Hades

Important Facts __**Other names:**__ Clymenus meaning notorious, Eubuleus meaning well-guessing, and Polydegmon meaning ‘who receives many. **__Weapons:__** A helmet making him invisible.

Overview [|Hades] is the ruler of the nether world, and lord of the dead. He is also referred to as ‘the rich one’ due to the fact that he possesses the riches of the earth. Despite his richness, he is liked least compared to the other gods. Family information Hades is the son of [|Cronus] and [|Rhea]. He married Persephone. His father learned of a phrophcy that said that one of his sons would overthrough him so he ate Haders and his brother [|Posiedon]. His mother was able to hide Zeus from him and fed Cronos a rock wrapped in an infants blanket. Cronos didnt realize the "baby" was actually just a rock. Zeus forced Cronos to regurgitate hades and Posiedon. [|Hestia], [|Demeter], [|Zeus], [|Poseidon], [|Hera] are his siblings. Hades was that god of the Underworld (the dead) and god of wealth because of the, fertile soil, seed-grain, and precious metals that can be found underground.

Birthplace of Hades The most common story is that Hades was born to the Great Mother goddess Rhea and Kronos (Father Time) on the island of Crete, along with his brothers [|Zeus] and Poseidon. Personality Hades is the most greediest of the gods. He was always looking to increase his subjects. hades was very stuborn and emotions had no effect on him. Because of this he rarely let people out of the underworld.His features are gloomy, his hair falls over his forehead; his attributes are a sceptre and Cerberus; he carries the key of the world below, and is frequently in company with Persephone. He is sometimes represented as an agricultural god, carrying a cornucopia and a two-pronged fork.

The plants sacred to him were the cypress and narcissus; black animals were sacrificed to him, not white, like those offered to the other gods. In art he was represented like Zeus and Poseidon;

The "House of Hades " was a dreadful abode deep down in the earth, and the god was invoked by rapping on the ground. But according to another view, the realm of Hades was beyond the ocean in the far west, which to the Greeks was always the region of darkness and death, as the east of light and life. This is the view of Hades presented in the Odyssey. Besides this gloomy region, we find in another passage of the Odyssey a picture of Elysium, a happy land at the ends of the earth, where rain and snow fall not, but the cool west wind blows and men live at ease. After Homer this happy land, the abode of the good after death, was known as the Isles of the Blest. But in the oldest Greek mythology the"House of Hades" was simply the home of the dead, good and bad alike, who led a dim and shadowy reflection of life on earth. The Abduction Of Persephone One event that Hades is infamous for is abducting Demeter’s daughter, as well as niece, [|Persephone]. After, he took her to the underworld giving everyone the impression that she disappeared, and then tricked her into eating tempting pomegranate seeds. Since she ate the seeds in the land of Hades, Persephone was forced to stay with Hades. A deal was then put into place to let Persephone join her mother half the year, as long as she would always return.  Symbols In the underworld, there were several [|myriad rivers]. Each of these rivers along with many other things in Greek mythology had symbols. The Acheron River is the river of sadness. The Cocytus River is the river of lamentation. The Lethe river is the river of forgetfulness. The Phlegethon River is the river of fire. Lastly, the Styx river is the river of hate.

Strengths Rich with the wealth of the earth, especially precious metals. Persistent and determined.

Other symbols and important associations or attributes belonging to Hades are plants such as the cypress and narcissus. His attributes consist of a sceptre, Cerberus, a cap of invisibility, a key to the underworld, and a two pronged staff.

Citations Gill, N.S. “Hades- Greek God of the Underworld.” //Acient History.// 2009. 25 Apr 2009. . "Hades." //Encyclopedia Mythica// from Encyclopedia Mythica Online.  23 Apr 2009. “Hades at a Glance.” //Mythography.// 2008. 25 Apr 2009. <[]>. [|deTraci Regula]. "Fast facts: on Hades." //About.com. 2009. []//