Most gods would have killed them on the spot for trying to steal their wife! This is quite a judicious reaction, as the mastermind behind the plan was punished for longer than the co-conspirator. Eventually, Theseus was released when Heracles came by, but Pirithous, the instigator, had to remain for his penance. When Hades discovered them, he chained them to Chairs of Forgetfulness. In one myth, Pirithous wanted Persephone for his wife so he convinced his friend Theseus to help him try to kidnap the Queen of the Underworld. This impartiality enabled Hades to maintain law and order fairly. Krater from Altamura depicting Persephone and Hades, unknown artist, c.350 B.C., National Archaeological Museum of Naples, Naples, via Getty Museum. Instead of causing the trouble, Hades has to deal with the fallout: an overcrowded Underworld! Meanwhile, Hades has to deal with the influx of souls in his domain due to all the deaths caused by his fickle fellow gods. In this case, Hades was absent! Far from being the instigator, Hades was an impartial party.Įven in the epic battle, the Trojan War, Hades took neither side, unlike the gods who took sides with such enthusiasm that they wreaked more havoc than the humans. However, in Greek mythology, Hades never attempts to usurp any of the gods, especially Zeus, the King, but other gods do! Poseidon and a few of his fellow gods felt that Zeus was doing a terrible job as ruler of the universe and attempted to remove him from power. Hades The Impartial, Judicious, And Fair Bust of Pluto (Hades), unknown artist, original from the 5th century BC, National Roman Museum, Palazzo Altempsĭespite Hades’ silence on his complaints in the Greek myths, films like Disney’s Hercules characterize Hades as vengeful and plotting the overthrow of Olympus. There’s an unfortunate pattern of exclusion here for the God of the Underworld.Ĥ. Ironically, the Greek god Hades in Roman mythology is called Pluto, and in astronomy, Pluto was discounted as a planet. So even in title, he is set apart from his peers. Instead of the Olympian title, Hades has the title ‘Chthonic’, which roughly translates as ‘things relating to the underground’. He does not have a home or sacred place on Olympus but instead is confined to his domain in the Underworld. Despite some sources stating that the god Hades was unhappy with this decision, he never complained or sought a different role.ĭespite Hades being born in the same generation as the other Olympian gods, he is excluded from the group, and so does not have the title ‘Olympian’. When the rewards for the victors were divided, Zeus was given reign over the sky, Poseidon over the sea, Hades the Underworld.
To begin with, Hades helped his younger brothers, Zeus and Poseidon, to overthrow the monstrous Titan Kronos in the epic battle for control of the cosmos. The name’s meaning is fitting for Hades because his efforts often went unnoticed. This is just the start of Hades’ pitiful story. The Greek god Hades’ name, in Ancient Greek “᾽Αιδης”, derives from the Ancient Greek word for “ unseen ”.
Greek God Hades: The Unseen Painting of the Gods in Palazzo Te, Giulio Romano, 1525, via Palazzo del Te in Mantua.
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