Chapter 9: Stories of the Underworld Flashcards

Rivers of the Underworld

• Acheron: Known as the "river of sorrow" and serves as a passage for souls.
• Phlegethon: Symbolizes the "river of fire," representing torment and agony.
• Cocytus: Described as the "river of wailing," often depicted as icy, reflecting betrayal and sorrow.
• Styx: The first and most significant river, located right outside the gates of the Underworld.
• Lethe: The "river of forgetfulness," where drinking its waters leads to complete memory loss.

Locations in the Underworld

• Acheron (Region): The largest region in the Underworld, where average souls reside after death.
• Elysium: A paradise within the Underworld, reserved for the virtuous and heroic souls.
• Tartarus: A realm of torture and punishment for wrongdoers, one of the most feared areas.

Deities and Divine Figures

• Pluto: The god of the Underworld and wealth, often depicted with a cap of darkness and a magical staff.
• Proserpina: Wife of Pluto, associated with the ocean of Hades, and the goddess of the Underworld.

Underworld Guardians and Creatures

• Charon: The ferryman who transports newly deceased souls across the Styx, symbolized by a boat and a coin for payment.
• Cerberus: The three-headed dog at the gates of the Underworld, often depicted with a dragon-like tail.
• Furies: Three avenging spirits with serpents in their hair and wings, known for their fierce retribution and service to Proserpina.

Other Notable Figures

• Hecate: The goddess of witchcraft and sorcery, known for bringing frightening visions from the Underworld to Somnus.
• Somnus: The god of sleep, representing the realm of dreams and rest.
• Mors: Somnus's twin brother, the god of death, characterized by wings and an extinguished torch.
• Morpheus: The god of dreams, associated with the realm of sleep and dreams.

Punished Souls and Their Fates

• Tantalus: A king punished with eternal hunger and thirst for murdering his son.
• Ixion: Condemned to roll on a wheel endlessly after murdering his father-in-law.
• Sisyphus: Known for his greed and deceit, he faces eternal struggle in pushing a boulder uphill.
• Danaides: Daughters of Danaus who murdered their husbands, endlessly carrying water in a sieve as punishment.
• Orpheus: A famous musician who descended to the Underworld while alive to retrieve his wife, Eurydice, but lost her by looking back.
• Eurydice: A character whose life ends due to a snake bite, leading her to the Underworld.