The Underworld

Question 1

What is eschatology?

Answer 1

Eschatology: account of life after death

Question 2

Describe the underworld as seen in the Iliad, Odyssey, and Theogony

Answer 2

The underworld:

• Is the final home of all mortals where they go after death
• Is devoid of light, joy, substance (all ghosts), hope, vitality
• Has no escape

Being alive is precious; “to see the light” refers to life

Question 3

What is expected of a hero and what does he earn?

Answer 3

A hero is expected to risk his life in battle with enemies

• Rewards are honour (timé) and fame/glory (kleos)
  
  • Timé: given to the hero while he is alive, in the form of precious objects, best feast portions, and respect
  • Kleos: given to the hero after death; his memory is kept alive in song (epic) and monuments

Question 4

How do I get into the underworld?

Answer 4

• Entrances are at inaccessible/extreme regions (ex., edge of the ocean, place where the sun sets)
• Souls must cross the river Styx or Acheron

Question 5

What is Tartarus?

Who are the famous inhabitants?

Answer 5

• The “cellar of Hades”; beneath Hades
• Those who have the most horrible punishments will go here instead of Hades
• Famous inhabitants: Tityus, Tantalus, Sisyphus, Ixion

Question 6

Who is Tityus (crime and punishment)?

Answer 6

• A mortal son of Zeus
  
  • Common theme: greatest sinners and greatest heroes have at least one divine parent
• Crime: tried to rape Leto; he was killed by her children Apollo and Artemis
• Punishment: tied to the ground; two vultures devour his liver (crime of passion = liver torture)

Question 7

Who is Tantalus (crime and punishment)?

Answer 7

• A mortal son of Zeus
• Crime: invited to dine with the gods but stole their divine food (hubris)
  
  • He tricks them by serving them his SON Pelops (Demeter, distracted by her grief, takes a bite)
  • The gods revive Pelops and replaced his shoulder with ivory
• Punishment: tantalised by food and water just out of reach

Question 8

Who is Sisyphus (crime and punishment)?

Answer 8

• A mortal trickster
• Crime: tied up Thanatos (Death) so no one could die
  
  • Ares releases Thanatos, Sisyphys dies
  • He tells his wife not to perform funeral rites
  • Hades is fooled and allows him to return home to reprimand his wife, but Sisyphus stays on earth until he dies again much later of old age
• Punishment: roll a rock repeatedly up a hill, only to have it roll down again

Question 9

Who is Ixion (crime and punishment)?

Answer 9

• Crime: first person to kill his own kin
  
  • Promised bride gifts to his father-in-law and invited him to collect them
  • Prepared a pit of fire to kill him!
    
    • Zeus purified the miasma Apollo placed on him and invited him as a guest
      
      • Ixion tried to rape Hera, who was replaced by a cloud
        
        • Kentauros was born as a result (first centaur)
• Punishment: tied to a wheel (sometimes flaming) which rolls around endlessly

Question 10

Describe the chthonic sacrifice Odysseus must perform to reach the underworld

Answer 10

1. Libations (liquid sacrifices such as milk, honey) are poured into a pit
2. Sheep are sacrificed over the pit
3. Souls rise up to drink the blood
   
   • Those who drink have the temporary ability to speak with Odysseus

Question 11

What does Odysseus say to each individual in the underworld?

• Agamemnon
• Ajax
• Achilles
• Heracles
• Elpenor
• His mom
• Tiresias

Answer 11

• Agamemnon: he died when his wife took a lover, warns about Penelope
• Ajax: killed himself after Odysseus won the competition for Achilles’ armour
• Achilles: says he would rather be a peasant than dead when Odysseus congratulates him on his timé
• Heracles: Heracles is actually immortal, but his mortal part is in Hades
• Elpenor: one of his men who were forgotten, he requests burial
• His mom: she died of missing him as he was gone for almost 20 years
• Tiresias: gives directions and instructions