Hades is the Greek god of the underworld and keeper of the dead. He, along with Zeus and Poseidon, defeated the Titans to gain control over their respective domains. Hades is sometimes portrayed as a fearsome punisher, but also as a merciful ruler. He was worshipped to ensure a pleasant afterlife.
While many people tend to think of Hades as a place of punishment, Greek mythology has an entirely different application for the term. Traditionally, he is understood as the Greek god who eventually gained the right to be called the god of the underworld and the main keeper of the abode of the dead.
According to the legends of the Greeks, the ancient beings known as the Titans were originally in control of all known creation. Three brothers – Zeus, Poseidon and Hades – challenged their sovereign rule and decided that they would be the rightful rulers of the underworld, the sky and the sea. The brothers went to war with the Titans, ultimately defeating them. At this juncture, the victors chose to take on specific areas that each brother would oversee. Hades chose the task of overseeing the underworld and governing the spirits of those who had died and passed on to the next life.
Hades has sometimes been portrayed as a fearsome figure, designed to strike terror into the hearts of men. Within this version, the god is one who is quick to punish the wicked for the slightest infraction and delights in administering justice that is not tempered by mercy. Often, this concept was used to lead people involved in activities considered on the fringes of acceptable traditions and customs to abandon those practices and to engage in rituals intended to win the favor of all the gods.
At other times, Hades has been portrayed as the merciful and just ruler of the underworld, providing for the needs of both those who dwell in a state of bliss and heaven, and those who have been damned. This concept is sometimes attributed to reading between the lines in tales from Greek mythology, especially in cases where the god appears to offer people a chance to step back and reverse a wrong action.
Generally feared but often regarded as among the most powerful of all gods, Hades was worshiped by many people, often with the aim of appeasing the god and ensuring a more pleasant place in the world to come. To this end, families often set up an altar in the home to honor him, as well as gather at temples to make appropriate offerings to the god.
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