A descent into Hades

Lake Avernus, the birdless lake; an entrance to the Underworld.

A map of Hades, Erebus or the Underworld

Hermes, in the role of Psychopompus, guided the souls of the dead to the banks of the Styx River.

Charon ferries the souls of the dead across the river Styx. The Greeks and Romans put a coin in the mouth of a dead person to be used as payment to Charon for the boat ride.

Dante and Virgil crossing the Styx

There are five rivers in the Underworld: Cocytus—wailing Lethe—forgetfulness Acheron—sorrow or woe Phlegethon--fire Styx---hate;unbreakable oath

Thetis dips her son Achilles into the River Styx and he becomes invulnerable except for his heel.

The entrance to the Underworld was guarded by a three-headed dog, Cerberus.

The king and queen of the Underworld were Pluto and Proserpina..

Here, with his dog Cerberus, Pluto is seen wearing the helmet of invisibility and holding the bident.

Hecate, goddess of witchcraft, was a resident of the Underworld.

Orpheus, son of Apollo, entered the Underworld while still living to retrieve his bride Eurydice from an untimely death.

Orpheus pleads with Pluto for the life of his bride Eurydice. Ixion Tityus Charon Danaids Orpheus pleads with Pluto for the life of his bride Eurydice. Tantalus

Pluto tells Orpheus to take his Eurydice, but “noli respicere!””“

Orpheus disobeys Pluto’s command and “looks back;” Eurydice is lost for a second time to death.

When Orpheus refused to choose another bride, the nymphs tore him to pieces.

The head of Orpheus is flung into the Hebrus river, still singing as it floats along.

One of the Muses (probably Calliope, his mother) with the head of Orpheus

Sinners of the Underworld

Ixion on the wheel of fire Ixion’s sin was an attempt to rape the goddess Hera.

Sisyphus indiscreetly disclosed one of Zeus’ many amorous affairs. He went to Asophus, father of Aegina, with the details of Zeus’ intrigue.

For interfering in Zeus’ affairs and for trying to escape from the Underworld, Sisyphus was condemned to roll a rock up a hill forever.

Tantalus, forever hungry and thirsty, while standing in water up to his neck and with moist fruit hanging above.

Tantalus’ punishment was assigned because he fed his son Pelops to the gods.

Hephaestus made a new shoulder for Pelops out of ivory. Demeter, the only deity fooled by Tantalus’ trick, ate Pelops’ shoulder. Hephaestus made a new shoulder for Pelops out of ivory.

The Danaids filling the sieve with water; this was their punishment for murdering their husbands on their wedding night.

49 Danaids The one Danaid who did not obey her father Danaus and refused to murder her husband Lynceus was Hypermnestra.

Odysseus in the Underworld

Odysseus journeyed to the Underworld to speak with Tiresias.

In the Underworld Odysseus saw the shades of many of his comrades at Troy, including Achilles and Agamemnon.

Odysseus also saw the shade of his mother Anticlea, who had died in his 20 year absence.

Aeneas and the Sibyl of Cumae

Aeneas saw the shade of Elissa, or Dido, while in the Underworld.

Anchises shows his son Aeneas the future heroes of Rome.

Psyche with Charon Psyche entered the Underworld to steal Proserpina’s beauty for the goddess Venus.

Hercules wrestling with Death for the life of Alcestis Thanatos was the god of death.

Theseus and Pirithous went to Hades to kidnap Persephone. Pirithous was seated for eternity in the chair of forgetfulness.

Editorial cartoon using Thanatos, death and Bacchus, god of wine, to condemn the vagaries of alcohol.

Orpheus respexit.

Jupiter strikes Asculapius for raising the dead.

Eleusis

The return of Persephone

Orpheus loses Eurydice for the second time.

Souls of the virtuous and noble spent eternity in the Elysian Fields.

Elysian Fields

Quis in Tartaro semper sedet? Pirithous Quis in Tartaro semper sedet?

Who was the goddess of witchcraft? Hecate

Minos, the former king of Crete; one of the judges of the Underworld.

Quis in Tartaro stans in aquā semper manet? Tantalus

Sisyphus

Orpheus uxorem defunctam apud inferos requirit. Orpheus Eurydicen recipit, dum supplicat orco sed male respiciens perdit, et illa perit.

Ceres and Triptolemus, the teacher of agricultural arts to man

Quis mortuos ad Charontem adducebat? Mercurius aut Psychopompus

Psyche and Cerberus. What does Psyche have in her hand? Proserpina’s beauty.

Orpheus est. Quis est?

Ceres and Triptolemus, the teacher of agricultural arts to man

Ceres and Triptolemus, the teacher of agricultural arts to man