The+Underworld

= The Underworld =

Hidden in the Earth is where Hades rules over the Underworld. The kingdom of the dead allows most in, but very few out. The Underworld is not a miserable place to spend the rest of your life. Its more along the lines of a miserable dream, full of shadows, no sunlight and no hope. The dead stay there, slowing fading to nothing. It is neither torturous or pleasant but it is definitely worse then life itself.

The Underworld is surronded by five rivers. The Acheron (river of woe), the Cocytus (river of lamentation), the Phlegethon (river of fire), the Styx (river of unbreakable oath by which that gods swear or the river of hate) and the Lethe (river of forgetfulness).

In order to enter the Underworld there are two ways to get in. One, Charon's ferry. This ferry carries dead across the Acheron river into the underworld. The only way allowed on to this ferry is to pay fare. The only way to be able to pay is if you were buried with coins placed on your eyes or lips. Other wise you are stuck between two worlds. The second way in is the Door of Orpheus. This door was made by Orpheus in an attempt to get his wife back from the underworld. He made it out of song and music.

Once in the Underworld these are the fallowing that you will see. The [|Pit of Tartarus], the [|Asphodel Meadows], the [|Elysian Islands] and the [|Elysian fields].

Before Coming the the fields or Tartarus there is a judgement. The Judgment is made by three judges. Rhadamanth, son of Zeus and Europa, Minos, king of Aerate and Aeacus. The good are usually sentenced to Elysian Fields or the Plain of Asphodel and the others are singled out for "special" treatment. A few forms of the treatments that they are given are Sisyphus, forever rolling a boulder uphill, Tantalus, forever trying to lift water to mouth but having it always slip through your fingers and Ixion, being lashed to a flaming wheel surrounded by Furies Connection To lighting Thief: In the book, Percy, Annabeth and Grover have to travel to the underworld in order to save Percys mother and prove to Hades that he does not have the lighting Bolt. While in the underworld they take a trip down to Tartarus, when Grovers shoes drag him there. They soon find that sturring in the pit is Cronus, the olympians father.

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