2007-02-03 11:20:11 · 9 answers · asked by lees 5 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Charon, in Greek mythology, is the ferryman of the dead. The souls of the deceased are brought to him by Hermes, and Charon ferries them across the river Acheron. He only accepts the dead which are buried or burned with the proper rites, and if they pay him an obolus (coin) for their passage. For that reason a corpse had always an obolus placed under the tongue.
Those who cannot afford the passage, or are not admitted by Charon, are doomed to wander on the banks of the Styx for a hundred years. Living persons who wish to go to the underworld need a golden bough obtained from the Cumaean Sibyl. Charon is the son of Erebus and Nyx. He is depicted as an sulky old man, or as a winged demon carrying a double hammer.
2007-02-03 11:48:00 · answer #1 · answered by the_lipsiot 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is Charon who ferried people's souls across the river to Hades.
However, it is an extremely common misconception that he ferried souls across the Styx. He didn't - in fact, he ferried them across the River Acheron, which was the main river of the Underworld. The Styx was a minor tributary of the Acheron.
2007-02-03 22:26:20 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Charon is the ferryman across the river Styx.
2007-02-03 11:36:36 · answer #3 · answered by Alan 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Charon
2007-02-03 12:41:21 · answer #4 · answered by BigWashSr 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Charon. Some say that coins were put on the eyes of deceased so that they could pay him for their passage.
2007-02-07 02:35:37 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Charon! I think he was an Essex lad!
2007-02-07 02:49:47 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Charon, pronounced "cher own"
2007-02-03 12:00:32 · answer #7 · answered by cav 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Charon is the boatman and you have to pay him!
2007-02-03 11:45:32 · answer #8 · answered by willowGSD 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
charybdis...?
but I thought the styx was a river, not the destination.
2007-02-03 11:23:18 · answer #9 · answered by Not Ecky Boy 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋