The Greek underworld is a general term used to describe the various realms of Greek mythology which were believed to lie beneath the earth or beyond the horizon. In the study of Mythology and Religion, the underworld (gr κάτω κόσμος) is a generic term approximately equivalent to the lay term Afterlife Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance
These include:
- The great pit of Tartarus, which was originally the exclusive prison of the old Titan gods, but which later came to mean the dungeon home of the damned souls
- The land of the dead ruled by the god Hades, which is variously called the house or domain of Hades (domos Aidaou), Hades, Erebus, the Asphodel Fields, Stygia and Acheron ;
- The Islands of the Blessed or Elysian Islands ruled by Cronus (According to Pindar - other accounts differ), where the great heroes of myth resided after death ;
- The Elysian Fields ruled by Rhadamanthys, where the virtuous dead and initiates in the ancient Mysteries were sent to dwell. In classic Greek mythology below Heaven, Earth, and Pontus is Tartarus, or Tartaros ( Greek Τάρταρος deep place In Greek mythology, the Titans ( Greek: Tītā́n; plural Tītânes) were a race of powerful Deities that ruled during the legendary Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient In Greek mythology, Erebus or Erebos ( Ancient Greek:, English translation: "deep blackness/darkness or shadow" was the son of a primordial The Asphodel Meadows is a section of the Ancient Greek underworld where indifferent and ordinary souls were sent to live after death This article concerns the Greek river For other uses see Acheron (disambiguation. In the Fortunate Isles also called the Isles (or Islands) of the Blessed (μακάρων νη̂σοι makárôn nêsoi) Heroes and Cronus or Kronos, ( Ancient Greek Κρόνος Krónos) was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants Pindar (ˈpɪndɚ (or Pindarus, Greek:) (probably born 522 BC in Cynoscephalae a village in Boeotia; died 443 BC in Argos) was an Ancient In Greek mythology, Elysium ( Greek:) was a section of the Underworld (the spelling Elysium is a Latinization of the In Greek myths, Rhadamanthus ( also transliterated as Rhadamanthys or Rhadamanthos) was a wise king the son of Zeus and
The five rivers of Hades are Acheron (the river of sorrow), Cocytus (lamentation), Phlegethon (fire), Lethe (forgetfulness) and Styx (hate), which forms the boundary between upper and lower worlds. This article concerns the Greek river For other uses see Acheron (disambiguation. Cocytus or Kokytos, meaning "the river of wailing" (from the Greek κωκυτός, "lamentation" is a river in the underworld in In Greek mythology, the river Phlegethon ( English translation: "flaming" or Pyriphlegethon (English translation "fire-flaming" was In Classical Greek, Lethe (λήθη Classical Greek, Modern Greek:) literally means "forgetfulness" or "concealment"
The ancient Greek concept of the underworld evolved considerably over time.
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The Homeric underworld
| Greek underworld | |
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| Residents | |
| Geography | |
| Famous Inmates | |
- Further information: Hades
The oldest descriptions of the underworld can be found in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. Aeacus (also spelled Eäcus, Greek, "bewailing" or "earth borne" was a mythological king of the island of Aegina In Greek mythology, Cerberus or Kerberos ( Greek Κέρβερος Kérberos) the ker or Daimon of In Greek mythology, Charon or Kharon (in Greek, Χάρων &mdash the bright) was the Ferryman of Hades Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient In Greek mythology, Minos ( Ancient Greek:) was a mythical king of Crete son of Zeus and Europa. In Greek mythology, Persephone ( Kore or Cora) was the embodiment of the Earth's fertility at the same time that she was the Queen of the Underworld In Greek myths, Rhadamanthus ( also transliterated as Rhadamanthys or Rhadamanthos) was a wise king the son of Zeus and This article concerns the Greek river For other uses see Acheron (disambiguation. The Asphodel Meadows is a section of the Ancient Greek underworld where indifferent and ordinary souls were sent to live after death Cocytus or Kokytos, meaning "the river of wailing" (from the Greek κωκυτός, "lamentation" is a river in the underworld in In Greek mythology, Elysium ( Greek:) was a section of the Underworld (the spelling Elysium is a Latinization of the In Greek mythology, Erebus or Erebos ( Ancient Greek:, English translation: "deep blackness/darkness or shadow" was the son of a primordial In Classical Greek, Lethe (λήθη Classical Greek, Modern Greek:) literally means "forgetfulness" or "concealment" In Greek mythology, the river Phlegethon ( English translation: "flaming" or Pyriphlegethon (English translation "fire-flaming" was In classic Greek mythology below Heaven, Earth, and Pontus is Tartarus, or Tartaros ( Greek Τάρταρος deep place In Greek mythology, Ixion was king of the Lapiths, the most ancient tribe of Thessaly, and a son of Ares or Antion or the notorious In Greek mythology, Sisyphus ( Greek: Σίσυφος, Latinized: Sisyphus (ˈsɪsɨfəs was a King punished in In Greek mythology Tantalus ( Greek Τάνταλος was a son of Zeus and the Nymph Plouto. In Greek mythology, the Titans ( Greek: Tītā́n; plural Tītânes) were a race of powerful Deities that ruled during the legendary Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient The Iliad ( Greek: Ἰλιάς (Ancient Ιλιάδα (Modern is together with the Odyssey, one of two ancient The Odyssey ( Greek: Ὀδύσσεια or Odússeia) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. The other poets of old epic such as Hesiod describe it similarly. Hesiod ( Greek: Hesiodos) was an early Greek Poet and Rhapsode, who presumably lived around 700 BCE In the Odyssey the Underworld is located beyond the Western horizon. Odysseus reaches it by ship from Circe's island, and later on, the ghosts of the suitors are herded there by Hermes Psychopompus (the guide of the dead). grc-Latn Odysseus or la Ulysses ( Greek grc-Latn Odysseus; Latin: la Ulixes or more commonly Ulysses) oʊˈdɪsiəs In Greek mythology, Circe ( sərsē; Greek Κίρκη Kírkē, falcon is a Queen Goddess (or sometimes a Nymph He herds them through the hollows of the earth, beyond the earth-encircling river Oceanus and the gates of the (setting) Sun to their final resting place in Hades.
The Classical underworld
The Homeric Hymns and lyric poet Pindar introduce the paradise-like realm of Elysium where the virtuous dead were sent after death. The thirty-three anonymous Homeric Hymns celebrating individual gods are a collection of ancient Greek Hymns "Homeric" in the sense that they employ the Pindar (ˈpɪndɚ (or Pindarus, Greek:) (probably born 522 BC in Cynoscephalae a village in Boeotia; died 443 BC in Argos) was an Ancient In Greek mythology, Elysium ( Greek:) was a section of the Underworld (the spelling Elysium is a Latinization of the This blessed afterlife was also promised in cult to the initiates of the ancient Mysteries.
Transmigration of the soul
Philosophers such as Plato and the mystic Orphics and Pythagoreans include the concept of the judgement of the dead. Biography Early life Birth and family Plato was born in Athens Greece Spirits were assigned to one of three realms: Elysium for the blessed, Tartarus for the damned, and Hades for the rest. Further they believed in reincarnation and the transmigration of souls.
Virgil's underworld
The most elaborate description of the underworld appears in Virgil's Aeneid, where the various sections of the land of the dead are described as a whole. Publius Vergilius Maro ( October 15, 70 BCE &ndash September 21, 19 BCE later called Virgilius, and known in English as Virgil or For the group of nine Ancient Egyptian deities see Ennead. The Aeneid (əˈniːɪd in
Local cults
Many local cults in Greece claimed to possess entrances to the underworld, and had special religious rites associated with these. Ancient travel writers and geographers such as Pausanias and Strabo describe these. Strabo ( Greek: Στράβων 63/64 BC – ca AD 24 was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.
The ferryman
The deceased entered the underworld by crossing the river Acheron ferried across by Charon (kair'-on), who charged an obolus, a small coin, as a fee. In Greek mythology, Charon or Kharon (in Greek, Χάρων &mdash the bright) was the Ferryman of Hades The obolus (or obol) is a Greek silver Coin worth a sixth of a Drachma. This coin was placed under the tongue of the deceased by relatives. Paupers and the friendless gathered forever on the near shore. Poverty (also called penury) is deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life including food clothing shelter and safe Drinking water, and The far side of the river was guarded by Cerberus, the three-headed guard dog of Hades. In Greek mythology, Cerberus or Kerberos ( Greek Κέρβερος Kérberos) the ker or Daimon of
The hound of Hades
Myths in which it features
The twelfth and last task of Hercules was to retrieve Cerberus, the three-headed guard dog of Hades, from his post and show him to his cousin, for whom he was working as punishment from killing his wife and sons. Hercules is the Roman name for the Mythical Greek hero Heracles, son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmena. In Greek mythology, Cerberus or Kerberos ( Greek Κέρβερος Kérberos) the ker or Daimon of He was successful, and was rewarded freedom from bondage after unintentional infanticide, which he did because Hera made him insane. Infanticide is the practice of someone intentionally causing the death of an Infant. In the Olympian pantheon of classical Greek Mythology, Hera (ˈhɪərə or /ˈhɛrə/ Greek) or Here ( in Ionic and Homer Later, however, Hera made him insane again and he killed Iphitus,the son of the prince of Oechalia Eurytus. In the Olympian pantheon of classical Greek Mythology, Hera (ˈhɪərə or /ˈhɛrə/ Greek) or Here ( in Ionic and Homer Iphitos (or Iphitus) was a name attributed to five individuals in Greek mythology. In Greek mythology, Eurytus is the name of numerous characters As punishment, he was forced to be a slave of Queen Omphale of Lydia, for three years.
The Argonaut Orpheus, a wonderful musician, lost his soon to be wife, Euridice, after she was bitten by a snake. Orpheus ( Greek: Ὀρφεύς ˈɔrfiəs ( OHR-fee-uhs) or /ˈɔrfjuːs/ ( OHR'-fews) in English is a figure from Greek mythology born in In Greek mythology, Eurydice ( Eurydíkê, Εὐρυδίκη was an oak nymph or a sweet maiden He descended to the Underworld and managed to pass Cerberus and Charon by charming them with his kithara (a musical instrument similar to a lyre) to plead Hades and Persephone. The kithara was an Ancient Greek Musical instrument in the Lyre family The lyre is a stringed musical instrument well known for its use in Classical Antiquity and later Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient In Greek mythology, Persephone ( Kore or Cora) was the embodiment of the Earth's fertility at the same time that she was the Queen of the Underworld Persephone felt sorry for him, so he was allowed to have her back, if he reached the normal world again without looking over his shoulder. At the last minute, because he was unable to hear his wife's footsteps, he turned back and in doing so he caught his last glimpse of his wife's ghost as he lost her forever.
See also
Hell, according to many Religious beliefs, is a location in the Afterlife, which may be described as a place of suffering Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyondDapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic