In the Life of Hades
Taylor Valentine
Losing someone you love is hard but do not let the pitiless ruler Hades of the
underworld make you sad. Just remember if they lived a good life there is no reason for
a painful after life. Now before you go, do not forget the way you live your life is the only
way to determine how your after life is spent. Hades is feared but respected and that is
why he is the perfect person to rule the Underworld.
The world was cursed with dark and nothingness but then came light, mother earth,
and sky were formed. Gaia (mother earth) and Uranus (sky) gave birth to six sets of
twins which were called the Titians. The Titans were named Oceanus and Thethys,
Coeos and Phoebe, Hyperion and Thea, Creos and Themis, Iapetos and Clymene, and
finally Cronos and Rhea. After the Titians were born, they brought life to Earth; the
ocean’s creatures, seasons, land, and the people that lived on the land. A long time
ago there lived a great god Cronus and his wife Rhea, and they had many children but
they were all eaten by Cronus; he did not want to share the power or Rhea with anyone
else so he ate every child that he had. After Rhea had Zeus she had had it with Cronus
eating her babies, so she hid Zeus. When Cronus called for the child, she gave him a
stone shaped like a baby and he ate it. Soon Zeus was all grown up and out of anger for
his father eating all his brothers and sisters, he cut his father Cronus in half. By doing
this, he released all his siblings that were swallowed by Cronus the god of time. Out
came Hestia, Hades, Poseidon, Demeter, Ares, Hebe, and Hephaestus. Finally his
family was reunited. (Hades, 5)
The Underworld was known as the place where the mortals pass on to after death, but it
was a place for living too. All throughout ancient Greek times, “the underworld” has
been described as a place of shadows, it was like a bad dream, and nothing really
seemed real. Many believed that Hades or the Underworld was located at the far west
of the ocean. To the gods, it was a dark and evil place. Others have said that the
Underworld was like no other place. It stood on the very edge of the world, it did not rain
or snow there but the land still had the cold West winds. It was dark and had the look
and smell of death in the air. No man wanted to be there but they could not change their
fate. No man has every returned; but they say once you arrive there, you feel at ease
and you would not want to leave. The dead could communicate with the living and many
of the living have tried to save their loved ones. Once a spirit either good or bad has
reached Hades, the spirit is put up for judgment. After judgment, you see whether you
stay in Hades and suffer or if you enjoy the afterlife in happiness. The people of the
Underworld judge you on how you lived your life: good or bad, bravery and justice, and
if you offended the gods in anyway. (Dell Laurel-leaf,10)
In many cultures of Greece the people had different names for Hades and each of them
had a unique personality. For instance, Hades was also known as Pluto “the god of
wealth” for many reasons. One reason was that Hades was greedy for power and
money. Another was he wanted his wife Persephone all to himself. He even put a spell
on her that would bind her to Hades and the Underworld. Another name he had was
Aides (the unseen) because Hades had a helmet, which was given to him by the
Cyclopes that made him invisible. These names were Hades’ names but they only
described a part of him. Hades is also described as pitiless and pigheaded. Feared by
all men and gods, he had no one brothering him. He was perfect for his job because he
took no cries, bribes, or even flattery to try and save your loved ones. He was said to be
deaf to music and he never lifted a finger to help a man in need. Only one person got
his attention at that was of Orpheus who begged Hades to restore his wife Eurydice.
Across the land no man would even whisper his name; this is why they made others
names for him. (Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths. New York: Dell Laurel-leaf, 1966.
Print)
Persephone (goddess of spring) was that daughter of Demeter (goddess of bountiful
harvest) and Zeus (god of all gods). Persephone was a parent’s dream child; she was
filled with light and joy. She made friends with everyone. Her father’s brother, Hades
wanted to take her to the underworld to live with him. It was like he wanted her to bring
light to the shadows. Hades asked for permission to take Persephone’s hand in
marriage. After Zeus said yes, Hades kidnapped her while she was picking flowers in a
meadow. The ground opened, and you could hear the screams of the goddess as she
went into the underworld. When Demeter heard her daughter’s cry, she was furious;
she caused humans everywhere to have a famine. After a while, Persephone was
falling in love with Hades and the Underworld, but she still missed her mother. Then
Demeter sent Hermes to get Persephone from Hades but Hades gave her a
pomegranates. Knowing Hades, she only ate seven seeds, so now she can leave the
Underworld but can be gone for a long time. Hades was not going to let her leave, so
Hermes made a deal with him saying that Persephone will stay with Hades for four
months out of the year and the other months with Demeter. Whenever Persephone
leaves to go to Hades, Demeter is still sad so she would bring cold and barren winters
till her daughter returns Persephone would bring spring back with her. (Goddessgift.com,3
Apr. 2001. Web. 23 Nov. 2009)
As the god of the Underworld, Hades was assigned certain responsibilities. The main
job was to make sure that anyone who was trying to beg for someone’s freedom could
not leave alive. This was to be used as a warning to others that would try the same as
well. Of course he had to be the only ruler of the Underworld, but as ruler he does not
have say in who dies only the ones that stay with him. Hades protected and watched
over the wealth or the underground gold. If it was not protected, humans would be able
to take as much money as they want to. These responsibilities were essential for his
job. Since humans are greedy they do not really appreciate Hades job, they do not think
he does anything important. However not every human thinks this way, so some give
him offerings like black sheep, cornucopia, and two ponged pick axes. Why he was only
offered black sheep? No one is certain, but maybe it is because they wanted to give him
something as black as his heart and kingdom. (Pollychrome's pantheon, 17 Mar. 2006. Web.
20 Nov. 2009)
Death is a hard job to be in charge of for one god, but with being feared by all,
respected, and heartlessness on his side, why would he not succeed. Hades may be
unswayable, but without that, the Underworld would be empty and the land will be filled
with resurrected humans. What good would become of dead mortals running free
among the land?
WORK CITED
https://greekresearch.wikispaces.com/Demeter
Goddessgift.com. Greek goddess, 3 Apr. 2001. Web. 23 Nov. 2009
Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths. New York: Dell Laurel-leaf, 1966. Print
Hunter.apana.org.au. Pollychrome's pantheon, 17 Mar. 2006. Web. 20 Nov. 2009
Theriverstyx.net. Hades, 5 June 2005. Web. 20 Nov. 2009