Naberius is a profoundly important God of high rank. His role in Greek mythology was primarily inscribed as the Guardian of the gates of Hades, the sinister, three-headed canine named Cerberus. Although Naberius was not worshipped in a conventional manner, as many Gods were by the Greeks, this mythological role that drapes his portrayal should not downplay the integral part he plays in the important caprices of the universe.
The Cerberean mythology is elaborated at length only in the Labors of Heracles, originating in reference from Homer but expanded further by the now-lost epic poem of Peisander, as well as by Hesiod, Apollodorus, Seneca the Younger, and other Classical figures. To atone for his homicidal madness, Heracles is charged by King Eurystheus and under the command of the Oracle of Apollo to complete twelve dangerous, difficult, and divisive labors, two of which are eventually discounted.
Mosaic of Hercules, M.A.N., Madrid
Pivotal to the myth of the demi-god, Heracles' approach to Hades marks one of his penultimate and most difficult tasks. Still bound to those Labors in service to his liege, Heracles is informed that he is obliged to enter the Underworld to capture the infamous watchdog of that realm: Cerberus. Eurystheus truthfully has no desire whatsoever to see the hound and smugly believes this is an impossible, almost paradoxical task that Heracles will inevitably fail to accomplish.
A tremendously important aspect of this mythological story is that Heracles pursues and completes the Eleusinian Mysteries prior to entering the Underworld. In doing so, he gains access to Hermes and Athena as divine guides; their presence signifies the grace and control of the mind and higher judgment as a prerequisite to accomplish this daunting and vexatious task.
Heracles first encounters Theseus and Pirithous, who are punished by Hades and bound to the Chair of Lethe for attempting to carry off his wife, Persephone. In some renditions of the story, Hades allows the hero of Greece to take the dog on one condition: he must arrest Cerberus without using any of his weapons. Using quick thinking, Heracles resorts to apprehending the Guardian of Hades with his arms, tactically using the skin of the Nemean Lion as a shield:
Cased in his corselet and covered by the lion’s skin, [he] threw his arms round the dog’s heads… until it submitted.
Book 2, Library, Apollodorus
Seneca and certain Scholiastic commentaries on the Iliad also mention the importance of the hide. This mythology reflects an alchemical process related to the Magnum Opus. The first and final steps converge in a distinct way represented by the hide of the lion, which was retrieved in Heracles’ first Labor.
In other traditions, Heracles is disbarred from using iron weaponry, instead using stones and a wooden club to attack Cerberus. When Cerberus, and with him all power over death, is brought to the surface in chains by Heracles, Eurystheus clambers in terror and declares he does not wish to see the hero of Greece ever again. Even Hera herself, who inflicted the madness upon Heracles, shrinks from the ugly sight.
Hercules, Cerberus, and Hermes, from the so-called ‘Tomb of Cerberus’
As the esteemed representative of the end of this sacred process, Naberius controls unceasing roles of structure and hierarchy among humanity, having the most severe eye for judgement.
In the Dialogues of the Dead by Lucian, Menippus refers to Cerberus directly as a God and implores him to give details about the character of Socrates:
Ὦ Κέρβερε—συγγενὴς γάρ εἰμί σοι κύων καὶ αὐτὸς ὤν—εἰπέ μοι πρὸς τῆς Στυγός, οἷος ἦν ὁ Σωκράτης, ὁπότε κατῄει παρ᾿ ὑμᾶς· εἰκὸς δέ σε θεὸν ὄντα μὴ ὑλακτεῖν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνθρωπίνως φθέγγεσθαι, ὁπότ᾿ ἐθέλοις.
Cerberus—I am a relation, being a Dog myself—I beg you, in the name of the Styx, to tell me what Socrates was like when he came down to you. Seeing that you are a God, you can be expected not only to bark, but also to speak like a human when you wish.
Dialogues of the Dead, Lucian
Although this play is broadly satirical, it shows clear awareness among Roman writers of Cerberus’ role as a divine judge of character, tied to his function as the Guardian of Hades. This capacity for discernment relates to Naberius’ roles: it is his word that conveys the worthiness of the soul of the initiate, and no one may cheat his judgement. Hence, the relationship to the Final Labor of Hercules is surely not a mistake.
Cerberus is also shown, alongside Chimera, as a punisher in Tartarus, which Lucian mentions in his Menippus.
Hecate was often alluded to as wielding a leashed Cerberus in spells and other incantations. The association of him with black magic spells to devour or secure the target of the operator is a well-established convention in Hellenic occult literature. The association of Hecate and Cerberus also reflects their role in maintaining spiritual hygiene in the casting of such dark magic, pointing as well to the powers of the triplicity. Both Hecate and Cerberus are referenced as “three-bodied.”
Barking dog, I adjure you, Kerberos, by those who have hanged themselves, by the dead, by those who have died violently: attract to me her, NN, whose mother is NN. I adjure you, Kerberos, by the holy head of the infernal gods. Attract to me her, NN, whose mother is NN, [magical text]: attract to me her, NN, whose mother is NN, to me, NN, immediately, immediately; quickly, quickly.
— PGM IV 1872–1G2
In most examples from the Hellenistic world, and particularly in Rome, the imagery of the dog was used in funerary contexts—tomb mosaics or wall paintings in Sanctuaries of Pluto. In private homes, Cerberus imagery served as a reminder of the underworld’s presence and as an apotropaic symbol during the night, such as on lamps.
This use of Cerberus as a chthonic sentinel was a visual shorthand for passing into death correctly. In Roman sarcophagi, even when Cerberus is shown in the context of a myth—such as Heracles presenting the captured Cerberus—the symbolic intent was to mark the sarcophagus as the “threshold of Hades,” with the “Hellhound” representing the strict control of borders between life and afterlife. A solitary Cerberus was depicted at tomb entrances or on funerary altars to serve that same protective, liminal function. His presence was meant to reflect the passing of the dead into the realm of the Gods.
In Hellenistic and then Roman Egypt, a particular symbolism of Cerberus with Serapis (Osiris) began to emerge, encompassing the role of Serapis as the patron of new souls.
Cerberus and the later Demon Nebiros are referenced as dwelling in caves, with their barking and motions causing thunderstorms.
Now let Hercules’ palms beat his breast till it resounds;
let those arms, accustomed to bearing the sky,
be struck by his avenging hands.
Let heaven hear his mighty groans,
let the queen of the dark world hear them,
and fierce Cerberus where he skulks in his deep cave,
his necks still bound with mighty chains.
— Hercules, Seneca the Younger
SYMBOLISM OF NABERIUS
Arcadia noted that the name Kerberos is a combination of ker (which refers to a person's lot, as in, their doom, death or destruction, or in less negatively weighted terms, their fate or destiny, with it also being notable that keres refers to the spirits of violent death and daughters of Nyx) and boros, which refers to something devouring, consuming or gluttonous. Altogether, this can pertain to the symbolism of devouring fate. This was also remarked upon by Ancient Greek authors.
Cerberus is typically portrayed as a three-headed or three-bodied dog adorned with endless serpents, although in certain works this may be as many as one hundred heads—or as few as two.
Cerberus, Greek vase
The three heads allude to certain symbolic matters. One meaning is the symbolism of the soul, the biological inheritance (including the body), and the mind. Until these three are brought into alignment, they will, in a sense, bicker and be at odds with one another as separated constituents of what is supposed to be a whole. Yet this function also works in reverse: the human who is unyoked (i.e. one who has failed to unite the three parts) will be torn apart by the jaws of Cerberus as they attempt to pass by him.
In most renditions of the story, such as Hesiod’s Theogony, Cerberus is depicted as pliable and sweet when one enters Hades, only becoming ferocious toward those attempting to leave. The tendencies of the “hound of Hell” to devour those who attempt to exit the realm represent how meditation in the initiate Zevist must constantly be reinforced, a warning not to allow one’s soul to pass into a stagnant state ever again. This is also a general warning about the need to achieve the true powers of the soul in the physical and mortal dimension.
The pen of souls under the watch of Cerberus can have a dualistic meaning of constituting the body of the pious ones, but also the realm of the regular dead individuals in ghost form traditional to the Greek myths.
Through this format, Naberius also enforces the righteous punishment of death and the maintenance of the karmic Red Land. He mitigates communication with the dead who are broadly unaligned with the Gods and are therefore subject to anything. Those ghosts or departed individuals who have not advanced cannot influence the protected. This is why, somewhat paradoxically, the infernal hound who devours those who exit Hades is referred to as a Guardian for Zevists.
Occult references tie his heads to symbolize the powers of the dawning sun, peak sun, and setting sun, among other matters, which are alluded to by Porphyry and quoted in fragment by the Christian apologist Eusebius.
In terms of the natural world and all things living within it, Naberius controls aspects of cellular upkeep and development. Even the cell itself, with its triple components of membrane, nucleus, and cytoplasm—alongside its numerous defensive mechanisms—reflects the symbolism of the three-headed infernal hound who keeps the realm of the begotten pure. Furthermore, there are an estimated 100 trillion cells in the human body.
The visual representation of a cell can also be compared to any stronghold from an eagle-eye view, with its fortress, wall, and court. Dogs have long functioned as symbols of keeping watch and guarding the home and hearth, for reasons that should be obvious to those reading this. In the Roman world, the symbolism of the dog was often placed at the entrances of houses, especially for the wealthy, through mosaic forms.
Cave Canem mosaic, Pompeii
The mouth-power of the dog is also represented in Cerberus, as much as it is in Anubis. It is the verbal command of Naberius that determines who will go right and who will go left in their spiritual development. This is shown symbolically in the Myth of Er by Plato, wherein the unworthy are led to the left to the depths, and the righteous to the right toward the heavens by the Judges and Furies. The union of the sushumna through the two disparate channels into a cohesive power is another presiding force allegorical of the mouth, reflected in his many serpents.
Another symbol of Naberius is the element boron. Sodium borate in particular emits an eerie green color when combined with copper (Cu) to produce green-colored glass. Borax, a derivative of sodium borate, was held to have distinct properties in alchemy that could aid in the transmutation and transformation of base metals into purer materials.
In the hierarchy of the Gods, Naberius functions as an inspector of military affairs and maintains the armies of the Gods in good shape and rigor.
The representative Minor Arcana card of Naberius is the Four of Cups. Visually, it depicts a man in a meditative and contemplative pose, leaning against a tree and peering at three cups on the grass. For Naberius, his card specifically represents the reversed card (Aini represents the upright card).
While the Four of Cups upright signifies repose in the great expanse from stress or problems, the reversed Four of Cups represents the “green light” to engage in positive action, the desire to let go of stagnation and those who may keep you in a state of stasis, reanimating oneself to engage with the rhythms of life again. This is analogous to passing the threshold into the pious sanctuary of Naberius or orienting oneself onto the right path.
Cerberus stands at the threshold of life and death, a liminal space where decisions (or divine will) determine passage. The Four of Cups also represents a liminal moment itself, being at a crossroads where one must decide whether to stay in this emotional isolation or embrace the new cup (representative opportunity). Both highlight a pivotal moment of choice or transition for one that is in stasis.
This card can also reflect finding hidden treasures and new forms of knowledge, just as the mystical hand in the illustration comes out of the aether (note the connection to the Hand of Glory below). Traditionally, by Etteilla and other early authors, this reversed card was interpreted as signifying mystical portents or premonitions.
Naberius' card of the Major Arcana is, unsurprisingly, upfront Judgement, which was often called Last Judgement in prior times. This shows a winged figure with a loud horn, often interpreted as hailing the three dead (a man, woman and child, with another set of three in the background) out of their coffins. In the Rider-White deck, snow-covered mountains appear in the background, which only otherwise appear in the Hermit card.
The Judgement card can relate to being cleared or condemned in a matter, but also judging others too harshly. It can also signify separation from others. Progression of a longstanding matter can be signified by it also, including possible friction from those who lose out. The relation to Cerberus in being assessed and the finality of the labor is obvious. Being accountable to oneself and gaining insight is a primary theme of the card, but in comparison to Death or the Tower which signify an involuntary event, this often has to be proactively done.
NABERIUS IN THE ENEMY CONTEXT
Beginning with Bede, Cerberus was considered to be one of the primary enforcers of Satan, who endlessly devours souls at the lowest depths of Hell. This image continued to color themes of the "infernal hound" in Christian literature for many centuries, and was also strongly influenced by Lucian’s plays. Another deliberate interpolation is that Cerberus became an entity synonymous with guarding riches and treasures, while Dante represented him as the punisher of the gluttonous.
Despite the fact that Cerberus did not play a strongly visible role in Hellenic religion, the enemy grimoires clearly raised the Demon—variously named Naberius, Nebiros, or Nambroth—to a high level of importance and, from the beginning, directly identified his identity as the mythological beast Cerberus. These various grimoires give immense precedence to his ability to find hidden treasures at the hand of the operator.
Such elevation of his stature reflects his high position among the Gods but also speaks to the enemy’s limitless pursuit of wealth and the persistent desire in their hearts that Naberius would grant them higher spiritual powers with enough time and harassment. Unfortunately for them, these notions are eternally denied to maggots and worthless slaves. Still, the abuse was attempted, and it often had very dire consequences for the evil-minded conjurers of the enemy.
Certain grimoires also related the specific ability of this Demon to find the Hand of Glory for the practitioner. This was an object derived from the left hand of a hanged criminal, which supposedly rendered any individual motionless and frozen, being linked to the symbolism of the Tarot card above.
Often, Naberius was represented as a black crow, or as a three-headed being with the heads of dogs and the body of a crow. The crow had a prolonged symbolism of being a sinful animal which neglected its young and gave false prophecy during the Middle Ages, which was a thinly veiled insult toward the concerns of the God in question. Jews made crows and ravens into more ambiguous symbols.
Naberus, alias Cerberus, Marchio est fortis, forma corvi se ostentans; si quando loquitur, raucam edit vocem. Reddit hominem amabilem et artium omnium peritum, praesertim Rhetoricæ; prælatorum et dignitatum jacturam parat. Novemdecim legiones illi obediunt.
Naberius [Naberus], alias Cerberus, is a valiant marquesse, shewing himselfe in the forme of a crowe, when he speaketh with a hoarse voice. He maketh a man amiable and cunning in all arts, and speciallie in rhetorike; he procureth the losse of prelacies and dignities. Nineteene legions obey him.
— Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, Johann Weyer
The allusion to the art of rhetoric is one of the facets of the Trivium in medieval universities. The "three roads" of rhetoric, grammar, and logic constituted the essential areas of study, but this is also an allegory for the association of Hecate and Cerberus.
The Trivium also reflects Naberius' mystical relationship with Marbas and Orobas, as he ties the "right" and "left" together.
NABERIUS AND ISLAM
Although the Ǫu’ran broadly has a negative view of dogs due to the numerous admonitions against canines by Muhammad and his companions, one part of the Ǫur’an includes a positive dog at a liminal boundary in a different story. The story is named The Companions of the Cave (Ashab al-Kahf), known in Christian tradition as The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. In Surah 18 (Al-Kahf), a group of monotheistic youths seek refuge from persecution by sleeping in a cave, and “their dog stretched his forelegs at the threshold” of the cave (Ǫur’an 18:18). This dog was given the name Ǫitmir in Islamic lore; he keeps watch while the youths sleep for a miraculous 300 years.
The blatant ripoff here is obvious. It is unsurprising that the one positive reference to dogs in the whole of Islamic literature concerns the theft of an occult function. Ǫur’anic studies scholar George Archer argued that the dog “functions as an underworld guardian” for the Sleepers, effectively being “something of a Ǫur’anic Cerberus,” in his estimation.
Eternally, we hail Naberius as one of our greatest Guardians. May he preside in eternal judgment who sets for left and right!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Theogony, Hesiod
Library, Apollodorus
Hercules, Seneca the Younger
Dialogues of the Dead, Lucian
Eusebius, Praeparatio Evangelica
Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, Johann Weyer
Greek Magical Papyri, IV.2785–2890 – (“Prayer to Selene/Hecate” featuring Cerberus held in chains),
academia.edu.
“Kerberos.” Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae VI.1, S. Woodford, & J. Spier (1992)
2,000-year-old 'Tomb of Cerberus' with Fresco of Three-Headed Dog Uncovered in Italy, The Archaeologist
A Place Between Two Places, George Archer
CREDIT:
Karnonnos [TG] (bulk of text)
Arcadia [Right Hand of Guardian] (aspects of card symbolism and etymology)
Power of Justice [TG] (textual grammatical editing)
tozrituals.org
I am looking forward to participating in this schedule for Lord Neberius 
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![Karnonnos [TG]](/data/avatars/m/21/21596.jpg?1704756304){kind=avatar}
