Question: 'What is the difference between Sheol, Hades, Hell, the lake of fire, Paradise, and Abraham’s bosom?' Answer: The different terms used in the Bible for heaven and hell—sheol, hades, gehenna, the lake of fire, paradise, and Abraham’s bosom—are the subject of much debate and can be confusing. Hades is a one-of-a-kind rogue-lite that does a brilliant job of marrying its fast-paced action with its persistent, progressing story through a vividly reimagined Greek mythological underworld. Sheol, or Hades, is thus not a literal place in a specific location. Rather, it is the common grave of dead mankind, the figurative location where most of mankind sleep in death. The Bible teaching of the resurrection helps us to gain further insight into the meaning of “Sheol” and “Hades.”. Hades definition: In Greek mythology, Hades was a place under the earth where people went after they died. Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples. Hades is best known as the ruler of the underworld. It became his dominion after he and his brothers drew lots for their share of the universe. According to Iliad, Hades’ dominion lies between secret places of the earth. According to the Odyssey, one must cross Ocean to get there.
Greek God of the Dead and King of the Underworld
Hades was the god of the underworld and the name eventually came to also describe the home of the dead as well. He was the oldest male child of Cronus and Rhea.
Hades and his brothers Zeus and Poseidon defeated their father and the Titans to end their reign, claiming rulership over the cosmos. They agreed to split their rule with Zeus becoming god of the skies, Poseidon god of the sea and Hades god of the underworld.
He was later known to the Greeks as Plouton, which the Romans pluralized to Pluto. The god of the underworld was married to Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, whom he obtained through deception after abducting her to the underworld and giving her the forbidden fruit pomegranate, forcing her to remain in the underworld with him for one third of each year.
Facts about Hades
- Hades is best known as the ruler of the underworld. It became his dominion after he and his brothers drew lots for their share of the universe.
- According to Iliad, Hades’ dominion lies between secret places of the earth. According to the Odyssey, one must cross Ocean to get there.
- Though Hades supervised the dead assigned to his realm, he was not one of its judges. Three demi-gods served that purpose instead.
- Hades was depicted as stern and unyielding, unmoved by prayer and sacrifice.
- Hades had a cap or helmet that made its wearer invisible.
- His wife was Persephone, Demeter’s only daughter, whom he kidnapped and made his queen.
- He was also called the God of Wealth or “the rich one” because he possessed the precious metals of the earth.
- Pirithoüs, friend of Theseus, detrmined to have Persephone (the most carefully guarded lady in all the universe) as his bride. To this end, the two friends journeyed to the underworld, but Hades thwarted their plan. He invited them to sit on the Chair of Forgetfulness, which cause its occupant to forget everything. Hercules rescued Theseus, but the King of the Dead held Pirithoüs there for trying to steal his queen.
- Cerberus was a three-headed dog who guarded his realm; the ferryman Charon was another one of the underworld’s attendees.
- Though Hades is the King of the Dead, he should not be confused with Death itself, which is personified by Thanatos.
- Cronus and Rhea were his parents.
- Poseidon and Zeus were his brothers.
- Hades rarely left the underworld. His presence was not welcomed by men or by gods.
- Hades took pride in collecting “subjects” for his kingdom and was disinclined to let anyone leave.
- His dominion was separated from the land of the living by the following rivers: Styx, Lethe, Acheron, Phlegethon, and Cocytus.
- Hades employed the Furies, who were responsible for torturing the guilty.
- Hades is described by some sources as the god of the earth’s fertility.
- The narcissus and the cypress are sacred to him.
- In his kingdom, Hades sat on a throne made of ebony and carried a scepter.
- Hades was known for his involvement with Sisyphus, the man condemned to the underworld to forever roll a boulder uphill. According to legend, Hades allowed Sisyphus to return to earth long enough to arrange his own funeral.
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Portrayal and Symbolism
As the ruler of the dead, Hades was a grim and ghastly figure, inspiring awe and terror in everybody. Consequently, he was rarely depicted in art. When he was, he was most commonly portrayed with a beard, and a solemn, mournful look. He frequently wears a helmet, named the Helm of Darkness or the Cap of Invisibility. Cerberus, the three-headed dog which guarded the entrance to the Underworld, is usually beside him. Every so often he carries a scepter or holds the key to his kingdom. At a later stage, he became associated with his weapon of choice, the bident, a two-pronged fork modeled after Poseidon’s trident. As Plouton, he was sometimes shown with a cornucopia, the horn of plenty.
Epithets
Among the Ancient Greeks, Hades was known as “the Other Zeus.” Homer even calls him “The Infernal Zeus,” in addition to “the grisly God.” He was also called “the host of many” or “the Attractor of Man” – since all men eventually went to serve him.
Hades’ Family · Birth and the Titanomachy
Hades was the fourth child of the TitansCronus and Rhea (after Hestia, Demeter, and Hera), both the oldest and the youngest male sibling. In other words, he was the first of the three brothers (Hades, Poseidon, Zeus) to be born and swallowed by his father, but the last one to be regurgitated.
After being rescued by Zeus from the belly of Cronus, Hades joins him in the Titanomachy. Eventually, the decade-long war ends with a victory for the Olympians. Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus cast lots to decide who of the brothers will rule which domain. Hades gets the underworld.
Hades’ Wife · The Abduction of Persephone
Since Hades was a fearsome deity who rarely left his kingdom, there are very few myths about him in Ancient Greek sources.
By far the most important myth is Hades’ abduction of Persephone, Demeter’s daughter. That was one of the few times Hades traveled above ground. The reason, naturally, was love: he fell for Persephone. However, Persephone didn’t want to give in easily, so Hades devised an ingenious ploy. As Persephone was gathering flowers with her maidens at the Nysian plain, he caused an indescribably beautiful flower to suddenly bloom before her. When Persephone reached out to pluck it, the ground under her opened and Hades appeared before her, all dreadful and majestic in his four-horse golden chariot and took her with him to the Underworld.
Demeter, the goddess of fertility, was so distressed at the absence of her daughter, that she started fasting and wandering aimlessly. Finally, after nine days, Hecate told her what happened. After the All-Seeing Helios confirmed the event, Demeter left Olympus as an act of protest against the injustice done to her.
With her gone, the earth was as barren and infertile as a desert. One year passed, and the gods started worrying that the famine would wipe out humanity. So Zeus sent all the gods, one by one, to beg Demeter to come back, promising her all kinds of gifts and functions. She wanted none; the only thing she wanted was to see her daughter once again.
So, Zeus had no choice but to send Hermes to Hades with the request that he return Persephone to Demeter. He complied, but only after making Persephone eat one pomegranate seed before leaving. This ensured that she would remain bound to his kingdom eternally.
Now, both sides had no choice but to accept Zeus’ compromise: Persephone would spend two-thirds of the year with her mother, but one-third of it with Hades. And this is the part of the year which corresponds with the winter months: they say that Demeter retreats from Olympus to her temple at Eleusis to grieve the absence of Persephone.
It’s possible that Hades and Persephone didn’t have any children. However, some say that Zagreus may have been their son. Macaria is also claimed to have been Hades’ daughter – but no mother is mentioned.
Hades in the Bible
As the realm of the dead, Hades is mentioned ten times in the “New Testament” in its original Greek text. Older translations – such as the King James Bible – invariably translate it as “hell.”
Sources
Read the story of the abduction of Persephone as the Ancient Greeks did: it’s fully recounted in the “Homeric Hymn to Demeter.”
See Also: Demeter, Persephone, Styx, Macaria
Hades Q&A
Who was Hades?
Hades is the Ancient Greek god of the Underworld, the place where human souls go after death. In time, his name became synonymous with his realm.
What did Hades rule over?
Hades ruled over the God of the Dead, the Underworld, the Wealth and the Darkness.
Where did Hades live?
Hades' home was The Underworld.
Who were the parents of Hades?
The parents of Hades were Cronus and Rhea.
Who were brothers and sisters of Hades?
Hades had 6 siblings: Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Zeus and Chiron (half-brother).
Who were the consorts of Hades?
Hades' consorts were Persephone, Minthe and Leuke.
How many children did Hades have?
Hades Symbol
Hades had 2 children: Zagreus and Macaria.
Which were the symbols of Hades?
Hades' symbols were the Cerberus, the Keys, the Cornucopia, the Sceptre and the Cypress.
Hades
Which were the sacred animals of Hades?
Hades In The Bible
Hades' sacred animals were the Screech Owl, the Serpents and the Black Rams.
Which were the sacred plants of Hades?
Hadestown
Hades' sacred plants were the Asphodel, the Mint, the White Poplar, the Cypress, the Narcissus and the Pomegranate.