The Greek Underworld

Hades - The underworld is the domain of Hades, the god of the underworld. - Legends show Hades as being very greedy, showing favorable treatment to those who brought more souls to the Underworld (as in war and murder).

The underworld itself was usually also called Hades. Geographically, the underworld was surrounded by a series of 5 rivers: At the moment of death the soul was separated from the body It took on the shape of the former person The soul then encountered various aspects of Hades before it finally rested

There are many rivers in the underworld There are many rivers in the underworld. However, the one particular river that stands between life and death is particularly famous. The River Styx One had to properly buried (according to Greek customs) in order to enter Hades The deceased also had to pay a fare - coins would be placed in the mouth of the deceased so they could do this If a person was either unburied or too poor to pay, they had to wander between life and death until their circumstances changed. The fare was paid to Charon – the ferry man who transported the soul across the River Styx This river formed the barrier between the earth and the underworld

Gates of Hades At the gates of Hades, one was greeted by Cerberus, the three headed watchdog Each of Cerberus' heads is said to have an appetite only for live meat and thus allowed only the spirits of the dead to freely enter the underworld, but allowed none to leave.[

Judgement Once a person crossed the river, he/she had to be judged by a panel of judges. This process determined where the person would end up. There was said to be three divisions of the Greek Underworld A) Tartarus B) C) Elysium Fields

Tartarus Where Greeks who live bad lives went after death Titans were imprisoned here Those who were here would be tormented by The Furies – the three goddesses of vengeance In Tartarus, one’s punishment would equal the sins one committed on earth. For example, Tantalus was the son of Zeus and the king of Sipylos. He was invited to share the food of the gods. However, he abused the guest-host relationship and was punished by being "tantalized" with hunger and thirst in Tartarus: he was immersed up to his neck in water, but when he bent to drink, it all drained away; luscious fruit hung on trees above him, but when he reached for it the winds blew the branches beyond his reach.

Asphodel Meadows The Asphodel Meadows were for people who simply lived and did nothing amazing, but nothing bad enough to make them go to Tartarus. Basically just made up of asphodel flowers – a favorite food of dead Greeks A ghostly place of neutrality – less interesting and less perfect than earth

Elysium Fields ( Elysian Fields) Was a paradise inhabited at first only by the very distinguished Later those who were judged to be good/heroic went there It was located at the western ends of the earth and was characterized by gentle breezes and an easy life like that of the gods.