THE GREEK UNDERWORLD Rulers and Rules Creatures Judges

THE GREEK UNDERWORLD • • • Rulers and Rules Creatures Judges Regions Rivers

RULERS & RULES OF THE UNDERWORLD • Rulers: – Hades (King) – Persephone (Queen) • Rules: – One has to have a proper burial – A coin must be placed in the mouth of a corpse – Once in Hades, no one can go back to the land of the living (there are exceptions though!) – Every soul must drink from the river Lethe to forget about his/her former life on earth

CREATURES OF THE UNDERWORLD • Cerberus, the Hound of Hades: The dog Cerberus guards the realm. He is ferocious and usually is depicted with three snarling heads. • Charon, the Ferryman: Charon transports souls across the river Styx, or Acheron. He demands as fare the coin that is buried in the mouth of a corpse. • The Erinyes (Furies): They are the pitiless and just avengers of crime, especially murder and blood-guilt within the family. They act as the avenging spirits of those who have been slain.

JUDGES OF THE UNDERWORLD • Rhadamanthys: Rhadamanthys was the lord of Elysium and judge of the men of Asia • Aiakos: Aiakos was the guardian of the keys of Hades and the judge of the men of Europe • Minos: Minos was the senior judge who made the final decision

REGIONS OF THE UNDERWORLD • Asphodel: Those who were neither virtuous or evil were sent there. • Elysian Fields or Elysium: Paradise in the underworld. Elysium, was a happy place filled with everlasting daylight, music and games. Those living here were given the choice to be reborn on earth anytime they desired. Shades who were virtuous enough to reach Elysium three times were sent to the Fortunate Islands, a domain filled with glorious beasts and the ghosts of celebrated heroes. • Tartarus: The realm of Tartarus was located deep beneath the surface of the earth. It was here, behind a prison of bronze fencing and iron gates that one would find the souls of those sentenced to eternal punishment.

RIVERS OF THE UNDERWORLD • • • Styx: The river of “hate” Acheron: The river of “woe” Lethe: The river of “forgetfulness” Cocytus: The river of “wailing” Phlegethon: The river of “fire”