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Underworld. The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. [1] Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underworld. The legs of the god Vishnu as the Cosmic Man depict earth and the seven realms of the ...
- The Geography of The Underworld
- Underworld's Structure
- The Journey of A Soul After Death
- The Underworld Sources
Much of what we know about how the Ancient Greeks and Romans imagined the Underworld we know from Homer’s “Odyssey” and Virgil’s “Aeneid.” However, even these two visions are somewhat conflicting, so, sometimes, we have to resort to assumptions to reconstruct the Greek Underworld in its entirety.
Initially, it seems that the Ancient Greeks believed that all souls, regardless of how exemplary or dishonorable their earthly lives might have been, ended up in the same place after death. And for most of them, the Underworld couldn’t have been a particularly pleasant place: it was rather like living through the same dismal nightmare over and over...
Hermes
Upon death, a soul was led by Hermesnear the entrance of the Underworld, where a ferry awaited to carry it across either the Acheron or the Styx.
Charon
This ferry was rowed by Charon, the infernal boatman tasked with taking the souls of the dead to the Underworld proper. Only those who could pay the fare with coins (obols) placed on their eyes or under their tongue when buried, were granted passage; the rest remained trapped between two worlds. (Aeneaswas only able to enter the Underworld once his guide, the Cumaean Sybil showed Charon a golden bough, Aeneas’ gift for Persephone.)
Cerberus
After the boat ride, the souls entered through the gates of the Underworld; the gates were guarded by the multiheaded dog Cerberus, who allowed everyone to enter, but none to leave.
A whole book of the “Odyssey” – the 11th – is dedicated to Odysseus’ descent into the Underworld; analogously, Virgil devotes the 6th book of the “Aeneid”to Aeneas’ similar journey. See Also: Hades, Minos, Rhadamanthus, Aeacus, Aeneas, Charon, Cerberus, Tartarus
A range of Greek gods and goddesses also resided in the Underworld, including, Hecate, goddess of magic, Erebus, god of darkness, Nyx, goddess of the night, Thanatos, god of death, and Hypnos, god of sleep. Also found in the Underworld were the Erinyes (the Furies), Charon, the ferryman, and Cerberus, the three headed guard dog of Hades.
t. e. In Greek mythology, the Greek underworld, or Hades, is a distinct realm (one of the three realms that make up the cosmos) where an individual goes after death. The earliest idea of afterlife in Greek myth is that, at the moment of death, an individual's essence (psyche) is separated from the corpse and transported to the underworld. [1]
Oct 1, 2024 · The Underworld, often referred to by different names across cultures, is a significant concept in mythology. It represents the afterlife, where souls go after death. This realm is not only a place of punishment or reward but also a reflection of cultural beliefs about existence and the afterlife.
Jun 11, 2020 · Origin Story and appearance. The Underworld in ancient Greece referred to a dark and gloomy place anyone who died went to. It was considered an Afterlife or Hereafter by the ancient Greeks. Some named it “Hades”, a reference to the ancient Greek god Hades. The Olympian god Hades, a dark and morbid individual, was revered (perhaps feared) as ...
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Oct 2, 2024 · The Underworld, a fundamental aspect of Greek mythology, serves as a realm where souls journey after death. It is a complex and multifaceted domain that reflects the ancient Greeks’ views on life, death, and the afterlife. Understanding the significance of the Underworld is essential for grasping the broader mythological cycles that permeate ...
