THE UNDERWORLD

The Underworld

Zeus’s brother, Hades, ruled the underworld, or Hades.

To enter the underworld it was required to cross the river Styx.

A ferryman named Charon ferried the spirits of the dead across the rivers to the underworld.

Both the Greeks and Romans buried their dead with a coin in the mouth to pay Charon one obol(a Greek coin) for the trip.

After crossing the river, the dead would pass gates guarded by a three-headed dog, Cerberus.

Cerberus and Charon

It was divided into different places depending on how you lived.

Ordinary people went to the Asphodel Fields as “shades” which were shadowy versions of their earthly selves.

Tartarus was the place of punishment for really evil people.

Exceptionally good or heroic people were reserved a place in the Elysian Fields. This was a golden, blissful place of rest.

Elysian fields & Tartarus

Some punishments in Tartarus

Tantalus

Tantalus was Zeus’s friend and invited to dine with the god's.

He stole Zeus's ambrosia and Nectar. Nectar and ambrosia were the special

treats of the gods. Nectar was fermented honey, or mead. Ambrosia may have been a concoction of

honey, water, fruit, cheese, olive oil and barley.

He then invited the gods to a banquet and decided to test for himself if the gods were really all knowing.

Knowing it was forbidden for the gods to eat human flesh, he killed and served up his own son, Pelops.

The Gods knew at once what was on their plates and Zeus was so angry that he banished Tantalus to Tartarus.

For his transgressions, Tantalus was consigned to Tartarus.

Tantalus's punishment was to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches. Whenever he reached for the fruit, the branches raised his intended meal from his grasp.

Whenever he bent down to get a drink, the water receded before he could get any.

Sisyphus Sisyphus was famed as the craftiest of men. He seduced his niece, took his brother's throne and

betrayed Zeus' secrets. Zeus then ordered Hades to chain Sisyphus in

Hades. Sisyphus slyly asked Hades to demonstrate how the chains worked.

When Hades did so, Sisyphus secured them and took Hades prisoner.

This caused an uproar since no human could die with Hades out of commission as the dead could not enter the underworld.

Eventually Ares (who was annoyed that his battles had lost their fun because his opponents would not die) intervened, freeing Death and sending Sisyphus to Tartarus.

As a punishment from the gods for his trickery, Sisyphus was made to roll a huge rock up a steep hill, but before he could reach the top of the hill, the rock would always roll back down, forcing him to begin again.

Ixion

Ixion was a murderer. He killed his future father in law. Zeus forgave him but instead of being

grateful Ixion planned to carry of Zeus’s wife Hera.

Zeus felt the need to test the guest's tolerance and willpower.

He Constructed a cloud-woman to mirror Hera in appearance known as Nephele.

Ixion promptly slept with and impregnated the false Hera giving birth to a race of Centaurs called the Ixionidae.

As his punishment, he was banished to Tartarus to forever roll strapped to a wheel of flames, which represented his burning lust.