Finally, the souls are taken to the river Lethe to become blank slates and be reincarnated.Īccording to Plato, only by understanding the Forms of Good through the study of philosophy could someone make informed choices repeatedly, ensuring that they picked good, happy lives.ġ2. In Er’s vision, everyone went after what they didn’t have. In addition, animals sought human lives, and humans who had experienced the anguish of human life sought the simplicity of an animal’s life. Those who were punished tended to appreciate a simpler and presumably happier life. After four days, the souls are led to the Spindle of Necessity, given a number by lot, and form a line to choose their next life.Īn interesting idea is that the ones who were rewarded in the afterlife recklessly chose lives that would wield power but suffer misfortunes. ![]() The bad are sent underground to be punished tenfold for the evils they caused while alive. In his journey, the good are rewarded with an afterlife in the sky, among wondrous sights. Thus, he is able to recall what took place before his reincarnation. Er is a warrior who died in battle but did not drink from the waters of Lethe, the river that makes the dead forget. The myth of Er is detailed towards the end of Plato’s Republic. Er Mankind’s Eternal Dilemma – The Choice Between Virtue and Vice, by Frans Francken the Younger, 1633, via Museum of Fine Arts Boston Some of the myths offer extensive descriptions of the journey, such as those of Odysseus and Aeneas, while others only mention that a certain hero, mortal, or god simply went to Hades and returned, as is the case with Alcestis and Semele.ġ3. These fascinating, mythical journeys offer us glimpses into the way the ancients imagined the afterlife. Cerberus, the terrifying three-headed hound, guarded the gates of Hades, ensuring that no one could enter or leave without permission.Ī katabasis was a journey into the Underworld and entailed two parts: the traveling down ( katabasis) and the traveling up ( anabasis). To reach their final destination, the dead had to offer a coin to the immortal ferryman Charon, who would take them down the river Styx or Acheron, depending on the source. In passing from the living to the dead, the souls were guided by the God Hermes in his form known as psychopompos (soul guide). The Boat of Charon, by Otto Brausewetter, 1904, via Wikimedia Commons In Hades, the souls of the dead resided alongside a series of deities, better known as the Chthonic Gods. Most commonly called the realm of Hades, the Underworld was ruled by Pluto and his wife, Persephone (or Proserpina). ![]() The Underworld constituted a fundamental aspect of Greek and Roman Mythology and Religion. Once revoked, Orpheus will appear in the House of Hades.The Basics of the Underworld The Underworld crater of Altamura, depicting an underworld scene with Hades and Persephone in the center, attributed to the circle of the Lycurgus painter, 360–340 BCE, via J Paul Getty Museum His sentence can be revoked by purchasing the Court Musician's Sentence (which costs one Diamond) from the House Contractor. However, Orpheus was recently locked into solitary confinement by Lord Hades, due to his refusal to sing. Hades reveals that, after dying, Orpheus' talents were not forgotten by the Lord of the Underworld, who made him his court musician. Regardless, Orpheus looks back, and Eurydice is returned to the Underworld, this time forever. Depending upon which version of the myth you read, Orpheus either turns around upon reaching the surface himself, eager to celebrate with his wife, or he succumbs to the temptation to see if Eurydice is indeed following him. However, they had one condition: He should walk in front of her, and not look back until they both reach the surface. His music made them sympathetic to his cause, and they agreed to allow Eurydice to leave with Orpheus and rejoin the living. In a desperate attempt to save his love, Orpheus traveled to the Underworld and met with Lord Hades and his wife, Persephone.
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