Plural for Cerberus

[The Bluestocking]

In the short story that I am currently working on, I mention "a pair of Cerberus" patrolling a place that my protagonist is sneaking into.

One of my writing group members rightly remarked: "What's the plural for Cerberus? Cerberuses? Cerberi?"

I tried looking it up in the dictionary and online but apparently, there's no mention re the plural form of the terrifying giant three-headed doggie...

Anyone here know which is correct plural form? Cerberus? Cerberuses? Cerberi?

 

[Danny McG]

Good question.
There was only ever the one Cerberus so it makes it kinda tricky, how about..
A pair of Cerberus dogs ?

 

[HareBrain]

I found this:

How To Pluralize Latin & Greek Nouns

from which I gather that you won't go wrong with Cerberuses, but if Cerberus is a first- or second-declension Latin masculine noun, then Cerberi would also be correct.

I know Cerberus is Latin (the Latin version of the Greek Kerberos) and I believe is masculine, but I have no idea what declension means. Also i don't know if the rules in the link work with proper nouns.

 

[The Judge]

Yep, there was only one Cerberus. Unless you've actually cloned the original in some way, I'd suggest that what you have are either two Cerberean dogs, or two whelps of Cerberus.

 

[The Bluestocking]

I found this:

How To Pluralize Latin & Greek Nouns

from which I gather that you won't go wrong with Cerberuses, but if Cerberus is a first- or second-declension Latin masculine noun, then Cerberi would also be correct.

I know Cerberus is Latin (the Latin version of the Greek Kerberos) and I believe is masculine, but I have no idea what declension means. Also i don't know if the rules in the link work with proper nouns.

Hmm... I guess "Cerberuses" would work better in my story world? The pair I'm talking about aren't the only pair - there are Cerberus doggies on security detail all over the Afterlife...

 

[The Bluestocking]

Yep, there was only one Cerberus. Unless you've actually cloned the original in some way, I'd suggest that what you have are either two Cerberean dogs, or two whelps of Cerberus.

Hmm... in my world, Hades breeds (replicates?) Cerberus as one of his profit lines - the pups are trained, then sold or rented out to anyone who needs top level take-no-prisoners security for Top Secret Stuff. Basically - if you don't mind people being eaten just for attempting to nick your stuff, you get a Cerberus... for a price.

I guess in my world Cerberus would be the original dog and also the name of the breed if that makes any sense.

 

[Danny McG]

I got me a supplementary question related to the original by Bluestocking..
Is a Cerberus a hell-hound?
Or does hell-hound come from some other mythology?
I know I've seen the phrase somewhere.
Edit: a book title "Hell-hounds of the Cosmos" (or maybe Hell-hound)

 

[The Bluestocking]

Cerberus is from Greek mythology and isn't a Hellhound. He guards the entrance to Hell for Hades but doesn't fetch souls or is a symbol of pending death:

Cerberus - Wikipedia

Hellhounds are related to mythologies of death as well but appears across different mythologies worldwide and is regarded by many as an omen of death:

Hellhound - Wikipedia

My story world has both types of doggies given that it's about the Afterlife and all the adventures and hijinks of various dead people and death-related entities.

 

[Phyrebrat]

My real reaction would be to laugh if I read a story saying, 'a pair of [Cerberus plural]', because I thought Cerberus was its name. So, I would advise having another one with a different name (might be interesting in terms of story?) and calling them hellhounds or hounds of hades etc collectively.

I'm not sure, though. I just know it sounds off.

pH

 

[Radrook]

Twain Cerberuses fight a pair of cerebellums.

 

[NJ Merchant]

I know this is old but I thought I'd put this on here just in case anyone else was wondering. Cerberus was not the breed of dog for Hades' watchdog, that's his name. He was a three-headed dog with the tail of a serpent. For anyone who's wanting to "breed" him to make others, he would just be considered a three-headed dog, nothing fancy and not Cerberuses. Unless, of course, you are planing to name all his offspring the same name.