River Styx - the curse of the realm of the dead

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

To understand the history of the mysterious River Styx, you should plunge into mythology a little. So, in distant mythical times, the world was divided between the gods (Zeus, Hades and Poseidon) into three parts. The dungeon was dominated by the dark god Hades, and the gloomy old man Charon transported dead souls through the Styx. The river flowed in the underworld, the entrance to which was guarded by the three-headed Cerberus, on whose neck poisonous snakes coiled.

During the funeral rite, a coin was placed in the mouth of the deceased as a tribute to the god of the dungeon. It was believed that the soul that did not offer payment would be doomed to wander forever along the banks of the Styx. The power of Hades was very great. And despite the fact that his brother Zeus was higher in rank, the god of the underworld had tremendous power. The laws in his domain were inflexible. And the order in the kingdom is indestructible and strong, so the gods swore by the waters of the sacred river Styx. No god could pull out anyone who fell into the underworld: Charon melted into the realm of the dead, but never back - where the sun shines.

The River Styx is poisonous, but it can also grant immortality. The expression "Achilles' heel"directly related to this river. Achilles' mother Thetis dipped her son into the waters of the Styx, making the hero invincible. And only the “heel” that his mother held on to remained vulnerable.

According to Greek mythology, Hephaestus, a skillful blacksmith and god of fire, tempered the sword of the king of the rutul Davna in the underground river Styx. This incredibly sharp sword could cut through any shield!

And the ancient Greek poet Hesiod wrote that the river Styx was a tenth of the groundwater. The rest of the waters spread over the earth and surrounded the seas. However, the beginning and end of the Styx are unknown. This is the river of death, the treacherous river. Its direction and location is constantly changing. But at the same time, the road along the river never lasts longer than a day.

In historical times Styx was seen near the ancient city of Nonacris. There is a belief that Alexander the Great was poisoned by the waters of the Styx.

There is a version that there are many separate worlds - planes - forming a multiverse. Villainous forces predominate in the Lower planes - this is the kingdom of evil deities, where the souls of dead villains go. The muddy and muddy River Styx runs through all the Lower Planes. She is overwhelmed by whirlpools and treacherous currents.

It is also believed that the river Styx kills all life. This is water, cold as ice and corroding everything in its path. Anyone who drinks it or touches this water will perish. Glass, clay, crystal products - everything bursts when it falls into the waters of this river. All metals are corroded by the water of the Styx. But everything that has divine power also has a weakplace. Like vinegar corrodes pearls, or how goat's blood dissolves a diamond. According to one version, the water of the Styx cannot corrode only a horse's hoof.

In addition, in ancient times it was considered the most terrible punishment to be cursed by the waters of the Styx. And no matter how many interpretations there are, one thing is invariable - this is a poisonous and dangerous river that flows underground and symbolizes primal fear and darkness.