Story (Mythology) On The Afterlife Lands of the Dead (Greek)?

Question

Can anyone help me develop a story about Lands of the Dead (Greek) Im doing a PowerPoint presentation on this topic for my Mythology class, I just need help in developing a story.

Usually Mythology stories start off with list of characters...
and then....

I dont really understand this class!

Please help!

Answer 1

Well most of the people with real punishment in Erebus are really wiked people. like that king who dared test the obminicense(their ability to hear everithing that's hapening at the moment) of the gods and cooked his childrean and offered it to the gods. Ony Demeter didnt hear it and ate his shoulder. well the kid was taken out of erebus and Efestus forged him a new shoulder. that king was sent to Erebus with an empty stomach, and ontop there is a tree with a fruit, and each time he reached to it it would rose out of it reach. there is another mith with a guy that ended up with a similar punishment, parched and water on a spring, each time he reached down it would empty. there is aslo another guy with a never ending torture where he has to roll up a boulder up a hill...... There are also some where they have to go back to get people out of the dead. when Heracles's friend's wife had died, he arrived at his house (he didnt know she had died (she gave her life so her husband could live instead)) everyone was mouring and he asked his friends and he sait it was a neighboor (so Heracles wouldnt be aflicted) well Hercules got drunk... and then one of the servants who had been giving him wine told him that the lady of the house had died he felt horrible. so he went down Erebus. beat up Cerberus. beated up the three judges and batteled the shades and got his frieds wife back (as a ghost) poor Heracles was to naive, his friends was horrified. another one is about two lovers that lived together a long time in their hose and I dont rememver the mith very well, well the woman dies and the guy travels to Erebus and acually crosses river stixs, and passes Cerverus (you could pass him in but not out) and he begged Hades for all he had to return his wife to him. Hades was like w/e but Persephone was so moved by his tale that she convinced Hades. Hades agreed on one condition, if it was real love, you would choose your wife, grab her hand and go, you in fornt of her and you must never look back, or she will never be with you. he followed his insticts and did what his heart told him, he choose the shadow and gabed it by the hand, not knowing if it was her or someone else. they traveled back to the surface , passed the judges, Cerberus and the stixs, and when they where about to get out from Erebus's gate, where the light poured in. He looked back, and saw his beautiful wife following after him with tears in her eyes.
that is how the tale ends.. you can imagine what hapens next. -he though that Hades was lying to him, and gave him someone else- she fades and never sees her again. its a sad story with the parable of trusting your feeling no matter what.

Now if you wish to make a story about Erebus you must take into consideration what kind of character would be ralated to Erebus, or have anything to do with it. someone Wiked or Good willed but naive, or someone inspired by mad love. most of Erebian miths end up in a tragedy. with a moral. not something evil like Hades doing something bad to them. more like something that Men brought to themselves for their mistakes. it must be sad and dramatic. not something bloody or violent. or well.. if you wish to. But many people have the consept of Hades wrong. he wasnt wiked and evil like a greek satan or anything. He was just a loneley god (before he stole Persephone) and he is just doing his job, I always think of Hades as a serene god, not cold, more like inocent and neutral. so take that into consideration. Also look up all the Erebus rules, like "if you eat something from erebus you cant get out" "Cerberus will let you in but not out" "there are three judges you just see firts to get placed" "You must pay a toll to ride the river stix and enter Erebus" idk. there are a few.... sorry I cant help you anymore... I am having a mental block. If I remember something else I will edit this ok? well hope it helps.

EDIT:
Oh yeah, that oerson ontop remembered me, there are 3 levels on the underworld. in wich you go depending on how you lived your life. the Elisian Fields (top)are like Heaven, Itr is not for the good people, rather the wise and talented people, like phylosophers and poets, they feast all day and listem music from the muses and crap like that In some myths there says that the people in this section had the otion of being reborn if they wished to, or if they spent sertain time there, I am guessing that there where some conditions to it, but not severe ones at all ones. the other one section below (forgot the name)(middle) go the so so people. like people who had good lives, doint do something extrmately wicked that angered the gods, and stuff. well that place is filled with people who wait and wait wand wait, what do they wait for? Nothing, they wait for nothing ti'll eternity. the last one (Forgot the name again) (bottom) is where people suffer some kind of punishments... sorry I cant be more specific(I need to read my books again :|) anyways.

Another thing you must understand ( I noticed I was pretty unorganized on top But I aint gong to reedo all this :P ) is the journey through the underworld. Forst wen you died your family/friends/someone had to place coins on top of your eyes (like in the movie troy) and when you got to Erebus (as a spritit /shadow/ w/e) There would be a BIG three headed dog called Cerberus (Hade's dog/ gurdian of the Underworld) then, he lets the shadows pass like if he didnt see them, but if they try to go back he will get so agressive and you will never go back(some miths have Cerverus after crossing stixs) well after some walking you would reach the River Stix (a black-watered river, with Shades trhat swam underwater) so when yoi got there those coinds where the toll for crossing the river stixs, if you had no money you just had no place in Erebus and waited forever at the entrance or where swallowed by the river(therfore the shadew who swam there). ok so you must cross the underground river, there is a shadow servant of Hades which fery the people UP the river in a small boat (like the gondols of Venece) anyways, once you crossed the river there where three judges who judged you and how you had been on life. and depending on it you would go in one of the levels (the ones I told you after my EDIT). so yeah. you should also research the rape or Persephone (Hades's wife) if dont already know the myth (I dont wanna write anymore :P)

there ya go *phew*

Answer 2

You should probably start with a map. For the map start where the Underworld and the Earth meet, such as the crack where Hades erupted to steal Persphones. Then move on to the three rivers Styx being the first and biggest because it wraps around the Underworld nine times and seperates the living from the dead. Then go on to the various sections of the underworld. Or just follow a soul's journey through the underworld. From Cerberus to the Elysian Fields, it's a stop not to be missed. And finally if you don't understand something you should really ask your teacher that's what they are there for.

Answer 3

Persephone (Hades' Queen) was the Goddess of the Seasons, also, Poseidon is talking about Orpheus.

Answer 4

sairam your answers are eternal if u are siranjeevi. examples are hanuman prahalad markandeyan and so on and soforth you stand before judge for disposal either to be born or tojoin heavenly life.if u aredivine unity in senses purity inaction divinity in life u enjoy untold heaven

Answer 5

See these links:

Underworld and Aferlife:
http://www.maicar.com/GML/Underworld.html

Map of the Underworld:
http://www.maicar.com/GML/Underworldmap.html

Islands of the Blest:
http://www.maicar.com/GML/IslesBlest.html

Hades:
http://www.maicar.com/GML/Hades.html

Persephone:
http://www.maicar.com/GML/Persephone.html

Cumaean Sibyl:
http://www.maicar.com/GML/Sibyl6Cumaean.html