Cacus

ka'kus, in Roman legend, a giant, son of Vulcan. He lived in Italy on Mount Aventine, one of the seven hills of Rome. When Hercules was bringing the red oxen of Geryon from Spain, he rested near the dwelling place of Cacus. The giant admired the oxen and, while Hercules slept, stole a part of them. In order that Hercules might not be able to trace them by their footprints Cacus drew them backward by the tails into his cave. This stratagem was successful, and Hercules would have lost his oxen had they not lowed in response to the lowing of the rest of the herd as Hercules drove them past the cave. Although Cacus was a giant and had three heads, Hercules strangled the monster and recovered his bright oxen. Sancho Panza, in Cervantes' Don Quixote, alludes to the stealing of the oxen when he says of Rinaldo, "There be greater thieves than Cacus." See Hercules