Elysium is what? Myths of Ancient Greece

Elysium is in Greek mythology part of the underworld in the realm of the dead, where the god Hades ruled . This place was inhabited by various spirits and blessed souls of those who during life was a hero and committed virtuous deeds.

Elysium and Tartarus

The souls of mortals who led good lives were sent to Elysium, to the Champs-Elysees, where golden flowers blossomed in beautiful meadows. Virtuous spirits enjoyed peace and happiness there. The underground world as a whole was under the rule of Hades and other gods and goddesses associated with death, sickness, sleep, ghosts, sorcery and spells.

This ominous kingdom consisted of various regions. The souls of mortals who had proven themselves during their lifetime were sent by Elysium, and those who did evil on earth and did evil deeds were sent to Tartarus and imprisoned forever in dark depths, in the bowels of the earth, where no ray of sun had ever appeared, And this torture lasted forever.

Elysium: the meaning of the word

Elysium - it was an ancient Greek paradise, originally intended for the heroes of Greek mythology, which the gods granted immortality. According to ancient Greek mythology, this place pleased its inhabitants with eternal spring and shady groves, there was its sun and its stars. Elysium is the land of perfect happiness also for those who lived a righteous life.

In this blissful place the Leta River flowed, whose waters betrayed all previous events completely oblivious. In the Champs Elysees, the air was always soft and fragrant, and thousands of brilliant colors shone on the golden meadow and the beautiful singing of birds sounded. Residents were freed from all sorts of duties and troubles, they were amused and engaged in their favorite deeds.

Eternal happiness

Elysium is what? This place, which was intended for pious souls, lit up by its stars and the sun, where eternal happiness reigned. However, before getting there, it was necessary to appear before the court of the underworld. After that, good souls of the dead should have drunk from the Lethe river, which made them forget all the suffering and everything they ever did on the land of the living.

Paradise in Hell

Elysium is the place of the last resting of heroic, blessed and virtuous souls. This is a golden city, in which euphoria was constantly reigning. The ancient Greeks generally believed that after the death of human souls continued their sad existence, but in the afterlife. But, for example, poets and writers of the time Homer and Hesiod in their works mentioned another place - some paradise fields where blessed heroes will live, including Diomedes, Achilles, Menelaus and others. These were all those whom the gods chose to be worthy of eternal happiness.

The concept of elizium was also associated with pre-Greek religious forms. There was an idea that this place really was located on the Islands of the Blessed on Earth. However, literary traditions, this paradise was moved to the world of the dead. In the work of Homer, "Aeneid," the hero Aeneas meets his father there. This idea of eternal paradise is taken as a basis in many after-life promises of various religions and mystical cults.