JC in UK 英倫生活記: 給大人的英語練習希臘神話故事 Hades: Ruler of the Underworld

Hades: Ruler of the Underworld

In the vast tapestry of Greek mythology, one figure stood apart from the celestial splendor of Mount Olympus, presiding over a realm shrouded in shadow and mystery—Hades, the enigmatic ruler of the Underworld. His story is one of darkness and duty, of a kingdom that lay beneath the earth's surface.

Hades, born to Cronus and Rhea, was one of the three brothers who divided the cosmos among themselves. While Zeus ruled the heavens and Poseidon the seas, Hades claimed dominion over the realm beneath the earth—the dark and somber Underworld.

Far removed from the realm of the living, the Underworld was a place of eternal night, where the souls of the deceased found their final resting place. Hades ruled this realm with a solemn determination, his throne situated in the heart of the shadowy domain. He was often depicted as a god of cold detachment, a ruler who was just but unyielding.

Among his subjects were the three judges of the dead—Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Aeacus—who determined the fate of each soul that entered the Underworld. For the virtuous, there was the Elysian Fields, a paradise of eternal bliss. For the wicked, there was Tartarus, a place of torment and suffering. And for the majority, there was the realm of the shades, a place of quiet reflection.

Hades was often portrayed with a fierce and protective disposition, guarding the boundaries of the Underworld to prevent the living from encroaching on the realm of the dead. He was known for his beloved three-headed dog, Cerberus, who ensured that once a soul entered the Underworld, there was no escape.

Despite his ominous reputation, Hades was not without a sense of honor and fairness. When Orpheus, the legendary musician, descended into the Underworld to rescue his beloved Eurydice, it was Hades who ultimately allowed her return to the realm of the living, moved by Orpheus's heartfelt pleas and music.

Hades's story is one of duty and the unrelenting weight of his responsibilities. He ruled over the realm of death, ensuring that the cycle of life and death continued unabated. He watched as the souls of mortals entered his kingdom, knowing that their presence marked the end of their earthly journey.

In the hearts of the ancient Greeks, Hades was a god to be both feared and respected, for he represented the inexorable passage of time and the inevitable fate that awaited all living beings. His realm of shadows and solitude was a reminder of the transient nature of life and the enduring mysteries of the afterlife.

The story of Hades, Ruler of the Underworld, serves as a reflection on the duality of existence—the interplay between light and shadow, life and death. His kingdom beneath the earth's surface remains a testament to the inescapable destiny that unites all mortals, bound by the threads of fate in the grand tapestry of Greek mythology.