| Hades came by chance to be king of the dead. "We are three brothers sprung from Kronos, born of Rhea," says Poseidon; "Zeus and I and a third, Hades . . . the world was divided into three parts, and each one had its lot. The lot I drew was to live forever in the white sea; Hades had for his lot the dark mist, and Zeus in the vast sky, in the bright air and in the cloud" (Homer Iliad 15.1187ff.) Hades was often identified as aer-like darkness, which originally meant ‘misty darkness’ but eventually - as aer came to mean air instead of mist -- would be explained as meaning ‘dark realm of air’. |
This chamber is perfectly, inky black. A darkness that seems to be an attribute of the very air. No light can be created in this room, whether from fire or elsewise. Yet, those with the Gift will have no trouble seeing all. It is as if the darkness here welcomes them and makes them part of the chamber.
Hades is here presented with his rhabados (staff) seated on a throne as if thinking some thorny problem. There are designs upon the walls which may have some import, yet the darkness does not allow one to see them clearly enough so to tell.
Last modified: Sat Nov 6, 1999 / Jeremiah Genest