Charon
Charon - Private Tours & V.I.P. Specials - A Guide to the Underworld?
Charon was a spirit of the Underworld and a permanent servant to Hades. Charon, was a guide and ferryman of Hades who led souls through the River Styx in Greek Mythology. Styx is a deity of Greek mythology and also a river that forms a path between Earth & the Underworld.
Charon’s main role was to carry spirits that were recently deceased into the portal that led to the realm of Hades. The river Styx and Acheron divided the world of the living from the world of the dead. If you needed Charon’s guidance to the Underworld, it did come with a price. The price you’d have to pay was usually a coin for safe passage. Sometimes the Ancient Greeks would put a coin (usually an obolos) on top of their deceased loved ones as a way for them to pay Charon for safe passage.
If there were any reasons why one could not pay Charon, their spirits were to remain lost and wandering for 100 years. Charon is the son of Nyx (Goddess of the Night) & Erebus (the personification of Darkness). Thanatos (personification of death) and Hypnos (the personification of sleep) were his brothers. Based on his family members, it seems the apple really does not fall far from the tree.
He was usually depicted as a sulky old man, with a rough look. In most art work he can be seen on his boat, catching spirits and often holding a long pole that he uses to steer his way. In other older depictions sometimes he is even seen as having demon-like features such as wings or claws. Obviously, in our more modern times he usually looks very similar to the Grim Reaper.
Art by: Melinkx - deviantart
Charon was a spirit of the Underworld and a permanent servant to Hades. Charon, was a guide and ferryman of Hades who led souls through the River Styx in Greek Mythology. Styx is a deity of Greek mythology and also a river that forms a path between Earth & the Underworld.
Charon’s main role was to carry spirits that were recently deceased into the portal that led to the realm of Hades. The river Styx and Acheron divided the world of the living from the world of the dead. If you needed Charon’s guidance to the Underworld, it did come with a price. The price you’d have to pay was usually a coin for safe passage. Sometimes the Ancient Greeks would put a coin (usually an obolos) on top of their deceased loved ones as a way for them to pay Charon for safe passage.
If there were any reasons why one could not pay Charon, their spirits were to remain lost and wandering for 100 years. Charon is the son of Nyx (Goddess of the Night) & Erebus (the personification of Darkness). Thanatos (personification of death) and Hypnos (the personification of sleep) were his brothers. Based on his family members, it seems the apple really does not fall far from the tree.
He was usually depicted as a sulky old man, with a rough look. In most art work he can be seen on his boat, catching spirits and often holding a long pole that he uses to steer his way. In other older depictions sometimes he is even seen as having demon-like features such as wings or claws. Obviously, in our more modern times he usually looks very similar to the Grim Reaper.
Art by: Melinkx - deviantart