King of Underworld

Chapter 179: Epilogue – Hades (2)

Relationship with Zeus

“Because my brother is already a true king, he does not covet the throne of the gods.”

—Zeus (Iliad, p. 34)

Hades is the most reliable brother and trustworthy ally of Zeus.

After their victory in the Titanomachy, Poseidon constantly tried to check or rebel against Zeus.

However, Hades did not act in such a manner.

Eventually, when Hera, Apollo, and Poseidon ambushed Zeus as he slept and hid his thunderbolt, Hades confronted Poseidon at Olympus after hearing the news from the Goddess Thetis.

After this event, Zeus came to trust his brother Hades firmly.

For instance, he even heeded Hades’ request to free Prometheus, showing his trust in him even in matters related to his authority.

(Of course, it might also be because the underworld, being a separate realm from the mortal world, made Zeus less wary of his brother, who was already the king of the dead.)

As noted in the excerpt from the Iliad, after the Great Flood, Zeus’ way of addressing Hades changed.

Instead of simply calling him “Hades” as before, he began using respectful and honorific terms that conveyed respect and acknowledgment.

Appearance
Hades is considered a handsome man with a cold face, black hair, and black eyes, always dressed entirely in black.

The color black, associated with darkness and night, was thought to symbolize death, and the underworld he ruled over was perceived as gloomy, which explains his description.

Initially, records described him as having the majestic appearance of a middle-aged man, much like his brothers Zeus and Poseidon.

However, over time, this image evolved into that of a beautiful young man.

This change might have been an attempt to align with his image, as someone who rejected the persistent advances of Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love, and, unlike his promiscuous brothers, had three legitimate wives approved by Hera—a true victor and alpha male.

However, because of Hades’ status as the god of the underworld, mortal men like Orpheus who encountered him were less struck by his appearance and more consumed by a profound fear and existential dread of death.

A Benevolent God Who Cherishes Mortals
In Greek mythology, most gods treat mortals cruelly.

The gap between immortals and mortals is so vast that gods would kill humans or curse them over trivial slights.

The Olympians often destroyed the mortal world with great floods or killed humans simply for exposing their flaws.

Even Athena, the goddess of wisdom, committed questionable acts in tales such as those of Arachne and Medusa.

Among this chaos, Hades stands out as one of the few gods consistently merciful toward mortals.

Despite being feared as the god of the underworld, he was revered as a god of mercy and justice.

While the mortal world and the underworld were thought to be completely separate, Hades frequently appeared in the mortal world, fitting his role as a god of mercy and fairness.

Some gods disapproved of Hades being so kind to mortals, but that was all they could do.

Aside from the Protogenoi, no one except the other two great gods of the Trinity possessed the power or status to oppose Hades.

And even Zeus, the king of the gods, trusted Hades—so who could dare stand against him?

In a Greek mythos rife with accounts of rape and crimes, Hades is one of the rare gods who remains untainted, earning his reputation as the god of justice.

Moreover, his merciful side elevates him to a nearly saint-like figure within the myths.

For instance, when passing judgment on King Oedipus—who, cursed by Gaia, had gone mad and massacred his people—Hades spent hours deliberating with King Minos.

Even after delivering his judgment, Hades agonized over whether it was the right decision, leading the Goddess Lethe to comfort him.

He was a wise elder who scolded Zeus and Poseidon when they erred, and his words were never wrong.

With his immense power, he was like the police of the gods.

(This is why Dionysus, who tried to take Princess Ariadne from the hero Theseus, obediently backed off when the goddess of justice, Dike, invoked Hades’ name.)

From the Perspective of Ancient Greeks
Even if natural phenomena personified as gods treated mortals harshly, the ancient Greeks believed that once a person died and reached the underworld, they would be judged fairly by Hades.

As such, many myths depict Hades punishing gods who tormented mortals, dragging them to the underworld to work (which partly explains why the underworld in modern portrayals is often seen as a bureaucracy).

Even Zeus, the king of the gods, or Athena, the goddess of wisdom, could not escape Hades’ reprimands if they committed wrongs.

Hades, occupying a role similar to Yama (the King of Hell) in Eastern traditions, is portrayed as a figure who roamed freely and actively intervened.

For example, in the tales of Cadmus, Perseus, Bellerophon, and Heracles, Hades plays a vital role, never failing to appear.

At one point, he was even worshiped as a god who nurtured heroes.

(This might be because heroes were often associated with confronting or overcoming death, or fearlessly facing it.)

In Thebes, where Hades’ worship first spread, there are astonishing records that the priests of Hades’ temple did not flee during King Oedipus’ massacre.

In Greek mythology, the combat power of mortals and heroes differs significantly.

Even as the maddened King Oedipus slaughtered dozens of soldiers and approached Hades’ temple, the priests continued their prayers.

This devotion, it is said, prompted Hades himself to descend to the mortal world and subdue King Oedipus.

Perhaps because of stories like this, the ancient Greeks revered the name “Hades” with fear but worshiped his name “Pluto” as an equal to Zeus.

Places where Hades was worshipped as a primary god included the renowned Thebes, Ethiopia, Argos, and Troy, the key setting of the Iliad.

In Creative Works
In popular culture, Hades is often portrayed as a stern and strict god of the underworld, mixed with qualities of mercy and fairness.

As a personification of the underworld, Hades was initially a hated god, but his reputation improved over time.

In modern interpretations, he is often viewed as “The Conscience of Olympus,” “The Policeman of the Gods,” or “A Weary Civil Servant.”

Nevertheless, his status as one of the three great gods remains intact, allowing him to shine in many creative works.

In games, he may summon the hellhound Cerberus, raise the dead as a final boss, or become an agent of justice who punishes the misdeeds of the Olympian gods.

It shows a frequency of appearances comparable to Zeus, who is almost the king of Olympus.

In Rebellion of the Dead 6, he appears as the final boss, boasting an extremely high difficulty level.

In Phase 1, he persuades the player with a calm tone as the God of Mercy, while only using moderate restraining attacks.

In Phase 2, as the God of Justice, he applies debuffs proportional to the number of monsters the player has killed so far.

In Phase 3, he manifests his true form, shrouded in black darkness, wielding immense divine power as the King of the Underworld, and displaying bizarre attack patterns.

In the final phase, he wears his Helm of Invisibility, relentlessly pressuring the player.

In the webtoon God of Olympus, he appears as an ally to the protagonist Zeus, showing a friendly demeanor by preemptively detecting Poseidon’s rebellion and ambushing Olympus.

However, he also scolds the reckless protagonist or opposes his opinions, displaying characteristics similar to those in the original mythology.

Miscellaneous
Though he is a strict rule-follower who does not tolerate violations or intrusions into his domain, his aspect as the God of Mercy occasionally allows exceptions.
Examples include Orpheus, who became the God of Music after rescuing his wife from the Underworld, and Heracles, whom he ordered to submerge himself in the River Styx. (This highlights the human-like qualities of Greek gods, even in the embodiment of the Underworld, Hades.)

For some reason, there are suspicious depictions of him being unusually close to Euros, the God of the East Wind, despite the two having little to no connection. (It’s unclear why they are so friendly—surely Euros didn’t help with Hades’ romantic life, did he?)

Due to the many stories of him dragging misbehaving gods to the Underworld for labor, his realm is often interpreted as “[the most undesirable workplace in the divine realm]” or “[the gods’ place of exile and forced labor camp].”

In such interpretations, creative works often portray Hades as a government official overwhelmed with work, sporting an exhausted expression.

Though he is a god who sympathizes with heroes, he actively punishes them if they attempt to massacre innocent humans.
One notable scene from the Trojan War shows him scolding Polydoros and Nestor, who nearly destroyed Troy, before sending them away.

This is one of the few comedic scenes in the Trojan War, culminating in the heroes leaping off the city walls upon realizing the one stopping them was Hades in human guise.

A record exists suggesting he possesses an extraordinarily handsome appearance, as evidenced by Alecto, one of the three Furies, weeping and not attending his wedding, and by the goddess Aphrodite failing to seduce him even after employing the Kestos Himas.
(After all, he is a god who possesses power, wealth, status, and virtue in equal measure…)

Strangely, he reportedly used his divine artifact, the Kynee, as a testing ground for weapon durability.
It is said that he tested the hardness of his Bident and the Styx Blade by striking them against his Helm of Invisibility.

He was renowned as a god who listened to grievances and made fair judgments.
Records show that not only the dead but even other gods would complain to him and ask for his help.