Hades is the Greek god of the underworld, of the realm of the dead, and in Roman mythology he is called Pluto.
He is also called the god of wealth because he owns all the precious metals on the planet.
He resides and governs the darkest place on Earth, where the souls of the dead go.
Owner of a ruthless personality, Hades was disgusting, insensitive, monstrous and few had the courage to pronounce his name. Thus, in Greek mythology he is considered the most feared of the gods.
Hades representation
Hades is portrayed as a dark-skinned man with a beard. It is adorned with a crown, and carries the key to the underworld and a scepter.
With him walks a three-headed dog, the cerberus. This animal was intended to guard the entrance to the realm of the dead.
Usually Hades used a carriage to get around and he is often portrayed in the carriage with his wife Persephone.
History
Hades is the son of Cronus, king of the Titans, and Rhea. He had four more siblings: Poseidon, Zeus, Demeter, hestia and Hera.
Kronos, their father and the youngest of the titans, devoured his children at birth, fearful of being dethroned.
With the children's victory under Kronos, Hades had the right to rule the underworld. Already his brothers, Zeus and Poseidon, took possession of the sky and the sea, respectively.
Thus, he was the only one who did not live on Mount Olympus, as he resided in a palace under the Earth. His symbol was a helmet made by hephaestus whose adornment made him invisible.
The same helmet was used by Athena in a fight against Ares in Trojan War. The battle is described in a Iliad.
According to the reports of the Odyssey, it was necessary to cross the ocean to reach the secret realm of Hades.
Hades and Persephone
Among the stories portraying Hades is his passion for the goddess Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She was kidnapped by Hades and taken to the Underworld.
Hades seduced her and tricked her into eating a pomegranate, the forbidden fruit. If she didn't feed in the underworld, persephone she could go back to the world of the living. As she ingested the pomegranate, she only had the right to come back 9 months a year.
This cycle is described as the regime of the seasons of the year because it represents Demeter's mood. In other words, winter was the season when the mother was sad with the absence of her daughter.
In turn, in summer, spring and autumn, Persephone returned to the world of the living, moments that reflect her mother's joy.
children of hades
The sons of Hades are:
- Zagreus: god of the orphic religion;
- Macaria: goddess of blessed death;
- Melinoe: goddess of ghosts, nightmares and madness.
According to Greek mythology, Zagreus is actually the son of Zeus, who raped his daughter while she was sleeping.
There are, however, references to Zagreus as one of the sons of Hades, whose powers are linked to death and the control of souls.
Read too:
- What is a myth?
- Greek mythology
- Greek gods
- Gods of Olympus
- Roman Mythology
- Roman gods
