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In Greek mythology, the Cattle of Geryoneus were the purple-red cows owned by Geryoneus, a son of Chrysaor who sprang, with Pegasus, from the neck of Medusa when she was beheaded by Perseus. Hercules’ tenth labour was to capture the oxen of Geryon. He had to journey through Libya and Egypt before coming to Mount Abas where the cattle were stabled, receiving the help of the sun god Helios, who lent his golden cup, the barque in which he normally sailed each evening to reach the east in time to rise at dawn. The cattle were guarded by the dog Orthos, backed up by the centaur Eurytion. A fellow herdsman tipped off Geryoneus about the imminent theft of his herd and he fought fiercely with his six arms and three bodies, but Hercules killed him and drove the herd into the barque of the golden cup. The cattle were so attractive to others that Hercules had his work cut out trying to keep the herd together, fending off raiders all the way back. His most serious opponent was the half-human, fire-breathing Cacus who stole four bulls and four cows, pulling them by their tails into a dark cave. Hercules unroofed the cave by tearing the rocks from the hillside, rescuing his beasts and throttling Cacus to death with his famous wrestler’s grip, ‘the knot of Hercules’. The cattle were eventually driven safely to the shores of Mycenae where they were sacrificed to the goddess Hera.