Hades is the God of the underworld or kingdom of the dead, is part of the first generation of gods in Greek mythology. The name of Hades comes from Aïdēswhich in ancient Greek means “the invisible one”alluding to the kingdom he ruled, which was outside the earthly world.
Although it can also refer to its main attribute, its invisibility helmetwhich he obtained during the war against the titans and which allows him to move without being seen.
It is a divinity associated with wealth of the landsince minerals and precious metals are found in its underground domain.
Son of Cronus and Rhea; brother of Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter and Hestia. He is a serious and reserved god who lives separate from the world of the living and the other gods. His role is to guard the souls of the deceased and maintain balance in his kingdom.
He is considered a strong divinity, who stands out for his determination when it comes to judge souls. Hades understands the complexity of human lives and evaluates their souls fairly, taking into account their actions and motivations.
His complex personality reflects the richness of his influence on Greek beliefs about life, death and the afterlife. In the Roman mythology was known by the name of Pluto.
Hades in Greek mythology
Hades and his brothers
According to Greek mythology, Hades is the brother of Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Poseidon and Zeus. He was devoured by Cronus, like the rest of his children, and subsequently freed by Zeus, who forced the Titan to vomit out all of his offspring.
Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, the oldest of the three, led the Titanomachy, a battle against the Titans that lasted 10 years. Hades, armed with a helmet that made him invisible, managed to disarm Cronus, who was struck down by one of Zeus’s lightning bolts.
After the victory, the gods divided up the kingdoms to govern. Zeus received Olympus or the kingdom of the gods, Poseidon received the seas and oceans, and Hades received the kingdom of the dead.
Hades and the myth of the abduction of Persephone
Hades fell in love with Persephone, daughter of his sister Demeter, goddess of agriculture and fertility.
Hades tricked her and kidnapped her so he could take her to the underworld. When this happened, Demeter traveled through her world looking for her, and her desolation caused the land to become infertile, as a result of a winter that never came to an end.
Zeus intervened to have Persephone returned to the world of the living, but it was too late. She had eaten pomegranate seeds during her stay in the underground kingdom and she was doomed to remain there forever.
To solve the situation, Zeus decides that Persephone spends part of the year in the kingdom of the dead and part of the year in the world of the living.
This is the mythological origin of the seasons. When Persephone is in Hades, the earth becomes gray, sad and barren (autumn and winter). When he returns to the world of the living, the earth blooms and the trees bear their fruits (spring and summer).
Of the union of Hades and Persephone there were no offspring mythical It is believed to be related to the fact that new life cannot arise from death.
Hades, the underworld
Hades has been portrayed as a god who is especially cruel to those who try to escape his kingdom. When human beings reach their final destination, Hermes Psychopompthe guide of souls, accompanies them on their descent into the underworld ruled by the god Hades.
The journey to the kingdom of the dead is not easy. The souls cross the turbulent Styx in the company of the Charon boatmanwho transports the deceased for the price of an obolus, a coin that relatives or friends had to put in the mouth of the deceased.
On the other side of the Styx lagoon you will find Cerberusthe fierce three-headed guard dog that guards the entrance to the domain of the dead.
After overcoming these tests, the souls finally reach the fields of Asphodel, a vast expanse that extends into the underworld. There, the souls wait in a kind of lethargy until the time comes to face the judgment that will determine your destiny. Every action, every choice during your mortal life, is weighed impartially.
Those souls who have led ordinary lives, without excelling in virtue or evil, return to the Asphodel fieldsto wander aimlessly for years.
Souls who have shown goodness and purity in their lives are rewarded. They will access the Elysian Fieldsa paradisiacal corner in the underworld where they find eternal joy and happiness, free of suffering.
Those who have committed heinous acts become shadows trapped in the Tartara region of suffering, where they face punishments appropriate to their transgressions, perpetuating a cycle of penitence.
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References:
Martínez, CF, Fernández-Galiano, E., Melero, RL, & Fernández-Galiano, M. (1997). Dictionary of classical mythology. Alliance.Hesiod. (2000) Works and fragments. Gredos Basic Library.