Hypnos and Thanatos, the Greek personifications of sleep and death. In mythology, they were twin brothers and the sons of the personification of night, Nyx.
Every time I ask someone who the is Greek god of death they tell me that it’s Hades. While this is what’s believed by most, it isn’t true. Hades is the god of the underworld and everything underground, with a good example being jewels. He is not however, the god of death.
When Zeus and his five brothers and sisters won against their father Cronus with the help of monsters, the three brothers cast lots. Zeus got the long stick and won the sky. Poseidon got the medium stick and won the ocean. Hades got the short stick and was left with the Underworld. It never said anything about death. The only reason Zeus can control lightning is because the cyclopes made him lightning bolts that will let him do so. The same with Poseidon and Hades’ element controlling objects.
On that note, there are myths about Gaia not being the only one to come out of Chaos. It’s said the personification of night, Nyx, and Erebus also came out of Chaos. Nyx had many children that came to be personifications as well. At one point, she had twins named Hypnos and Thanatos—Sleep and Death personified.
Thanatos, or Death rather, is talked about in only two myths: the one where Hercules wrestles him to win the life of his friend’s wife, and where Sisyphus chains him trying to escape his own death. Eventually, Ares had to retrieve him so death could happen again.
Still don’t believe me? Google it yourself, or look it up in a good Greek Myth book. One thing is for sure though: It doesn’t make sense that Hades is supposed to go to each and every human being that’s dying. If he’s the king if the Underworld, shouldn’t he be there? It’s because he’s not Death. Thanatos is.
When Zeus and his five brothers and sisters won against their father Cronus with the help of monsters, the three brothers cast lots. Zeus got the long stick and won the sky. Poseidon got the medium stick and won the ocean. Hades got the short stick and was left with the Underworld. It never said anything about death. The only reason Zeus can control lightning is because the cyclopes made him lightning bolts that will let him do so. The same with Poseidon and Hades’ element controlling objects.
On that note, there are myths about Gaia not being the only one to come out of Chaos. It’s said the personification of night, Nyx, and Erebus also came out of Chaos. Nyx had many children that came to be personifications as well. At one point, she had twins named Hypnos and Thanatos—Sleep and Death personified.
Thanatos, or Death rather, is talked about in only two myths: the one where Hercules wrestles him to win the life of his friend’s wife, and where Sisyphus chains him trying to escape his own death. Eventually, Ares had to retrieve him so death could happen again.
Still don’t believe me? Google it yourself, or look it up in a good Greek Myth book. One thing is for sure though: It doesn’t make sense that Hades is supposed to go to each and every human being that’s dying. If he’s the king if the Underworld, shouldn’t he be there? It’s because he’s not Death. Thanatos is.
No comments:
Post a Comment