No. 31 : Charon Of The Underworld

Vinyl on canvas, 50cm X 40cm

Hades was the god of the underworld, it was also the name of the underworld itself.
When somebody died , at the burial a small coin or 'obol' would be placed into the mouth of the deceased.Hermes , the messenger god would then guide the soul or 'shade' of the dead person to Hades.Deep in the underworld it was dark and damp with many caves and rivers. Charon , the ferry man would collect the payment of the obol from the dead and take the shade across the river Styx for judgement .At the banks of the river Styx were the large gates of Hades guarded by Cerberus , the three headed dog. The duty of Cerberus was to prevent shades from making their way back from Hades to the land of the living .

Once the shade had reached the palace of the wise judges of the underworld , Rhadamanthus , Aeacus and Minos their eternal fate would be decided . The majority of ordinary folk who had not made outstanding contributions to society and neither angered the gods in any way , the wise judges would send to the plains of Asphodel. This was a place of mist with withered trees with weeping branches in a flat , grey land. There was no particular torment apart from boredom and bleakness. Many shades would have preferred to escape if they could.

The shades of the glorious , those who had pleased the gods by performing great deeds or acts of heroism and self sacrifice would reach the Elysian fields, a true paradise of sun, bright blue skies , music , wine ,splendorous food and eternal enjoyment.An additional privilege of being sent to the Elysian fields was having the choice to return to the land of the living ,and of course, of all those that had arrived in the Elysian fields , none ever chose to leave.

Finally for the shades that had been wicked or had dared to defy or anger the gods , there was Tartarus, a place of eternal punishment and damnation, enclosed within a vast bronze wall ,from where the cries of anguish echoed constantly and no shade was ever known to have escaped...............