Greek mythology is the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. It was a part of the religion i...
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Greek God of the Dead and King of the Underworld
Hades was the god of the underworld and the name eventually came to also describe the home of the dead as well. He was the oldest male child of Cronus and Rhea. Hades and his brothers Zeus and Poseidon defeated their father and the Titans to end their reign, claiming rulership over the cosmos. The agreed to split their rule with Zeus becoming god of the skies, Poseidon god of the sea and Hades god of the underworld. He was later known to the Greeks as Plouton, which the Romans pluralized to Pluto. The god of the underworld was married to Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, whom he obtained through deception after abducting her to the underworld and giving her the forbidden fruit pomegranate, forcing her to remain in the underworld with him for one third of each year.
Facts about Hades Hades is best known as the ruler of the underworld. It became his dominion after he and his brothers drew lots for their share of the universe. According to Iliad, Hades’ dominion lies between secret places of the earth. According to the Odyssey, one must cross Ocean to get there. Though Hades supervised the dead assigned to his realm, he was not one of its judges. Three demi-gods served that purpose instead. Unlike his brothers, and most gods, Hades never caused harm to any mortal without provocation. The only mortal who received his punishment was Pirithous, who attempted to kidnap Hades' wife. Hades' only other relation to mortals was the fact that he placed them in specific parts of the Underworld, depending on how good or evil they were in life. This relatively peaceful nature of his is never portrayed in any popular culture depiction of him, where he is always an evil character. The Helm of Darkness is sometimes called The Helm of Terror, because it can make someone invisible or it can show them their greatest fears. Even though he is a God of Olympian caliber, Hades is not an Olympian and as such does not have a throne on Mount Olympus, instead residing in the Underworld. He rules and possessed the riches and wealth under the earth. Hades controls the demons and spirits in the underworld. The Underworld is sometimes called Hades. Hades was depicted as stern and unyielding, unmoved by prayer and sacrifice. Hades had a cap or helmet that made its wearer invisible. His wife was Persephone, Demeter’s only daughter, whom he kidnapped and made his queen. He was also called the God of Wealth or “the rich one” because he possessed the precious metals of the earth. Pirithoüs, friend of Theseus, detrmined to have Persephone (the most carefully guarded lady in all the universe) as his bride. To this end, the two friends journeyed to the underworld, but Hades thwarted their plan. He invited them to sit on the Chair of Forgetfulness, which cause its occupant to forget everything. Hercules rescued Theseus, but the King of the Dead held Pirithoüs there for trying to steal his queen. Cerberus was a three-headed dog who guarded his realm; the ferryman Charon was another one of the underworld’s attendees. Though Hades is the King of the Dead, he should not be confused with Death itself, which is personified by Thanatos. Cronus and Rhea were his parents. Poseidon and Zeus were his brothers. Hades rarely left the underworld. His presence was not welcomed by men or by gods. Hades took pride in collecting “subjects” for his kingdom and was disinclined to let anyone leave. His dominion was separated from the land of the living by the following rivers: Styx, Lethe, Acheron, Phlegethon, and Cocytus. Hades employed the Furies, who were responsible for torturing the guilty. Hades is described by some sources as the god of the earth’s fertility. The narcissus and the cypress are sacred to him. In his kingdom, Hades sat on a throne made of ebony and carried a scepter. Hades was known for his involvement with Sisyphus, the man condemned to the underworld to forever roll a boulder uphill. According to legend, Hades allowed Sisyphus to return to earth long enough to arrange his own funeral.
god of : the Underworld, the dead, riches, misery and fear Symbols: the Screech Owl, Cypress Tree, Kerberos, Mint, Asphodel Plant, Bident Sacred animals: The Screech Owl and a Black Ram Parents: Kronos and Rhea Consort: Persephone Children: Macaria, Melinoe and Zagreus
Titanomachy During The Great War, Hades fought alongside the Olympians and helped a great deal with it. With the help of Hades, Poseidon, Hestia, Demeter, and Hera; Zeus was able to defeat Kronos and the Titans, thus ending the Great War. When the war ended, Poseidon, Hades and Zeus divided the world among themselves using lots, Poseidon getting to rule the sea, Zeus, the heavens, Hades got the Underworld and the Earth belonged to all three. It is said that Hades was always the unlucky one, and it is no wonder he got stuck with the Underworld.
Hades and Persephone Hades's wife, Persephone was the goddess of crops and spring, daughter of Demeter. Demeter and Persephone were picking flowers, when Persephone was caught by the sight of a flower, the narcissus. Unnoticed by the maidens with her, Persephone went to pick up the flower. Out of nowhere, the ground split, and Hades himself rode out in his majestic chariot, guided by black-ash steeds. Grabbing Persephone, he rode back into the Underworld, and the gap sealed. Demeter, not able to find Persephone, became extremely sullen and saddened. Her sadness left the Earth to die. Nothing grew, nothing was green. This was the season of Winter, in which Demeter was sad. Going to Zeus, she found that Hades himself had taken Persephone. So Hermes was sent, and asked Hades for Persephone back. In the Underworld, Hades was showering Persephone with gold and riches, but she would have none of it. Hearing the news, she gladly was allowed to go back. But Hades persuaded Persephone to eat a pomegranate seed. She went back to Demeter, happy again. And everything on Earth grew. But when Persephone told Demeter of the pomegranate seed, Demeter was struck with sadness. Anything eaten in the Underworld, would bind the digested to hell for their life. So Zeus had declared Persephone would spend four months in Underworld, and the rest of the year coming back and living with Demeter. This is the reason that Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter was formed. In another myth, a dead spirit boy (which Demeter had turned into a lizard, and was eaten by a hawk) came to Persephone and convinced her to eat six pomegranate seeds, and when Zeus found out he declared she had to go back to the Underworld for six months,one month for each seed.
Hades and Asclepius Another myth tells of Hades' involvement with Asclepius, a mortal son of Apollo who was a gifted healer and the world's first doctor. Asclepius was so gifted he was able to give mortals longer lives by curing plagues and showing them how to take care of themselves. Asclepius brought people back from the brink of death many times. Eventually though Asclepius started to bring people back from the dead for hefty sums of money. It was with this feat that Hades lost his temper and stormed up to Mount Olympus demanding that Asclepius pay the price for openly mocking death. Zeus appeased Hades by personally striking down Asclepius with a thunderbolt. Apollo, enraged at the death of his son, killed the younger generations of Cyclopes that forged the bolt. Enraged at Apollo's defiance Zeus forced him to serve a mortal king for a year as punishment. Asclepius was later deified as the god of healing.
Sisyphus One of the few other myths Hades played a major antagonistic part in was the myth of Sisyphus. Sisyphus was a clever and charismatic king who feared death and made up his mind to find a way to evade Hades. Sisyphus trapped Hades when he came to reap his soul and though Hades escaped and would drag Sisyphus to the Underworld anyway Sisyphus had told his wife not to bury him with fare and so his ghost was sent back to ask for his last rites but Sisyphus instead remained in the world of the living as an undead, content to live forever in life rather then go to the Underworld. Hades did not wish to be trapped and tricked again so he told Sisyphus that for every day he lived one of his people would die. For a long time Sisyphus escaped death by offering one of his people in return and being a beloved king his people were willing to offer themselves to Hades on his behalf. But tired of Sisyphus scheming one day Hades called for the soul of Sisyphus's wife as offering. Sisyphus was terrified of living without her and so he finally conceded. His wife gave him his last rites at last and Sisyphus went to the Underworld. Hades was so angry at Sisyphus for holding the natural order hostage that he arranged a special punishment for him. Hades put Sisyphus on the edge the pits of Tartarus but told Sisyphus that his schemes would be overlooked and he had a chance to go to the paradise of Elysium if and only if he could roll a large boulder up a hill; Sisyphus quickly agreed fearing the punishments of Tartarus and tried to push the boulder up the hill but it fell, frantically he tried again and it fell. Sisyphus would keep trying to push the boulder up the hill so he would never be brought to be punished in the fiery pits and one day he could get out and go to Elysium, but Hades never told him the boulder, like all parts of the Underworld, obeyed his wishes and would always roll down and that that was his punishment. So Sisyphus continues to try to escape Tartarus forever punished by his own ambitions.
