• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Language / What does the phrase “a sop to Cerberus” mean and Where does it come from?

What does the phrase “a sop to Cerberus” mean and Where does it come from?

March 26, 2020 by Karen Hill

Cerberus, in classical mythology, was the three-headed dog that guarded the entrance to Hades, permitting the dead to enter, but preventing their shades from leaving.

Sometimes those who entered were greeted in friendly manner by the several heads, but others might be met by fierce and angry snarls.

Accordingly, friends placed in the hands of those who died honey cakes to be fed to Cerberus, thus to permit them a friendly entrance, as described in Bishop Gavin Douglas’s translation of the Aeneid (1513), VI, vi, 69:

Cerberus, the hiduus hund, that regioun
Fordynnys, barkand with thre mowthis fowm,
Onmefurabill in his cave quher he lay
Richt our for gane thame in the hie way:
Quhom till the prophete, behaldand quhou in hy
Hys nekkis wolx of eddyrris all gryfly
A fop, ftepyt intill hunny als faft,
And of enchant it cornys maid, gan caft.

Hence, figuratively, “a sop to Cerberus” is any gift or compliment or the like that may placate an opponent, allay suspicion, or distract vigilance.

Related Facts

  • What other events in the South led to black protest in the United States during the 1950s?
  • Where does the expression “till the cows come home” come from and What does it mean?
  • Where does the word “huggermugger” come from and What does huggermugger mean?
  • Who Was Herakles In Greek Mythology and What Were the Twelve Labors of Herakles?
  • Which Explorers First Explored the Continents of the World?
  • Where does the phrase “to tie the can to one” come from and What does it mean?

Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « What does the expression “from hell to breakfast” mean and Where does it come from?
Next Post: Where does the expression “as scarce as hen’s teeth” come from and What does it mean? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2020 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy