Hercules and Cacus
by ROSSI, Vincenzo de', Marble, over life-size
The tenth labour of Hercules was to obtain the Cattle of the three-bodied giant Geryon. Heracles drove the cattle over the Aventine Hill on the future site of Rome. The giant Cacus, who lived there, stole some of the cattle as Heracles slept, making the cattle walk backwards so that they left no trail. Cacus’s sister Caca told Heracles where he was. Heracles then killed Cacus, and set up an altar on the spot, later the site of Rome’s Forum Boarium (the cattle market).