by Sarah Perryman

Created on: November 15, 2008

In modern understanding of the Grecian God Hades, he is pictured as a violent tyrant who ruled over a pit of tortured souls and condemned them to an eternity of terror. In actuality, Hades is no different than the other Grecian Gods. He ruled the underworld with integrity and balance. Like the other gods, he expressed love and pity as well as anger.

Hades was an honorable deity who acted no differently than his brothers and sisters. He took responsibility for the souls of the dead and in doing so he sacrificed greatly. He rarely saw the sunlight, was surrounded by death, and was feared and hated by mortals for keeping balance in the world.

Family:

Hades was the second son of Cronus (Kronos), the ruler of the Titans, and his sister Rhea.

Hades' older brother was Poseidon and his younger brother was Zeus. He also had three sisters: Demeter the goddess of fertility and earth, Hestia the goddess of the hearth, and Hera the goddess of women and marriage and future wife of Zeus. .

Childhood:

All of the children, with the exception of Zeus who had been hidden, were swallowed by their father Cronus at their birth. He feared them. Cronus had learned from his parents that he would be overthrown by one of his children, just as he had overthrown his father.

The children were kept inside Cronus until, with the help of his grandmother Gaia, Zeus forced Cronus to reveal the contents of his stomach. Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, Hestia, and Hera were freed.

Hades at War:

Once they were strong enough, these siblings challenged the elder gods, the Titans, for power over the universe and were given gifts to help them. From the Cyclopes Poseidon received a trident, Zeus received a thunderbolt, and Hades received a helmet of darkness.

On the eve of their first battle, Hades, taking full advantage of his gift, placed the helmet on his head and was instantly rendered invisible. He snuck into the Titan's encampment and destroyed all of their weapons. This ensured their strength and cunning and led them into a ten year struggle for supremacy.

Eventually, the younger gods defeated the Titans. The three brothers, having decided to separate the power amongst them, drew lots. Poseidon drew the Sea as his dominion, Zeus drew the Sky, and Hades drew the Underworld.

Hades as a Ruler:

In ancient times Hades was considered to be a typical ruler who could be as caring as he could be angry. His main duties as the ruler of the dead were to keep the balance between life and death and to protect those that entered

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