Lord of the kingdom of the dead - Hades Hades (Gales) - the eldest son of Kronos and Rhea and his two brothers divided the whole world among themselves.
Hades
The Thunderer rules over the earth and all its inhabitants, the Ocean - over the sea and river expanses, and Hades - inspiring fear and respect, the ruler of the kingdom of the dead.
Mortals respected and trembled before the supreme deities, but Hades, the king of the underworld from where there is no return, inspired them with the greatest fear and awe.
Mortals were so afraid of him that they tried to never speak his name out loud. “Invisible”, “Immortal”, “Rich”, “Hospitable”, “Recipient of Gifts” - these are just a few of the names that call the ruler of the kingdom of shadows.
No, he was not considered bloodthirsty and cruel, he was fair and reasonable, but no one could escape his judgment. There was no hatred for people in his gaze, but when he fixed his cold eyes on a mortal, no one could lie.
All bad and good deeds were open to this gloomy God, and only he could decide what would happen to the soul in his kingdom: whether it would be doomed to eternal suffering or rest in silence and unconsciousness.
Underground kingdom of the dead
Three dark, cold rivers blocked the path of mortals to the kingdom of Hades:
- through the first Acheron, the old ferryman Heron transports souls, but he will only transport those who can pay for his work, so the relatives of the dead always put a small silver coin in their hands,
- second - Lethe - the river of oblivion,
- the third Styx - it washes the shores of the kingdom of shadows.
The most terrible and unbreakable oath among Gods and people is the waters of the Styx; no one dares to break it. The rays of the sun never penetrate the underworld, the shadows of the dead never appear on the surface of the earth, and a living person can never penetrate the kingdom of the dead.
To prevent this from happening, the entrance to the underworld is strictly guarded by the dog Cerberus (Kerberus), all three of his heads vigilantly monitor order, poisonous snakes intertwine into a ball on his neck and poisonous saliva drips from his fangs to the ground.
Subjects of Hades
It is not the great Hades himself who takes mortal souls, but his servant and associate, the God of Death, Thanatos, is subordinate to him. In a wide black cloak on huge resin wings, he flies above the earth and takes the souls of people with him. Whoever falls into his strong hands will no longer escape! The merciless Erinyes, avenging goddesses with whips in their hands, pursue people who have broken the law.
There is nowhere to hide from their wrath, they lash people with whips and sting people with a bad conscience, and sooner or later they will take their souls to the judgment of Hades. The souls of good, beneficent people are escorted to the kingdom from where there is no return by Hermes. He takes them to the transport and helps them get into the boat.
The palace of Hades (Galesa) is huge, gloomy and beautiful. It stands in the very center of the kingdom of the dead, no groans, no screams, no joy, no rejoicing penetrate there. In the huge hall there is a golden throne on which the Lord of the world sits. Nobody argues with his decisions. He is not at enmity with anyone. He's not afraid of anyone. He does not try to tempt people, he does not demand love and respect from them.
Hades knows that one day everyone will come to his domain for his judgment. Hades holds a cornucopia in his hands, ripe fruits and precious stones pour out of it, but the dead souls no longer need this. Near the throne stands the formidable Thanatos and his merciful brother Hypnos, the god of Sleep. Death is merciless and merciless, but sleep is desired by everyone, it gives rest, restores strength and health, consoles and soothes in grief.
Relentless Hecate
One of the most terrible goddesses of Greek mythology, the inexorable Hecate, also lives in the kingdom of Hades. The patroness of black magic, sorcerers and ghosts, she often comes to earth herself on moonless nights and wanders in search of victims. The Goddess has three bodies and three terrible faces, so temples for her were built at the crossroads of three roads. Sorcerers and witches worship this Goddess, she helps them in their dark deeds. Bloody sacrifices are brought to her in temples: dogs, cats, and sometimes babies.
Persephone
Next to Hades sits his young beautiful wife Persephone, daughter of Demeter. Hades, who had never loved her, fell in love with her and stole her from her mother. Everyone is afraid of the Lord of the kingdom of the dead and only Persephone can put in a good word for someone.
There are brave souls who descended alive into the world of shadows:
- Orpheus to save his beloved Eurydice,
- gentle Psyche beyond the Cupid,
- Hercules, by order of the king, fetched the dog Cerberus.
But you cannot leave the kingdom of the dead at will; you need Hades himself to give such permission. And one should not appear alive in this world ahead of time, because everyone has a due date.
The dark myths about the god Pluto are sparse in details. In ancient Greek mythology, he is Hades (Hades), Homer praised him as the underground Zeus. Pluto, by the will of fate, was chosen to carry out a joyless mission - to prevent the spread of the dark forces of the lower world, reliably locking it up and guarding it fervently. He is the god of death, reigning deep underground. The very pronunciation of his name was strictly prohibited. At the same time, he is the ruler of all earthly riches that are hidden in the depths.
Childhood
The god Pluto had a sad childhood, because his father was Saturn (Kronos), who devoured his children for fear of being overthrown by one of them. Luckily for him, he got a loving and cunning mother - Opa (Rhea), who saved all her children by deceit. She rescued Pluto and Jupiter, Neptune and Juno, Ceres and Vesta. Kronos' fears were not in vain; Jupiter eventually overthrew his father, and the young gods occupied the top of Olympus.
Fighting the Titans and dividing the world
When the Titans entered into battle with the Olympian gods, Storms and Cyclops came to the aid of the latter, and the gods won. In gratitude, Jupiter (Zeus) was given thunderous arrows, Neptune (Poseidon) received his trident, and the ancient Roman god Pluto received a helmet that allowed him to become invisible.
Later, the brothers decided to share the reins of government of the world, and the lot appointed the eldest of them, Pluto, as the ruler of dead souls and the entire underworld. Having retired to his harsh abode, he forever lost the glory of the Olympic pantheon and henceforth led a joyless existence. However, he turned out to be a hospitable host, he let anyone into his abode, but not a single one found his way back.
Faithful life partner
According to legend, the god Pluto had a wife - the daughter of the fertility goddess Demeter and Zeus, the beautiful Proserpina (Persephone). He took her to his kingdom of shadows by deception, using the gift of the Cyclops and making himself invisible.
The couple was childless, but the queen, who once tasted the pomegranate fruit of love from the hands of her husband, was devoted to him. She personified a certain connection between the living and the dead, remaining at the same time both the pious daughter of the goddess, encouraging the earth to bear fruit, and the reliable companion of God, who takes away the signs of life from everyone.
Going out into the world and communicating with the living
Pluto is the god of Rome who frightens the living. This tragic character appeared on Olympus so rarely that he was no longer included in the Olympic pantheon. Only a few times did he leave his dark kingdom.
So, when Hercules wounded him, Pluto was forced to leave his monastery and go to Olympus to heal his wound. He made his second exit from the underworld in order to steal his future wife.
The legend of Orpheus, who went down to the shelter of shadows for his dead wife, is very original. The hearts of Pluto and Proserpine, the rulers there, were not so cruel, since they were so touched by the beautiful singing of their grief-stricken husband that they agreed to return Eurydice back to earth. And the fact that this never happened was Orpheus’s fault and nothing more.
Arrangement of the kingdom of dead souls
The last refuge for the souls of the dead had several names that terrified the living: Orc, Tartarus, Erebus, and Hades. You can get to it along the sacred River Styx on the boat of old Charon, who charged a certain fee for his services.
For criminals and those who have offended the gods in some way, existence in the kingdom of the dead is doomed to eternal suffering: there Sisyphus invariably drags a heavy stone to the top of a mountain, Tantalus stands up to his neck in a river, and Danaida fills a bottomless barrel with water. The rest of the souls of the dead live here as pitiful shadows, devoid of earthly memory.
The god of ancient Rome, Pluto, vigilantly monitors what is happening in his kingdom along with his assistants, the fallen heroes famous for their wisdom: Rhadamanthus, Minos, Aeacus. The latter also serves as the gatekeeper in the kingdom of the god Pluto.
The dark dungeon, according to mythology, is inhabited by monsters and demons, and at the entrance to the kingdom of the dead sits another terrible creature - Cerberus - a three-headed dog, on whose neck snakes writhe with a menacing hiss. No one can leave the kingdom of oblivion, since the sinister and faithful dog regularly performs his service.
Pluto strictly ensures that not a single creature escapes from the underworld under his control, and if this does happen, he decisively pacifies the slightest generation of evil and drives it back into the dungeon. He inspects his kingdom for integrity, so that sunlight does not break through the cracks and dispel the darkness that prevails there.
He was so feared that he was extremely rarely depicted - sometimes with a rod in his hand, which helped him restore order in the afterlife, and sometimes with a cornucopia, as the owner of all earthly riches. But his image of an adult husband with a faithful Cerberus at his feet remained unchanged. And only one of the temples located in Elis was dedicated to Pluto, this noble death knight who voluntarily sacrificed himself, ruling fairly and impartially.
God Hades is one of the supreme gods of the ancient Greek pantheon. Cold, gloomy, merciless - this is how people see the son of Kronos and Rhea, the brother of Zeus and Poseidon. Hades rules the underworld with a firm hand; his decisions are not subject to appeal. What is known about him?
Origin, family
Convoluted genealogy is a hallmark of ancient Greek mythology. God Hades is the eldest son of the Titan Kronos and his sister Rhea. One day, the ruler of the world, Kronos, was predicted that his sons would destroy him. Therefore, he swallowed all the children that his wife gave birth to. This continued until Rhea managed to save one of her sons, Zeus. The Thunderer forced his father to spit out the swallowed children, united with his brothers and sisters in the fight against him and won.
After the defeat of Kronos, his sons Zeus, Hades and Poseidon divided the world among themselves. They began to dominate him. By the will of lot, the god Hades received the underworld as his inheritance, and the shadows of the dead became his subjects. Zeus began to rule over the sky, and Poseidon over the sea.
Appearance, attributes of power
What does the ruler of a dark kingdom look like? The ancient Greeks did not attribute satanic traits to the god Hades. He appeared to them as a mature, bearded man. The most famous attribute of the ruler of the kingdom of the dead is a helmet, thanks to which he could become invisible and penetrate into various places. It is known that this gift was presented to Hades by the Cyclopes, whom he freed by order of the Thunderer.
Interestingly, there is often an image of this deity with his head backwards. This is due to the fact that Hades never looks into the eyes of his interlocutor, since they are dead to him.
Also, the brother of Zeus and Poseidon owns a scepter and a three-headed dog. Cerberus guards the entrance to the underground kingdom. Another famous attribute of Hades is the two-pronged pitchfork. The ancient Greek god preferred to travel in a chariot drawn by black horses.
Names
The ancient Greeks preferred not to pronounce the name of the god of the underworld Hades, as they were afraid of bringing trouble upon themselves. They talked about him mostly allegorically. The deity was called “Invisible” or “Rich”. In Greek, the last name sounded like “Pluto”, which is what the ancient Romans began to call Hades.
It is impossible not to mention names that are not widely used. “Adviser”, “Kind”, “Illustrious”, “Closing the Gate”, “Hospitable”, “Hateful” - there are quite a lot of them. According to some sources, the deity was also called “Zeus of the Underworld”, “Zeus of the Underground”.
Kingdom
What can you tell about the kingdom of the god Hades? The ancient Greeks had no doubt that this was a very gloomy and dark place, located deep underground. There are many caves and rivers on the territory of this kingdom (Styx, Lethe, Cocytus, Acheron, Phlegethon). The rays of the bright sun never penetrate there. Light shadows of the dead float over the overgrown fields, and the groans of the unfortunate resemble the quiet rustling of leaves.
When a person is preparing to say goodbye to life, the messenger Hermes in winged sandals is sent to him. He guides the soul to the banks of the gloomy River Styx, which separates the world of people from the kingdom of shadows. There the deceased must wait patiently for a boat controlled by the demon Charon. He introduces himself as a gray-haired old man with a scraggly beard. To move, you must pay a coin, which was traditionally placed under the tongue of the deceased at the time of burial. Anyone who does not have money to pay for travel, Charon mercilessly pushes away with an oar. It is interesting that the dead crossing the Styx are forced to row on their own.
What other details about the kingdom of the dead are known from mythology? The god Hades receives his subjects in the main hall of his palace. He sits on a throne that is made of pure gold. Some sources claim that the creator of the throne is Hermes, while others deny this fact.
Styx and Lethe
Styx and Lethe are perhaps the most famous rivers of the kingdom of the dead. The Styx is a river that makes up a tenth of the stream that penetrates the underground kingdom through the darkness. It is used to transport the souls of the dead. An ancient legend says that it was thanks to the River Styx that the famous hero Achilles became invulnerable. The boy's mother, Thetis, dipped him into the sacred waters, holding him by the heel.
Lethe is known as the river of oblivion. The dead must drink its water upon arrival in the kingdom. This allows them to forget their past forever. Those who must return to earth are also required to drink sacred water, this helps them remember everything. This is where the famous expression “sank into oblivion” came from.
Persephone
The ancient Greek god Hades married the beautiful Persephone. He noticed the young daughter of Zeus and Demeter when she was wandering through the meadow and picking flowers. Hades fell in love with the beauty and decided to kidnap her.
Parting with her daughter was a real tragedy for the goddess of fertility Demeter. The loss was so great that she forgot about her responsibilities. The Thunderer Zeus was seriously alarmed by the famine that gripped the Earth. The Supreme God ordered Hades to return Persephone to her mother. The ruler of the underworld did not want to part with his wife. He forced his wife to swallow several pomegranate seeds, as a result of which she could no longer leave the kingdom of the dead completely.
The parties were forced to come to an agreement. Zeus reasoned that Persephone would live with her mother for two-thirds of the year, and with her husband the rest of the time.
Sisyphus
The power of the Greek god Hades was beyond doubt. Every person after death had to go to his kingdom and become his subject. However, one mortal still tried to avoid this fate. We are talking about Sisyphus - a man who attempted to cheat death. He convinced his wife not to bury him, so that his soul would linger between the abode of the living and the dead. After his death, Sisyphus turned to Persephone with a request to allow him to punish his wife, who did not properly take care of his burial. Hades' wife took pity on Sisyphus and allowed him to return to the world of the living so that he could punish his other half. However, the cunning man, who escaped from the kingdom of the dead, did not even think about returning there.
When this story became known to Hades, he was very angry. God achieved the return of the rebellious Sisyphus to the world of the dead, and then condemned him to severe punishment. Day after day, the unfortunate man was forced to lift a large stone up a high mountain, and then watch it fall off and roll down. This is where the expression “Sisyphean labor” comes from, which is used when talking about hard and meaningless work.
Asclepius
The incident described above clearly demonstrates that Hades does not tolerate it when someone questions his power and decides to resist his will. The fate of Asclepius serves as confirmation of this. The son of the god Apollo and a mortal woman was very successful in the art of healing. He managed not only to heal the living, but also to revive the dead.
Hades was outraged that Asclepius was taking away his new subjects. God convinced his brother Zeus to strike the arrogant healer with lightning. Asclepius died and joined the ranks of the inhabitants of the underworld. However, later he still managed to return to the world of the living.
Interestingly, Hades himself is capable of reviving the dead. However, God does not often resort to this gift. He is convinced that the laws of life cannot be violated.
Hercules
The history of the god Hades shows that he, too, sometimes had to suffer defeat. The most famous case is the battle between the ruler of the underworld and Hercules. The famous hero inflicted a serious wound on Hades. God was forced to leave his possessions for some time and go to Olympus, where the doctor Paeon took care of him.
Orpheus and Eurydice
Hades also appears in the tales of Orpheus. The hero was forced to go to the kingdom of the dead in order to rescue his dead wife Eurydice. Orpheus managed to charm Hades and Persephone by playing the lyre and singing. The gods agreed to release Eurydice, but set one condition. Orpheus should not have looked back at his wife when he led her out of the kingdom of the dead. The hero failed in this task, and Eurydice remained forever in the underworld.
Cult
In Greece, the cult of Hades was rare. Places of his veneration were located mainly near deep caves, which were considered the gates to the underworld. It is also known that the inhabitants of the ancient world sacrificed ordinary black cattle to Hades. Historians were able to discover only one temple dedicated to this god, which was located in Elis. Only clergy were allowed to enter there.
In art, literature
The article presents photos of the god Hades, or rather, photographs of his images. They are as rare as the cult of this deity. Most of the images belong to recent times.
The image of Hades is similar to the image of his brother Zeus. The ancient Greeks saw him as a powerful, mature man. Traditionally, this god is depicted sitting on a golden throne. In his hand he holds a rod or bident, in some cases a cornucopia. His wife Persephone is sometimes next to Hades. Also in some images you can see Cerberus, located at the feet of the deity.
Mentions of the ruler of the kingdom of the dead are also found in literature. For example, Hades is the protagonist of the comedy “Frogs” by Aristophanes. This deity also appears in the series of science fiction works “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” by Rick Riordan.
In cinema
Of course, cinema also could not help but pay attention to the ancient Greek god. In the films Wrath of the Titans and Clash of the Titans, Hades appears as one of the central characters. In these films, the image of the ruler of the kingdom of the dead was embodied by British actor Ralph Fiennes.
Hades also appears in the film “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.” He is among the villains who are searching for Zeus' lightning bolts. In the television series Call of Blood, this god is the father of the main character Bo. Hades can also be seen in the anime series “Fun of the Gods,” the plot of which is borrowed from the game of the same name. In the television project “Once Upon a Time” he plays the role of an antagonist who fights with the goodies.
The underground kingdom of the dead.
The myth of Hades
Hades is the son of the Titan Kronos and the Titanide Rhea. Was swallowed by his father after birth and later saved by his brother Zeus.
After the union of the gods, the children of Kronos, led by Zeus, defeated the Titans, the brothers, Zeus, Hades and Poseidon, divided the world among themselves.
Hades received the kingdom of the dead.
Being the god of death, Hades was the least loved god and was feared.
You can naturally get to the kingdom of Hades, or simply Hades, as the ancient Greeks called the underworld, after death.
When a person was close to death, Hermes was sent for his soul, he accompanied the deceased to the banks of the River Styx, where the ferryman, Charon, and the guardian of the world of the dead, the three-headed dog Cerberus, were waiting for him.
The underworld of the dead and Tartarus should not be confused. Tartarus is the abyss under the world of the dead, where the Titans and Cyclops were thrown.
When Hades freed the Cyclopes and Tartarus, in gratitude they gave him a magic helmet that made its owner invisible.
Hades also had a two-pronged pitchfork, decorated with a figurine of a three-headed dog.
The god of the dead's means of transportation was a chariot drawn by four horses as black as the darkest night.
It was on this chariot that Hades arrived at the field where Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, was picking flowers. Hades was in love with her and took the girl with him to the kingdom of the dead.
However, this led to the fact that her mother, absorbed in the search for her missing daughter, forgot about her duties as a goddess of fertility and famine gripped the land.
Zeus, seeing this, ordered Hades to return his daughter, but Hades resorted to a trick: he gave Persephone to eat several pomegranate seeds and she could no longer leave for good, since pomegranate in Greece was considered a symbol of marital fidelity, so Persephone became Hades’ wife.
Zeus resolved the dispute between Demeter and Hades in such a way that Persephone spends eight months of the year with her mother, and spends four months in the underworld with her husband. Demeter had to come to terms, but from now on, as a sign of her grief, winter came in Greece for four months.
No one can leave the kingdom of the dead, but one day Orpheus entered there to bring back his dead wife Eurydice. Orpheus played Hades and Persephone on the harp and the couple agreed to let Eurydice go, on the condition that Orpheus, leaving the kingdom of the dead, would never turn around, but he still turned around, and Eurydice could not leave the world of Hades.
Sisyphus is also associated with Hades, and the well-known expression “Sisyphus’ work.” After his death, Sisyphus, having found himself in the world of Hades, was forced to roll a heavy stone up a mountain, which rolled down over and over again. This is where the expression “Sisyphean labor” comes from, meaning hard, endless and fruitless work and torment.
Greek mythology describes the kingdom of the dead as a very dark place. How did the god of the underworld Hades become the supreme ruler of the kingdom of the dead and was able to turn it into a dark kingdom.
Last time we left off with the fact that Hades and the other sons of Kronos, as children, were swallowed by their own father. Of course, being gods, they did not die, but simply ended up in his womb. Hades and his brothers and sisters grew up in their father's womb, all except Zeus - he managed to escape the wrath of Kronos. Afterwards, when Zeus grows up, he will return to his father and free his brothers and sisters.
Having been released, the children of Kronos united with each other and became Olympian gods. They seized power by force, overthrowing their fathers in a grandiose battle - the Titanomachy.
Having won this battle, the proclaimed Olympian gods had to somehow share power. Three brothers Zeus Poseidon Hades- three Olympian men agreed to delimit their possessions. For Hades, this was a decisive moment that forever determined the balance of power among the gods. According to the law of those times, Hades had priority as the eldest son. He had the right to inherit most of it. But his younger brother Zeus did not want to give in to Hades, he suggested drawing lots. Whoever gets heaven will become the supreme ruler of the world.
The gods drew lots. Poseidon got the sea, Zeus got the sky, thereby becoming the supreme ruler in ancient Greek mythology. Hades got the worst option - the land of the dead.
In ancient Greece, the attitude towards the dead was not much different from today. Therefore, Hades was revered completely differently from the other gods. Other gods also did not come to him, because they hated death. His kingdom of the dead is always dark and oppressive, a place full of suffering for many souls. Kingdom of the Dead Greek mythology imagined it as a vast land of dark caves and rivers. It is a gray and gloomy place where the smell of decay hangs over the water.
Caves in ancient Greece were something like transition points from above-ground to underground life. The ancient Greeks feared Hades and his kingdom. But they were even more afraid of dead souls who could not enter the kingdom of the dead. According to myth, these souls returned and haunted the living.
After some time God of the underworld Hades began to transform his world of the dead into a real kingdom. As befits a king, he rewarded the good and punished the bad. Thus, Hades assembled a group of guards to watch over the souls of the dead. Cerberus - a cruel three-headed dog. Hecatoncheires or hundred-armed guards of Tartarus. And his most faithful follower - Charon. It was Charon who transported the souls of dead people on the River Styx. Only with the help of Charon could one get to Hades. Moreover, no one could cross the Styx for free. For transportation, each soul was obliged to give the carrier a coin. If a soul does not have the money to pay Charon, it will forever wander without rest near the shore of the Styx. Hence the Greeks always placed a coin on the deceased’s eyelids or under the tongue. This was a mandatory ritual, and failure to perform it was severely punished. After all, otherwise the deceased could return to this world, and this could affect everyone.
In the mythology of ancient Greece, people who left this world young, died a violent death, and those who were not buried according to all the rules became restless spirits. These spirits cannot enter the kingdom of the dead, so they are restless, unhappy and evil. The same souls that ended up in Hades remained there forever.
The punishment for those who tried to escape from the kingdom of the dead was very cruel. But some still attempted to escape.
The myth of Sisyphean labor talks about the man who first dared to go against the will of Hades. His name is Sisyphus. Toward the very end of his earthly life, Sisyphus decided to cheat death. He asked his wife not to bury him. He knew that if he was not buried, his soul would remain between the world of the living and the dead.
It is quite difficult to deceive Hades himself, so Sisyphus turned to Persephone. He told her how outraged he was because his wife didn’t even bury him! Persephone took a liking to him and became angry with his wife. She allowed Sisyphus to go back upstairs and give his wife a beating. Of course, Sisyphus did not even think about returning to the kingdom of the dead.
As it says legend of sisyphus, Hades, having learned that he had been deceived, was very angry. He immediately returned Sisyphus back to the underworld. His punishment was painful and eternal. He was sent to Tartarus, where he had to roll a huge round stone up a huge mountain. And in the evening, reaching almost to the top, he, exhausted, had to watch as the stone fell off again and rolled down. He had to endure these torments every day forever and ever, hence the expression - Sisyphean labor.
