Hades
Also known as: Pluton · Plouton
- 1Hades is the eldest son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea.
- 2He serves as the king of the underworld and the god of the dead.
- 3He is associated with the riches found beneath the earth.
- 4He participated in the overthrow of the Titans alongside his brothers Zeus and Poseidon.
- 5He holds sovereignty over the underworld as his designated domain in the cosmos.
Hades, in the ancient Greek religion and mythology, is the god of the dead and riches and the King of the underworld, with which his name became synonymous.
Connections12
Brother and fellow Olympian
Zeus is the king of the gods and brother to Hades, with whom he shared the division of the world after the Titanomachy.
Queen of the Underworld and wife of Hades
As the daughter of Demeter and the abducted bride of Hades, her seasonal return to the surface explains the cycle of the seasons in Greek mythology.
Guardian of the gates of Hades' realm
This multi-headed hound serves as the loyal watchdog of the underworld, preventing the dead from leaving and the living from entering without permission.
Ferryman of the dead
He is the psychopomp who transports the souls of the deceased across the rivers Styx or Acheron into the domain ruled by Hades.
Boundary river of the underworld
The river Styx forms the primary boundary between the world of the living and the realm of Hades, often requiring an oath by the gods.
Psychopomp and messenger to the underworld
Hermes frequently travels to the underworld to guide souls to Hades or to deliver messages between the living and the dead.
Deepest abyss of the underworld
While Hades rules the underworld, Tartarus serves as the profound, dark prison for the Titans and the wicked, located far beneath the realm of the dead.
Final resting place for the heroic and virtuous
This paradisiacal section of the underworld is reserved for those chosen by the gods, standing in contrast to the gloomy fields where most souls reside.
War that established Hades' dominion
Following the defeat of the Titans by the Olympians, Hades drew lots with his brothers Zeus and Poseidon to divide the cosmos, receiving the underworld.
Chthonic deity associated with the underworld
Hecate is a goddess of magic and crossroads who maintains a significant presence in the underworld, often assisting Hades and Persephone.
Alternative epithet emphasizing wealth
The name Plouton (Pluto) highlights Hades' role as the god of the earth's hidden mineral wealth, distinguishing his function as a provider from his role as a jailer.
Hades as the ruler of the underworld visited by Odysseus
Hades is the Greek god of the underworld, a realm that Odysseus famously visits during his journey in Homer's Odyssey. In the 'Nekyia' episode of the epic, Odysseus travels to the entrance of the underworld to consult the spirit of the seer Tiresias, bringing him into direct contact with the domain ruled by Hades.
Hades, in the ancient Greek religion and mythology, is the god of the dead and riches and the King of the underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea, although this also made him the last son to be regurgitated by his father. He and his brothers, Zeus and Poseidon, defeated, overthrew, and replaced their father's generation of gods, the Titans, and claimed joint sovereignty over the cosmos. Hades received the underworld, Zeus the sky, and Poseidon the sea, with the solid earth, which was long the domain of Gaia, available to all three concurrently.