In the Twelve Labors of Hercules, bringing Cerberus to the surface was Hercules’ twelfth and final labor.
Eurystheus ordered Hercules to bring the underworld’s watchdog into the world of the living without using weapons. Hercules received permission from Hades, or Pluto in Roman tradition, provided that he could subdue the creature without killing it. Protected by divine aid and wearing a breastplate, he grappled with Cerberus and brought him out.
Cerberus is usually described as a three-headed dog, though ancient accounts sometimes give him additional serpent features. Eurystheus was terrified when Hercules presented the creature and quickly ordered it returned to the underworld.
The story is distinct from Hercules’ earlier journeys connected with the dead. Cerberus was not permanently removed from Hades; the labor required a temporary capture and presentation before his return.