Gerionis

Far away from Greece, in the Atlantic Ocean, there once lived a fearsome giant, Gerionis. He had three heads, three bodies and six arms. But from the waist down, he was like all men.

Ortho

So this monster had many herds of the most beautiful cattle in the world. He watched over them vigilantly himself with his shepherds and a two-headed dog (Ortho). When Eurystheus heard about those oxen, he ordered Hercules to go and fetch them for him.

Hercules and the Sun

Hercules started again, passed countries and villages and once arrived at a beach. Before him lay a great sea. But how could he pass where he had no boat? And the sun was burning brightly. Then he begged the sun to rise higher, but it came down lower and burned more. Hercules got angry, grabbed his bow and began to throw his shuttles at him.

Herculean columns

The sun admired Hercules' courage and gave him a beautiful ship. With it he pulled and reached a narrow passage. Beyond it opened a wider sea. There, later, people erected two great columns, which they called Heracleian columns.