Where is Styx, the river of the dead? River Styx

The Styx, the mythical river of the dead, is known not only for being a link between the world of the living and the otherworldly kingdom of Hades. Associated with it large number myths and legends. For example, Achilles received his strength when he was dipped in the Styx, Hephaestus came to its waters to temper Daphne’s sword, and some heroes swam across it while alive. What is the River Styx and what power do its waters have?

Styx in ancient Greek mythology

Ancient Greek myths tell us that Styx is the eldest daughter of Ocean and Tethys. Her husband was the Titan Pallant, with whom she had several children. Also, according to one version, Persephone was her daughter, born from Zeus.

Styx took the side of Zeus in his battle with Kronos, taking an active part in it. She made a significant contribution to the victory over the Titans, for which she received great honor and respect. Since then, the River Styx has become a symbol of a sacred oath, breaking which was considered unacceptable even for God. Anyone who violated an oath by the waters of the Styx was severely punished. However, Zeus was always favorable to Styx and her children because they always assisted him and were faithful.

River in the kingdom of the dead

What is the River Styx? The mythology of the ancient Greeks tells that there are places on earth where the sun never looks, so they reign eternal darkness and darkness. It is there that the entrance to the domain of Hades is located - Tartarus. Several rivers flow in the kingdom of the dead, but the darkest and most terrible of them is the Styx. The River of the Dead circles the kingdom of Hades nine times, and its waters are black and muddy.

According to legend, the Styx originates far in the west, where night reigns. Here is the luxurious palace of the goddess, the silver columns of which, which are streams of a source falling from a height, reach to the heavens. These places are uninhabited, and even the gods do not visit here. An exception can be considered Iris, who occasionally came to fetch the sacred water of the Styx, with the help of which the gods made their oaths. Here the waters of the source go underground, where horror and death live.

There is one legend that says that the Styx once flowed in the northern part of Arcadia, and Alexander the Great was poisoned with water taken from this river. Dante Alighieri in his " Divine Comedy" used the image of a river in one of the circles of hell, only there it was presented as a dirty swamp in which sinners will get bogged down forever.

Carrier Charon

The crossing to the kingdom of the dead is guarded by Charon, the ferryman on the River Styx. In myths Ancient Greece he is depicted as a gloomy old man with a long and unkempt beard, and his clothes are dirty and shabby. Charon's duties include transporting the souls of the dead across the River Styx, for which he has at his disposal a small boat and a single oar.

It was believed that Charon rejected the souls of those people whose bodies were not properly buried, so they were forced to wander forever in search of peace. Also in ancient times, there was a belief that you had to pay the ferryman Charon to cross the Styx. To do this, during burial, the relatives of the deceased placed a small coin in his mouth, which he could use in the underground kingdom of Hades. By the way, a similar tradition existed among many peoples of the world. The custom of putting money in the coffin is observed by some people to this day.

Analogues of Styx and Charon

The River Styx and its guardian Charon are quite characteristic images, describing the transition of the soul to another world. Having studied mythology different nations, you can see similar examples in other beliefs. For example, among the ancient Egyptians, the duties of a guide to the afterlife, which also had its own river of the dead, were performed by the dog-headed Anubis, who led the soul of the deceased to the throne of Osiris. Anubis looks very similar to gray wolf, which, according to beliefs Slavic peoples, also accompanied souls to the next world.

IN ancient world There were many legends and traditions, sometimes they could not correspond or even contradict each other. For example, according to some myths, the ferryman Charon transported souls not through the Styx, but through another river - the Acheron. There are also other versions regarding its origin and further role in mythology. Nevertheless, the River Styx today is the personification of the transition of souls from our world to the afterlife.

Styx is the same river of the dead that is described in Greek mythology. It is through it that a certain ferryman crosses, with whose help you can transfer souls there or back for a fee. What is this river famous for and what significance does it have in other cultures?

José Benlure y Gil (1855-1937). River of Oblivion. Arthive

Almost all traditions have similar descriptions of the underworld. The only difference is the details and mainly the names. For example, in ancient greek mythology The river through which the souls of the dead are melted is called Styx. According to legends, it is located in the kingdom of Hades, the god of the kingdom of the dead. The very name of the river is translated as a monster, or in other words, the personification of real horror. Styx has great value in the underworld and is the main transition point between the two worlds.

According to the myths of ancient Greece, the River Styx was the daughter of Ocean and Tethys. She earned her respect and unshakable authority after the battle on the side of Zeus. After all, it was her participation that positively influenced the outcome of the war. Since then, the gods of Olympus have confirmed the inviolability of their oath with her name. If the oath was nevertheless broken, then the Olympian had to lie lifeless for nine earthly years, and after that not dare to approach Olympus for the same amount of time. Only after this time had the god who broke his oath had the right to return. In addition, Zeus used the waters of Styx to test the honesty of his allies. He forced him to drink from it, and if suddenly the Olympian was a deceiver, then he immediately lost his voice and froze for a year. The waters of this river were considered deadly poisonous.

Styx. Engraving by Gustave Doré, 1861. Dante's Divine Comedy (1265-1321)

According to legend, Styx circles the kingdom of the dead - Hades - nine times and is under the protection of Charon. It is this strict old man who melts the souls/shadows of the dead on his boat. He takes them to the other side of the river, from where they never return. However, he does this for a fee. In order for Charon to accept the shadow of his boat, the ancient Greeks placed a small obol coin in the deceased’s mouth. Perhaps this is where the tradition came from, when burying a body, to place money and other things valuable during life next to it. Meanwhile, not everyone can get to the other side. If loved ones do not bury the body as expected, the gloomy Charon does not let the soul into the boat. He pushes her away, dooming her to eternal wanderings.

When the boat with souls nevertheless reached the opposite shore, they were met by the hellish dog - Cerberus.

Mavroneri River

Often the image of the River Styx can be found in art. The image of a river ferryman was used by Virgil, Seneca, and Lucian. Dante in The Divine Comedy used the River Styx in the fifth circle of hell. However, there it is not water, but a dirty swamp, in which those who experienced a lot of anger during their lives wage an eternal fight on the bodies of those who lived their whole lives in boredom. Among the most famous paintings with the ferryman of souls - Michelangelo's work "The Day of Judgment". Sinners are taken to the kingdom of Hades on it.

Dante used the River Styx in the fifth circle of hell in The Divine Comedy
It is also interesting that in our time, the Mavroneri, also known as the “black river,” is considered an analogue of the river that flowed from the underworld. It is located in the mountainous part of the Peloponnese Peninsula, Greece. By the way, scientists suggest that it was this water that poisoned Alexander the Great. They base this conclusion on the fact that Mavroneri, like Styx, contains microorganisms that are fatally poisonous to humans, poisoning with which is accompanied by symptoms from which one suffered before death great commander.

Mentions of deadly waters The Styx and its guardians exist in other cultures. For example, the Egyptians attributed

Styx- a river in the kingdom of the dead, through which, according to legend, the souls of the dead are transported by Charon. Sometimes it is described as a lake or swamp, as, for example, in Aristophanes' comedy "Frogs". Homer has the most terrible oath of the gods - to swear in the name of Styx. In another legend, Achilles was immersed in the Styx to make him invulnerable. Herodotus wrote about the existence of a stream in Arcadia, falling vertically from a cliff: its waters are cold as ice and leave a black mark on the stones. It was believed that these were the waters of the Styx.

Experts from Stanford University are confident that the river, which, according to legend, flowed from the Underworld, still exists in the mountainous part of the Peloponnese peninsula, but is now known as Mavroneri.

The scientists' arguments are based on the assumption that Alexander the Great was poisoned with water taken from the Styx. The results of the analysis of the Mavroneri waters indicate that it contains microorganisms that are fatally poisonous to humans, poisoning with which is accompanied by symptoms from which the great commander suffered before his death. It is curious that even in ancient times they thought that the waters of the Styx were poisonous. Arrian Flavius and Plutarch report that Alexander the Great was poisoned by water from the Styx sent to him in the hoof of a mule, although Pausanias does not mention this fact.

Styx river in Hades.

Hephaestus, when forging the sword of Dawn, tempered it in the waters of the Styx. According to Hesiod, the River Styx constituted a tenth of the entire stream that penetrated through the darkness into the underworld, where Cocytus flowed into the Styx; the remaining nine parts of the stream surrounded the earth and sea with their windings. Poets also mention the Stygian swamps in Hades.

According to one of the ancient legends famous hero Achilles gained his invincibility thanks to the fact that his mother, the goddess Thetis, dipped him into the waters of the sacred Styx.

IN historical time The River Styx was seen in a stream near Nonacris, and it was said that Alexander the Great was poisoned with this water.

According to the myths of ancient Greece, on globe There were countries where eternal night reigned and the sun never rose over them. In such a country, the ancient Greeks placed the entrance to Tartarus - the underground kingdom of the god Hades, the kingdom of the dead of Greek mythology. The kingdom of the god Hades was watered by two rivers: Acheron And Styx. The gods swore in the name of the River Styx, pronouncing oaths. Oaths by the River Styx were considered inviolable and terrible.

To understand the history of the mysterious River Styx, you should plunge a little into mythology. So, in ancient mythical times, the world was divided between the gods into three parts. The dungeon was in the power of the dark god Hades, and the gloomy old man Charon transported dead souls across the Styx. The river flowed in the underground kingdom, the entrance to which was guarded by the three-headed Cerberus, on whose neck poisonous snakes curled.

During the funeral rite, a coin was placed in the mouth of the deceased as a tribute to the god of the underground. It was believed that a 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 of higher rank, the god of the underworld possessed enormous power. The laws in his domain were inflexible. And order in the kingdom is indestructible and strong, so the gods swore by the waters of the sacred river Styx. Not a single god could rescue anyone who fell into the underworld: Charon melted them into the kingdom of the dead, but never back to where the sun shines.

The River Styx is poisonous, but also capable of granting immortality. The expression Achilles' heel is directly related to this river. Achilles' mother Thetis dipped her son into the waters of the Styx, thanks to which the hero became invincible. And only the heel by which his mother held him remained vulnerable.

A ancient Greek poet Hesiod wrote that the River Styx was a tenth groundwater. The remaining 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, a treacherous river. Its direction and location are constantly changing. But at the same time, the road along the river never lasts longer than a day.

It is also believed that the River Styx kills all living things. This is water, cold as ice and corroding everything in its path. Anyone who drinks from it or touches this water will die. Glass, clay, crystal products all burst when they fall into the waters of this river. All metals are corroded by the water of the Styx. But everything that has divine power, there is also weak point. Like vinegar eats away pearls or like 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 invariably a poisonous and dangerous river that flows underground and symbolizes primitive fear and darkness.

In ancient times, it was thought that its waters were poisonous. Arrian Flavius and Plutarchus report that Alexander the Great was poisoned by water from the Styx sent to him in the hoof of a mule, although Pausanias does not mention this fact. In the composition, the hero, together with Charon, crosses the River Styx to the kingdom of the dead. the shore of the living is full of light, and on the shore dead hero sees centaurs, dragons, harpies, birds with female heads and other monsters of the underworld..

Sources: www.grekomania.ru, world-of-legends.su, zaumnik.ru, fb.ru, otvet.mail.ru

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- (Greek styx). 1) a river in Arcadia, now Mavronero, known in ancient times for its ice-cold and corrosive water that brings death. 2) in mythology, a river in the underworld, by which the gods swore. 3) a river nymph of the same name, daughter of Ocean and... ... Dictionary foreign words Russian language

- (Greek “hated”), in Greek mythology, a river in the kingdom of the dead, as well as the goddess of this river. The goddess Styx is one of the daughters of Ocean (see OCEAN (in mythology)) and Tethys (see TEFIDA) or the daughter of Nyx (see NIKTA) of Night and Erebus (see EREB). From marriage with... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (hated) in the myths of the ancient Greeks, the deity of the river of the same name in the kingdom of the dead. The oath of the Styx water is the most terrible... Historical Dictionary

- (Styx, Στύξ). The waters in Arcadia, which, according to the ancients, were distinguished by their ability to corrode everything except horse hooves. Therefore, the Greeks called this name the main river of the underworld, which encircles hell seven times. The gods swore by the Styx, and this... ... Encyclopedia of Mythology

Noun, number of synonyms: 4 deity (103) nymph (58) oceanid (20) ... Dictionary of synonyms

Styx- Styx, and (mythological) ... Russian spelling dictionary

The hated river, which in Greek mythology was considered main river underground kingdom. Styx was personified as the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, who helped Zeus in his war with the Titans and was rewarded with the most terrible and... Collier's Encyclopedia

Styx- A river in the kingdom of the dead, through which the souls of the dead are traditionally transported by Charon. Sometimes it is described as a lake or a marsh (swamp), as, for example, in the comedy of Aristophanes the Frog. In Dante, this is also a dirty black swamp, in which angry... ... Ancient world. Dictionary-reference book.

STYX Dictionary-reference book on Ancient Greece and Rome, on mythology

STYX- A river in the kingdom of the dead, through which the souls of the dead are traditionally transported by Charon. Sometimes it is described as a lake or a marsh (swamp), as, for example, in Aristophanes' comedy "Frogs". In Dante, this is also a dirty black swamp, in which the “wrathful”... ... List of Ancient Greek names

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Styx Styx

(Styx, Στύξ). The waters in Arcadia, which, according to the ancients, were distinguished by their ability to corrode everything except horse hooves. Therefore, the Greeks called this name the main river of the underworld, which encircles hell seven times. The gods swore by the Styx, and this oath was considered the most sacred.

(Source: " Brief dictionary mythology and antiquities." M. Korsh. St. Petersburg, published by A. S. Suvorin, 1894.)

STYX

(Στύξ, “hated”), in Greek mythology, the deity of the river of the same name in the kingdom of the dead. S. is one of the eldest daughters of Ocean and Tethys (Hes. Theog. 361), according to another version, she is the daughter of Night and Erebus (Hyg. Fab. Praef. 1). During the discord of the gods, by order of Zeus, oaths are pronounced over the water of S., brought by Iris. The god who broke his oath lies lifeless for a year, lives away from Olympus for nine years, and only returns to the host of the Olympians in the tenth year. The oath by S. water is the most terrible (Hes. Theog. 775-806). From her marriage to Pallant, S. gave birth to Envy (Jealousy, Zeal), Nike (Victory), Strength (Power) and Power. S.'s children are especially dear to Zeus, since they always accompany him. During the Titanomachy, S. hastened to take the side of Zeus and retained her original honor and inheritance, received generous gifts from him, and her name became a great oath (382-403). There is a myth that Persephone is the daughter of Zeus and S. (Apollod. I, 3, 1). S. appears among other nymphs and goddesses who played with Persephone in the meadow when Hades kidnapped her (Numn. Not. V 424). In the image of S. there is an attempt to combine Olympic mythology with pre-Olympic chthonism, conceptualized in qualitatively new functions (help S. Zeus).
A. t.-g.

(Source: “Myths of the Peoples of the World.”)

Synonyms:

See what "Styx" is in other dictionaries:

- (hated) in the myths of the ancient Greeks, the deity of the river of the same name in the kingdom of the dead. The oath of the Styx water is the most terrible... Historical Dictionary

Noun, number of synonyms: 4 deity (103) nymph (58) oceanid (20) ... Dictionary of synonyms

Styx- Styx, and (mythological) ... Russian spelling dictionary

This term has other meanings, see Styx (meanings). Styx. Engraving by Gustave Doré, 1861 Styx (other ... Wikipedia

The hated river, which in Greek mythology was considered the main river of the underworld. Styx was personified as the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, who helped Zeus in his war with the Titans and was rewarded with the most terrible and... Collier's Encyclopedia

STYX Dictionary-reference book on Ancient Greece and Rome, on mythology

Books

Styx, Natalya Andreeva. A suspicious man who has lost his memory is brought to the duty station. He wandered along the highway towards Moscow. To great surprise, the tramp is identified as investigator Ivan Mukaev, who disappeared during...