Rivers of the Underworld

1. Styx - [River of hatred and death] - said to have blackish, poisonous water - river into which Achilles was dipped - the river on which gods swear unbreakable oaths

2. Acheron -[River of Pain] - either this river, the Styx, or a combination of both rivers was the river Charon ferried dead souls across

3. Lethe - [River of Forgetfulness] - a symbol of Hypnos (god of sleep) - the river from which souls would drink before being reincarnated/reborn

4. Phlegethon - [River of Fire] - this river both leads to and encircles Tartarus

5. Cocytus - [River of Wailing/Sorrow]

Regions of the Underworld

Tartarus:

• Tartarus is the dark pit of the Underworld in which all the evil and impious souls of people (and monsters and Titans) are held and punished.

Asphodel Meadows:

• This was the place for the souls of ordinary people (not bad enough for Tartarus but not good enough for Elysium). Souls here wandered through old fields and groves for eternity. It wasn't unpleasant, just kinda boring. (largest region of the Underworld)

Elysium:

• This was the place for the souls of good, pious, righteous, and brave people. It was also called the Elyisan Fields. It was similar to modern views of Heaven with most things that people would want and that they enjoyed. Many demigods and heroes were found here.

Isle of the Blessed:

• The Isle of Blessed was a special place, where souls who had been reincarnated twice and earned Elysium for all three lifetimes were sent to live in eternal paradise.

Deities of the Underworld:

• Hades: - Hades was the brother of Poseidon and Zeus and brother to Hestia, Hera, and Demeter. He was the ruler of the Underworld. He controlled the flow of dead souls and had powers including death and invisibility. He was the least-liked of the Olympians but also the richest (since gems and minerals come from underground).

• Persephone: - Persephone was the queen of the Underworld, daughter of Zeus and Demeter, and wife of Hades. She was the goddess of flowers and springtime.

• Hecate: - Hecate was the chthonic goddess of crossroads, entryways, dogs, the moon, magic, witchcraft, herblore, necromancy, and sorcery. She was one of the three moon goddesses with Artemis and Selene.

• The Furies: - (The Erinyes or the Kindly Ones) - [Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone] - 3 goddesses of vengeance who torture people who commit evil deeds, especially murder of family members (such as parents' murder - matricide and patricide) - winged women with whips and snakes.

• Thanatos - Death

• Hypnos - Sleep

• Nyx -Night

• Melinoe - daughter of Persephone-nightmares and madness

• Achlys - Sadness

• Eurynomos - demon who eats the flesh off of corpses

Heroes that went to the Underworld

1. Theseus - To help Pirithous kidnap Persephone

2. Aeneas - To speak with his father about his future (his destiny)

3. Heracles - to capture Cerberus and bring him back up as one of his Labors

4. Odysseus - To consult Tiresias to learn how to get back home to his island kingdom

5. Orpheus - To attempt to bring back the soul of Eurydice

6. Psyche - To collect Persephone's beauty in a box as one of Venus' tasks