Erebos, (also spelled Erebus) and often called The Underworld or simply referred to as Hades is a world featured in Greek Mythology. It first appears in 700 B.C. in Hesiod's Greek myth story.
History[]
The Underworld in Greek Mythology (otherwise known as Overworld) is a world where souls go to after death and in Old Greek Religion, is a some sort of afterlife. During death, the soul and corpse is separated and the soul, guided by Hermes is sent to the Underworld. Guarding it, is a three headed dog named Cerberus, where one head faces Tartarus, the other inside the underworld and the other, the entrance of the underworld to keep in any escapees or keep out any living souls.
- In the center of the Underworld, lies the main building, The Underworld Palace. This is where Hades and Persephone reside.
First the soul is judged by the three judges of the Underworld. Minos, Rhadamanthus and Aeacus first judge the soul and Charon, the ferryman of the dead, guides them to where they are sentenced to be.
- There is Tartarus for any wicked or people that are experiencing punishment for their sins. Cronus and the other titans also reside there after being banished there by Zeus.
- The Fields of Punishment was a place for those who had created havoc on the world and committed crimes specifically against the gods. Hades himself would make the individual's punishment of eternal suffering based on their specific crime.[1]
- The Asphodel Meadows was a place for ordinary or indifferent souls who did not commit any significant crimes, but who also did not achieve any greatness or recognition that would warrant them being admitted to the Elysian Fields. It was where mortals who did not belong anywhere else in the Underworld were sent.[2]
- Elysium was a place for the especially distinguished. It was ruled over by Rhadamanthus, and the souls that dwelled there had an easy afterlife and had no labors. Usually, those who had proximity to the gods were granted admission. Most accepted to Elysium were either demigods or heroes. [3]
- The Isles of the Blessed were islands in the realm of Elysium. When a soul achieved Elysium, they had a choice to either stay in Elysium or to be reborn. If a soul was reborn three times and achieved Elysium all three times, then they were sent to the Isles of the Blessed to be sentenced to eternal paradise. [4]
Then there were the 5 rivers where people with certain sins were eternally sent to. (The sixth river is the river that encircles the world, including the Underworld.)
- The Acheron: The green river which is also the river of pain. Charon usually rowed past this river on most mythological accounts. But sometimes the Styx. It is also known as The River of Lost Souls.
- The Lethe: The yellow river which is also the river of forgetfulness. Drinking it will make the user forget their past.
- The Cocytus: The grey river which is also the river of wailing.
- The Phlegethon: The fire river which puts you into eternal burning and is Hades' preferred river.
- The Oceanus: The river that encircles the world and marks the east edge of the Underworld.
The Underworld is considered to be a dark and gloomy counterpart to the bright and happy Mount Olympus. As to also which, Mount Olympus is the realm of the gods whereas the Underworld is the realm of the dead.
Ixion, the king of Lapiths resided on Mount Olympus for a short time before he fell lustful for Zeus' wife, Hera, so Zeus banished him to Tartarus, which is down in the underworld and he was bind to a winged fiery wheel by Hermes that was always spinning.
Inhabitants (Major)[]
- † denotes the deceased.
Trivia[]
On-Screen Notes[]
- The Underworld is located exactly nine days under Earth.
- It would take a dropping anvil exactly nine days from Earth to reach Tartarus.
- And another nine days from the Underworld to reach Tartarus.
- It would take a dropping anvil exactly nine days from Earth to reach Tartarus.
Appearances[]
Greek Mythology Appearances | ||||||||||||
"Disney's Hercules": | "Clash of the Titans (2010)": | "Wrath of the Titans": | "Once Upon a Time": | "Hercules 2014": | "Immortals": | "Myths": | ||||||
Appears | Absent | Appears | Appears | Absent | Absent | Absent | ||||||
"Rain of the Furies": | "Clash of the Titans (1981)": | "For the Love of Zeus": | "PJO & the Lightning Thief": | "PJO & the Sea of Monsters": | "Strange Case": | "More in Heaven and Hell": | "Alternate Realities": | |||||
Absent | Absent | Absent | Appears | Mentioned | Mentioned | Will Appear | TBA |
References[]
Major Locations | |||
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