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The Land of the Dead in Greek Mythology
The Underworld was ruled over by Hades, brother of Zeus, who received
sovereignty over it when lots were drawn for the Heavens, the oceans and
the Underworld - the home of the dead.
Hades and his wife Persephone were almost completely isolated from the
other Gods, with only Hermes bringing them regular news. They both had
a reputation for being cruel and merciless, to the point where the Ancient
Greeks were afraid to say the word 'Hades'.
Geography
The Underworld - also known as Hell or Hades - was surrounded by water. The most important
river of them all was the Styx - the river of hate. This was the same river that the Gods swore
their oaths by, and the consequence of breaking the oath would be to lie as if dead for a year. The
other surrounding rivers were Cocytus (wailing), Acheron (woe) and Pyriphlegethon (fire).
The Underworld was sometimes divided into two areas - Erebus, where most of the dead were
sent, and Tartarus, where the Titans and the extremely wicked were imprisoned.
The Journey
The Ancient Greeks attached a great deal of importance to death rituals, because the journey to
the Underworld depended on them. The manner of your death, your behaviour while alive and
being buried in the correct manner - with a coin in your mouth - all affected your fate in the next
world.
The journey of the dead began with Thanatos, God of Death, who would cut a lock of hair from
them at the moment of death. Their souls were then guided to Hell by Hermes, who would lead
them to the River Styx. There those who had been buried were permitted to approach Charon.
Those lacking a coin were not allowed to accompany Charon until after 100 years of wondering
had passed.
Those who were ferried across the river would pass Cerberus, the three-headed dog who guarded
the Underworld. He prevented the dead from ever leaving, although he sometimes failed at his
task. The musician Orpheus enchanted him with music and Heracles conquered him with
violence, while it was said that he was sometimes sedated with honeycakes.
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After the Styx was crossed, the dead would travel until they found themselves in the Asphodel
Fields, a place of apathy where they forgot who they were and drifted aimlessly until they were
called to the next part of their journey.
Judgment
Continuing along the road, the dead would come to a fork in the road, where they would be
judged. The judges - Minos, Rhadamanthys and Aeacus - had a choice of three verdicts. The
good would head forward to Elysium, the bad would head forward to Tartarus, while those who
were neither good nor bad would head back to the Asphodel Fields.
The Good
Elysium was a happy place, where it was always sunny and where the inhabitants would indulge
in all the events that went on at a festival in Ancient Greece. It was the home of the great heroes,
and it was the ultimate goal.
Some legends say that souls who reached Elysium had the option of returning to earth and
starting a new life. An extension of this myth was the idea that there was even a special part of
Elysium reserved for people who'd lived three times, and each time managed to reach Elysium.
The Bad
At the depths of the Underworld was Tartarus. It was said that if you dropped an anvil from the
heavens it would fall for nine days and strike earth on the tenth, and if you dropped an anvil from
earth it would fall for nine days and strike Tartarus on the tenth. It was the deepest place of all,
where all the waters of the earth flowed from and to, and where those judged to have been bad
were sent.
Tartaus was circled by a giant fence and Pyriphlegethon. Rhadamanthys, one of the three judges,
was the ruler of Tartarus, and - assisted by the Furies - he would make sure the dead were
punished. Some crimes were judged to be less wicked than others, and people who committed
those stood a good chance of one day being allowed to leave Tartarus for the Asphodel Fields.