many of Medusa's descendants suffered physical abnormalities which prevented them from being true gods. Echidna's children seemed to suffer the full brunt of this curse and ended up being killed by demigods searching their fortunes. Born with three heads, Geryon somehow gained the throne of Erytheia under unknown means and raised a great herd of cattle envied by the the kings of ancient Greece.

(Greek/Roman Myth, Hercules III#1, 4 (fb)) - For his tenth labor, Hercules was sent to Erytheia to collect the cattle of Geryon for King Eurystheus of Mycenae. Traveling through Libya en route, Hercules received aide from the god Helios and even briefly became stranded in Ancient Britain. He soon arrived on the west coast of Erytheia near Mount Abas where he slew Orthrus (who was guarding the cattle) and dispatched Eurytion.
    Hercules eventually met King Geryon in battle on the river Anthemus as he tried to travel overland with the cattle. Slaying the three-headed ruler, Hercules began driving the prized cattle overland for Mycenae. Along the route, several thieves tried to steal parts of the herd, including Ialebion and Dercynus, sons of King Pos of Ligura (modern Marseilles), and the giant Cacus near Rome. 
    As Hercules rested from his bouts, some of the cattle wandered off. Hercules found them in the company of Sylea, a priestess who lived in an area known only as Forest. She shared her bed with him and had three sons by him named Scythes, Agathyrsus and Gelonus. As adults, the three sons would conquer an area off the Black Sea called Scythia. 

    In Rhegium, south of Rome, Hercules left the cattle in the custody of Hephaestus, the smith-god, who owned forges on nearby Sicily. The prize bull of the herd had been lured away by King Eryx and the crafty ruler would not return it unless Hercules boxed with him through three bouts as he did with all invaders.  Hercules lasted all three bouts and then killed the evil king before returning to Mycenae with the full head of cattle.

 

 

 

Comments: Adapted by Frank Tieri, Mark Texeira and James Palmiotti  

    Geryon's watch-dog, Orthrus, has not yet been seen in the Marvel Universe, but he was erroneously seen as the watch dog of Medusa in the classic Ray Harryhausen movie, "Clash of the Titans." 

    It is possible that Sylea was actually the goddess Circe, but this is unconfirmed.

    For a more fully detailed account of Hercules's adventures with the cattle, here is the bio for Hercules at the Guide for the Mythological Universe website.

Profile by: WillU

CLARIFICATIONS:  Geryon is not to be confused with:  

Images:

Hercules III#1 , pg 30, left page
Hercules III#4, pg 35, top page

Issues:

Hercules III#1 (June 2005)
Hercules III#4 (September 2005)

Last updated: 12/17/05

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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