GERYON (GERYONES, GERYONEUS) , in Greek mythology, the son of Chrysaor and Callirrhoe, daughter of Oceanus, who lived in the island of Erytheia, i.e., "red," situated in the far west, the land of the red sunset, later identified with Spain. He is represented as a monster with three heads or three bodies, sometimes with wings, and as the owner of herds of red cattle, which were tended by the giant shepherd Eurytion and the two headed dog Orthrus. He seems to be a figure of the underworld, and Heiacles' exploit a kind of "Harrowing of Hell." To carry off these cattle to Greece was one of the twelve "labours" imposed by Eurystheus upon Heracles. The hero travelled through Europe and Libya, set up the two pillars in the Strait of Gibraltar to show the extent of his journey, and reached the great river Oceanus. Having reached the island, Heracles slew Orthrus, Eurytion and Geryon and drove off the cattle. After various adventures he succeeded in getting them safe to Greece, where they were offered in sacrifice to Hera by Eurystheus. In some accounts Heracles crosses Oceanus in the golden cup or boat of the sun-god Helios. The euhemeristic explanation of the struggle with the triple monster was that Heracles fought three brothers.
See Hesiod, Theogony, 287 ; Herodotus iv. 8; Apollodoros, II. io6 ; Diod. Sic. iv. 17 ; Preller-Robert, II. p. 465 ff.; and the classical dictionaries.