I had originally intended for this post to be included with my main study of the Greek gods, however since the gods of the underworld dwell separately from Mount Olympus, I thought it more fitting to make a separate post on the Underworld. Poseidon on the other hand will not get a separate post pertaining to his realm of the seas. While he is often associated as dwelling in a palace under the Aegean Sea with a minion of gods and mythical creatures, he is considered one of the main 12 Olympians that dwell on Mount Olympus and thus I already included him in the previous post. Perhaps some other time I'll dive deeper into Poseidon's underwater realm of Greek mythology.
The Greek Underworld
Just as Egyptian Mythology has the afterlife and Christianity has heaven-and-hell, Greek mythology also has a realm of the dead; it known as the underworld. In Greek mythology, the underworld does not demonstrate the Egyptian ideals of reincarnation, nor does it portray Christianity's distinctive symmetry of the righteous and wicked souls being separated into heaven and hell. Instead the underworld is seen as one physical other-world where all dead souls must journey to. Within the realm, often referred to as Hades after it's patron god, the dead souls exist in a lull without any purpose.
Hades is the master of the underworld and has various gods, goddesses, spirits, and monsters working under him to maintain order. Some of these include his unwilling wife Persephone, his loyal guardian dog Cerberus, the ferryman Charon, the three judges, and the furies. The underworld is reached by 6 different rivers, the Styx being the most prominent one navigated by the ferryman. It also has various levels, the bottom being referred to as Tartarus, the darkest of places where the titans and most wicked of men dwell. The highest of levels was known as Elysium where the greatest of heroes and most righteous men dwell.
The Gods of the Underworld
The Greek Underworld
Just as Egyptian Mythology has the afterlife and Christianity has heaven-and-hell, Greek mythology also has a realm of the dead; it known as the underworld. In Greek mythology, the underworld does not demonstrate the Egyptian ideals of reincarnation, nor does it portray Christianity's distinctive symmetry of the righteous and wicked souls being separated into heaven and hell. Instead the underworld is seen as one physical other-world where all dead souls must journey to. Within the realm, often referred to as Hades after it's patron god, the dead souls exist in a lull without any purpose.Hades is the master of the underworld and has various gods, goddesses, spirits, and monsters working under him to maintain order. Some of these include his unwilling wife Persephone, his loyal guardian dog Cerberus, the ferryman Charon, the three judges, and the furies. The underworld is reached by 6 different rivers, the Styx being the most prominent one navigated by the ferryman. It also has various levels, the bottom being referred to as Tartarus, the darkest of places where the titans and most wicked of men dwell. The highest of levels was known as Elysium where the greatest of heroes and most righteous men dwell.
The Gods of the Underworld
Hades
Known as: "God of the Underworld"
God of: Underworld, death, riches
Symbol: Cornucopia, Cypress, Narcissus, serpent, dog
Parents: Cronus and Rhea
Spouse: Persephone
Offspring:
Temples: Perhaps one of the most significant temples dedicated to Hades and the Underworld was the Necromanteion of Acheron. The temple was located near the Acheron river in the northwestern region of Epirus. It was believed by cultists that the temple was the door into Hades and that priests and followers could communicate with the dead there. The temple housed an Oracle of the Dead who served as a seer who could speak with the dead. The site was first mentioned in Homer's Odyssey where Odysseus called upon the ghosts of the future. It was also described by the historian Herodotus in the 5th century BC. It is believed the site was burnt and destroyed in 167 BC by the Romans.
Significance: He is often represented as the arch-villain to the other gods, yet his true purpose is as god of the underworld, the realm of the dead. He played a significant role in the war of the titans helping his brothers Zeus and Poseidon defeat the titans and thus divide the world into three realms; the sky, the waters, and the underworld (Gaia was the god of the earth and land). Hades is often represented with a 3 headed dog named Cerberus. His most infamous legend is his abduction of Persephone of whom he tricks into eating a pomegranate seed. Persephone is thus forced to live with Hades as the queen of the underworld for one-third of the year. This season is normally marked as the winter season by the Greeks.
Persephone
Known as: "Goddess of the Underworld"
God of: Underworld, springtime, vegetation
Symbol: Pomegranate, seeds, grain, torch, flowers, deer
Parents: Zeus and Demeter
Spouse: Hades
Offspring:
Temples: Persephone did not have a significant temple dedeicated to her, however she was often honored in the same temple as Hades, in the Necromanteion of Acheron. Furthermore Persephone was one of the central figures along with Demeter in the Eleusinian Mysteries. She is honored and celebrated as the goddess of springtime, flowers, and vegetation.
Significance: She is the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Demeter who was abducted by Hades while picking flowers. Her mother Demeter grows furious at this and insists Zeus bring her back. Zeus then sends Hermes to the underworld to request that Hades returns Persephone of which he complies. However before Persephone returns, Hades gives her a pomegranate seed which she eats and as a result is forced to spend one third of the year living with Hades in the underworld. This period of time in which she spends with Hades is considered winter-time. When Persephone returns to earth marks the beginning of spring season, hence why she is also associated as the goddess of spring and vegetation. She later does find another lover in the mortal Adonis, of whom she shares with Aphrodite however for one third of the year.
Hecate
Known as: "Goddess of Crossroads"
God of: Crossroads, boundaries, witchcraft, and ghosts
Symbol: Torches, dogs, serpents, keys, polecats, and daggars
Parents: Perses and Asteria
Offspring:
Temples: She had various sanctuaries and temples throughout ancient Greece including one in Lagina, Selinunte, Argolis, and Aigina. She was also worshiped in the temples of other gods in matters concerning the crossroads, afterlife, and sorcery.
Significance: She is the daughter of titans Peres and Asteria associated with crossroads, witchcraft, magic, and sorcery. The crossroads represent a significant threshold, entrance, doorway in life or into the afterlife. While she does not have any relations with Hades, she is still considered a significant goddess from the underworld. She holds the keys to unlock realms, particularly the gates into death. She is also associated with ghosts and spirits that travel to and from the underworld.
The Erinyes
Known as: "The Furies"
God of: Vengeance
Deities:
Significance: They are associated as the spirits of vengeance that arise from the underworld. Their origins come from the spilled blood and genitalia of Uranus. They dwell in the underworld as infernal goddesses and take vengeance upon those who have committed wrongdoings or sworn false oaths. They are normally depicted as old women, or witches, with snakes as hair, bat's wings, and blood shot eyes.
Three Judges
Known as: "Judges of the Underworld
God of: Laws of the dead
Deities:
Charon
Known as: "The Ferryman"
God of: Guide into the Underworld
Significance: He is the ferryman of Hades, who transports dead souls on his boat across the Styx River into the underworld realm. He is often depicted as an old bearded man, who requires a coin to pay for passage. For this reason it was an ancient Greek tradition to put coins on the eyes of the dead as the fee for safe passage. Those who cannot pay the fee are often depicted as lost souls who wander the underworld aimlessly. Charon is the son of Erebus, the god of darkness, and the grand-son of Chaos.
Cerberus
Known as: "The Hell Hound"
God of: Guardian of the Underworld
Significance: He was Hades' loyal three headed dog, and guardian of the gates into the underworld. His main purpose was to prevent dead souls from trying to leave or escape. He was the offspring of Echidna, the mother of monsters and Typhon the most feared giant serpentine monster. Cerberus is often depicted as a large beast with three ferocious heads, and the tail of a snake. The most famous account of Cerberus is as Herakles' twelfth and final labor. The myth has multiple accounts by which Herakles is able to subdue the beast, some versions state Herakles was able to use his club and lion-skin while other accounts state he had to fight Hades to acquire the beast.
Known as: "God of the Underworld"God of: Underworld, death, riches
Symbol: Cornucopia, Cypress, Narcissus, serpent, dog
Parents: Cronus and Rhea
Spouse: Persephone
Offspring:
- Zagreus: (Eldest son of Zeus and Persephone, often considered a spirit of Dionysus)
- Macaria (Goddess of a blessed death)
- Erinyes (Also known as the Furies, they were the product of Uranus' castrated genitals who serve as deities of vengeance under Hades)
- Alecto (Punisher of Moral Crimes)
- Megaera (Punisher of Infidelity)
- Tisiphone (Punisher of Murderes)
Temples: Perhaps one of the most significant temples dedicated to Hades and the Underworld was the Necromanteion of Acheron. The temple was located near the Acheron river in the northwestern region of Epirus. It was believed by cultists that the temple was the door into Hades and that priests and followers could communicate with the dead there. The temple housed an Oracle of the Dead who served as a seer who could speak with the dead. The site was first mentioned in Homer's Odyssey where Odysseus called upon the ghosts of the future. It was also described by the historian Herodotus in the 5th century BC. It is believed the site was burnt and destroyed in 167 BC by the Romans.
Significance: He is often represented as the arch-villain to the other gods, yet his true purpose is as god of the underworld, the realm of the dead. He played a significant role in the war of the titans helping his brothers Zeus and Poseidon defeat the titans and thus divide the world into three realms; the sky, the waters, and the underworld (Gaia was the god of the earth and land). Hades is often represented with a 3 headed dog named Cerberus. His most infamous legend is his abduction of Persephone of whom he tricks into eating a pomegranate seed. Persephone is thus forced to live with Hades as the queen of the underworld for one-third of the year. This season is normally marked as the winter season by the Greeks.
Persephone
Known as: "Goddess of the Underworld"
Symbol: Pomegranate, seeds, grain, torch, flowers, deer
Parents: Zeus and Demeter
Spouse: Hades
Offspring:
- Melinoe (Nymph from the underworld associated with nightmares and madness)
- Plutus (God of wealth; yet often considered the son of Demeter and Iasion; regarded as the divine child)
Temples: Persephone did not have a significant temple dedeicated to her, however she was often honored in the same temple as Hades, in the Necromanteion of Acheron. Furthermore Persephone was one of the central figures along with Demeter in the Eleusinian Mysteries. She is honored and celebrated as the goddess of springtime, flowers, and vegetation.
Significance: She is the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Demeter who was abducted by Hades while picking flowers. Her mother Demeter grows furious at this and insists Zeus bring her back. Zeus then sends Hermes to the underworld to request that Hades returns Persephone of which he complies. However before Persephone returns, Hades gives her a pomegranate seed which she eats and as a result is forced to spend one third of the year living with Hades in the underworld. This period of time in which she spends with Hades is considered winter-time. When Persephone returns to earth marks the beginning of spring season, hence why she is also associated as the goddess of spring and vegetation. She later does find another lover in the mortal Adonis, of whom she shares with Aphrodite however for one third of the year.
Hecate
Known as: "Goddess of Crossroads"
God of: Crossroads, boundaries, witchcraft, and ghostsSymbol: Torches, dogs, serpents, keys, polecats, and daggars
Parents: Perses and Asteria
Offspring:
- Scylla (Legendary sea monster often depicted with numerous heads, whom Odysseus sails by to avoid the more intimidating monster, Charybdis)
- Circe (Goddess of magic; specializes in herbs and potions)
- Empusa (Shape shifting phantom)
Temples: She had various sanctuaries and temples throughout ancient Greece including one in Lagina, Selinunte, Argolis, and Aigina. She was also worshiped in the temples of other gods in matters concerning the crossroads, afterlife, and sorcery.
Significance: She is the daughter of titans Peres and Asteria associated with crossroads, witchcraft, magic, and sorcery. The crossroads represent a significant threshold, entrance, doorway in life or into the afterlife. While she does not have any relations with Hades, she is still considered a significant goddess from the underworld. She holds the keys to unlock realms, particularly the gates into death. She is also associated with ghosts and spirits that travel to and from the underworld.
The Erinyes
Known as: "The Furies"
God of: Vengeance
- Alecto (Punisher of Moral Crimes)
- Megaera (Punisher of Infidelity)
- Tisiphone (Punisher of Murderes)
Significance: They are associated as the spirits of vengeance that arise from the underworld. Their origins come from the spilled blood and genitalia of Uranus. They dwell in the underworld as infernal goddesses and take vengeance upon those who have committed wrongdoings or sworn false oaths. They are normally depicted as old women, or witches, with snakes as hair, bat's wings, and blood shot eyes.
Three Judges
Known as: "Judges of the Underworld
God of: Laws of the dead
- Aecus (King of Aegina Island, became a judge of the afterlife)
- Minos (King of Crete, later became a judge of the afterlife with Aecus)
- Rhadamanthus (Wise king of Crete, later becomes judge of the underworld)
Charon
Known as: "The Ferryman"
Significance: He is the ferryman of Hades, who transports dead souls on his boat across the Styx River into the underworld realm. He is often depicted as an old bearded man, who requires a coin to pay for passage. For this reason it was an ancient Greek tradition to put coins on the eyes of the dead as the fee for safe passage. Those who cannot pay the fee are often depicted as lost souls who wander the underworld aimlessly. Charon is the son of Erebus, the god of darkness, and the grand-son of Chaos.
Cerberus
Known as: "The Hell Hound"
God of: Guardian of the Underworld
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