“Before you take the tour of the Underworld you must make an adjustment in your way of thinking about the Underworld. In mythology, the Underworld was just a place where the dead go to spend eternity. It falls within the natural scheme of things. The three judges there, Aeacus, Minos, and Hermeschthonius, they judge the people who enter here. Some like Tantalus are punished. Some like Aecus are rewarded. The three fates are in the Underworld; Clotho spins the thread that is your life, Lachesis puts knots or keeps the thread untangled, and Atropos cuts that thread at the right time. No living person could enter the Underworld but as usual there are and have been exceptions. Hercules and Orpheus entered and left. I have limited access through special permission of Hades. It is not only a place of eternal damnation, it is not only a place where only sinners are tortured. Yes, there are demons, there are Hell hounds, but the blessed Elysium Fields are also here. A domain of good, righteous, heroic, and those whose life choices have granted them admittance. . Give yourself a minute, then go buy a ticket for the Underworld Trolly Tour. I'm your tour guide, we'll leave in just a minute.
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“The Underworld is the domain of the dead, since we are still a part of the land of the living and hope to return there, we will not reveal names. For your safety, please, keep your hands inside the trolly, do not get off the trolly for any reason once we begin to move. Be aware that no light from Apollo's orb passes the gates once we begin the descent. You also need to be aware that in the Underworld what you will see is in the The Venus Grotto at King Ludwig II's realm of Hades and his Queen Persephone. Although we do not worship them, as they were revered in the days of old, he is a mighty god, sometimes brooding. If you violate the rules of the tour, you might end up spending eternity with him. Once you become a part of the population here, there is no escape. True, there have been rumors and the occasional story of travelers who made it out, Orpheus for one, that was a special one time deal. At last check there were no deals out there waiting for any of you.. Now that I really have your attention I'll restate the rules. Keep your hands inside the trolly, do not touch anything or take anything from the inhabitants, do not get out of the trolly as it moves through the darkness of Hades. Any questions? Very well. “This will be a once in a lifetime adventure for you. We ask that you take no flash pictures. The bright illumination will startle the residents. It also might reveal somethings best left hidden within the shades. Even though the Elysium Fields are well lit, peaceful and beautiful, your camera will not work there and will remain permanently damaged. As we enter the gates, you will notice that the air is not necessarily hot. The breezes here are neither gentle nor are they horrendous, except where they need to be. The ancients came to the Underworld after they died. Hades, being and omnipotent being, like his brothers Poseidon and Zeus, knew what each individual had done when alive on surface of the earth, the section of the Universe ruled by his sisters. If necessary, people pay for their unfortunate actions; if not, they simply take up residence here in the realm of the dead, or if warranted, spend eternity in Elysium The water you hear is the River Styx. The river completely surrounds the realm of the dead. It must be crossed to enter, it is always considered a one way trip. Charon, the boatman will accept the coins you have each donated and ferry the trolly to the other side. The waters are special, sacred, many rites have been performed here.” A hand is raised, “Why did we pay with coins?” “When he began his job, there was no paper money. Second, the dead had coins because the coins were used as weights to keep their eyes closed before they made the trip here. Need I say more?” “The terrifying, deep growl you hear is Cerberus, he is the Hell Hound of all Hell Hounds. He isn't here to keep us from getting in; he's here to be sure we don't get out. You will notice as you look at him, where he ever vigilantly stands, the number of his heads is in constant change. Most of the time he has three heads but it does vary. He only has a taste for live meat; hence the directions I gave you when we began. He's only been out of the area once. Hercules was -26-
